Chapter 20 – Hm… I Can't See a Thing!
Following Bogard out onto the deck, Yoriichi's mind was still a little hazy.
He hadn't expected to start learning Haki this soon. Back at Marine Headquarters, he'd spent nearly a month there—and in all that time, he hadn't even seen anyone using the Six Styles or Haki, much less practiced them himself.
Instructor Zephyr had treated him well, of course—but when it came to combat techniques, Zephyr had strictly followed Fleet Admiral Kong's orders, refraining from teaching Yoriichi anything too advanced.
It wasn't hard to understand why.
Kong was still wary of Yoriichi's origins. He likely wanted to observe the boy's temperament and loyalty first, to make sure he could be trusted as a Marine before granting him access to true power.
But Garp… Garp was not the sort to overthink things. He didn't care for orders or politics—Fleet Admiral's commands carried about as much weight with him as a scrap of paper fluttering in the wind.
Once he saw that Yoriichi had not only mastered the Six Styles but was already beginning to apply them creatively in combat, he'd made up his mind on the spot:
"Let Bogard teach him Haki."
To Garp, it was simple.
If the kid could learn it—then let him learn more.
No hesitation. No fear of "rushing the seedling."
The battleship was now fully underway. The open deck stretched wide and empty, with only a few scattered Marines stationed near the railings, keeping watch over the sea.
Up in the lookout tower, Kuzan had found Garp. After greeting the Vice Admiral, he stood quietly behind him, gaze dropping down to where Yoriichi and Bogard faced each other below.
"Heh. You're here," Garp said with a grin, arms folded across his chest. His eyes remained fixed on the two figures on deck. "So—what do you think of that brat?"
Kuzan adjusted his cap, answering honestly. "He's incredible. I've never seen anyone like him. If he really hadn't touched the Six Styles before joining us… then being able to grasp them this fast—his talent's something you only see once in a lifetime."
Garp chuckled, his grin widening even more. "That brat's still got a long way to go."
"Yoriichi," Bogard said evenly, drawing Yoriichi's attention back to him. "The ability I'm going to teach you is called Haki."
"In simple terms, Haki is a power that lies dormant within every human being—a force born from one's very spirit."
"There are three primary forms."
"The first is Observation Haki, which allows you to sense the presence and intent of others—sometimes even predicting their movements before they act."
"The second is Armament Haki, which reinforces your attacks and defenses, and even allows you to strike Logia-type Devil Fruit users."
"And the third… is Conqueror's Haki—the manifestation of pure willpower and dominance. It can't be trained or learned. It's innate, appearing in only one out of a million people."
Bogard paused here, his sharp eyes resting on Yoriichi for a long moment before he went on:
"You'll be starting with Observation Haki."
As he spoke, he reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a strip of black cloth, tossing it toward Yoriichi.
Yoriichi caught it easily.
"Use that to blindfold yourself," Bogard instructed.
"Observation Haki, put simply, is the awakening of one's latent senses."
"The scent of the air, the rhythm of sound, the flow of wind, even the faintest trace of killing intent or emotion—true masters can perceive them all."
"To put it another way… it's perception—a complete awareness of everything around you."
"Humans rely on their five senses to understand the world, but vision alone accounts for nearly ninety percent of that perception."
"Seal away your sight—and if you can still clearly sense the world around you, then you've taken your first step into Observation Haki."
"I've even heard tales," Bogard added, voice low and measured, "of warriors so attuned to their Observation Haki that they can glimpse several seconds into the future."
"When you reach that level… your mastery of Observation Haki can be considered complete."
As Bogard spoke, he unfastened the sword hanging at his waist and set it aside. In its place, he picked up a bamboo sword and stepped forward to face Yoriichi.
Without needing to be told, Yoriichi quietly set down his own blade as well and took up a bamboo sword of his own. Under Bogard's watchful gaze, he tied the black cloth firmly over his eyes.
"This kind of training…" Yoriichi murmured under his breath. "Will it really help me awaken my Observation Haki?"
He couldn't help but feel a trace of doubt.
He'd done nearly identical training back in his own world—the Demon Slayer world—and it hadn't been particularly useful for him. The reason was simple: he had been born already capable of perceiving the Transparent World.
His awareness of the space around him had always been preternaturally sharp—so sharp, in fact, that he never truly relied on sight during battle to begin with.
Still, since Bogard had gone to the trouble of setting it up, he didn't mind giving it another try. A different world, after all—perhaps the same exercise might yield a different result here.
"From this point on, I'll be attacking you," Bogard instructed. "Focus all your attention. Feel my presence—my aura—and avoid my strikes!"
He gave a thorough, patient explanation, unaware that Yoriichi already understood quite a bit about Haki. Even so, Yoriichi listened intently, afraid he might overlook some subtle difference in this world's understanding of it.
When Bogard finally warned that he was about to begin, Yoriichi nodded slightly, signaling that he was ready.
"Fwoosh, fwoosh, fwoosh!"
The moment Yoriichi nodded, Bogard moved. He swung the bamboo sword sharply at Yoriichi's shoulder—a simple probing strike. The blade sliced through the air with a clean whistle.
Clack!
The sound of bamboo meeting bamboo rang out. Yoriichi had simply raised his sword in a smooth motion and intercepted the blow with ease.
"…Hm?" Bogard blinked, momentarily stunned that his attack had been blocked so cleanly. Drawing back, he instantly shifted stance and thrust forward again, this time targeting Yoriichi's abdomen.
Unlike before, the attack came soundlessly—swift and precise, leaving no trace of air resistance.
Clack!
Bogard's eyes widened. He had fully expected the blindfolded Yoriichi to take the hit, but just as his bamboo sword was about to connect, Yoriichi's weapon, which had moments ago been held horizontally above his head, swept down in a perfect vertical arc, parrying the thrust with unerring accuracy.
Two clean defenses in a row.
Bogard froze in place, lowering his weapon slightly, astonishment written all over his face. Almost unconsciously, he turned his head toward the lookout tower, as though seeking an explanation for what he'd just seen.
Up above, Garp had seen everything. His eyebrows rose ever so slightly, a flicker of surprise passing through his expression.
"Heh… looks like the kid's practiced this before," Garp muttered. "Back when I fought him, I got that same feeling."
"It's like he can predict my attacks before I even make them."
Kuzan, standing beside him, had also been watching the whole time. Hearing Garp's tone, he nodded in agreement.
"…"
Garp didn't respond, but he unconsciously leaned closer to the window, resting both hands on the sill, eager to see more clearly what was happening down on deck.
Meanwhile, Yoriichi, sensing that Bogard had stopped moving, tilted his head slightly.
"Lieutenant Commander, why've you stopped? What are you looking at the tower for?"
Bogard turned back to him, momentarily speechless as he stared at the young man calmly standing there—black cloth tied firmly over his eyes.
"…Your eyes," Bogard finally asked. "You did cover them properly, didn't you?"
As he spoke, he waved a hand in front of Yoriichi's face experimentally. To his astonishment, Yoriichi's head turned to follow the movement perfectly.
"Yeah," Yoriichi said earnestly, his tone as calm as ever. "They're covered. I can't see a thing."
Bogard's expression froze for a moment.
Then, in silence, a single incredulous thought crossed his mind:
This brat… he's not cheating, is he?
(End of Chapter)
20 Powerstones= 1 extra chapter
50 powerstones= another extra chapter.
Let's do this guys!!!