After developing the power of Silence, Rosinante crafted a terrifying technique—the Soul-Reaping Blade. By silencing friction, resistance, breath, and sound—all the factors that slow a strike—Rosinante unleashed a slash so swift and so silent, it was undetectable even to a top-tier opponent like Borsalino. That was the very slash that had taken him down. Compared to his previous "Silent Blade" that only suppressed sound, this was a monumental leap in lethality.
Not long after, Rosinante's Observation Haki evolved once again, gaining the ability to perceive life itself.
Typical Observation Haki detects the presence and strength of people or creatures based on their aura or breath. But life—that was different. Life is an abstract, fundamental force. It's not something ordinary Haki users can sense. Yet due to Rosinante's mutated soul, he could now perceive this elusive essence.
Rosinante had always believed that if Donquixote Doflamingo possessed Conqueror's Haki, then so could he. After all, they both shared the bloodline of the Celestial Dragons. And with his transmigrated soul being far stronger than the original, Rosinante was convinced he had the potential.
He'd always assumed that Conqueror's Haki came from the soul—that it was a spiritual pressure strong enough to knock opponents out cold. So he kept trying to awaken it through soul stimulation. But when his Observation Haki reached the point where it could perceive life, the truth shocked him: he'd been wrong all along.
Conqueror's Haki didn't come from the soul. It was an expression of life's hierarchy—a natural suppression exerted by higher-level lifeforms upon the lower.
In this world, where physical cultivation reigns supreme, both Haki and Devil Fruit powers require strong bodies to flourish. When certain individuals push their physical limits beyond human boundaries—people like Roger, Whitebeard, Golden Lion, Garp, and the future Yonko—they break free from ordinary constraints. Their very lifeforms evolve to a higher dimension.
The descendants of these monstrous individuals inherit this elevated life potential. Though dormant, it lies hidden within them. Only through firm resolve and intense training can they awaken it. And its manifestation… is Conqueror's Haki.
In essence, Conqueror's Haki is a manifestation of higher life suppressing the lower.
Those who possess it are born with superior life quality and overwhelming potential. Their growth is unhindered by the typical bottlenecks that limit others. As long as they work hard, greatness is inevitable. That's why the world calls them those with the quality of a king.
After awakening his Conqueror's Haki, Rosinante's potential surged. His Observation Haki grew sharper, and shortly after, his Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki) also awakened.
And with the power of Silence in hand, he developed even more fearsome techniques. By sensing incoming attacks, he could use Silence to weaken or completely nullify them. He could even perceive the inner workings of Devil Fruit users—and silence their powers from within.
Originally, Rosinante had planned to keep these abilities hidden, reserved for ambushing powerful foes. But when he faced Borsalino, he had no choice. Had he held back then, it would've been him who fell that day.
Truthfully, Rosinante was still weaker than Borsalino in raw power. But it was the admiral's carelessness—and Rosinante's perfectly timed counter—that turned the tables.
"Borsalino is strong," Rosinante said, a smirk spreading across his face. "But I'll be stronger. You lose to me once, you'll never catch up again! Hahahahaha!"
Defeating Borsalino had given Rosinante unmatched confidence. His Haki—especially his Conqueror's Haki—rose to new heights.
From his perch high in the sky, Rosinante used his powerful Observation Haki to keep tabs on everything. He was fully aware of Kuzan and Sakazuki's fruitless search through Loguetown.
But Rosinante didn't want to stir up trouble before the Pirate King's execution. So, he hid—suspended in midair, concealed in the sky, far beyond the Marines' reach.
There were plenty of skilled Haki users in Loguetown, but none could sense him. His own Observation Haki was powerful beyond compare. And his Silent Fruit suppressed both breath and sound—natural counters to enemy detection. Unless someone's Observation Haki was several times stronger than his, they'd never know he was there.
Days later, over a dozen massive Marine warships arrived at Loguetown's harbor.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku stood waiting with the three Monster Vice Admirals and Vice Admiral Tsuru. One by one, powerful Marine elites disembarked—no fewer than ten Vice Admirals, led by none other than the Hero of the Marines, Iron Fist Garp.
"Yo, Sengoku, Tsuru," Garp greeted casually as he stepped off the ship.
"Everything go smoothly?" Sengoku asked with a chuckle.
"Ran into a few idiotic pirate crews along the way. Took care of 'em." Garp waved it off with a grin.
"Still as dashing as ever, Vice Admiral Garp," Kuzan quipped.
But judging by the battered state of the warships, things hadn't been as simple as Garp claimed. After all, Roger had conquered the Grand Line and earned the title of Pirate King—the ruler acknowledged by all pirates. Naturally, many pirates were unwilling to see him publicly executed. To them, it was a matter of pride. Dozens of pirate crews had attacked along the way.
Had Garp not been part of the escort, the Vice Admirals alone likely wouldn't have been able to bring Roger safely to Loguetown.
At that moment, Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King, began to disembark under heavy Marine escort.
Roger glanced around at his surroundings and laughed. "Loguetown, huh? Been a while… Hahaha! Well, I suppose this is what they mean by falling leaves returning to their roots."
Despite the shackles on his wrists and ankles, Roger looked nothing like a man on death row. He walked tall, like a victorious general returning from war.
Then, he looked up at the sky.
Just one glance—and Rosinante broke into a cold sweat.
Roger had seen him.