Leaving Syrup Village

Of the Six Powers, Kami-e was a defensive technique.

The principle was to sense the changes in airflow caused by an opponent's movements, then make the body as light as paper and control it freely to dodge attacks.

In a way, it was harder to master than Iron Body.

Controlling the body so freely that one could even shift the position of muscles and alter its structure sounded impossible enough. Then came sensing changes in the airflow to predict the path of an attack.

Rubick could easily manage the first stage, thanks to the Gum-Gum Fruit and his experience training Iron Body. His rubber body also allowed him to make movements even more incredible than an ordinary person's.

He could just about locate someone by sound, but Rubick had no idea how to sense airflow.

So after learning the other techniques, Rubick called for ten men. They were hired fighters Powell had brought in, all with clean backgrounds and combat power below ten, but they could at least put up a respectable front.

Merry brought the men to the backyard. Usopp came along too.

"Mr. Rubick, I've brought everyone."

Rubick said, "Thank you, Mr. Merry."

"You're welcome."

Rubick told the fighters, "In a moment, throw those sandbags by your feet at me. Put as much strength into it as you can."

Usopp asked, "Mister, me too?"

"That's right. Use your slingshot. If there are no questions, let's begin."

With that, Rubick pulled on a black hood. He looked like a hardened bandit.

Merry signaled the fighters to wait. "Mr. Rubick, will you be all right with your eyes covered?"

"I'll be fine," Rubick said, unconcerned. "Those sandbags won't hurt me, either, so don't hold back. And spread out instead of standing together. Surround me if you can."

Seeing Rubick's insistence, Merry told the fighters to do as he said.

The first sandbag soon flew toward Rubick's ribs. Rubick tried hard to extend his awareness, but how could he conjure something so abstract out of nowhere? First, he had to convince himself it was there.

So Rubick failed to dodge the first sandbag. Even by listening, he could only get a rough idea of where it was. Sensing the flow of air was out of the question.

"Keep going," Rubick said. "Don't worry about me."

Usopp watched for a while before taking out a pellet. It was a clay pellet used for training. After taking aim for a long while, he chose the back of Rubick's head.

"Mister, take this! Special Attack: Clay Pellet!"

Rubick tilted his head and dodged the pellet. "Usopp, do you have to shout when you attack someone?"

Usopp thought about it seriously. "Well, yes, but if I don't shout, it feels like the attack won't do any damage."

Rubick railed inwardly: Is this what it's like living in a world of overdramatic kids?

Rubick tried to reason with him. "If you shout, I'll know where you are. What kind of sniper gives away his position?"

"Even in a head-on fight, I won't lose! I'm going to become a brave warrior of the sea!"

Rubick gave up on teaching Usopp. In a real fight, the guy would definitely turn timid and play it safe. Why worry about him?

In barely ten minutes, they had thrown all the sandbags. Rubick had taken hits the whole time without a scratch, while the fighters' arms ached from exhaustion.

"Forget it. I'm asking too much of you," Rubick said. "Merry, have the kids spend half an hour helping me train each evening."

The ten children had endured their grueling training through sheer determination to get revenge. In terms of combat ability, they were no weaker than new navy recruits.

That half hour would count as training for both sides.

"Usopp, you should work on your body. You use a slingshot, and your own strength matters too."

"Actually, I have a disease that'll kill me if I exercise..."

Rubick used Soru to appear beside him, slung an arm over his shoulder, and put him in a headlock. "I think you're faking it. A good beating should cure it!"

"Don't! Let me go, Mister!"

After a bout of horseplay, Usopp ran off, claiming he had to go home and bring in the laundry. Rubick didn't press him. Usopp was the man people online called a god; Rubick didn't need to worry about him.

He was better off spending that time training his senses.

Ten days, then half a month passed, and Rubick made no progress with Kami-e. It wasn't that he had to master the technique. He wanted to use it to develop that awareness, that ability to sense things, and then try to train his Observation Haki. That was his real goal.

After all, Haki was the strongest power in this world. Even if it wasn't the strongest, it was the most useful. Becoming truly strong without it was impossible.

One day, Rubick prepared to set sail. He planned to take on Arlong Park alone. He had spent long enough in Syrup Village, and training his senses wasn't something he could rush. Restless as ever, he decided to go have some fun.

More than a dozen people came to the dock to see him off. Rubick waved to them and boarded the boat.

This time, he wasn't taking a small boat, but a slightly larger vessel. A direct trip from Syrup Village to Arlong Park would take at least two days.

Besides Rubick, four people were aboard to row. Their job was to take him to the outskirts of Arlong Park; after that, they could head home.

Rubick waved to everyone from the boat. "See you all later!"

Kaya cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "Mister, take care! You have to come back and see us!"

"Don't worry! No one in the East Blue can stop me!"

Rubick called out again, "Usopp, I'm leaving the Going Merry in your care for now. When our captain shows up, hand her over to him!"

The Going Merry had been finished long ago and had remained at the dock ever since. That was Rubick's request. As soon as Luffy and the others arrived on the island, they could get their hands on the SR-class ship, the Going Merry.

Finally, Rubick shouted to the children, "And you lot! Don't think you can slack off just because I'm gone! If I hear about it, I'll come back and make you go a week without food!"

The children wiped away tears. They were still kids, and getting sentimental came naturally to them. After living here for so long, they had opened up. They no longer carried the same bitter, vengeful air they'd had when they first arrived.

Syrup Village receded into the distance. Once he could no longer hear the voices from shore, Rubick wiped his damp eyes.

"Honestly. You lot keep me worried sick."

One of the crewmen grinned. "Coach, this is the first time you've seemed like a normal person to us."

Rubick laughed and cursed at him. "Get back to rowing. Now you've got the nerve to make fun of me?"