Giving You Back Your Little Princess, My Observation Haki!

After seeing Kyros leave, Wude watched a few more boring matches before yawning and leaving his seat.

Little Violet continued following behind him. Her curiosity scratched at her like a kitten, making her itch with impatience. She desperately wanted to find the existence that blocked her ability.

"Why are you following me?" Wude glanced at the little tagalong behind him.

"Can I touch it? Just once!" Violet clasped her little hands tightly around her fingers and looked nervously at his back.

"?" Wude wore an expression straight out of "Subway Old Man.jpg." Girl, what are you talking about?

"Can I touch it just once? The existence blocking your path."

Violet pressed her palms together and pleaded.

Ah, she means touching Kuroh. That's simple.

"No." Wude turned and walked away.

"Huh?" Violet froze in place, then quickly hurried after him.

"Just once, please. I'll treat you to a meal!"

"Nope."

"Let me touch it once. I'll take you to see the legendary fairies."

"The Dwarves? No."

Wude shook his head. He had seen one of those little creatures darting around the streets and stealing things.

It was tiny, with a short little tail, and looked rather cute.

That Dwarf had even tried to steal his money, but Kuroh stopped it every time, making it slam headfirst into the ground with stars in its eyes.

It had been pretty amusing, but after seeing it once, he had lost most of his interest.

"What do I have to do to touch it?" Violet looked up at him pitifully.

"I want to go to the contestant waiting area, but I don't want to compete," Wude said.

"Easy!" Violet hurriedly grabbed his trouser leg and dashed toward the contestant area.

The little princess wanted to see the contestants. Who would dare stop her?

That was what you called pulling rank!

Wude reached the contestant area without obstruction and saw Kyros resting.

Kyros looked up at the approaching man, glanced at the sword hanging from his waist, and then continued resting.

"Kyros, the legendary gladiator. You really live up to your reputation." Wude smiled, then turned and headed outside.

Violet followed him in confusion. What's wrong with him?

He only took one look and left?

"Did you come to challenge me?" Kyros asked.

"I'm not interested in bullying you." Wude waved a hand behind his back.

Violet looked at him admiringly. She believed that Big Brother had the strength to back it up.

"What do you mean!?" Kyros frowned at his retreating back. He had won more than two thousand matches without a single defeat.

Yet someone had actually said that fighting him would be bullying him. Was this guy provoking him in his own way?

"Big Brother doesn't want to bully you. Don't you understand?" Violet stood beside Wude and made a face at Kyros.

"..." Kyros did not want to argue with a child. He stood up and walked toward Wude. "If you want to challenge me, meet me in the arena."

Kuroh stood behind Kyros and reached out to pat him on the shoulder.

Kyros instinctively spun around and gripped his sword hilt.

But he did not see anyone who had patted his shoulder.

The other contestants resting nearby stared at his reaction in confusion.

"Do you understand now?" Wude said before turning and walking out of the contestants' lounge.

"What kind of ability is that?" A chill ran down Kyros's back as he stared fixedly at Wude's retreating figure.

"Big Brother wants me to tell you: 'There is always a sky beyond the sky and a person beyond the person. The strong in this world are as numerous as hairs on an ox. Winning however many matches in this little arena means nothing.'"

Violet did not really understand what those words meant either, but she still passed them on to Kyros before turning into a little tagalong and following Big Brother.

"Wait!" Kyros hurried into the corridor, but Wude was already nowhere to be seen.

Kyros was still some distance from three thousand victories, so Wude planned to stay in Dressrosa for a while.

During that time, he would train to develop his Observation Haki.

"Big Brother is amazing! Even Kyros isn't your match!" Violet turned into a little fangirl, running circles around Wude and showering him with praise.

"It's right in front of you. Go ahead and touch it." Wude pointed beside Violet.

"Oh, I touched it!" Violet happily felt the invisible existence. "Hmm? Is she a big sister?"

"..." Wude darkened and turned to leave.

Violet quickly let go of Kuroh and ran toward Wude, completely satisfied.

"Why are you still following me?" Wude looked at her helplessly.

The future Violet, Dressrosa's dancing girl—what's wrong with you?

"Are you a bounty hunter, Big Brother?" Violet asked curiously.

"No." Wude shook his head. When he saw her making a hand gesture, he quickly had Kuroh block her view.

What an annoying brat.

Being able to see through lies and see what the other person was thinking "at the moment" was such a troublesome ability.

He wondered how miserable her future husband's life would be if she ever got married.

"Do you have a secret stash of money?"

"No."

"Then you do. I can see it."

Just imagine it. Terrifying.

"Oh, Big Brother is so sly." Violet was certain that the "big sister" had blocked her vision.

"If you have nothing else to do, stop following me and hurry home." Wude patted her head, his head aching.

King Riku really was something, actually allowing his youngest daughter to run around outside alone.

"Big Brother doesn't need to worry about me. I have several tagalongs behind me." Violet happily enjoyed Big Brother's head-patting, then looked disdainfully behind her at the guards sneaking along after them.

Wude laughed in exasperation. Worried about you? I'm annoyed by the tagalongs!

He looked toward the few guards hiding behind trees and secretly protecting Violet. He noticed one more person than Violet had.

King Riku was hiding in the shadows, secretly watching his youngest daughter while sizing up Wude.

When he noticed Wude looking at him, he smiled awkwardly.

Wude picked up Little Violet, then carried her all the way to King Riku. He placed her in King Riku's arms. "Here's your little princess. I'm giving her back."

Violet sat in her father's arms and looked up at him, the two of them staring wide-eyed at each other.

Violet: As the king, how could you follow someone around?

King Riku: As a princess, how could you run off to watch the dancers again?

"Thank you for looking after my daughter, my friend. I've troubled you," King Riku said gratefully to Wude.

"It was nothing. Children just happen to like me." Wude noticed that Violet was still staring at him with her adorable eyes, so he flicked her lightly on the forehead. "Don't follow me anymore."

King Riku did not take offense. He had always been kind and approachable toward commoners.

Besides, Wude seemed to be a very powerful man. He could hardly pass up the chance to win him over.

Wude ignored the guards' murderous looks, said goodbye to King Riku, and turned to leave.

After passing through the streets, Wude returned to the ship.

Kuroh picked up the iron staff and continued developing Wude's Observation Haki.

The next morning, at dawn.

After finishing his morning exercises, Wude continued training his Observation Haki.

A black cloth covered his eyes while Kuroh swung the iron staff at him. At that very moment, he clearly sensed the surrounding auras.

Everything was so clear. Even without opening his eyes, he could sense the trajectory of the incoming iron staff, the fish swimming through the seawater, and the movements of the people on the beach.

Observation Haki awakened!