Daily Life in One Piece - Chapter 35
“Soru should be the easiest for you. When you first joined, during your initial test, I noticed your speed wasn’t much slower than Soru,” Zeff began.
Zeff wasn’t overly concerned about teaching Mosen the Six Powers (Rokushiki). His primary focus was developing Mosen’s Busoshoku Haki, essential for survival in the New World.
For many, learning Rokushiki was complex and required repeated practice. However, mastering it was straightforward for a select few with innate talent once they grasped the concept.
Once a person’s physical strength reached a certain level, learning Rokushiki became much easier, especially if they had enough talent.
“Watch my technique closely. The difficulty of Soru lies in performing over ten rapid ground kicks in an instant. The speed must be sufficient to generate enough reactive force,” Zeff explained, demonstrating the move.
Mosen focused all his attention on learning.
It was almost amusing. When Mosen first encountered the One Piece anime, he tried to learn Soru, resulting in him spraining his ankle and bedridden for weeks.
**Boom!!**
Due to the speed, all the ground kicks’ sounds merged into one, sounding like a single explosion.
Zeff disappeared and reappeared several meters away.
“How was it? Did you understand?” Zeff asked from a distance.
“I think I got it, teacher. Let me try!” Mosen responded, feeling confident. His Devil Fruit ability allowed him to move nearly as fast as Soru.
With his Kenbunshoku Haki, Mosen sensed Zeff’s exertion technique and decided to try it.
**Soru**
Mosen mimicked Zeff’s technique, but his direction was off, and he charged straight towards the training room wall.
Thankfully, his advanced observation Haki (Kenbunshoku Haki) reacted in time. He drew his sword, Koyori, and slashed through the wall to avoid crashing headfirst.
“……”
Shuzo looked at the hole in his office wall and then at Mosen.
They exchanged glances, and Shuzo confirmed that Mosen was indeed here to give him trouble.
If it weren’t for the hole revealing Zeff on the other side, Mosen might have been in serious trouble.
Mosen quickly retreated into the training room, muttering, “It wasn’t my fault; the wall attacked me first. If you have a problem, take it up with the wall.”
Even Zeff was starting to think Mosen might be doing it on purpose. It was understandable to lose control of direction the first time, but why head towards Shuzo’s office?
“Teacher,” Shuzo said, saluting Zeff as he entered. He felt like he must have owed Mosen a lot in a past life to keep running into trouble every time they met.
“It’s been three months, and it’s still the same.”
“Would you like me to help Mosen get familiar with the technique?” Shuzo offered.
WTF!!
You don’t want to help me with the technique; you just want an excuse to beat me up.
Hmph, just wait. When my Devil Fruit can negate Haki attacks, I’ll show you why flowers are red.
Zeff found it amusing. These two were constantly at odds. Shuzo could overpower Mosen for now, but in a year or two, it might be the other way around.
“No need, Shuzo. I have more knowledge to impart to Mosen. You can handle the wall repairs. There will be opportunities for sparring later.”
Shuzo glanced at Mosen, then reluctantly agreed, “Yes, teacher.”
Mosen pretended to find something fascinating on the ceiling, trying to avoid Shuzo’s gaze.
Don’t look at me. It won’t help. Just wait until I get stronger. Then I’ll teach you a lesson.
For now, I’ll just go with the flow!
“Mosen, practice Soru diligently. Geppo is an extension of Soru. Once you’re proficient with Soru, Geppo will come naturally,” Zeff advised.
As expected, learning Rokushiki became much more efficient once the physical conditions were met. For talented individuals, mastering it quickly wasn’t unusual.
“Now I’ll teach you Kami-e. I’m not an expert in it, but I understand its basic principles. Those proficient in it would be members of CP9, as Kami-e is somewhat redundant for us.”
It was clear Zeff wasn’t a jack-of-all-trades. He wasn’t adept at every technique within Rokushiki.
“In both the Grand Line and the New World, Kenbunshoku Haki surpasses Kami-e. Plus, mastering Kami-e takes considerable time.”
“Therefore, only certain specialists, such as those in CP9, focus on this skill.”
Mosen nodded in understanding. Though few at Headquarters mastered Kami-e, it was only partially unheard of. His ultimate goal was to learn Life Return (Seimei Kikan), a challenging endeavour.
“Kami-e involves relaxing your body, becoming paper-like, moving with the air currents generated by your opponent’s attacks to avoid them. At its highest level, it can alter your body shape.”
“While I’m not an expert, I do understand the technique of relaxation.”
Despite not mastering Kami-e, Zeff’s extensive combat experience gave him a deep understanding of its principles.
“Watch how I relax my body. You need to understand how to release all tension while maintaining control.”
Zeff removed his coat and shirt, revealing his military undershirt.
“This relaxation isn’t about becoming limp. You must actively release tension while maintaining control. Otherwise, losing control is fatal.”
As Zeff explained, his body became slightly limp. His scar-covered muscles relaxed, yet he maintained a faint control.
His body twisted into a shape impossible for an average person.
“This is a state of pseudo-relaxation. You release tension but retain control over your body. Mastering this requires exceptional familiarity with every part of your body.”
“My body has long since solidified, so I can only demonstrate the principle. I can’t fully execute it now.”
“Don’t rush it. Given your current control over your body, you’ll get there soon enough. Don’t try to force it.”
Zeff’s face tensed, veins popping, before he returned to his usual strong, muscular form.
Seeing his effort, Mosen felt grateful. Having such a dedicated teacher was a blessing.
No wonder Shuzo, Ain, and Binz stayed loyal to Zeff. Even Kuzan retained a deep respect for the older man. You might not like him, but you couldn’t help but respect him.
Such a person didn’t deserve the fate that befell him.
Thankfully, there was still a chance.
Mosen knew he needed to grow stronger to change that future.
“Teacher, don’t underestimate me. After all, I am the most outstanding soldier in the history of the recruit camp.”
Zeff’s forehead twitched. How come he, the founder of the recruit camp, didn’t know about having the most outstanding soldier in history?
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