Chương 62: Chapter 62: Trials and Discoveries
The early morning light shimmered across Marineford as Vulcan stood at the edge of the training field, his body already drenched in sweat. His muscles ached from the hours of punches and blocks he'd been working on. But this was just the warm-up.
"Alright, brat!" Garp's booming voice broke the silence. "You've been pounding boulders for some time now. We're moving on to something that requires more than just muscle."
Vulcan wiped his brow and shot his grandfather a tired glance. "Great, more fun and games?"
"Gahahaha! That's right! Fun and games with Observation Haki!" Garp laughed heartily, but his eyes gleamed with seriousness. "This isn't just about strength, kid. You need to be able to sense your enemy. In the New World, a slow reaction will get you killed before you can even lift a fist."
Vulcan raised an eyebrow. "Observation… Haki? Is that the thing that lets people dodge bullets and predict attacks?"
Garp nodded. "Exactly. It's the power to sense intent, presence, even emotions. The best users can see attacks coming before they happen. You? You're a long way from that. But we'll start with the basics."
Vulcan felt a flicker of excitement. Being able to predict attacks? That could be a game-changer. But he also felt a twinge of doubt. His body had always been his weapon, relying on strength and instinct. Could he really master something that was so… mental?
"Close your eyes," Garp ordered, his tone sharp. "Let's see if you can sense me."
Vulcan complied, shutting his eyes and focusing on the sounds around him—the distant crash of waves, the chatter of other Marines training, the faint rustling of the wind. It was strangely peaceful for a moment, but his concentration was quickly broken by the sound of Garp's heavy boots moving around him.
"Now, try to feel where I am," Garp's voice was calm, but the challenge in his tone was clear. "Don't rely on your eyes. Rely on your senses. Tune into my presence."
Vulcan frowned, his mind racing. He tried to do what Garp said—to sense his grandfather's presence. But everything was so scattered. The noise from the other Marines distracted him, and his mind was too jumbled to focus properly.
He could vaguely hear Garp moving, but that was it. Nothing felt different. No sudden surge of awareness, no sixth sense clicking into place. Just… confusion.
"Focus, brat! I'm right in front of you!"
Vulcan's brow furrowed in concentration, but before he could react, Garp's massive fist slammed into his gut, sending him skidding backward across the dirt. The air was knocked out of his lungs, and he hit the ground with a groan.
"What the hell?!" Vulcan gasped, struggling to breathe. "You didn't even give me a chance!"
Garp crossed his arms, looking unimpressed. "In a real fight, no one's going to give you a chance to focus, brat. You have to sense the attack before it happens, or you're done for."
Vulcan glared up at his grandfather, annoyed. "I didn't feel anything!"
"Of course you didn't!" Garp barked. "This isn't something you'll master in one try. It takes time. Focus harder. Try again."
Vulcan staggered to his feet, his body still aching from the earlier hit. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes again. This time, he tried to block out the distractions—the sound of the waves, the other Marines, everything except Garp.
But it was no use. His mind was still too scattered. He couldn't sense anything except the vague shuffle of feet. His frustration mounted, his fists clenched tightly.
"Alright, kid," Garp called out. "Here I come again!"
Before Vulcan could react, Garp's fist slammed into his side, knocking him off his feet once more. He hit the ground hard, the impact making his bones rattle.
"Damn it!" Vulcan growled, pushing himself up. "This is impossible!"
Garp's laughter filled the air as he walked over. "Gahahaha! Now you're starting to get it! Observation Haki isn't something you'll grasp in a day. You're used to fighting with your fists. This requires you to use your mind."
Vulcan groaned, rubbing his side. "So, how long until I'm any good at this?"
"As long as it takes!" Garp grinned. "But don't worry—keep at it, and you'll get there. Just don't expect it to come easy. You've got potential, but potential alone won't save you in the New World."
Vulcan sighed, wiping the sweat from his face. He wasn't used to failure. His strength had always been enough to carry him through, but this was different. This required something deeper, something he wasn't sure he had yet.
"I'll get it," Vulcan muttered, his determination flaring up again. "Just give me more time."
"Good!" Garp slapped him on the back, nearly knocking him over. "You've got the right attitude, at least. Now, get yourself to the library. That devil fruit you found isn't gonna identify itself."
After cleaning up from the brutal training session, Vulcan made his way to the Marineford library. The towering shelves filled with knowledge seemed intimidating at first, but his curiosity outweighed any discomfort. He had a mission: to figure out what kind of devil fruit he had stumbled upon.
He approached the large, dust-covered Devil Fruit Encyclopedia resting on a wooden pedestal. The book was massive—probably the oldest-looking thing in the entire library. With a grunt, Vulcan heaved it open and began flipping through the yellowed pages.
There were so many types of devil fruits, and each one seemed stranger than the last. Vulcan scanned the entries, his eyes drawn to the illustrations of fruits that gave people bizarre powers.
"Zoan-types," Vulcan muttered as he came across a page showing someone turning into an animal. "They let you transform into animals… or even mythical beasts." He skimmed over the description, finding fruits that turned people into wolves, tigers, or dinosaurs. "Alright, that's kind of cool, but not what I'm looking for."
He flipped further, stopping at the Paramecia-type fruits. These were the odd ones. They gave people strange abilities—like turning their bodies into rubber, controlling wax, or creating strings.
"Paramecia… weirder powers, but still useful," Vulcan mused. "This is more like it."
Then came the Logia-types. The illustrations depicted people turning into elements like fire, smoke, or ice. Vulcan's eyes widened slightly as he read through the descriptions. These fruits made the user practically invincible, unless their opponent knew how to use Haki.
"So these are the most dangerous ones… No wonder everyone in the world is obsessed with them."
Vulcan continued flipping through the encyclopedia, page after page of strange and powerful devil fruits. But none of them seemed to match the fruit he had found. His eyes narrowed as he skimmed the pages faster, growing slightly frustrated.
And then, he stopped.
His eyes locked onto an entry that looked familiar. The fruit in the illustration had the same spiral patterns and the same shape as the one he had found.
"Here it is…" Vulcan whispered, leaning closer to read the description.
Vulcan's heart raced as he absorbed the information. "So that's what it does…
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