Before Mamoru could answer, Oden's eyes sharpened. A wave of pressure burst forth from him, invisible yet suffocating. The air itself seemed to weigh down. Snow shifted underfoot, and Onimaru whimpered, ears flattened as he scrambled back and then he fell to the ground with a thud ... unconscious.
Mamoru gasped. His knees buckled beneath the crushing force, his vision blurring as if he were drowning. His chest felt like stone. He fell forward, one hand sinking into the snow, the other gripping Yoriichi with desperation.
So heavy, so strong, I can't breathe!
But then his mother's voice rang clear in his memory.
"Protect those less fortunate than you. That is your duty ,Promise me. "
Mamoru's teeth clenched. His body trembled. He refused to fall. With monumental effort, he raised his head. His eyes burned and for a fleeting instant, they flashed red.
A pulse erupted from his body. A wave of raw will surged outward, colliding with Oden's like two storms clashing. The snow around them blasted outward in a circle and trees creaked .
Oden staggered back half a step, his eyes widening. Then, slowly, his shock turned into a booming laugh.
"HAHAHAHAHA! Unbelievable!" he roared. He strode forward, clapping Mamoru's shoulder so hard the boy nearly toppled. "To think a kid like you would already awaken such a rare gift! Conqueror's Haki within one so young ive never heard of such ,Your father undersold you, boy. You're a prodigy!"
Amazing ,from what Rayleigh said , its that conquerors haki is not something that can be trained its something that you are born with .
Mamoru gasped for air, sweat beading his forehead. "that was mine?"
"It was," Oden said proudly. "Only one in a million possess it, and it cannot be trained. You are born with it. It is proof that you were destined for greatness to stand among the strongest in the world , you have that potential. I will take you on as my student "
Mamoru stared at his trembling hands. His mother's words echoed again:
"You were born strong… so that you could protect the weak."
He swallowed hard, then bowed deeply. "Thank you Lord Oden. For this chance, I'll do my best."
Oden chuckled, shaking his head. "From now on, you will come to Kuri. I will teach you what I can of Haki. If you can already push back my will even though i was not trying, then who knows what heights you'll reach?"
Mamoru's eyes shone in disbelief. "You mean it?"
"I do," Oden said firmly. "Prepare yourself."
Mamoru's heart raced with excitement. He glanced at Onimaru who had woken up from unconsciousness , didnt understandwhat was going but was happy because Mamoru was happy.
Their journey to kuri continued, lighter now.
Oden, full of stories, regaled Mamoru with more wonders. "The kingdom that lies at the bottom of the sea is known as Fishman Island. A city of coral and light, where fishmen and merfolk dwell."
Mamoru tilted his head. "Fishmen? You mean ,walking fish? With legs?"
Onimaru barked once, as if laughing at the thought.
Oden laughed. "Ha! Not quite! Stronger than any man, with the blood of the sea in their veins. Don't let the name fool you, they bodies are 10x stronger than thay of a normal human. "
Mamoru flushed in embarrassment
Then Oden spoke of the Grand Line's strange seas—where in one hour you might freeze to death in blizzards, and the next bake beneath desert suns.
Mamoru gaped, shaking his head. "That's impossible!"
"Nothing is impossible in the world beyond these mountains," Oden said with a grin. "There are seas I have yet to tread ,the Calm Belt, where monstrous Sea Kings are said to dwell, and the four Blue Seas, each with their own peoples and customs. Mamoru the world truly is endless!"
Mamoru's eyes sparkled. His heart raced with wonder and longing.
Without realizing, time slipped away in their laughter, in the endless tales of adventure. And before long, the snowy forests gave way to the worn paths of a different region.
Oden clapped Mamoru's back once more, his grin fierce.