Zephyr and his students kicked into high gear, moving at a breakneck pace. None of them were ordinary anymore—this distance meant nothing to them.
As they passed through several towns, the locals stared in shock at the large group of Marines in uniform. News of the princess's kidnapping hadn't spread among the citizens yet. Since the incident had happened so recently, the royal family had kept it under wraps to avoid panic.
Though this was a bustling trade hub with all sorts of people coming and going, it was rare to see Marines rushing through like this.
Ignoring the stares, Zephyr led his students straight to the palace gates.
"We're here to assist the royal family. Inform the king immediately!" Zephyr barked at the palace guards the moment they arrived.
The guards had initially panicked at the sight of the approaching dust cloud, fearing an attack—until they recognized the Marine uniforms and relaxed.
"Y-Yes! Right away!" one stammered, scrambling inside. They weren't part of the World Government, and their kingdom couldn't afford to offend an organization as powerful as the Marines.
Zephyr remained patient, not barging in despite this being just an affiliate nation. Some Marine officers might have, but he had more restraint.
Soon, an elderly man in ornate robes and a crown emerged, flanked by attendants, guards, and several ministers. His white hair and deeply wrinkled face spoke of age, and his long eyebrows nearly brushed his cheeks.
"Please, Marine officer, you must save my daughter! She's my only heir!" The old king clutched Zephyr's wrist desperately, his face twisted with worry.
The ministers behind him wore varied expressions, staying silent, their thoughts unreadable.
"We'll do everything we can. First, tell us the details," Zephyr assured him.
"Ah, yes, of course! Come inside—we'll talk there!" The king pulled Zephyr along, unwilling to let go.
Zephyr didn't resist, understanding a father's desperation.
Victor had been observing the king since his appearance. The man was short, barely reaching Zephyr's waist, and clearly advanced in years. Given his age and the fact that his daughter wasn't yet married, Victor guessed she was a late-life child—hence the king's doting.
The group followed into the palace, needing the full story before they could act.
The palace was opulent, its architecture distinct from traditional styles, emphasizing arches and curves—something Victor had never seen before.
The king led them to the grand hall where state affairs were discussed. Only then did he release Zephyr's hand, ascending to his throne.
"Bring seats for our Marine guests!" he ordered, regaining some composure.
Guards swiftly arranged chairs, and Zephyr motioned for everyone to sit, ready to hear the details.
"It happened yesterday afternoon," the king began. "My daughter, Paula, insisted on attending the Wine Festival in Brewing Town—a major event for our kingdom. Our nation is known for its liquor, and Paula… I spoiled her. She's my only child, so I couldn't refuse. I assigned guards to protect her, and she was fine throughout the festival—many saw her. But on the way back… she vanished."
His voice grew heavy. "When she didn't return, I sent out search parties. All they found were the charred corpses of her guards. I should have stopped her from going…"
"How did you confirm it was a kidnapping?" Zephyr asked.
"We investigated the scene. It was a remote area, with several burnt-down houses and dead residents—no useful clues. My men searched all night but found nothing. I was losing hope… Then, at dawn, an arrow shot into the palace carried this letter."
He handed it to Zephyr. The message was simple:
"We have your daughter. She's unharmed—we only want money. Bring 10 billion berries to the specified location and retrieve a Den Den Mushi for further instructions."
The kidnappers were unusually meticulous, leaving no traces—far more careful than most in this world.
As Zephyr and the king continued discussing, Victor tuned out the formalities. Instead, he turned to Rebecca.
"Rebecca, can your Observation Haki pick up people's outlines and facial features yet?"
They'd need more than conventional methods to track these kidnappers—their caution demanded Haki.
"Only at close range. Not from far away," she admitted.
"Then you need more practice. Keep your Observation Haki active as much as possible—train your senses to refine the images in your mind. Eventually, you'll see clear pictures."
Victor hadn't told her before, but maintaining Haki over time strengthened it. Now, he was putting her on the fast track. And he wasn't wrong—focusing her senses 'would' sharpen her Observation.
"Got it. I'll work hard!" Rebecca said earnestly. She never doubted Victor's words—after all, he kept growing stronger at an insane pace.
Soon, Zephyr finished gathering information. There weren't many leads, so he handed out copies of the princess's photo to the group before leading the students to investigate the scene.
Victor didn't join them. He knew they wouldn't find anything useful. Instead, he told Zephyr he'd be using his Observation Haki to scan for images directly.
Zephyr immediately understood Victor's plan and agreed without hesitation. He had no concerns about Victor's safety—in the first half of the Grand Line, there were few places Victor couldn't handle.
With that, Victor took Rebecca and Wendy and began his own search, starting from the palace. Of course, only Victor was actively scanning—the girls were just along for the ride.
At his current level, Victor's Observation Haki could theoretically cover the entire island, but rendering detailed images at that range was impossible. At a distance, he could only sense presences.
Right now, he could clearly project visuals within a five-kilometer radius—but even that was pushing his limits.
It was like loading a game on a computer—the more data, the more processing power and bandwidth were needed. Observation Haki was the bandwidth, transmitting and receiving sensory input. Too far, and the "signal" weakened, making clear reception difficult.
Victor didn't go all out—that would drain him too fast. Instead, he maintained a steady two-kilometer scan.
He'd release his Haki in bursts: sweep an area, withdraw if nothing turned up, move to the next spot, then scan again. This was far more efficient than constantly radiating Haki like a radar.
Wendy watched enviously as Victor used his Observation Haki to "see" distant scenes. Her own Haki still hadn't awakened, stuck at the basic "Paper Drawing" level with no progress.
Rebecca, while not as advanced as Victor, had at least awakened hers. Her combat ability had skyrocketed—now, no one in the elite training camp could beat her. Having Observation Haki was like cheating, letting her predict moves before they happened.
But for Wendy, a sniper, the lack of Observation Haki was a critical weakness. Long-range precision shooting required it.