Chapter 49: The truth of Haki!

Year 1: A Bold Idea

Upon gaining the power of the Soul-Soul Fruit, you touch your own soul and are struck by a bold idea. The reason people in this world can wield Haki must be intricately linked to their souls. However, to prove this hypothesis, you must first understand the true nature of Haki energy. This question consumes your thoughts, leading you to several potential theories. One of the most compelling is that Armament Haki, which can strike the true form of Logia users, shares a fundamental similarity with the nature of seastone. Deciding this is the best place to start, you embark on a new line of research.

Year 2: The Discovery of Substance P

You acquire a large quantity of seastone from Wanokuni, the source of this mysterious material, and successfully extract a special substance from it, which you dub "Substance P." The term sparks a distant memory from your past life, where you recall hearing of something similar. Upon further investigation, you discover that this substance is a unique form of horny particle composed of nitrogen, carbon, and hydrogen. Seastone's ability to suppress Devil Fruit users mirrors the effects of seawater, prompting you to extract Substance P from the sea as well. However, when comparing the two versions of Substance P, you find distinct differences.

Year 4: The Study of Isomers

Your research on Substance P deepens. You find that this substance exists ubiquitously across the world, each variant possessing unique characteristics. The Substance P extracted from seastone is named P1, while that from seawater is labeled P2. You discover a third variant, P3, in volcanic ash—this substance is responsible for the formation of Sky Island's sea clouds and island clouds, its energy nourishing the life forms there. You then extract P4 from the Sea Kings, and P27 from the soil of Beehive Island. Through detailed study, you conclude that all these substances are isomers of each other, sharing the same elements—nitrogen, hydrogen, and carbon—yet exhibiting vastly different properties.

Year 7: The Great Secret of the Sea Kings

Your obsession with Substance P grows, leading you to uncover a startling secret about the Sea Kings. P4, the variant extracted from these colossal creatures, has a unique property: it causes organisms to grow significantly larger over time. To test this, you capture pirates from Beehive Island and conduct human experiments. One subject grows from 1.83 meters to 2.21 meters within a few months. However, the experiment takes a tragic turn when the subject's blood factor collapses, resulting in their death on the test bench.

Year 9: A Dangerous Revelation

Your relentless pursuit of knowledge leads to the discovery of P14, a variant with a profoundly unsettling effect. The specifics elude you, but the sheer potential of this substance keeps you on edge.

Year 10: The Elixir of Life

In the tenth year of your research, you uncover another extraordinary variant, P21, which appears to have the power to extend life itself. Though the effects are subtle and not particularly obvious, the implications are staggering.

Year 15: A Sudden Realization

Fifteen years have passed, and you suddenly come to your senses, realizing that you've spent all this time obsessing over Substance P, almost forgetting your original purpose. The year is now 1520, and a pirate named Monkey D. Luffy has just set sail, his bounty at 30 million. You see his wanted poster in the news but feel no desire to involve yourself in the world's current events. Instead, you choose to remain in your laboratory, focusing solely on your research, indifferent to the turmoil unfolding around you.

Year 16: The Formation of a Research Team

Recognizing that the power of one person is too limited, you decide to form a research team to further your discoveries. You broadcast a recruitment notice worldwide, offering an enticing salary of 30 million beli per year to attract the best minds. Among those you invite is the renowned scientist Vegapunk, whose genius you believe will be crucial to your research.

Year 16: The Hypothesis of the Unknown Particle

You propose a groundbreaking hypothesis: although Substance P exhibits extraordinary effects, its chemical structure and molecular formula appear unremarkable. You suspect that an "unknown particle" hidden within Substance P, like a ghost, might be the source of its power. Intrigued by your theory, Vegapunk agrees to explore this mystery alongside you. Leading your research team, you embark on the quest to identify this elusive particle.

Year 17: Conflict with the World Government

During your collaboration, Vegapunk confides in you about his previous research into the Void Century—a subject forbidden by the World Government. This revelation brings the attention of the Five Elders upon your team. When agents of the World Government attempt to suppress your research, you deploy your Earthly Branches to repel them. However, this provokes a far more formidable response: "God's Judgment" from Imu. A dozen beams of white light descend from the heavens, obliterating Beehive Island. Utilizing the power of the Time Fruit, you and your team narrowly escape into the future.

Year 18: A New Beginning in North Blue

Refusing to be deterred by the World Government's assault, you relocate to North Blue and establish a new, secret research institute. While the world outside plunges into chaos, with Monkey D. Luffy waging war against the World Government, you remain focused on your pursuit: the discovery of the unknown particles you hypothesized.

Year 38: The Death of Vegapunk

Two decades pass, and the great scientist Vegapunk succumbs to old age at 85. Despite this loss, you continue your relentless search for the mysterious particles, pushing the boundaries of science in the One Piece world.

Year 44: A Breakthrough

Finally, your research yields results. Your team constructs the world's first particle collider, and in a historic collision experiment, you witness the existence of "ghost particles"—an ethereal and precise phenomenon. You name them "P particles," recognizing their widespread presence in all forms of Substance P.

Year 57: Understanding P Particles

Through extensive research, you begin to uncover the basic properties of P particles. You discover a special energy surrounding these particles, which, when absorbed by the soul and controlled unconsciously, manifests as Haki. Using the power of the Soul-Soul Fruit, you absorb a large quantity of P particles, integrating them into your soul. At last, you grasp the true nature of Haki energy: it is the energy released by the human soul after absorbing and unconsciously controlling P particles.

Year 58: The Secret of Armament Haki

You make another significant discovery: when two P particles come into close proximity at the microscopic level, they generate an extremely strong gravitational force between them. This force, you realize, is likely the secret behind Armament Haki.

Year 59: Edie's Laws

Building on your research, you formulate two fundamental laws of the One Piece world, which you name after yourself:

Edie's First Law: There exists a type of ghost particle, P, that is ubiquitous in the One Piece world. This particle emits a special energy that can be absorbed by the soul and, under unconscious human control, is released in the form of Haki.

Edie's Second Law: P particles exhibit mutual attraction, with the force being inversely proportional to the distance between them at the microscopic level. At the macroscopic level, this force manifests as magnetic force.

Year 60: The Dawn of a New Era

With your research complete, you publish your findings, revolutionizing the scientific understanding of Haki and ushering in a new era. Your achievements surpass even those of Vegapunk, and you are hailed as a scientist millennia ahead of your time. To quantify Haki, you define the energy released by a P particle per unit time as 1, creating both an energy level detection device and specialized glasses for measuring this energy.

Testing Chenlong's Haki at full strength, you record an astounding energy level of 250 billion.

As your life draws to a close, you pass away with a sense of deep satisfaction, having unraveled the mysteries of Haki and left an indelible mark on the world.

Simulation ends.

The simulation ended, and Edie stared at the results in a daze.

"P particles... Haki and the soul... So, I was right all along."

A slow grin began to spread across his face, eventually curling up almost to his ears.

"Hahahahahahahaha!"

He burst into laughter, a maniacal joy bubbling up from deep within him.

"It's done! I'm such a genius!"

He paused, his tone becoming mockingly humble. "No, I should be modest. The system deserves at least one-tenth of the credit, Vegapunk another tenth, and the remaining 80%... well, that's all me."

His laughter became more unhinged, his euphoria nearly overwhelming him as he sat alone in the laboratory, reveling in his success. He laughed for several minutes, his voice echoing off the sterile walls.

When he finally calmed down, a thought struck him.

"No, no, the first and second laws are good, but there should be a third law! If Haki is connected to the soul, then Devil Fruits must be as well!"

His excitement waned slightly as he realized the limitation. "But there wasn't enough time. Was I an idiot in the simulation? Didn't I know to prioritize immortality first? I'll have to wait for the next simulation."

As the euphoria of his breakthrough faded, Edie turned his attention to the rewards of the simulation. His eyes widened in disbelief as he reviewed the staggering cost.

[This simulation consumed a total of 3,909.3 billion Beli in research funds.]

[Research Reward]: Knowledge about the correlation between Haki and the soul.

[Should we pay 3,909.3 billion Beli to receive the research rewards?]

Edie was momentarily speechless. "No, that's not a typo. Nearly 4 trillion Beli! That's enough to buy 1,000 Kaido heads, or make 400 Chenlongs! The Marine's annual military budget is only about 1 trillion Beli. But... if I think about it... a mere 4 trillion..."

He sighed and decided, "I must go to Sky Island again."

Edie stood up and left the lab, quickly checking the additional rewards.

[Additional Reward]: Energy level detection glasses.

[Do you want to receive it?]

"Yes!"

With a flash of white light, a pair of glasses appeared in his hands. They looked ordinary, nothing special about their appearance.

"A combat power detector like in Dragon Ball? But for testing Haki," Edie mused as he put them on. After a bit of fumbling, he figured out how to use them.

A soft beep sounded as he looked at himself, and after a moment, a numerical value appeared on the lenses.

<1 Z₂< strong>

"The accuracy is too poor. The Haki I naturally emit doesn't even register 100 million? Chenlong's full burst is 250 billion. These glasses can only detect energy levels above 100 million. Somewhat useful, but not very."

Shrugging, he left the lab and headed to the first floor of the institute.

"Lord Heavenly Father," Shenhou greeted him respectfully at the entrance.

Edie glanced at him, accompanied by a beeping sound from the glasses.

Energy Level: 1 billion.

"Release Haki at full strength," Edie ordered.

Shenhou, though puzzled, obeyed without question. Instantly, the numbers on the glasses began to soar.

Energy Level: 100... 500... 800... 100 billion!

The equivalent of 100 billion P particles released their energy all at once. The air around them seemed to tremble, and a booming sound echoed in Edie's ears as everyone on Beehive Island felt the surge of Haki.

"Enough," Edie nodded, satisfied. He walked to the window and turned to Shenhou. "I'll be leaving for a while. If Charlotte Linlin wakes up, tell her to stay here and wait for my return."

With that, he activated his ability ring, transforming into a pteranodon, and soared into the sky, disappearing into the horizon in the blink of an eye.