"Old lion, Wano Country..."
In the palace of the Upperworld, Sakura leaned her hands on the wide balcony, gazing at the distant sea.
It was understandable that Shiki would covet Wano.
After all, that place had natural fortresses, easily defended and hard to attack, abundant mineral resources, and craftsmen who could forge weapons.
Moreover, years of samurai ideology had shaped the spirit of its people, making it easier to produce combative Haki users.
The combination of these factors made Wano seem like a training ground prepared for some war. The old lion, over sixty yet still wanting to strive, would naturally like it there.
"He invited me back when he had me captured."
Leviathan on her shoulder raised a wing and used its beak to preen its feathers. "While he was executing that Beast Project, he was also looking for a chance to rebuild his fleet."
"Speaking of which, the old lion isn't from the West Blue, is he?" Sakura, withdrawing her gaze, seemed to recall something.
After founding Galleila Pharmaceuticals and starting to deal with the underworld, she had purchased information on many famous pirates from Doflamingo.
Among them, the documents on Shiki recorded that before becoming a pirate, he was a member of the underworld.
This information had once led Sakura to believe that Shiki was from the West Blue, which had many mafias and gangs, and had similar experiences to Capone Bege of the Worst Generation.
But now, considering the old lion's understanding of the information-starved Wano, his clothing and origins, and his preferred architectural style... could that guy also be from Wano?
"Why don't you just ask him directly?"
Sensing what Sakura was thinking, Leviathan rolled her eyes at her.
She was discussing such an important matter, and this brat Sakura's mind wandered off to think about his origins!
"Never mind. I'm not interested in digging up an old man's past."
Sensing Leviathan's resentment, the girl waved her hand, dropping the subject. "But this way, Ace and Yamato are going to kick up a fuss."
"How about increasing their training? It's better to realize one's dreams with one's own hands."
Leviathan transformed into a small, delicate ship spirit and landed on the ground.
Saying such cold words with such a warm mouth, she waved her hand and walked out of Sakura's bedroom.
"Increase their training, huh... That's fine too!"
Sakura gazed at the moon in the sky, the corner of her mouth curving up involuntarily.
…
The next day, Marian Island, Underworld.
"Hmm, Uncle Tiger is so slow!"
Ace lay on his back in the wide plaza of the giant village, his hands clasped behind his head.
"Sato Sakura isn't here for training either. Did something happen?"
Yamato, dressed in a beautiful shrine maiden's outfit, stopped swinging her kanabo and raised a hand to wipe the sweat from her cheeks.
"It's nothing. I sent them away."
Turning toward the source of the voice, Sakura, wearing her long-unseen black Konoha's Ninja outfit, walked toward the plaza.
Her hands were empty, without any weapons, yet Ace and Yamato felt a deadly dangerous aura emanating from her.
"Huh?"
Ace froze, instinctively feeling his hair stand on end. "Sa... Sakura-nee, I've been really well-behaved these two days since I got back. I haven't done anything bad!"
"Didn't I promise you several Haki attack and defense lessons?" Sakura pulled a pair of black fingerless gloves from her pocket and put them on. "I'm here to make up for them now."
Yamato, beside Ace, saw Sakura and her eyes practically sparkled.
The energetic white-haired girl dashed forward and bowed deeply in front of Sakura. "Good morning, great senior! Can I join your lesson too? My name is Yamato, and my dream is to..."
"Stop, stop, stop!"
Seeing Yamato about to go on and on, Sakura bluntly interrupted her. "If you want to join, then come along. One sheep to herd, two sheep to herd… it's all the same."
"Yes!"
Yamato's face lit up with a bright smile. She puffed out her chest and brushed the dust off it.
Listening to their conversation, Ace felt only inner peace.
'That idiot Yamato agreed to Sakura-nee's offer so easily. She was smiling happily now, but I would feel even happier when that smile disappeared later.'
But then again, Ace, who had successfully invaded an Emperor's territory and fought with many powerful warriors, was also curious about how much of a gap there was still between himself and the monsters of these seas.
The rebellious bone in him as a pirate was faintly throbbing.
He gritted his teeth and climbed up from the ground.
'—Might as well give it a try!'
And then....
Dozens of minutes later, in the battered giant plaza, a boy and a girl lay in craters, gasping for breath.
"Amazing. Just like Kaido... no, even stronger than that guy Kaido!"
Yamato's clothes were torn, her face covered in dirt, but she had no injuries. Instead, the light in her eyes had grown brighter.
"Huff... huff... how did you do that?"
Ace, lying beside her, was too exhausted to speak properly.
He had originally planned to thoroughly mock Yamato after she experienced Sakura's lesson.
Now he just felt an itch on his nose, as if a little red ball were stuck to it.
A Buggy-style mask, essentially.
"Just move along the direction of Sakura-senpai's Haki flow, and you'll be healed by her abilities. Didn't you notice?" Yamato swayed as she sat up and tilted her head at Ace.
"How could that half-baked student with his half-assed Haki possibly sense that?"
Sakura walked to the edge of the crater, formed a hand seal for the two below, and her Wood Release Chakra boiled.
Green sprouts immediately pushed through the soil, growing in this snow-covered Underworld, creating a spring garden full of vitality.
Yang Release Chakra infused the plants, pouring into their bodies and quickly restoring their depleted stamina and wounds.
Ace and Yamato stood up in amazement and stretched their bodies.
Entering teaching mode, Sakura coldly ordered the two, "Yamato, you can go train on your own. Ace, you continue!"
"Ah?"
Ace let out a wail, but a huge shadow had already fallen behind him.
In a hurry, he could only concentrate his Armament Haki across his entire back for a wide-area defense.
Sakura's fist struck the weak point in Ace's Haki, shattering it.
Once again, she slammed him into the ground, creating a large hole.
"Wrong. You should use Observation Haki to predict first, then use hardening for precise defense!"
She broke down the scenarios encountered in Haki combat and thoroughly explained them to Ace.
This was why the disciples or descendants of the strong more easily become powerful themselves.
On one hand, the inheritance of will gave these people a higher perspective and spirit as they grew, and their Haki naturally rose accordingly.
On the other hand, the techniques used in various battles were also passed down through this method, allowing them to win in combat and go further.
"Again!"
Feeling Sakura's good intentions, Ace gritted his teeth and got back up.
He confronted her without hesitation, throwing his fist, coated in flowing Armament Haki, toward hers.
The same punch! Attack with attack, leaving no room for retreat.
His determined will blazed fiercely, making his Haki even more violent.
'Come on, Sakura-nee!'
'Let me see what kind of world lies between us!'