"Lord Sherwin, I did not fail your expectations—at last, I've awakened Observation haki Meow!"
In such an encouraging "training" environment, Seijuro Meow finally caught up with the others and successfully awakened Observation Haki.
Perhaps because his focus had always been on combat, his Observation was similar to Sherwin and Link Meow, leaning more toward sensing the strength of an aura and predicting danger.
Very good. Another Observation Haki user +1, Hunter status -1…
Sherwin gazed up at the sky, feeling both pleased and a little depressed.
During this period, not only had Seijuro Meow awakened the Observation Haki he had been training for so long, but the other Felynes had also grown in their own ways.
Of course, as expected, Klee Meow workshop ended up having some kind of "incident"…
However, Huamei Meow didn't push things too far. Under the pitiful gaze of the little doll-like Felyne, the workshop was allowed to continue operating. The only change was that during repairs, they added a small room to serve as a confinement chamber.
Aside from that, the greatest achievement of the Felynes' training was—
Including Klee Meow, everyone had learned "Felyne Mode"… except Haibara Meow.
And it wasn't that Haibara Meow couldn't learn it—she simply refused to.
But if one were to say she avoided it because she was a healer-type Felyne and disliked fighting, that didn't quite fit. After all, Haibara Meow diligently completed all of Huamei Meow daily training, and would even add extra practice according to her own condition.
So then…
"Why don't you want to learn this move, Ai?" Sherwin gently scratched under Haibara Meow chin, asking curiously.
Klee Meow leaned in as well, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, yeah! This Thunder Trick is super fun, meow!"
Mm, in little doll Klee Meow eyes, this Felyne Mode was basically the same as Lightning Release. So, as far as she was concerned, Lord Klee Meow was already a genius ninja cat who had mastered Lightning, Fire, and Explosion styles!
And truthfully, Felyne Mode really was quite similar to Lightning Release. Not only could it grant their attacks electric properties, it also allowed the Felynes to stimulate their muscles with current, boosting their speed.
But when faced with Sherwin and Klee Meow questioning, Haibara Meow—who had just been enjoying her massage—suddenly started avoiding their eyes…
"Hmph! Didn't you say you'd protect me, meow? Then it doesn't matter whether I learn it or not, right? Or are you just lying to me, meow?"
The little kitten retorted stubbornly, then lowered her head and gave Sherwin hand a hard bite before leaping out of his arms.
She dashed into the cabin in a blur, though the way she scrambled off looked a little clumsy—clearly, she knew her excuse was flimsy and unreasonable.
"Admiral, if Ai doesn't want to learn, then just let it be, meow." Huamei Meow leapt up, claiming the spot Haibara Meow had just vacated, rubbing her head against Sherwin cheek.
She took the initiative to speak on the kitten behalf: "Most likely, whenever she sees sparks or lightning, Ai remembers the Zinogre that scattered her back then. She has a shadow in her heart because of it, so she doesn't want to learn this, meow."
Only then did Sherwin suddenly understand. He had been wondering why the always-strict Shoufihu turned a blind eye to Haibara Meow refusal to train in this one matter.
But still…
"The way Ai looked just now… it didn't really seem like she was traumatized." Sherwin thought back carefully to her expression and said uncertainly, "It actually seemed more like… she was flustered and angry?"
At that moment, Klee Meow squeezed into Sherwin arms as well. After affectionately rubbing against Huamei Meow, she declared with finality: "Sister Ai isn't scared at all~ She was just embarrassed, meow! That what Klee Observation tells Klee, meow!"
So I wasn't imagining it… But why? Just her usual tsundere habit? Yet there nothing about this topic that seems worth being tsundere over…
Sherwin scratched his head in confusion.
And then—
He suddenly recalled a vague bit of information. The original Haibara Ai… supposedly had a setting where she was afraid of static electricity.
Judging from Haibara Meow reaction just now, this laughable reason might actually be true.
So, Sherwin shared his guess with Huamei Meow, who was in the middle of grooming the little doll.
"..."
Lady Shoufihu froze, then stiffly turned her head to look at Sherwin.
"I can't be totally sure, but… it probably true, right? Otherwise, how could we explain the emotions that Klee Observation sensed?" Sherwin spread his hands toward Huamei Meow.
"I'm going to talk to her, meow!" Huamei Meow face darkened. She jumped out of Sherwin arms, ears pinned back like airplane wings, and strode toward the cabin.
Klee Meow shrank her neck, cautiously poking half her head out from Sherwin embrace. She carefully watched Huamei Meow departing back and whispered to Sherwin,
"Sherwin-nii, did Sister Haibara do something to upset Sister Huamei, meow? She so angry now… just like when she found out Klee set the ship on fire, meow."
Sherwin tugged at the corner of his mouth. While gently patting the little doll back, he half-jokingly, half-seriously replied,
"It because Haibara wants to avoid training with Thunder Mode. That why your Sister Huamei is so angry."
Of course, the real reason Huamei Meow was upset was—she thought she was looking after Haibara Meow feelings.
Haibara was indeed afraid, but not in the way Huamei imagined. More importantly, Huamei had just put on the act of a caring big sister in front of Sherwin…
If things had truly been as she imagined, it wouldn't have mattered. But the actual reason turned out to be something childish like "afraid of static." That left our Lady unable to save face.
Klee Meow, of course, didn't understand Huamei Meow complicated feelings. She only tilted her head in confusion and asked,
"So why doesn't Sister Haibara like Thunder Mode, meow? Klee and Brother Seijuro both have such long fur and don't mind it at all. Her fur isn't even long, meow… And isn't turning into a chubby cat cute, meow?"
Thunder Mode, which Klee Meow called the Felyne Fur Mode, works by generating static electricity through friction of the fur… Though the static it produced was on a larger scale,
its essence was still the same. After using Thunder Mode, all cats' fur would puff up, achieving another way of fluffing up.
For short-haired cats like Sanji Meow and Link Meow, it wasn't too bad. But for long-haired cats like Klee Meow and Seijuro Meow, after using Thunder Mode, they would look at least two or three times "fatter" than usual.
Their appearance wasn't much different from Chopper when he used Fur Strengthening…
Clearly, the real Felynes never had this issue. So why was it that, once these Felynes from another world arrived, they suddenly had to obey the laws of physics?
But jokes aside, Sherwin didn't really care about it. After all, it had no real negative impact on the cats. In fact, Klee Meow quite enjoyed becoming round and puffy, then curling into Sherwin arms to act spoiled and have him brush out her fluffed-up fur.
"Don't worry. Even if Haibara doesn't like it, your Sister Huamei will make sure she does." Sherwin rubbed Klee Meow small cheeks and said firmly.
"That right, Sister Huamei is amazing, meow…" The little doll nodded, still shaken.
And, just as Sherwin had predicted, once Haibara Meow lost the excuse of her "psychological shadow," she quickly drooped her ears and tail and obediently let Huamei drag her off for Thunder Mode training.
With her sharp little mind, after just a few practice sessions, she had already mastered the technique…
Amid this atmosphere of constant perseverance, the Dodo Advance crossed the Calm Belt and arrived in the South Blue.