One Piece: Scourge of the Seas

Time, like sand, slips through one's fingers, impossible to grasp.

Half a month had passed in the blink of an eye.

Inside the weapons shop.

A wooden wall now bore a massive hole punched straight through it.

From left to right, top to bottom, the edges of the hole extended outward in thin, vein-like splinters, resembling an abstract and grotesque work of art. One might even think a wood sculptor had gone mad and created an enigmatic masterpiece.

In truth, the wall had been riddled with bullet holes, every mark carved by relentless lead shots.

During this half-month of intense training, Sol had vividly demonstrated the meaning of "this is not a drill."

Neither Maude nor Sunny could count how many bullets they had dodged under Sol's watchful, merciless guidance. What they knew for certain was the tangible, bone-chilling sense of danger they felt each time before a bullet grazed past.

In just two weeks, Maude felt as if he'd spent years teetering on the edge of death—a surreal experience he couldn't reconcile with his once-cautious demeanor. Even in his previous life, where he had always preferred to avoid unnecessary risks, he had never faced such life-threatening situations repeatedly within such a short period.

But here, under Sol's brutal training, he lived every day as though his life was on the line. The overwhelming pressure made him acutely aware that letting his guard down, even for a moment, could be fatal.

Sol was a sadist.

This, in no uncertain terms, was the shared conclusion Maude and Sunny had reached.

Yet the results spoke for themselves.

By now, Maude could dodge Sol's finger-flicked bullets even with his eyes closed. His exceptional progress did not escape Sol's notice.

"Your aptitude for Observation Haki is remarkable," Saul admitted with a rare tone of approval.

As for Sunny, her progress was steady, though less spectacular by comparison. Her talent was undeniable, but when measured against Maude's meteoric advancement, it inevitably seemed dimmer.

Whoosh!

With a final snap of his finger, Sol launched one last lead bullet. The Observation Haki training had officially come to an end.

From this point forward, further mastery of Observation Haki would require two things: time and the crucible of battle.

"Not bad," Sol remarked with a hint of a smile, his gaze falling on the two young trainees before him.

Watching these two, he couldn't help but feel a surge of nostalgia for his younger days. Especially Maude, whose rapid growth both astonished and delighted him.

Before their training had begun, Sol had already sensed Maude's exceptional aptitude for Observation Haki. Even so, the boy had exceeded his expectations. Witnessing Maude's progression firsthand gave Sol an unshakable feeling—he had struck gold.

With such remarkable talent for Observation Haki, it was only natural that Sol hoped Maude would become a marksman. From the very start of their training, he had been subtly steering Maude toward this path.

Yet, deep down, Sol understood that if Maude's Armament Haki aptitude turned out to be equally extraordinary, the way of the sword might be a better fit for him. But like any man, Sol was not immune to selfish desires. He wanted Maude to inherit the dream he himself had failed to achieve.

When Sol announced the end of Observation Haki training, neither Maude nor Sunny dared relax. If mastering Observation Haki had been this grueling, they could only imagine what kind of hell awaited them in Armament Haki training.

The two exchanged wary glances, reading the same dread in each other's eyes.

To them, Sol was nothing short of a tyrant—a relentless taskmaster who spared no effort in pushing them beyond their limits. What they didn't realize was how invaluable such a mentor was.

Why had Shanks invited Sol aboard his ship?

Sure, there was camaraderie, but Shanks also recognized Sol's wealth of experience. With Sol around, the entire crew's average skill level would undoubtedly rise over time.

Sol's sharp, discerning eyes were his greatest asset as a veteran. He could easily identify the limits of his students and tailor their training to push them just beyond those boundaries.

For Maude and Sunny, this meant their training was meticulously calibrated, allowing them to achieve remarkable progress in such a short time.

Of course, Observation Haki is heavily reliant on innate talent. For some, no amount of training could awaken it. But for those blessed with exceptional aptitude—like Maude and Sunny—a skilled mentor could help them unlock its potential in record time.

Armament Haki, however, was a different beast.

Unlike Observation Haki, it depended more on physical conditioning. A strong enough body was the prerequisite. Once that threshold was met, a qualified mentor could help awaken it. But the real challenge lay in honing it to higher levels.

Sol gave the two a ten-minute break.

Bailey, ever the helpful assistant, rushed to serve tea and water. He even seemed ready to offer them hot towels if he could.

The break passed quickly, and Maude and Sunny, still looking like wilted plants, prepared themselves for what was next.

Overusing Observation Haki had drained them mentally. For beginners like them, sustaining its use for extended periods was nearly impossible.

Ignoring their obvious fatigue, Sol launched into the next phase of their training.

"Your Observation Haki aptitude is impressive, allowing you to grasp the basics in just half a month," he began. "But Armament Haki is an entirely different matter. It depends heavily on your physical conditioning. There are no shortcuts."

He fixed them with a serious look.

"In other words, if your body isn't up to par, no amount of effort will help you master it."

"However, once your body meets the necessary criteria, you'll find that not only will Armament Haki come naturally, but many physical techniques will also become much easier to learn. Take the 'Moonwalk' from the Navy's Six Powers, for instance."

With that, Sol leaped into the air, effortlessly hovering a meter above the ground. Before gravity could pull him down, his feet kicked at the air in a rhythmic motion.

Boom! Boom!

With each step, a burst of compressed air resounded, keeping Sol suspended mid-air as though standing on invisible platforms.

"This is Moonwalk, a secret Navy technique," Sol explained, his voice calm as he demonstrated. "I learned it simply by watching Navy officers use it. Once I understood the principle, it was only a matter of practice."

"But if my body hadn't been strong enough, understanding the technique wouldn't have mattered. No amount of effort would have allowed me to perform it."

"The same principle applies to Armament Haki," he continued as he landed gracefully on the ground. "By my standards, your physical conditioning is average at best. Don't expect to master Armament Haki anytime soon."

Sol's blunt words were met with awe-struck expressions from the two trainees. Maude's eyes sparkled as he looked at Sol, as though the old man were a walking treasure trove.

"Then how about teaching us Moonwalk first?" Maude asked eagerly.

Sol said nothing, merely fixing him with a long, unimpressed stare.

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