"It's not like that, teacher!"
Smoker gritted his teeth, "Indeed, there are serious problems within the Navy, and I've been disappointed many times, but I have never betrayed my beliefs! The main reason I'm willing to follow Shano is because of—"
"Shut up!"
Zephyr burst into anger, roaring suddenly, and stomped heavily on the ground, causing the entire training ground to shatter instantly!
"Pirates are just pirates! There's no difference, stop making excuses for them! Smoker, back in the day, I regarded you as the future of the Navy. You've really disappointed me, you scoundrel!"
Bang!
Zephyr's figure flashed, instantly closing in on Smoker, and with his right arm shrouded in terrifying Armament Haki, he struck fiercely at him—
...
In reality.
Everyone's gaze was focused on Smoker's face.
This guy... just after entering the Illusion Realm, his pupils contracted, his face twitched uncontrollably, cold sweat dripped continuously from his forehead, and his breathing became rapid.
That kind of fear and panic was evident to anyone watching.
"What did he see to be this scared?"
Nami stood on tiptoe, curiously waving her hand in front of Smoker's face, "Hey, Smoker, can you hear me, Smoker?"
Of course, Smoker had no response.
"Stop fooling around, Nami."
Nojiko pulled her back, "If you're interested, why don't you try it yourself?"
No way!
Nami immediately stepped back a few steps. She didn't have much motivation to become stronger, and she came to the second floor to watch everyone have fun. It wouldn't be funny if she became the object of amusement herself.
"Let me try as well." A quiet voice rang out.
Everyone turned their heads in unison to see that it was Robin who had spoken.
"Everyone should be able to guess who I'm most afraid of."
Robin took off the sunglasses from her forehead, hanging them on her chest, eyes slightly downcast, she said softly, "Thanks to the captain... I was able to struggle out from the darkness of fear and unease."
Her fingers unconsciously rubbed the frame of the glasses. She looked up, smiling towards the Illusion Dream Grass:
"But I know that fear still lurks deep in my heart. Now that I have this opportunity, I want to face it myself."
"This time, I want to rely on my own strength to completely dispel this shadow."
Shano turned his head, exchanged a glance with her, said nothing, but smiled widely.
As if gaining some encouragement, Robin's gaze became firm, she stepped forward and approached the Illusion Dream Grass.
It immediately sprayed a mist.
Robin instantly became motionless.
"Let me go in and take a look."
Shano patted the Illusion Dream Grass, reached out, and held its leaf, entering Robin's Illusion Realm as well.
As the host, he had higher-level permissions, like a key-wielding administrator, entering others' dream realms to observe and even intervene.
The mist before his eyes cleared, and he saw an island engulfed in raging flames. In the pitch-black night, Robin stood with her back to him, body rigid and trembling all over.
In the distance, a figure clad in a Cloak of Justice, with slightly disheveled hair, was walking forward with hands in pockets, face indifferent...
"It really is you, Aokiji."
Shano clicked his tongue, quietly retreated, and took another look at Smoker's Illusion Realm, which genuinely surprised him.
Zephyr, huh...
He organized the timeline in his mind.
As of now, Zephyr had already experienced the attack by Whitebeard II a few years back, where almost all his students on the ship died, and he lost an arm.
But he hadn't yet turned his prosthetic into one with a Seastone-infused arm, nor had he left the Navy to become a pirate... that would be five years later, a year after the war at the top, following Whitebeard II's entrance into the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
However, the disappointment and resentment of this old man towards the Navy are not emotions accumulated overnight—Whitebeard II joining the Seven Warlords of the Sea was merely a trigger.
Meaning, the present Zephyr is already a potential target worth recruiting.
Shano noted this down in his mind, savored the scene of Zephyr violently beating Smoker for a while, then withdrew first, returning to reality.
Shano glanced at the Illusion Dream Grass.
These world's top powerhouses, from abilities to Haki, could be mimicked almost to perfection. Reaching this level already made him quite satisfied.
It truly is a magical tool for cultivating leaders.
Unfortunately, it doesn't help him. For training, he still needs to clash forcefully with the historical truths.
In the Illusion Realm, whether it's Zephyr, Aokiji, or even Rocks, which he shattered with Supreme King Haki yesterday, their true power greatly differs from their real bodies.
For someone of his caliber standing at the top of the world, with almost every aspect at the pinnacle, when engaging, Haki, physique, will, beliefs… are all essential, and Illusion Dream Grass cannot perfectly simulate it.
The opponents that he could crush with just a few punches couldn't provide much pressure.
Nonetheless.
Shano was quite curious about what he would see if he entered his own Illusion Realm.
He voluntarily released the Brain Sealing Skill, allowing the Illusion Dream Grass to spray mist at him, as he genuinely did not know what exactly his greatest fear deep down was.
Fear?
To be frank.
Since awakening his Supreme King Haki, he hasn't felt this way in a long time.
Even when facing fearsome and far stronger beasts on Thor Island or at Water Capital, he never felt fear, only a near-instinctive battle spirit and excitement.