One Piece: Start with Zanpakutō

"Rosen… he's grown far beyond what I could've ever imagined."

"At the Naval Academy, I can't even teach him anything anymore."

"Whether it's Haki, physical techniques… or anything else."

Facing Sengoku's unwavering gaze, Zephyr sighed deeply.

"Can't teach him anything anymore…?"

"If I remember correctly, Rosen has only been at the Academy for two days. At most, he's attended four classes."

"Has it really reached the point where even you, Zephyr, have nothing left to offer?"

Garp was so shocked that the senbei he was chewing fell straight from his mouth.

Nearby, Kuzan sat up, pulling down his blindfold, while Borsalino even stopped clipping his nails mid-snip.

They were Zephyr's greatest masterpieces — it had taken them a full year under his guidance before the former Admiral finally declared he had nothing left to teach.

But Rosen?

Just two days.

Four classes.

And Zephyr had already thrown up his hands in surrender.

"If he were to stay at the Academy, that would indeed be the case," Zephyr admitted without hesitation, his voice calm yet resolute.

While he did possess some skill in swordsmanship, he was far from a true swordsman.

And with Rosen's comprehension?

Just watching Zephyr swing a blade once would be enough for him to catch up — and then surpass him in a single afternoon.

Even the Tempest Kick he taught earlier was more than enough for Rosen to extrapolate and create his own swordsmanship.

"So… you want me to grant you a pass to Impel Down, and also a full indemnity waiver… all for Rosen?"

Sengoku narrowed his eyes, staring deeply into Zephyr's face.

In that moment, he saw through Zephyr's entire plan.

"The former Admiral who swore never to kill… now wants to take a student to commit slaughter?"

"Are you sure about this, Zephyr?"

Borsalino finally put down his nail clippers, tilting his head lazily but his eyes sharp as a blade.

"Killing… is indeed bad."

"But."

"Are those monsters in Impel Down still human?"

Zephyr's voice dropped lower, every word as heavy as iron.

"Do those pirates, rotting away in that abyss, even qualify as human anymore?"

He swept his fierce gaze across the room.

Even Garp — who usually played the fool and often joked about pirates — fell completely silent.

Because… they all knew.

Those inside Impel Down were not just criminals.

They were true demons.

Arson, mass murder, pillaging entire towns, countless atrocities.

Even "evil" felt too kind a word for them.

"Keeping them alive is nothing but a waste of the sea's air and the Navy's food."

"Rather than letting them rot, they should serve a purpose — become stepping stones for Rosen's growth."

Zephyr's voice turned thunderous.

"Sengoku, you know as well as I do."

"Rosen has already mastered all Three Forms of Haki, along with every advanced technique. He's also perfected physical skills."

"Unless you can somehow summon a great swordsman from thin air to teach him here, keeping him at the Academy is meaningless. He'll only be wasting his precious time."

The entire office fell into silence.

They finally understood.

"So… this is your so-called 'fifth lesson' for Rosen."

"You plan to take him to Impel Down… to use the prisoners as live training dummies."

Garp's expression turned dark.

"Zephyr… even if they're criminals, what if Rosen gets hurt or worse? Those monsters would do anything to escape or kill."

"A real fight is exactly what he needs to rapidly increase his Haki's strength, build combat instincts, and polish every technique he's learned."

"As for your worry about them being vicious…"

"I want them to be vicious!"

"Only when he faces true monsters will he understand what a real pirate is."

Zephyr's eyes turned cold, sharper than any blade.

"I want him to see this hell with his own eyes — to make sure he never makes the same mistakes I did."

He paused.

"After all, I don't want him to one day admire pirates… or become the second Dragon."

Those words stabbed straight into Sengoku's heart.

Monkey D. Dragon.

The greatest betrayal in naval history.

Their most brilliant son turned into the world's greatest revolutionary.

Sengoku clenched his fists beneath his desk.

The scenario he feared most was seeing another Dragon emerge — a brilliant young king Practiced by the Navy, only to switch sides before they could even fully use him.

"So… which floor do you intend to take him to?"

Sengoku took a deep breath, finally breaking the silence.

"The sixth floor."

Zephyr answered without hesitation.

"Are you insane, Zephyr?!"

"The sixth floor is filled with monsters that even history should erase! Their crimes alone are enough to make the sea itself tremble!"

"If something goes wrong, even you may not be able to protect him!"

Garp slammed his fists on the table, veins bulging.

He'd assumed Zephyr would at most take Rosen to the third or fourth floor.

But the sixth floor?

Infinite Hell.

A place of unending screams and blood.

A graveyard for monsters.

"Protect him?"

"Garp."

Zephyr turned, his expression scornful.

"Do you want Rosen to become a delicate greenhouse flower? A fragile porcelain doll?"

"No one understands Rosen better than I do."

"He was born to be a king — to stand above all monsters and rule the sea."

"Pirates on the sixth floor? You call them monsters?"

"Then what is Rosen?!"

The entire room froze.

Garp opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

Zephyr's words echoed like a hammer in everyone's chest.

"Impel Down… will just be one small step in his naval journey."

Silence.

Long, heavy silence.

Finally, Sengoku raised his head slowly.

"I can approve your pass and sign the indemnity."

"But…"

He tapped his finger on the table lightly, then pointed at Borsalino and Kuzan.

"Every time you take Rosen to the sixth floor… either Borsalino or Kuzan must accompany you."

"If you agree to this, I'll sign immediately."

Zephyr met Sengoku's firm gaze.

He knew the meaning behind it.

It wasn't just about protecting Rosen.

It was also to ensure the stability of Impel Down, to guard against unexpected chaos, and to ensure nothing could jeopardize the Navy's greatest future hope.

"Very well."

"I accept."

A faint smile finally flickered across Sengoku's stern face.

...

Hey guys! Anything specific you want for this Sunday's one-shot chapter? Bleach or One Piece? Smut, backstory, or a 'What If' Series? Drop your ideas in the comments or cast your vote — the Patreon poll is live now

patreon.com/Ren_Saga