Chapter 5: Conqueror's Haki, Rokushiki, And The Return Of Life
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"How about this room? Do you need two rooms?"
Hancock quickly led Katsumi to a spacious and beautifully decorated cabin and asked the question with a polite tone.
"One room is enough," Kaori replied after taking a quick look around. Satisfied with the arrangement, she nodded and then asked, "By the way, how long will it take to reach Sabaody Archipelago from here?"
"Hmm..." Hancock hesitated briefly before responding, "It should take about one or two days. Is there a problem?"
Hancock still had a favorable impression of Kaori and Katsumi. Without their help, she and her crew would likely have been captured and enslaved.
"No, no problem. I was just curious," Kaori said with a shake of her head. She gestured for Hancock to leave. "Go ahead and take care of your crew. Many of them still need your help. Come back when you've finished."
"Thank you! I'll go check on them now," Hancock replied gratefully. "Oh, and I'll prepare some food for you later." With that, she turned and left quickly.
Once Hancock was gone, Kaori brought Katsumi into the cabin and closed the door behind them.
She turned to him and said, "It seems like you know a lot about little Hancock and this pirate crew. Tell me everything, okay?"
"Alright," Katsumi agreed without hesitation. He then shared everything he knew with his mother.
After listening, Kaori's expression shifted to one of surprise. "So, most of the female warriors from Nine Snake Island have mastered Armament Haki, and some can use Observation Haki as well? They've inherited the training methods for both types of Haki? That's impressive."
She paused for a moment, deep in thought, before adding, "It reminds me of a place called Nadeshiko Village back in the ninja world. It's similar to Nine Snake Island in that it's also an all-female community."
Katsumi chuckled at the mention of Nadeshiko Village. The name brought a certain someone to mind. "Nadeshiko Village, huh? It makes me think of Jiraiya. In the future, that guy gets involved with them quite a bit... and he even drags Naruto into it!"
Kaori smirked slightly at her son's comment before turning serious again. "So, what do you think about asking for their two Types of Haki training methods as part of our reward?"
She was intrigued by the power system of this world and wanted to study it further. From Katsumi's descriptions and her own observations during the earlier battle, both Observation Haki and Armament Haki appeared to be incredibly valuable.
"That's not a good idea," Katsumi replied immediately, shaking his head. "Those techniques are deeply tied to the heritage of Nine Snake Island. Asking for them would likely offend them, and it's not worth the risk."
He continued, "Besides, their next destination is the Sabaody Archipelago to meet their former captain, Shakky, who is also the previous empress of Nine Snake Island."
"She is at least a super master of two-types of Haki," Katsumi began, his tone steady. "She also has a very strong intelligence network. And more importantly, she has a connection with her lover, Silvers Rayleigh, the former deputy of the Pirate King."
He paused for emphasis. "Rayleigh is a Grandmaster of Conqueror's Haki, an immensely powerful figure. If we were to compare him to someone from our world, he would far surpass Kage-level powerhouses. Although he might not quite match the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, or Uchiha Madara, the gap wouldn't be that large."
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes serious. "Instead of asking for Nine Snake Island's Haki inheritance, we could request training experiences from Rayleigh or Shakky. We could also seek insights into techniques like Marine Six Styles or the art of Life Return."
He gestured as he continued. "This would not only be more beneficial but would also avoid any misunderstandings about coveting Nine Snake Island's secrets. What do you think, Mom?"
Many times, delving into the secrets of another's racial inheritance was bound to lead to unnecessary misunderstandings.
"Huh?" Kaori was taken aback. "A strong man comparable to Uchiha Madara? The Haki training experience of someone like that would indeed be invaluable. But do you think they'd agree to such a request?"
If possible, she agreed that Katsumi's approach was better. At the same time, she couldn't help but notice that this world seemed to have far more top-tier powerhouses than the ninja world. Then again, considering the sheer size and population of this world, it made sense.
"It shouldn't be a problem," Katsumi responded confidently. "Shakky and Rayleigh aren't the kind of people who hoard their knowledge. They're grateful individuals. If needed, I'll offer them information they won't be able to refuse in exchange."
He clenched his fists slightly, his resolve evident. "Whether it's the Conqueror's Haki training experience, Marine Six Styles, or Life Return, I'll ensure we get them. Opportunities like this don't come often, and I won't let it slip by."
"Since you're confident, then let's go with your plan," Kaori agreed without hesitation. However, she raised a curious brow and asked, "But what exactly are Marine Six Styles and Life Return? Are they really that significant? They seem to have left quite an impression on you. Are they related to the Marines of this world?"
"Yes," Katsumi nodded firmly. "They're tied to the Marines and, more broadly, to the World Government."
He explained further, "Marine Six Styles is a superhuman skillset designed to develop latent human potential and strengthen the body. It's essentially a prerequisite for systematically mastering two-types of Haki."
He paused to let the information sink in before continuing. "Once someone masters the Six Styles, the path to unlocking Armament Haki and Observation Haki becomes much clearer. Of course, that's only one part of its significance."
"The most important thing is that after mastering the Six Styles, you'll gain the opportunity to unlock even more extraordinary physical skills, such as Life Return [Seimei Kikan]," Katsumi explained. "This technique can accelerate the recovery of both your body and ours, enhance physical speed, and even help restore the source of life itself."
He paused, his tone becoming more serious. "What's more, Life Return allows you to integrate your will into every cell of your body. The ability to significantly improve digestion and recovery, while converting large quantities of food into vitality, is something I absolutely can't ignore."
After providing a detailed explanation of the Six Styles and Life Return, Katsumi noticed Kaori's eyes light up with understanding.
"Enhancing digestion and recovery, and gaining complete control over every inch of flesh and blood in the body?" Kaori echoed thoughtfully. "It truly sounds like a superhuman physical skill. If it also facilitates rapid recovery of cellular energy, wouldn't it be just as effective in restoring Chakra?"
Her expression shifted to one of admiration as she continued. "The ability to preserve and recover life force would be greatly enhanced."
"Exactly!" Katsumi confirmed with a firm nod. "That's why I emphasized its importance. But, mastering Life Return is no easy feat. It seems that only a select few super geniuses in the pirate world have ever achieved it."
He glanced at his mother and added, "Take CP9, for example. While all its members have mastered the Six Styles, it seems only Rob Lucci managed to master Life Return. That alone speaks volumes about its difficulty."
"Difficulty isn't an issue!" Kaori declared confidently, her eyes gleaming with determination. "As long as I have the training method, I'm certain I can learn it!"
Her unwavering confidence made Katsumi chuckle. "Hehe! That's the spirit, Mom!"
After a moment, he leaned closer and said, "By the way, I'm sure you've noticed this too: the people of this world are far stronger than those in the ninja world!"
"Yes," Kaori replied with a nod. "I realized it early on. It likely has a lot to do with the unique environment here."
Her tone turned analytical as she continued. "I've sensed it. The oceans of this world are teeming with creatures of immense vitality and size. And that's just on the surface. I wouldn't be surprised if there are even more powerful sea beasts in the deeper layers."
She paused briefly, then added, "Of course, the human physique in this world might also be fundamentally different from that of the ninja world. I'd need to study it further to confirm."
"It's mainly the environment," Katsumi explained. "For example, there are Sea Kings in this world that can grow thousands of meters long, and countless others ranging from tens to hundreds of meters."
He gestured broadly as he spoke. "Even on land, there are countless beasts that grow to incredible sizes. That's why I suggest we regularly hunt Sea Kings and other large beasts for food."
His tone became more animated. "Combined with health-preserving exercises and physical training, this diet could not only accelerate our recovery but also significantly strengthen our physiques and restore vitality. What do you think, Mom?"