The flames wrapped around the blade didn't make it much stronger—just a lot cooler-looking.
Dunn brought up his status panel.
[Body Digitization: Your body's vital points have disappeared. When you are attacked, the damage is converted into lost health; your stats will change according to your strength; you will not die as long as your health remains above zero] [Current age: Fourteen] [Constitution: 21 (rapidly transforming due to certain factors)] [Current health: 100% (recovering; eating can speed up recovery)] [Innate talent (Indomitable): When your health reaches zero, you enter a brief enhanced state; all your physical attributes increase tenfold; your health will no longer decrease; all negative effects are cleared; current duration: ten minutes; cooldown: one day] [Abilities] [Mera Mera no Mi (Proficient): A powerful Logia Devil Fruit ability that grants the power to transform into and control fire; continuously strengthens the body; the fruit's drawbacks have been removed (weaknesses and a resident soul); current fruit development (13%)] [Swordsmanship (Proficient): You have mastered the basic moves and training methods of swordsmanship]
The fruit's growth wasn't much to speak of. It had only increased by 4%. His constitution, however, had risen by a full 11 points compared to a month ago, and the rapid-transformation notice still hadn't disappeared.
That meant his constitution was still improving rapidly.
That was a good thing.
As for the Devil Fruit, at least here, he couldn't conveniently go all out while trying to develop its powers.
Once the flames on Dunn's sword had died away, he sheathed it. The heat in the room gradually faded.
"Looks like I'll have to make other plans."
Just imagining things wouldn't let him quickly develop his Devil Fruit powers. He needed somewhere he could use them to his heart's content.
His original plan had been to train here until he became a swordsman of the highest level. By Dunn's estimate, that might take several years.
But now, if staying here would hold back his Devil Fruit development, he couldn't remain for that long.
Once he mastered both forms of Haki, he would have to go out and explore.
Still, not many people should know about his Devil Fruit powers.
Dunn narrowed his eyes as he thought of the pirates he had sent to the 16th Marine Base.
Of course, he wasn't too worried about it.
The next day.
At Isshin Dojo, Dunn gripped the longsword he had named Flame and diligently practiced the basic sword forms.
Though its sheen was dull, the sword still looked imposing, and it drew plenty of attention.
Kuina and Zoro kept glancing at the sword in Dunn's hand.
Not far away, Shimotsuki Koshiro nodded to himself.
This was one reason he believed Dunn would achieve great things in the future.
Dunn was neither arrogant nor impatient. Though he was far stronger than the others, he never slacked off on his basic training.
"How many times have you beaten Zoro?"
Kuina practiced with her bamboo sword beside Dunn when his question caught her by surprise.
"1,995 times!"
Kuina answered.
Nearby, Zoro's face flushed red, but a loss was a loss.
Dunn nodded.
It seemed Kuina's original time of death was drawing near.
Since he was here, Dunn would naturally prevent that from happening. It wouldn't be difficult for him; he only had to keep an eye on things.
That was also why he wanted to master Observation Haki first.
Their training had just ended. Zoro, who clearly still remembered Dunn's question, challenged Kuina again.
Dunn also began training in Observation Haki.
In a quiet room, Shimotsuki Koshiro looked at Dunn with a genial smile.
"Since you know about Haki and have learned one way to train it, you should know what Observation Haki is, right?"
He didn't start explaining right away. Instead, he asked a question first.
What was Observation Haki?
Dunn lowered his head and pondered.
His knowledge of Haki came from what he had learned from the series before crossing over. But to someone like him, who had never encountered this kind of power before, it was rather abstract.
All he could do was try his best to put it into practice.
Still, Dunn could answer Koshiro's question.
"Perception?"
After a moment's silence, Dunn offered his answer.
"Heh. Perception? Is that how you understand Observation Haki? That's not wrong, though."
Koshiro said with a genial smile.
"Everything has a breath. Whether you listen or feel, you can sense its breath—the wind, the water, even trees or steel.
"Of course, people, too.
"After all, Observation Haki isn't just for sensing living things. It can also detect things without life. You'll need to understand that as you continue your swordsmanship training."
Dunn nodded slightly. He understood, though he still found the idea a little abstract.
As if he had noticed Dunn's thoughts, Koshiro smiled and continued, "In truth, everyone possesses Haki. It lies dormant within the body, and training is needed to draw it out.
"Of course, once it's awakened, you still need to train to make it stronger."
"I know all that." Dunn nodded. "So Conqueror's Haki works the same way?"
"Conqueror's Haki is different. It's a rare talent, one in a million—not everyone possesses it."
Koshiro immediately shook his head. Then, as if he had realized this contradicted what he'd just said about everyone possessing Haki, he explained further.
"To be honest, I don't know much about Conqueror's Haki myself. But I do know that very few people on these seas possess it."
What he really meant was that Dunn was getting ahead of himself.
Dunn nodded without interrupting Koshiro.
"Actually, you've already awakened Observation Haki. You just haven't realized it yet. Or rather, you haven't sensed this power."
Koshiro's words made Dunn pause. He looked down at his hand.
"You said Observation Haki is perception. So, according to your understanding, sense everything around you. Sense the breath of everything around you."
Dunn closed his eyes and tried to focus.
Suddenly, a deadly killing intent bore down on him.
The savage bloodlust raised goose bumps across Dunn's skin.
Almost instinctively, Dunn was about to turn his body into flames to resist the killing intent.
But the killing intent came fiercely and vanished just as quickly.
Its source was Shimotsuki Koshiro, seated not far away.
In Dunn's perception, it was as if a blood-red figure had suddenly appeared before him, sitting cross-legged on the ground—a blood-red demon.
He abruptly opened his eyes and looked at Shimotsuki Koshiro across from him.
"Did you feel it?"
Shimotsuki Koshiro asked with a smile.
"I released my presence very subtly. If you weren't sensitive to presence or breath, you wouldn't have sensed it. Do you remember what it felt like just now?"
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