Flame Entanglement! Training Observation Haki

Aside from looking cooler, the flames currently wrapped around the blade haven't seen much of an improvement.

Dunn exhaled and pulled up his digitized panel.

[Body Digitization: Your vital points have vanished; upon taking damage, the injury is converted into a deduction of HP; panel attributes will change based on your actual strength; you will not die until your HP reaches zero]

[Current Physical Age: Fourteen]

[Physique: 21 (Rapidly transforming due to certain influences)]

[Current HP: 100% (Recovering; eating can accelerate recovery)]

[Inherent Talent (Indomitable): When HP reaches zero, enter a brief empowered state; all your physical attributes increase tenfold; your HP will no longer decrease; all negative status effects are cleared; current duration: ten minutes; cooldown: one day]

[Abilities]

[Flame-Flame Fruit (Proficient): A powerful Logia-type fruit ability; grants the power to transform into and manipulate flames; continuously strengthens the body; fruit drawbacks have been removed (weaknesses and soul inhabitation); current fruit development (13%)]

[Swordsmanship (Proficient): You have mastered the basic techniques and training methods of swordsmanship]

The improvement to the fruit wasn't much, only increasing by 4%, but his physique had increased by a full 11 points compared to a month ago, and the notification about rapid transformation still hadn't disappeared.

This meant that his physical growth was still ongoing.

This was a good thing.

However, as for the Devil Fruit, it wasn't convenient to try and develop it to its full potential here, at least not in this place.

After the flames on the sword in Dunn's hand completely receded, he sheathed his blade, and the sweltering heat in the room gradually dissipated.

"Looks like I need to make other plans."

Relying solely on imagination would never allow for the rapid development of Devil Fruit powers; it required a place where he could unleash his abilities without restraint.

His original plan was to train here until he became a master swordsman, which Dunn estimated would take several years.

But now, if staying here would hinder the development of his fruit, he couldn't remain for that long.

Once he mastered Two-Color Haki, it would be time to head out and see the world.

Still, there shouldn't be many people who know about his fruit's abilities.

Dunn narrowed his eyes in thought, recalling the pirates he had sent to the 16th Marine Base.

Of course, he didn't take it too much to heart.

The next day.

Inside Isshin Dojo, Dunn gripped the longsword he had named Flame, practicing basic sword movements with utmost seriousness.

Even though the blade had a dull luster, it looked incredibly imposing, attracting the gazes of many.

Kuina and Zoro would occasionally let their eyes linger on the sword in Dunn's hand.

Not far away, Shimotsuki Koshiro nodded to himself.

He believed that Dunn would surely achieve great things in the future, and this was precisely why.

He was neither arrogant nor impetuous; even though his strength far exceeded the others, he didn't show the slightest neglect toward basic training.

"How many times have you won your fights against Zoro?"

Kuina, who was swinging her bamboo sword beside Dunn, suddenly heard Dunn's question.

"1,995 times!"

Kuina replied upon hearing this.

On the other side, Zoro's face turned beet red upon hearing that, but a loss was a loss.

Dunn nodded.

It seemed that the time of Kuina's original death was drawing near.

Since he was here, Dunn naturally intended to prevent that from happening; it wasn't difficult for him, just something he needed to keep an eye on.

This was also the reason he wanted to learn Observation Haki first.

As soon as training finished, Zoro, clearly still mindful of Dunn's earlier question, challenged Kuina once again.

And for Dunn, his training in Observation Haki began.

In a quiet room, Shimotsuki Koshiro looked at Dunn with a smile.

"Since you know about Haki and are aware of one of the training methods, you should know what Observation Haki is, right?"

He didn't start with a direct explanation, but instead asked a question first.

What is Observation Haki?

Dunn lowered his head slightly in contemplation.

His understanding of Haki was limited to what he had learned from the work before he transmigrated, but for someone like him who had never been exposed to such power before, it felt somewhat abstract.

He could only try his best to give it a shot.

However, Dunn was able to provide an answer to the question posed by Shimotsuki Koshiro.

"Is it perception?"

Dunn remained silent for a moment before speaking his answer.

"Heh, perception? Is that how you view Observation Haki? But that is not an incorrect way to understand it."

Shimotsuki Koshiro said with a beaming smile.

"Everything has a breath. Whether you listen or feel, you must perceive their breath—be it the wind, water, trees, or even steel.

Of course, that also includes people.

After all, Observation Haki is not directed solely at living things; it also encompasses those that lack life. You will need to understand this point as you continue your training in swordsmanship."

Dunn nodded gently, understanding the words, though he still found them somewhat abstract.

Seeming to read Dunn's thoughts, Shimotsuki Koshiro spoke with a smile: "In truth, Haki is a power that everyone possesses, but this power lies dormant within the human body and must be induced through training.

Naturally, once it has been induced, you must continue to train to make your Haki stronger."

"I know all of that." Dunn nodded. "So, is Conqueror's Haki the same?"

"Conqueror's Haki is different. That is a truly one-in-a-million talent; it is not something everyone possesses."

Shimotsuki Koshiro shook his head immediately, seemingly realizing that this conflicted with his previous statement that everyone has Haki, and he explained further.

"I am not very knowledgeable about Conqueror's Haki myself, but what I do know is that the number of people on this sea who possess it is extremely small."

The underlying implication of these words was that it was far too early for Dunn to be talking about such things.

Dunn nodded, choosing not to interrupt Shimotsuki Koshiro.

"Actually, you have already awakened Observation Haki, but you have yet to notice it—or perhaps, you have yet to perceive this power."

Shimotsuki Koshiro's words left Dunn stunned, and he looked down at his own hands.

"You said Observation Haki is perception, so based on your understanding, go and perceive everything around you. Perceive the breath of everything in your surroundings."

Upon hearing this, Dunn closed his eyes and attempted to focus his spirit.

Suddenly, a lethal killing intent rushed toward him.

The violent killing intent caused goosebumps to instantly break out across Dunn's body.

Almost subconsciously, Dunn was about to turn into his elemental form to resist this murderous intent.

But the killing intent came as swiftly as it vanished.

The source of that killing intent was none other than Shimotsuki Koshiro, who was sitting not far away.

Within Dunn's perception, it was as if a blood-red figure had suddenly appeared sitting on the ground before him, resembling a blood-red demon.

He snapped his eyes open and looked at Shimotsuki Koshiro across from him.

"Did you feel it?"

Shimotsuki Koshiro asked with a smile.

"The aura I released was very subtle. If one is not sensitive enough to aura or breath, they would be unable to perceive it. Do you remember that feeling from just now?"