The morning mist clung to the roofs of Oden Castle. The open field at the back had two people present .
In the center stood Mamoru, his sword Yoriichi resting against the wall beside him. He stood with a focused yet uncertain expression.
Across from him, in his usual open kimono and confident stance, was Kozuki Oden, arms crossed, a grin curling across his lips.
"Alright, Mamoru," Oden began, his tone calm yet commanding, "today we'll be diving into something different from swordsmanship, Haki. Ive told you about it before "
Mamoru tilted his head slightly.
"You mean... Ryuo?"
Oden nodded proudly.
"That's right , in Wano its known as Ryuo which means flow but beyond the land of wano its called haki . The will of one's spirit manifested.
Oden took a step forward, his sandals clapping softly against the ground. His expression turned serious, almost regal.
"Haki exists in all living things. It's the manifestation of your willpower ,the proof that your spirit is alive and strong."
He began pacing slowly in front of Mamoru, gesturing with his hands as he spoke.
"There are three main types of Haki. The first is Observation Haki . It allows you to sense intent, presence, and even glimpse a moment into the future if your mastery is deep enough. "
Mamoru was amazed . "See the future , thats like cheating "
Oden laughed " Thats what I said as well ,but people who archive that kind of mastery are very rare ,even if cant do it as of yet "
"The second is Armament Haki. It's the will that hardens your body or your blade , letting you strike even those made of elements."
"Made of elements? How so ?" Mamoru asked confused
"Yes made of elements, there are devil Fruits that allow you to turn into an element like fire, smoke or mud but in exchange you are cursed by the sea and will be unable to swim . There are countless kinds of devil Fruits but they are very rare to come across . The only sure way that can counter a devil fruits besides other devil Fruits or the sea is haki . With Armament haki you can go up against any logia devil fruit ."
"Unbelievable, to think such Fruits exist "Mamoru said in amazement
Oden then turned, his expression softening as his grin returned.
"The third… is Conqueror's Haki. The rarest of all. It's not learned nor can you train it ,it's born within you. It's the will of kings, the power to dominate the wills of others. You already have it."
Mamoru blinked in surprise.
"I… do?"
Oden nodded.
"Remember that we first made our way to Kuri , and i let out my Conqueror's haki so you can have an idea how it feels , the only reason you didnt pass out was becauseof your own Conqueror's haki , had it not been for that you would have passed out ." Oden said
Mamoru scratched his cheek, embarrassed. He feels like he should've remembered something so important like this .
"I don't feel like a king though."
Oden laughed heartily, his voice booming across the field.
"Neither did I when I awakened it ! But that's not the point. What matters is how you use your will."
Oden reached into his sash and pulled out a folded white cloth.
He tossed it to Mamoru.
"Here, wear this."
Mamoru caught it midair, puzzled.
"A… blindfold? What's this for?"
Oden's grin widened.
"This is how we'll awaken your Observation Haki. It's a method I learned from a friend who i traveled with . "
As Oden's words faded, his eyes drifted for a moment. His grin softened into nostalgia.
Flashback
The scene shifted to a warm tropical breeze the Oro Jackson's deck gleaming beneath the sun.
A young red haired kid , Shanks sat cross-legged, blindfolded, a wooden sword in his lap. Rayleigh, calm as the ocean itself, stood behind him holding a long wooden stick.
Nearby, a young Buggy clung to a barrel, pouting dramatically.
"Next will be you, Buggy," Rayleigh said evenly.
"WHAT?! No way! You'll kill me, old man!" Buggy yelped, clutching Oden's haori for mercy.
Oden burst into laughter.
"Rayleigh, what's the purpose of this torture?" Oden asked curiously
Rayleigh smirked.
"It's not torture it's training to awaken Observation Haki. If Shanks can dodge, he'll learn to feel intent, not rely on his eyes."
Oden blinked, intrigued.
"I didn't know there were actual methods to awaken it. I thought it just happened through battle."
Rayleigh chuckled softly.
"Usually, yes. But there are other methods to awakening haki."
Crack!
Rayleigh's stick swung down. Shanks barely dodged the first strike, sweat beading down his face.
"Good!" Rayleigh called. "Again!"
Three swings later whack!
The stick smacked Shanks across his cheek.
"OWWW! That hurt!"
Buggy burst out laughing.
"Take that, show-off!"
Rayleigh turned toward him, his expression deadpan.
"You're next."
Buggy's laughter died instantly.
Oden couldn't stop laughing.
Flashback ends.
Back in Kuri, the field was silent again.
Mamoru tied the blindfold tightly across his eyes.
Oden's voice echoed around him as he slowly began circling.
"Observation Haki isn't about seeing, Mamoru. It's about feeling. You must sense the presence, intent, and will of what's around you. Dont focus on your ears ,nose but focus on my intent ."
Mamoru nodded.
Whack!
The wooden stick struck his left cheek.
"OWW!"
Oden smirked.
"Focus, Mamoru."
"You distracted me with your speech!" Mamoru grumbled under his breath.
Thwack!
Another strike across his cheek.
"Focus on intent," Oden said, stepping lightly around him. "Not on sound. The next strike is already decided before it moves."
Mamoru gritted his teeth, listening.
He heard Oden's sandals then nothing . whack!
"Gah!"
On the engawa overlooking the field sat Kin'emon, Denjiro, Dogstorm, and Ashura Doji, joined by Hiyori and Momonosuke.
Hiyori flinched with every hit, clutching her hands.
"Father's hitting him too hard!" she whispered, worried.
Momonosuke, eyes wide, watched in awe.
"He's so strong… even though he keeps getting hit, he doesnt give up."
Kin'emon frowned skeptically.
"Does this really work? Can he awaken Ryuo this way?"
Dogstorm nodded confidently.
"Yes gara, I've seen it done before. When we were out at sea, Rayleigh used this very method."
Denjiro scratched his chin, still doubtful.
"Hmm… we'll see if Mamoru can really awaken ryuo like this."
They continued watching, as Mamoru kept taking hit after hit, sweat running down his swollen face, his breathing heavy but steady.
Oden raised his stick again.
"Focus, Mamoru! Feel my intent before I move. If you can't dodge at least once…"
His grin widened.
"…you won't be having dinner tonight."
Mamoru froze.
"Wait—what?! No fair!"
Oden swung like a menace , laughter in his voice.
"Fair is decided by the strong!"
Thwack!
Another clean hit.
Mamoru groaned, his hands slumping to his knees but refusing to remove the blindfold.
Outside, Kin'emon sighed with a smile.
"He's going to be feeling this lesson for days."
Dogstorm smirked.
"Yes… but that's how strength is forged."
The sound of Oden's booming laughter echoed through the field as the sun dipped behind Kuri's mountains.