"There's no rush to practice Haki or the Eight-Impact Fist. The priority is to continue researching the talent panel."
Haki and the Eight-Impact Fist were certainly tempting.
But Kaito Arisawa was not blinded by excitement. Compared to those techniques, he understood clearly that his greatest asset was the Infinite Talent System itself.
That truth had become unmistakable during his battle with Sai.
Sai might not yet have reached the level he displayed in the original timeline, but he was already a pirate with a bounty exceeding one hundred million Berry. And yet, against Kaito's Constitution-focused talent state, Sai had been nothing more than livestock awaiting slaughter—crushed without resistance.
"I wonder… how my current Constitution compares to Charlotte Linlin's—the so-called natural destroyer."
Feeling the overwhelming power coursing through his body, Kaito couldn't help but think of a benchmark.
Charlotte Linlin.
Among the Four Emperors, she was the most extreme embodiment of raw physical talent.
She had been born a monster.
At five years old—without any formal training—she had killed a giant bear with a single punch and even taken the life of a giant elder.
Looking at her growth history, it was clear that she had not relied heavily on grueling training. She had simply grown savagely, fueled by her natural Constitution, until she stood among the Pirate Emperors.
And during that entire process—
She had also been giving birth to children.
Even setting aside wasted time, pregnancy itself was a significant physical burden.
If Charlotte Linlin had not spent so much time having children—and instead trained with discipline—her strength would undoubtedly surpass even what it was now.
Kaito didn't yet know whether his current Constitution exceeded hers.
But that didn't stop him from using her as a reference point. As a goal.
"I've already gained a general understanding of Constitution through combat. Next, I should test the other talents."
With that thought, he turned his attention once more to the talent panel in his mind.
[Constitution: 1.4]
[Fighting: 1.3]
[Weapon: 1.8]
[Armament Haki: 1.3]
[Observation Haki: 1.5]
[Conqueror's Haki: 1.1]
Without hesitation, he began redistributing his attributes—this time concentrating them into the second-ranked category:
Fighting.
…
The next day.
Inside the training room once again.
"The Eight Treasures Navy really lives up to its reputation," Robin said with a faint smile as she handed several letters to Kaito. "The Haki cultivation methods you've been searching for? That Sai fellow explained everything."
Kaito had clearly been training just moments earlier. Sweat glistened across his bare upper body.
He wiped his hands with a towel before accepting the letters.
"The Eight Treasures Navy has a long history. Don Chinjao once ventured into the New World. Given Sai's status, unless Chinjao is a fool, it would be impossible for him not to pass down Haki to his heir."
He spoke casually as he unfolded the letters and began reading.
As Robin had mentioned, Kaito had long been concerned with obtaining Haki cultivation methods.
He was not someone isolated from the outside world.
In addition to regularly reading publications like the World Economic Journal, he had ordered his subordinates to gather information from all available sources.
Including information on Haki.
Though Haki was rarely discussed openly in the Four Seas—and even in the first half of the Grand Line—that was merely surface-level ignorance.
Anyone with even modest strength possessed some understanding of Haki.
Although the Sword Gang ranked only as a third-rate organization within West Blue's underworld, Kaito's deliberate investigation had confirmed the existence of Haki.
Once he learned that Haki could not only enhance strength but also counter Devil Fruit users, he had actively sought its cultivation methods.
But West Blue was still a peripheral sea.
With only the Sword Gang's resources, he had been unable to obtain them.
As for the letters—
The ink was fresh. The handwriting unmistakably Robin's.
That was only natural.
The letters recorded the results of Robin's interrogation of Sai.
Although Sai was Don Chinjao's carefully cultivated heir, that did not mean his will was unbreakable.
In less than a day, Robin had lived up to Kaito's expectations, successfully extracting the Haki and Eight-Impact Fist cultivation methods from him.
Even though Kaito had already obtained some Haki and Eight-Impact Fist manuals from the seized ship, he read Sai's transcribed explanations with meticulous attention.
Sai's status was different.
Who could say whether there were hidden details not included in the ship's materials?
It was like martial arts passed down within a sect.
Even if the core techniques were the same, outer disciples would never receive instruction as complete as that given to inner heirs.
"Oh?"
A faint smile tugged at Kaito's lips as he read.
"There is a difference."
Sure enough, the cultivation manuals obtained from the ship were likely meant for lower-ranking members of the Eight Treasures Navy.
Comparing them with Sai's detailed explanations, the distinction was obvious.
Take Armament Haki, for instance.
Beyond simple reinforcement of strength, Armament Haki possessed four distinct application techniques:
Hardening.
Envelopment.
External Emission.
Internal Destruction.
The manuals found aboard the ship described only the first two: Hardening and Envelopment.
But Sai's version included an additional technique—External Emission.
With equal Haki strength, the more refined one's application, the greater the power unleashed.
Hardening strengthened the body or weapons coated in Armament Haki. While it could enhance offensive power to some degree, it was primarily defensive.
Envelopment built upon Hardening, channeling Haki outward to further increase striking force.
And that was only the beginning.
Kaito's eyes gleamed with interest.
The harvest was far richer than he had anticipated.
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