Sabo's perception was sharp—or rather, his mastery of Observation Haki was extraordinary. He instantly noticed Rhode's gaze and turned to look, slightly puzzled since he didn't recognize him.
Though confused, Sabo maintained his courtesy and politely asked, "Is there something you need? I don't believe we've met."
"You must be Sabo, right? I've heard Nia and the others speak highly of you—praising your strength and talent, calling you the strongest young fighter in the Revolutionary Army," Rhode said.
"Oh?" Sabo blinked in surprise. He did know Nia. "Are you one of the new recruits this year?"
"Yeah."Rhode smiled and said, "Nice to meet you. Let's spar sometime if we get the chance."
"Sure."
Sabo was momentarily stunned. What was this? A newly promoted reserve member actually wanted to challenge him?
As he stood there puzzled, Rhode had already turned and walked away, leaving Sabo to swallow his confusion with an amused expression.
"He's really full of energy, daring to challenge me like that."
Sabo found it quite interesting.
Though still young, his strength and abilities had long been recognized by many high-ranking Revolutionary Army officers.
Having completed numerous missions with excellence, he had developed unique insights into both Two-Colored Haki and martial arts. Within the Revolutionary Army, even among his peers, let alone ordinary cadres, few could match him.
Now, an unconfirmed reserve member was boldly proposing a sparring match—this was indeed intriguing.
...
Rhode wasn't joking. He genuinely wanted to spar with Sabo to accumulate energy for the Book of Knowledge.
However, he was self-aware.
At this point, he probably still couldn't defeat Sabo.
Sabo had apprenticed under Dragon long ago and later became a Revolutionary Army cadre, undergoing countless battles and trials.
By now, his Two-Colored Haki and unique martial art—Dragon Claw Fist—had likely matured, elevating his strength far beyond that of ordinary cadres.
If "Black Fist" Slote were to face Sabo, he'd probably be knocked out in one punch.
If Rhode mastered Two-Colored Haki, he could significantly close this gap.
"My current level fully qualifies me to train in Two-Colored Haki. Time to find Teacher Hatchan."
After eating his fill, Rhode sought out Hatchan and explained his intentions.
"You want to learn Haki?"
The fish-man Hatchan was momentarily taken aback before awkwardly admitting, "That was an oversight on my part. Given your physical strength, you're more than ready to train in Haki."
In truth, it wasn't an oversight—he simply hadn't expected Rhode to progress this quickly.
"Just over two months..."
Hatchan marveled inwardly.
He led Rhode to a training room and began explaining the nature of Haki.
As a transmigrator, Rhode was already well-acquainted with the concept of Haki—he just lacked the practical knowledge.
In the world of pirates, Haki came in three forms: Armament Haki, Observation Haki, and Conqueror's Haki.
Armament Haki could enhance offense and defense, resist Devil Fruit powers, and even touch the physical form of Logia-type users.
Observation Haki allowed one to sense an opponent's presence, enabling perception or prediction of attacks during combat.
As for Conqueror's Haki, it could intimidate or even knock out enemies.
In this world, Conqueror's Haki was considered the mark of a king—a rare trait even in the New World's sea of strong warriors.
In contrast, Armament and Observation Haki were far more common, becoming standard abilities among New World fighters.
After this overview, Hatchan briefly explained how to awaken Haki.
"First, awakening Haki can be achieved through two methods.""First, through battle! In life-and-death combat, when potential erupts, there's a chance to awaken Haki. Of course, this method isn't ideal—it depends on luck and is far too dangerous."
"The other method is meditation. By controlling and restraining mental focus, one actively perceives this latent power hidden deep within the body and draws it out."
"This approach is gentler, but it takes much longer. Some might never perceive it in their lifetime."
Hatchan spoke at length, "Generally speaking, combining both methods is the fastest way to awaken Haki."
"Try sensing it first. As a swordmaster who has mastered the Breath of All Things, your perception should be much quicker than an average person's."
"First, adjust your breathing, letting your mind enter a state of no-self, no-other..."
Though his words sounded esoteric, Rhode understood them effortlessly.
He slowly closed his eyes, and with a single thought, entered a state of deep focus.
Almost instantly, he could sense the subtle breathing sounds—like pulsations—emanating from the ground, equipment, his own clothing, and all other objects.
For the past two months, Rhode had spent nearly every day in this state, using Thunder Power to strengthen his physique. His mastery of this state was nearly unparalleled.
Following Hatchan's guidance, Rhode gradually sank his awareness deep into his body. There, he "saw" a hazy crimson world, where mighty rivers seemed to flow and temple bells tolled at dawn and dusk.
In this world, a peculiar force stirred restlessly, yearning for its master's call.
It felt as though with just a slight nudge—no, a gentle pull—it could be drawn out.
"Seems... pretty simple..."
Even in this state, Rhode couldn't help but think this.
It wasn't as hard as he'd imagined.
The next moment, Rhode slowly opened his eyes, his expression slightly odd.
"Didn't sense it? That's normal."
Hatchan, assuming Rhode was disheartened by his failure to perceive Haki, comforted him, "Though Haki is a latent power everyone possesses, ninety-nine percent of people never awaken it in their lifetime, let alone cultivate it."
"So don't be discouraged. With your talent, it should only take a few months to awaken."
Rhode's expression grew even stranger. He extended a hand and asked, "Is this it?"
"What do you mean, 'is this it'?"
Hatchan froze, an unbelievable thought flashing through his mind.
This thought left him stiff—his mind, his expression, his limbs—like a zombie, slowly lowering his head.
And then.
He witnessed a scene he would never forget.
On Rhode's outstretched palm, inky-black strands, like viscous oil, seeped out drop by drop from beneath his skin, as if sprouting.
At first glance, one might think Rhode had developed some kind of dark spots.
But as a martial arts expert well-versed in Armament Haki, how could Hatchan possibly mistake it?
"A-Armament Haki?!"