Rayleigh's Scalp Tingled

Whoosh!

Junichi's senses achieved perfect coordination in an instant.

A brand-new sensory ability had been born through ascension, keenly perceiving everything around him.

The air, the soil, insects, animals, plants...

All sorts of ordinary things became vivid and alive, as though completely renewed within the perception of Observation Haki.

For Junichi,

it was as if he had only now truly "opened his eyes."

"Observation Haki, acquired."

Junichi let out a long breath, savoring the strange sensation of Observation Haki.

He clearly could not see them,

yet things beyond his field of vision were mysteriously projected within his mind.

They were lifelike, their states distinctly clear.

"Twenty meters?"

Junichi sensed the range of his Observation Haki and could not help nodding.

Everything within a twenty-meter radius centered on him could be perceived.

For Observation Haki that had only just been acquired, this range was fairly good.

It could continue to improve later.

"System, open my current status panel," Junichi muttered inwardly.

Buzz!

A translucent panel visible only to him unfolded before his eyes.

--

[Host: Junichi Uchiha]

[Age: 15]

[Skills: Chakra Refinement Technique · Proficient (258/1000), Uchiha Style Swordsmanship · Proficient (14/1000), Ninja Tool Throwing Technique · Proficient (25/1000), Clone Technique · Proficient (101/1000), Transformation Technique · Proficient (143/1000), Body Replacement Technique · Proficient (119/1000), Fire Release - Great Fireball Technique · Proficient (78/1000), Genjutsu - Narakumi Technique · Proficient (156/1000), Genjutsu - Fox Heart Technique · Proficient (137/1000), Genjutsu - Haze Servant Technique · Proficient (103/1000)... Armament Haki · Beginner (3/100), Observation Haki · Beginner (1/100)]

[Note: Skill levels are—Beginner, Proficient, Mastery, Master, Transcendent!]

--

At the very end of his skills, [Armament Haki] and [Observation Haki] had been added.

Both were at the Beginner level.

"At the Beginner level, the maximum proficiency is 100," Junichi pondered to himself. "It won't be difficult to raise."

"I should be able to grind it to 100 soon."

"Then I can advance from Beginner to Proficient."

With that in mind,

Junichi rose to his feet and walked toward the island's forest.

With Observation Haki and Armament Haki, he could finally let loose a little and venture inside.

The moment he moved,

Rayleigh, who had been constantly monitoring Junichi beneath the sea, immediately noticed.

"What is he planning?"

Rayleigh gripped a small Sea King, his five fingers like steel hooks tightly clamped around the Sea King's head.

But Rayleigh's attention was no longer on the Sea King.

His Observation Haki sensed Junichi's change in position.

He was actually heading into the island's interior.

"Has water gotten into his brain?" Rayleigh's expression shifted slightly. "Even if he awakened Armament Haki, that still isn't enough for him to move around safely on the island!"

The animals on the island were exceptionally savage.

Junichi's newly awakened Armament Haki could barely cover his fists.

What attacks could it possibly block?

"Could this brat be planning to use the threat of wild beasts to force himself to comprehend Observation Haki?" At the thought of this possibility, Rayleigh's expression turned somewhat alarmed.

He hurriedly swam to the surface and rushed ashore.

He casually tossed the Sea King onto the beach.

"Not good!"

The moment Rayleigh came ashore, his expression changed again.

His Observation Haki sensed that Junichi had entered the encirclement of a pack of wild beasts.

"Something's going to happen!"

Rayleigh's gaze turned grave as his legs stamped against the ground at incredible speed.

Whoosh!

He shot forward like a bolt of wind and lightning.

It was a high-speed movement technique modeled after Shave.

Of the Six Powers, nearly every strong fighter had secretly learned a few moves to use.

Within the forest.

Junichi stopped and looked around.

Screech, screech, screech...

One muscular, powerfully built monkey after another appeared among the branches and leaves.

They stared at Junichi with hostile eyes.

As though they regarded him as prey.

"Meat-eating monkeys?"

Junichi raised an eyebrow lightly, utterly unconcerned about the danger he was in.

Within the perception of his Observation Haki, even more monkeys were hiding in the darkness around him.

There were at least fifty of them.

"If this had happened before, getting surrounded by the likes of you would have cost me my life—or at least a layer of skin." Junichi smiled faintly, his expression calm and composed. "But unfortunately for you, I just learned two types of Haki."

"Now it's your turn to lose a layer of skin."

As Junichi spoke, he raised his hand and gave them the middle finger.

Screech!!

Though the monkey troop did not understand the gesture, they sensed Junichi's provocation and immediately flew into a rage.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Several burly male monkeys leaped down and pounced viciously at Junichi.

"Sigh, missed."

"Can't hit me."

"So close."

Junichi dodged left and right, effortlessly evading the attacks of one monkey after another.

This only enraged the monkey troop further.

Screech! Screech! Screech!

They leaped down in groups, all pouncing toward Junichi.

"Ooh, so close again."

"That was dangerous, that was dangerous."

"Good thing I dodged quickly, or I would've been caught."

Junichi grinned as he taunted them.

Yet no matter which direction the monkey troop attacked from, he dodged calmly and unhurriedly, as if he had eyes in the back of his head.

Outside the forest.

Rayleigh stopped in astonishment, staring blankly at the scene before him.

"Ob... Observation Haki?!"

His expression went completely slack.

There was only one explanation for Junichi's ability to stroll leisurely through attacks from every angle—he had comprehended Observation Haki!

But how much time had passed?

"Only twenty minutes, right?" Rayleigh mentally calculated the time, his scalp beginning to tingle. "He acquired Observation Haki in twenty minutes?"

"Isn't that too outrageous?"

"With this boy's personality, shouldn't he have been stuck at the 'relaxation' step for a long time?"

Rayleigh felt as though his mind had suffered a tremendous shock.

Once again, Junichi had shattered his experience, mastering a second kind of Haki in an absurdly short time.

He could not help wondering whether his experience had become outdated and useless.

Otherwise, why did it keep failing whenever it came to Junichi?

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Junichi's nimble evasions caused the monkey troop to miss again and again.

The already enraged monkeys lost their minds even further. Their movements became completely uncoordinated, and they actually crashed into one another.

Screech, screech, screech!!

Before Junichi had even done anything, they started fighting among themselves.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. They really are beasts..." Junichi shook his head and curled his lip. "I deliberately provoked you to make you try harder, yet you started fighting among yourselves first."

"You provoked them too much." Rayleigh's voice drifted over.

Junichi was not surprised. His Observation Haki had detected Rayleigh's arrival long ago.

Hearing his voice, he smiled and greeted him. "You're back, Mr. Rayleigh."

"Enough. Stop messing with those monkeys." Rayleigh looked at him with complicated eyes.

This time, there was no longer any disapproval in his gaze.

There was only shock.

Junichi's displayed talent had utterly stunned him.