Though Ghost Hand Rowan had already expended much of his stamina, the surviving members of the Eight Treasures Water Army were no challenge after he had dispatched Old Cai and Abu.
Hidden under the banner of the Eight Treasures Water Army and the shadow of their captain Green Pepper, Old Cai and Abu carried only token bounties30 and 20 million Berries respectivelynetting Rowan a modest 10 Talent Proficiency points.
The ship teetered violently, battered and unstable, but before it could collapse entirely, Rowan methodically searched it from stem to stern.
To his surprise, he found an unexpected bonus.
Observation Haki cultivation notes…
Sitting in his cabin, Rowan held the two fragile pages, eyes alight with interest.
He didn't know who had written them, but their content was exactly what he needed.
Haki was indispensable in this world. He had long sensed its existence but had never known how to train ituntil now.
If he could learn Observation Haki through these notes, he could save one Free Talent Point, rather than unlocking it via the Talent System. The only regret: no Armament Haki notes had been found.
"Observation Haki… a sixth sense beyond the five ordinary senses. It allows acute awareness of an enemy's presence, the detection of attacks from outside one's vision. Key points of practice are…"
Rowan studied the pages intently. They contained only pointers, not a full manual, yet combined with his current understanding, they outlined a viable training path.
After several readings, he committed every line to memory and moved to his training room to set up a practical exercise.
Ropes hung from the ceiling, sandbags of varying sizes dangling beneath, mimicking the layout he had seen aboard the Eight Treasures Water Army ship.
"Observation and Armament Haki are latent in everyone; once the body is strong enough, they awaken."
With the room prepared, Rowan positioned himself in the center, memorized the placement of the sandbags, closed his eyes, focused, and launched four of them into the air with precise strikes.
Whooshwhoosh!
The sandbags flew in divergent arcs, some colliding midair.
Bangbang!
Rowan's eyes still closed, he swung at two returning bags, missing the other two and narrowly avoiding a strike to his head.
"Judging attacks without sight is… difficult."
He opened his eyes to observe their motion, then closed them again. "Start simple: four at once, stand still."
The layout hinted at the basic method, even without a complete guide.
Bangbang!
Rowan struck again, connecting with three this time. Gradually, his timing and precision improved with each repetition.
Recalling the 10 Talent Proficiency points gained from Old Cai and Abu:
"Agility Enhancement should complement Observation Haki training."
He allocated all 10 points to Agility Enhancement, raising its total to 60. The increase brought faster reactions, keener perception, and smoother movementthe difference was immediately noticeable.
"Continue."
Rowan adjusted to his heightened agility and resumed the drills, honing his Observation Haki as the sun dipped over the Flower Country.
Meanwhile, two Marine warships patrolled the southern wharf. The pirate vessels that had once crowded the harbor had long scattered.
"Only remnants of the Eight Treasures Water Army ship remain…"
Rear Admiral Ghost Spider surveyed the reports, shaking his head. The Eight Treasures Water Army were sanctioned pirates, akin to Shichibukaiso the Marines rarely intervened unless necessary.
As a World Government affiliate, the Flower Country maintained close communication with the Navy. Ghost Spider had already requested high command to stop Ghost Hand Rowan, dead or alive. Yet Rowan had slipped past their grasp.
"Pirates can never be trusted."
Ghost Spider's eyes hardened.
A nearby Marine colonel leaned in quietly.
"Rear Admiral… what is the next move? Ghost Hand Rowan eliminated their men. The Eight Treasures Water Army won't rest."
Ghost Spider snorted.
"You think we sit back and let them handle it? That was a one-off measure. Otherwise, why keep the Marines stationed here?"
"Yes, sir." The colonel lowered his head.
Ghost Spider's gaze drifted seaward, cold light reflecting off his eyes.
"That man bought a branch of adam wood… he'll head for Shipwright Town to build a new ship. I will not allow it to sail."
"Order all branch and division warships to change coursetarget Shipwright Town. Annihilate the Ghost Hand Pirates completely."