Chapter 181: Men, Women, Beasts, and Okama!
Observation Haki in the world of One Piece is a profound and mysterious discipline.
Depending on the user, its focus and manifestations can vary drastically.
Some can keenly sense the emotional fluctuations of others;
Some can read the surface thoughts of others;
And those who have reached the highest level can even glimpse fragments of the future a few seconds ahead.
Ralph's Observation Haki has gradually developed two distinct characteristics through long-term use.
The first is that, in conjunction with his Beast Taming Skill, he can establish a rudimentary Mental Link with most animals, sensing their emotions and intentions.
This ability is likely to see a sharp decline in usage after meeting Chopper—after all, with a reindeer translator who understands human speech, who would bother "guessing" an animal's thoughts?
The second is his habit of using Observation Haki as "Extended Senses."
It's not simply about locating sounds or sensing auras, but rather using Haki to replace vision, hearing, and even touch, conducting wide-ranging three-dimensional scans.
As Ralph himself jokingly puts it—
"I'm basically using Observation Haki like the 'Spiritual Sense' from martial arts novels."
And honestly, it's not far off.
Last time, during his epiphany at Drum Castle, he used Observation Haki to perform Internal Vision on himself, sensing the condition of every inch of muscle, every bone, and every cell.
Isn't that exactly what "Internal Vision" is in the martial arts system?
And the "Tyrant Blade" technique he comprehended in his Red-Eyed Ralph state carries a strong, distinct flavor of immortal martial arts from another world.
"So now I'm... cultivating immortality in the world of One Piece?"
Ralph mocked himself inwardly as he swam through the deep blue seawater.
He was searching for enough food for the three big eaters on the ship: Lufia, Munch-Munch, and himself.
Sunlight filtered through the sea's surface, transforming into shimmering light spots in the water over ten meters deep.
Schools of fish swam past him, and coral reefs displayed vibrant colors.
Suddenly, a wave of dizziness washed over him.
His eyes closed and opened.
The vision in his left eye turned blood-red.
Ralph couldn't see it himself, but another voice echoed clearly in his mind—
carrying an unmistakable sense of superiority:
"Useless fool. What good does it do you to belittle me in front of others?"
It was Red-Eyed Ralph.
The alternate personality born in Drum Castle.
Ralph responded in his consciousness:
"Did I say anything wrong about you being extreme? You were born from certain dark thoughts in my heart..."
"Just admit that those are 'your thoughts'!"
Red-Eyed Ralph's voice grew more irritated, layered over his arrogance, "As a transmigrator, with a system and knowledge from another world in your head—and what have you done? All you know is following the original protagonists around, acting like a bootlicker running errands for them! You've made me lose face along with you!"
"Isn't that obvious?"
Ralph retorted, "The system's main quest is to befriend these protagonists, to win over Lufia..."
"Cut the crap!"
Red-Eyed Ralph interrupted him, "I'm your alternate personality—I understand you better than you understand yourself!
Search your heart and ask yourself—do you truly, wholeheartedly want to win over Lufia?
If you really wanted to have her, you could've used hypnosis long ago!
Then why would you need to change her?
You could mold her into whatever shape you wanted, and she'd willingly become it!"
"Enough!"
Ralph's voice rose in his consciousness, "I'm on the pure love route! I want Lufia to genuinely like me, to marry me out of her own heart!"
"Bullshit!"
Red-Eyed Ralph sneered, "After all this time, you still don't understand Lufia?
Her tomboyish appearance isn't the issue—the problem is she's practically a child, completely unaware of the concept of 'love'!
Even someone as stunning as Empress Boa Hancock from the original story couldn't win him over by throwing herself at him. Do you really think you can?"
"Why not? I have confidence, and patience…"
"Confidence my ass!"
Red-Eyed Ralph ruthlessly tore open Ralph's inner thoughts,
"You're doubting yourself too!
If you weren't confused, would you unconsciously flirt with other female characters?
Nami, Vivi, even Miss Valentine from Baroque Works—
You're gentle and caring to everyone, aren't you just keeping your options open?"
"You… how dare you slander me like that! I haven't!"
"Hah, whether you have or not, you know it yourself!
And what about this plan to take over Baroque Works—dare you say you aren't dreaming of 'power'?"
"I… that's just a little distraction on the journey, nothing more."
"A little distraction? That's what you desire most deep down!"
Red-Eyed Ralph's voice grew impassioned, "Men in our country, young and old, who doesn't dream of achieving greatness deep in their bones?
To accomplish great things, one must let go of romantic entanglements, even sever all emotional ties!"
"Enough! I, Ralph, just want to adventure with my friends and live a peaceful life!"
"Tch, didn't you get enough of that in your past life?"
Red-Eyed Ralph scoffed, "Either make a name for yourself through your own strength and stand atop the world, or keep being a simp, chasing after a love with almost zero chance of success."
"The choice is yours!"
As the words faded, the crimson hue receded from the vision in his left eye.
Red-Eyed Ralph had left the "internal group chat."
Ralph snapped back to reality, only to find a great white shark over fifteen meters long charging toward him with its maw wide open!
The shark's teeth gleamed like rows of daggers under the sunlight filtering through the ocean's surface.
The distance was less than five meters—a mere instant for the ruler of the seas.
A sharp glint flashed in Ralph's eyes.
He assumed a stance in the water, his right hand forming a blade as Armament Haki instantly enveloped his entire arm.
With a slash toward the shark, he struck through the void.
Tyrant Blade: Dominate the World!
A cross-shaped slash composed of Armament Haki shot forth, carving a brief vacuum trail through the water.
Blood blossomed in the sea.
A deep cross-shaped wound appeared on the great white shark's head, deep enough to reveal bone.
It let out a silent cry of agony, its massive body convulsing violently before slowly sinking, unconscious.
The power… was weaker.
Ralph looked at his hand.
If it were the complete version of "Dominate the World" in Red-Eyed Ralph's state, the shark would have been sliced into four pieces, not just severely wounded and knocked out.
"In Red-Eyed Ralph's state, there should be Conqueror's Haki enhancing it…"
Ralph murmured to himself, "No wonder the system doesn't recognize me as having the 'Tyrant Blade' skill in my normal state. So, the core of this blade technique isn't just skill—it's that 'dominate the world' mindset."
He swam toward the unconscious shark, untied a rope from his waist, and deftly looped it around the shark's tail.
"But did I do something wrong?"
He asked himself in his heart as he secured the bindings, "Is it wrong to just want to go on adventures with a sunny, cute, short-haired girl and have a simple, pure romance?"
He tugged the rope and began swimming toward the sea surface.
"Whether you want to dominate the world or save it... isn't that what 'the destined ones' are for?"
"All I need is to win the favor of the Sun Goddess, Lufia."
Half an hour later, Ralph caught up with the Going Merry.
Ralph dragged the captured great white shark alongside the ship.
Sanji had already lowered the rope ladder and a hook, ready to haul the massive creature onto the deck.
"Hey, not a bad catch."
Zoro stood by the ship's railing, eyeing the cross-shaped wound on the shark's body and raising an eyebrow.
"Another one of those 'Tyrant Blade' moves?"
"...This time, I didn't enter the red-eyed state."
Ralph climbed aboard, shaking the seawater from his hair.
He was about to help with the shark when he suddenly heard a commotion from the other side of the deck.
It wasn't the usual roughhousing.
"...?"
And the sound of dancing footsteps?
Puzzled, Ralph walked over, and then—his eyes nearly turned red.
In the middle of the deck, Lufia, Usopp, and Chopper were all clinging to a strange, flamboyantly dressed man. The four of them were arm in arm, singing and dancing.
Here I am, working hard to find food, and you're having a wild party on the ship!
Men and women, humans and animals, and even a cross-dresser!