After successfully awakening his Conqueror's Haki, Noah knew he needed to be cautious. In its early stages, Conqueror's Haki unleashed an overwhelming pressure that could knock out anyone nearby. To avoid harming others, he made a habit of heading to the isolated northwest bay of Starfish Island for his training.
The bay was around 17 kilometers from town, which was far enough that his training wouldn't affect the townspeople.
Two months later, in early April, after enduring countless hours of blindfolded beatings, Noah unlocked a new ability—Observation Haki.
Time passed quickly.
June 13, 1502.
Inside the dining hall of the orchard manor, Noah sat back after another round of training. After a full year of growth, his height had surged to 2.09 meters. The other boys had also grown, thanks to the abundant food they'd been eating.
The biggest growth spurt came from Vic. He had shot up from 1.76 meters to a towering 2.23 meters in just six months. His appetite was just as shocking—he could devour over 80 kilograms of food in one sitting.
Joshua wasn't far behind either, standing tall at 1.94 meters.
In this world, the bigger your appetite, the greater your potential. And these two had endless potential.
Watching Vic and Joshua wolf down their food, Noah knew he had to set plans into motion. After wiping his mouth, he stood up and spoke to the group.
"I'm heading out today. While I'm gone, take turns keeping watch at the safe house. Follow the drills we practiced, and everything should be fine."
Joshua's face tightened with concern. "Be careful, big bro."
"Noah, do you need me to pack you some food?" Lilian asked, always thoughtful.
Noah shook his head with a reassuring smile. "No need to worry. I've got more than a month's worth of supplies stored in my card. You guys just stay safe. If anything happens, prioritize your lives over everything else. Understood?"
"Yes, big bro Noah!" everyone replied in unison, their voices filled with determination.
Turning to Joshua, Noah added, "Make sure to tell Uncle that I'm heading out. If things go smoothly, I'll be back in two or three days. At the longest, half a month."
"Come back safe," Mary said, her voice filled with concern.
Noah gave a firm nod and headed toward the mountain.
Arriving at the northwest bay where he'd been training, Noah activated his Observation Haki. His senses expanded outward, covering a five-kilometer radius.
This was his unique gift: Wide-Range Perception.
Ever since he awakened it, his Observation Haki had a base range of one kilometer, but by focusing it in one direction, he could extend his awareness up to five kilometers. After scanning the area, he found nothing unusual.
Satisfied, he pulled out a card and tossed it toward a makeshift dock he had built.
"Release—Submarine."
A small steel submarine materialized on the water's surface.
The submarine was 12 meters long and 3 meters wide—compact, but perfect for his purposes. Noah climbed aboard, unscrewing the round hatch and stepping inside. The interior was simple, made up of 12 watertight compartments with no other amenities. It was little more than a hollow shell.
Once he sealed the hatch, Noah slid two cards into a pair of specialized slots.
"Release—Water Injection."
Freshwater began flooding the front and rear compartments. As the water levels rose, the air pressure inside the compartments increased, forcing air out through one-way valves.
In less than ten minutes, the submarine sank beneath the surface, stabilizing at a depth of about 50 meters.
Noah inserted two more cards.
"Continuous Release—Water Jet."
Thanks to a year of honing his abilities, his card storage space had expanded to hold up to 1,000 cubic meters—about the size of a cube with 10-meter sides. Two of his cards contained a combined 2,000 cubic meters of seawater, which was now being channeled into pipes, creating enough pressure to propel the submarine forward.
This was the power of his Devil Fruit—a force that had simplified what would normally require complex machinery. Instead of engines and fuel tanks, all Noah needed was a steel shell and a few cards.
Even the air supply in the cockpit came from his card space, stored in large reserves. No need for sophisticated oxygen systems here.
Noah opened the periscope and scanned the surroundings. Between the periscope and his Observation Haki, he could easily avoid underwater reefs and large sea creatures. If he encountered a beast too large to avoid, his Conqueror's Haki could intimidate it into retreating.
This was the confidence that came with his Conqueror's Haki. Without it, he wouldn't have dared to travel alone in a submarine, knowing how vulnerable Devil Fruit users are underwater. But with it, he felt secure enough to venture out on his own.
The submarine moved swiftly through the water, cruising at a speed of over ten kilometers per hour as it made its way toward Extreme Star Island, home to Loguetown.
Several hours later...
Noah finally reached the waters near Loguetown. He refrained from using his Observation Haki to probe the area.
Loguetown housed a Marine base, and ever since the start of the Great Pirate Era, it had become one of the Navy's most heavily defended outposts in the East Blue. It was possible that high-ranking Marines skilled in Haki were stationed there.
If he used his Observation Haki too recklessly, he might attract unwanted attention.
Instead, Noah steered the submarine toward a deserted coastline, brought it ashore, and sealed it back into his card.
Once on land, Noah had completely altered his appearance. Wearing a mask and wide-brimmed hat, with a long black cloak draped over his shoulders, he had even sprayed himself with citrus-sea salt-scented cologne to mask his natural scent.
He set up a small wooden cabin and took a much-needed rest.
The next morning...
After packing up his temporary shelter, Noah headed into Loguetown.
Before long, he arrived at his destination.
38 Carl Street, Loguetown Port District.
The sign above the door read: "World Economic News—East Blue Branch." This was one of the many offices of Big News Morgans' World Economic News. It was an open secret that this place was nothing more than a front. If the World Government ever shut it down, it wouldn't affect the paper's operations in the slightest.
Noah pushed open the door, triggering a small bell overhead.
A middle-aged man behind the counter glanced at him, then smiled. "Good morning, sir. How can I help you today?"
Noah didn't say a word. Instead, he handed the man a folded piece of paper.
The man took the note, unfolded it, and read the message:
"I have a major scoop. I need to speak with President Morgans. Please arrange a Den Den Mushi call."
Noah then produced a stack of Berries, attached to another note that read:
"Labor fee—One million Berries."
The man's eyes gleamed for a moment. After a brief pause, he pocketed the money and lowered his voice. "I'll need to speak with the president. Give me ten minutes."
Without the million Berries, the man likely wouldn't have helped. After all, if the news Noah had wasn't important enough, the man would be punished for bothering the president.
Ten minutes later, the man reappeared from a door behind the counter.
"The president agreed. But you only have ten minutes."
"Perfect. Set up the Den Den Mushi."
"Follow me."
Noah followed him down a narrow stairway into a basement.