"Really, who's the one causing trouble here, damn it!"
Seeing that Aqua lacks even the most basic self-awareness, Zyhark silently retracts his arm.
"Since you, Aqua-sama, are so capable, you should make your way back on your own."
"But you should hurry. The scent of dead beasts can easily attract other creatures nearby. I'm sure they wouldn't mind an extra serving of a goddess dessert."
After saying this, he turns to leave.
Aqua, realizing the situation, panics immediately. Her previously proud demeanor vanishes, and she frantically crawls towards Zyhark's retreating figure.
"I'm sorry! Zyhark-sama, I realize my mistake now, please don't leave me in this wilderness!" she cries, tears in her eyes.
Her crawling, devoid of any dignity, bears no resemblance to the proud and holy Water Goddess.
Naturally, Zyhark wouldn't actually leave her there. With a light chuckle, he turns back.
"It would have been nice to see this realization sooner."
He turns his back to Aqua and slowly squats down, patting his shoulder and saying softly, "Come on, you've been tired all morning. It's time to go home for lunch."
However, Aqua, barely managing to sit up, hangs her head and hesitates to move.
"Um, Zyhark, if the followers of the Axis Cult in the village see me like this, they will definitely scorn me, so..."
"I want to clean myself in the river before going back."
Zyhark refuses without a second thought: "Don't worry, the people in the village are kind. They won't scorn you."
After all, in their eyes, you're just a poor child with a bit of a screw loose!
As for true believers of the goddess, the entire Windmill Village probably has only one.
His name is Monkey D. Luffy, and he's only seven years old.
After much thought, Zyhark couldn't bear to tell Aqua this harsh truth.
"Really, Zyhark, you don't understand. Even if the followers could understand and forgive me, a distinguished goddess would still want to maintain her image!" Aqua argues seriously.
Knowing how stubborn this Water Goddess can be, Zyhark has no choice but to compromise.
"Alright then, I'll wait for you. But be quick, if another large beast like a bear shows up, we'll be meeting in heaven."
"I know, I know! Even without your emphasis, I'm aware!" Aqua complains loudly, but soon, her noble head droops down in frustration.
"Didn't you see? I've used up all my power to maintain the support magic earlier, and now I can hardly move..."
Her voice becomes as faint as a mosquito's as she fiddles with the hem of her dress.
"Huh? You mean to say, I have to wash you?"
Seeing the dirty Aqua, Zyhark's reluctance is evident on his face.
Although Aqua wants to question his expression, she instead nods slightly, her mud-covered face unwittingly blushing.
Sigh...
Looking into those watery, adorable eyes, Zyhark lets out a long sigh after a moment of contemplation.
What can he do, having such a foolish partner?
...
After much ado, they finally return to Windmill Village in the afternoon.
Zyhark, now in clean clothes, sits at the familiar counter, savoring the warm, freshly brewed red tea.
The refreshing and mellow taste of the tea seems to have the magical power to relieve fatigue, bringing him a moment of comfort after a tiring half-day.
In the dining hall, a rejuvenated Aqua is playing and frolicking with little Luffy, who has come to freeload a meal. They seem to get along very well, perhaps due to their unusual traits and comparable intelligence levels.
In contrast, Zyhark seems much more somber.
After gently placing his tea cup down, he begins to reflect on today's memorable training.
There was no significant progress in either Observation Haki or Armament Haki. To be precise, it's negligible.
Despite the severe deviation in the process, this outcome is not beyond Zyhark's expectations.
If learning the two types of Haki were so easy, everyone in the East Blue would have a black blade by now!
Besides physical condition and skill, the more crucial requirement is the "Haki" itself, which demands a high mental state from the user.
This is evident from characters like Crocodile, who covets ancient weapons, and Moria, who places his hopes on powerful allies. In their youth, they dared to challenge Whitebeard and clashed with Kaido, all prominent pirates!
Therefore, mastering the two types of Haki cannot be achieved overnight and requires patience.
However, this doesn't mean Zyhark has gained nothing. At the very least, he can now get a new flintlock...
Cough, cough, that's not the point.
During the time, with Aqua's comprehensive enhancement magic, his sensory abilities were significantly improved.
Even if he couldn't see the bear's attack, he could still avoid it by relying on a higher priority sense of presence, similar to Observation Haki.
This means, with Aqua's sensory enhancement, he can enter a state similar to Observation Haki.
Similarly, Armament Haki could be significantly improved with Aqua's help!
Looking at Aqua, who is currently tying Luffy's rubber arms into knots, Zyhark thinks about the upcoming days of training with this troublemaking goddess by his side, feeling a sudden sense of melancholy.
But speaking of Aqua...
Although she quickly grasped the essence of Observation Haki, her talent for Armament Haki was quite ordinary, with no remarkable performance.
After several unsuccessful attempts back at the restaurant, Aqua simply gave up and went to play with Luffy, who had come to freeload a meal.
Zyhark guesses that as a goddess, Aqua's sensory abilities are inherently outstanding, and her simple (mindless) nature aligns with the core principles of Observation Haki, which is why she learned it quickly.
Observation Haki might become one of Aqua's powerful abilities in this pirate world!
As for himself...
Zyhark's gaze becomes determined, with ambition flickering deep within his eyes.
Of course, he wants it all!
Thus, in the following days, Zyhark spends most of his time immersed in the training of the two types of Haki, rarely opening the restaurant for business.
With Aqua's sensory enhancement, coupled with techniques from top Haki users like Shanks and Garp, his training progresses significantly.
Although Aqua's presence causes quite a stir, after countless life-and-death battles with the beasts of the forest, Zyhark finally reaches the threshold of the two types of Haki.
Novice-level Observation Haki and Armament Haki achieved!
Just at this time, the mountain bandits, quiet for about ten days, reappear in Windmill Village!
(End of Chapter)