"Amazing!" Nami said, curiously poking at Crocus's right hand, which had turned a glossy black.
"Crocus, you really are a great pirate from Roger's crew! That's so cool!"
Nami's eyes shone with admiration.
Hearing this, Crocus's eyebrows shot up with delight. He shot Ryuuto a smug, smiling glance before continuing his explanation.
Next was Observation Haki, which could be used to sense the presence, emotions, and movements of living beings, and even predict an opponent's attacks. At an advanced level, one could briefly "foresee the future."
Finally, there was Conqueror's Haki, which only a select few were born with. Every user possessed the "Qualities of a King."
Crocus gave a brief introduction to the three types.
"Haki is the manifestation of conviction and willpower!" Crocus concluded in a deep voice.
Ryuuto listened, lost in thought. In Crocus's explanation, whether it was swordsmanship or Haki, reaching a high level required an indomitable will and the conviction of being invincible.
"The manifestation of willpower... which is essentially a form of spiritual energy."
The materialization of Haki was the materialization of willpower. In other words, the materialization of spiritual energy!
"Then, if I apply the principles of spiritual arts, isn't Haki simply the projection of one's spiritual energy? The materialization of consciousness itself?"
What a revelation!
It all made sense now.
During his special training with Rayleigh, Luffy was tempering his will, his spiritual energy.
Training blindfolded was a way to sharpen his perception, his spiritual senses—to feel the wind, to sense every movement in his surroundings, and even to perceive the thoughts of other creatures.
By battling powerful beasts, he constantly focused his will into his body, into his fists. Through countless fights, he forged his physique and honed his spiritual energy until a quantitative change sparked a qualitative one.
These were the conventional ways to train Haki.
And then there were more extreme methods: pushing oneself to the brink of death, using the threat of mortality as a catalyst to unlock one's potential and achieve a breakthrough in a moment of crisis.
With these insights clear in his mind, Ryuuto began to train.
But Ryuuto had a better method than conventional practice.
He formed a miniature tornado in his right hand and immersed his consciousness within it, forcing himself to perceive every detail of the vortex.
Before long, he could control the tornado completely.
In his hand, the vortex could disperse into a wall of wind or condense to the size of a needle's point.
"I've reached a proficient level of mastery. Controlling this tornado is no longer a challenge for me," Ryuuto thought.
Following that, he closed his eyes and began to use his spiritual energy to perceive the flow of the wind in the air around him.
Time always flew by when training...
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
On this day, under Ryuuto's direction, the people of Alumalu gathered outside the city to witness a joyous harvest.
The Super Rice had already grown stalks laden with grains.
The only imperfection was that the grains were still green and shriveled.
But Ryuuto knew that all it would take was one more rainfall. Once the Super Rice had drunk its fill, the grains would swell and turn a brilliant, golden color.
"Rainfall!" Ryuuto called out softly, using his spiritual energy to commune with the dark clouds overhead.
A moment later, a torrential downpour began to fall.
The rain pattered down...
But the people below were all beaming with excitement.
Before their very eyes, the Super Rice began to grow at a visible rate.
"Crocus, it looks like the rice is about to ripen!" Nami shouted over the rain, wiping the water from her face with a look of pure joy.
"Yes! It's almost ready!" Crocus shouted back with a smile.
For some reason, he felt deeply moved. It wasn't the first time he'd seen seeds mature, but this feeling was new.
He must be getting old and sentimental.
Crocus mused silently. He had initially been using his Haki to repel the rain, but at this thought, he let the aura dissipate, allowing the downpour to drench him completely.
"So this is what a harvest feels like!" Crocus said with a sigh of contentment, letting the rain soak him.
As the downpour continued, Ryuuto was also using the opportunity to train.
He continuously extended his spiritual energy, overlaying it onto each individual raindrop. As the drops fell, they slammed into the earth.
Drip!
Drip!
Each drop struck the sandy ground and the two-meter-tall stalks of Super Rice.
Ryuuto could feel his spiritual energy—his will—growing stronger with each impact.
Soon, the rain began to subside...
The Super Rice was now fully mature, forming a vast field of golden grain.
"Nami, Crocus, everyone! It's time to harvest the rice!" Ryuuto announced, feeling a wave of exhilaration.
"Aye, Captain!"
A deafening cheer erupted from the crowd. It wasn't just Nami and Crocus; countless residents of Alumalu joined in.
Over the past few days, the people of Alumalu had come to trust Ryuuto completely. They knew he was the one who had brought them this miracle.
Hearing his command, they all shouted with excitement, mimicking the way Nami had addressed him.
"Hahahaha, you guys! Let's get to it!" Ryuuto laughed, touched by the scene.
"Captain, looks like we've got a lot of new crew members now!" Nami joked from the side.
"The more the merrier. Maybe the captain should consider it?" Crocus added with a grin.
"You two are something else!" Ryuuto said, smiling.
Then, everyone set to work, cutting down the massive stalks of rice, each one as thick as a grown man's calf.
Under the sun, amidst the towering Super Rice, the people of Alumalu worked, sweat pouring down their faces.
The beads of sweat and the dewdrops on the rice leaves glistened together in the sunlight.
"This Super Rice is incredible!"
"I heard it can ripen in just three days, and the grains are so big."
"With all this rice, we won't have to go hungry anymore!"
"Mama, I want to help too!"
The people in the fields harvested at a feverish pace, their excited chatter filling the air, each word brimming with boundless hope for the future.
Twenty-five hectares was a considerable area, but with so many hands at work, the entire field of Super Rice was harvested in no time.
They piled the stalks high, then turned to Ryuuto with expectant eyes, waiting for him to distribute the bounty.
Ryuuto didn't hesitate. He stepped forward and divided the grain as fairly as he could among the starving people.
Three more days passed.
What had changed was that the people of Alumalu no longer knew hunger.
What had changed was that the people of Alumalu had accepted Ryuuto from the bottom of their hearts.