One Piece Devouring Fruit - Chapter 23
Although Sengoku and the others were very satisfied with Michion’s talent, they focused on not just his potential but the impact of his ability on the entire Marine force.
Does a shift in power due to an admiral’s strength significantly change the situation?
The answer is undoubtedly yes. Having one more admiral-level combatant or one less has an immense impact on the Marines.
Admirals can be developed from exceptional talents with ample resources, but it is still a matter of probability.
Like the three to come, future admirals are examples of this process.
But what about someone who can grant ordinary individuals the strength of a captain? Or someone whose abilities, when fully developed, could even affect admirals?
At that point, it’s not just about one top-tier combatant; even against the Four Emperors, such an ability would provide invaluable assistance to admirals.
There is no overwhelming power gap between the Four Emperors and admirals, but there are differences. Many factors influence the outcome of battles, such as whether a Devil Fruit’s ability counteracts another, fighting styles, and the willingness to take risks.
Michion’s ability made the Marines see the hope of changing the battle dynamics. In large-scale warfare, how impactful would augmenting a vast number of Marines be?
In one phrase: “Everyone becomes a dragon!”
This would be a strategic weapon in a major war, and this was why Sengoku and the others valued Michion so highly.
…
Time passed.
After experiencing being stranded on an island and undergoing Marine training, Michion formally entered combat training.
Unknowingly, Michion had become a prominent figure in the Marine training camp, forming his small group.
His ability to augment others with his Devil Fruit powers made these kids willingly become his followers.
Through deliberate efforts, Michion befriended many trainees who appeared in the original story.
For instance, “Rust-Rust Fruit user—Shuu.”
“Bean-Bean Fruit user—Very Good.”
“Wheel-Wheel Fruit user—Sharingle.”
He also met some Animal-Type fruit users who did not appear in the original story. For example, Sora, an Animal-Type Tiger Fruit user, was quite a tomboy.
She was straightforward, hot-tempered, loved eating meat, and got along well with Michion.
Though Sora didn’t appear in the original story, Michion didn’t know if she wasn’t shown or had died in battle. After all, the anime only gave partial information, while this world was complete and accurate.
Judging by her performance in the training camp, Sora had great talent. She trained hard, and the enhancement of her Animal-Type fruit made many male trainees feel ashamed.
As for Drake, although Michion got along well with him, he knew Drake later became a pirate. Not knowing why, Michion didn’t invest too much in befriending him.
Instead of gambling on someone who might defect due to unknown reasons, Michion focused on enhancing his strength and forming good relationships with other Marine cadets.
Investing in Drake could end up backfiring, which Michion wanted to avoid.
In his previous battle with Instructor Zephyr, Michion achieved a minor breakthrough, mastering the “Tekkai” technique for combat.
Although Zephyr must have held back, no one else who challenged Zephyr could engage in such a back-and-forth fight, leaving most with bruised faces.
When they compared their performances, everyone recognized Michion as the top trainee in the camp, and his small group grew stronger.
Having power, the ability to augment others, and being an exceptionally diligent genius naturally drew many followers.
Oh, being handsome was a factor, too,
as Michion’s group had a higher proportion of female members…
Zephyr was impressed with Michion’s hard work, occasionally giving him special training.
Due to his strong spirit, Michion displayed extraordinary sensitivity when training “Kami-e” (Paper Drawing) with Zephyr.
In subsequent battles with various instructors, Michion sometimes preemptively sensed attacks, surprising his instructors. Zephyr openly stated that Michion had strong potential.
In truth, Michion found training Kami-e easier.
He never thought he could master Haki at this age. Based on his estimation, he wouldn’t consider training Haki until around age 17.
So, when Zephyr mentioned that Michion had the potential for Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) and could start training early, Michion was initially confused.
But after the confusion came joy, as this was an opportunity to learn Haki.
Mastering Haki early would add to his strength.
Training Haki required constant practice to improve.
While Michion wasn’t sure if early training for Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki) would be harmful, starting Kenbunshoku Haki seemed fine.
Moreover, many people in the One Piece world had naturally strong Kenbunshoku Haki.
As for his Kenbunshoku Haki talent…
Let’s just say it’s because Michion is a transmigrator. As an adult, his strong spirit likely enhanced his Kenbunshoku Haki.
In countless novels, that’s the standard explanation.
Michion wasn’t a scientist who needed to understand everything. He accepted good fortune as it came, relying on the typical reasons seen in novels.
Training diligently and pushing oneself in battles certainly contributed to Michion’s progress.
While others might accept defeat in unavoidable attacks, Michion always tried to predict, defend, or evade, determined not to give in.
This approach paralleled training methods of dodging attacks with blindfolds.
Michion’s persistence paid off with today’s results.
After Michion’s Kenbunshoku Haki talent was discovered, instructors spent even more time giving him specialized training.
Interestingly, no one envied Michion for the attention he received. The instructors never stopped others from observing or participating in the training.
But the intense “special training” was seen as hellish by others.
Some tried to join but couldn’t endure it.
Eventually, this became Michion’s exclusive “package.”
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