ONE PIECE: THE GREAT VOYAGE

[59]Teaching: The Awakening of Observation and Conqueror's Haki!

On the deserted eastern island near Hachinosu, the sound of fists colliding echoed through the night.

The battle had been relentless, and the figures engaged in combat never ceased their movements.

Under the moonlight…

With a loud shout, Gnaly leaped into the air, bypassing Brad's defensive stance.

Spinning mid-air, he concentrated all his strength into his right leg and brought it crashing down toward Caesar.

Yet, with hardened arms coated in Armament Haki, Caesar effortlessly blocked the strike.

His stance remained firm, his center of gravity unshaken—even under the force of Gnaly's powerful gravity kick.

Gnaly crashed to the ground, landing on one knee, his breath ragged.

Beside him, Brad released his Sabertooth Tiger Zoan form, collapsing weakly onto the ground.

Both fighters lay motionless, their foreheads nearly touching as exhaustion overtook them.

After days of sleepless training, their stamina had been completely drained.

"Why aren't you moving? Caesar, are you even human?"

They had given it their all, yet not once had they managed to land a decisive blow on Caesar.

Caesar, however, only smiled in satisfaction.

"Your strength has improved significantly. Not bad."

His sharp eyes analyzed their progress.

Brad had reached at least the level of a Marine Vice Admiral.

Gnaly was even stronger—his combat ability stood among the elite of vice admirals.

Most importantly, Gnaly had begun to unleash bursts of Conqueror's Haki—Haoshoku no Haki—and his control over it was growing more refined.

That's right… there was something truly domineering about it.

"Rest for a bit. Eat something. Then, we continue training."

Caesar sat beside them, speaking as if their torment was far from over.

Brad and Gnaly sat up, exchanging looks.

"Observation Haki…"

Caesar nodded.

"We must awaken Kenbunshoku Haki as soon as possible!"

"Among the strong, observation is everything."

"Without it, in battle, you might as well be blind and deaf."

He blindfolded them, forcing them to release their reliance on sight.

In a real battle, instinct was crucial.

This was the same training method Silvers Rayleigh had used to help Luffy awaken Observation Haki.

"Very good!"

Brad's energy returned instantly.

Clenching his fists, fire burned in his eyes—he was eager to awaken his Haki.

And more than that…

He glanced at Caesar, his lips curling slightly in determination.

No matter how far behind he was, he would not let the gap grow too wide.

Gnaly, too, was ready.

"Haki…"

The thought alone sent a shiver through him.

---

The Painful Path to Mastery

Hours passed.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted their training.

"Lord Caesar!"

Two pirates had arrived, carrying food.

Caesar, too busy training his disciples, had hired crew members to deliver meals at set intervals.

"Today's meal is octopus rice, Mr. Caesar. Please enjoy!"

The two pirates grinned eagerly as Caesar tossed them a pouch of Berries.

"Thank you, Caesar!"

The three of them sat around the bonfire, eating in silence.

Thirty minutes later…

Once they had eaten their fill, training resumed.

Blindfolded, Brad and Gnaly could only dodge Caesar's attacks.

Not fight back—just dodge.

BOOM!

A club struck down, landing squarely on Brad's head.

"AH! That hurts!"

Gnaly snickered, only to be met with a loud CRACK as another strike landed on his own skull.

"Hiss!"

Both clutched their swollen foreheads.

"I couldn't sense anything!"

During their previous battles, at least they could hear footsteps or animalistic growls.

Caesar, however, moved like a shadow—his attacks were completely silent.

By the time they felt the breeze of the club, the pain had already set in.

"Focus. Stay calm. Feel with your heart."

Their bodies tensed.

They concentrated, bracing for impact.

BOOM!

Brad's knee buckled under a sudden kick.

"It hurts…!"

Caesar's leg swept across again.

Gnaly flinched.

A THUD followed—he was kicked squarely in the waist.

Grimacing, he clenched his fists.

"Again!"

Under the silver moon, the cries of pain and the echoes of physical blows filled the air.

---

The Calm Before the Storm

Days later, after intense training, the trio returned to Hachinosu for supplies and a half-day of rest.

Caesar walked through the streets, his sharp instincts tingling.

Brad and Gnaly exchanged glances.

"Why is the island so quiet?"

Hachinosu was normally filled with rowdy pirates—a lawless, drunken paradise.

But today… silence.

It was the eerie calm before a storm.

They spotted the two pirates who had been delivering food.

Gnaly questioned them.

"What's going on?"

One of them responded.

"Captain Rocks ordered everyone to prepare. A war is coming."

"We won't be setting sail for a while."

Caesar stroked his chin in thought.

The Great War…

This could only mean the attack on God Valley—the day the Rocks Pirates would challenge the Celestial Dragons.

Of course, Rocks' crew was a wild bunch. If left unchecked, half of them would show up to battle drunk.

Gnaly nodded.

"No wonder the island is so quiet. I thought something was wrong."

Caesar shrugged.

"This works in our favor. More time to train."

Brad and Gnaly grinned.

Back to the Training Grounds

They gathered enough food and returned to the deserted island for near-isolated training.

Days passed.

Still blindfolded, Brad and Gnaly dodged Caesar's relentless strikes.

At unpredictable times.

From unpredictable angles.

BOOM!

The ground cracked beneath them.

Gnaly evaded.

Caesar grinned, pressing forward.

Each strike carried enough force to shatter bone, yet…

BOOM!

Gnaly's hardened fists blocked the attack.

A rush of excitement filled him.

"I felt it! I sensed the attack!"

SMACK!

A club smacked across his face, leaving a red mark.

Brad, tearing off his blindfold, burst into laughter.

Caesar exhaled.

"At least you're making progress. Unlike some idiot over here."

Brad clutched his chest dramatically.

"Boss, that's harsh! My heart—it's broken!"

Caesar simply ruffled Brad's blonde hair.

Like petting a dog.