Mastered Again

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"What did you say?!" Sandersonia blinked in disbelief, suspecting her hearing had failed her.

Akira smiled, his voice calm and confident. "I said I have learned it."

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Sandersonia shook her head vehemently. "Observation Haki isn't something you can learn so quickly. It requires intense practice, and above all, talent!" Her excitement was palpable—after all, even within the Kuja tribe, few had truly mastered Observation Haki, and the gap between those who did was significant. Even her sister Hancock, known for her strength, didn't fully grasp its potential.

Akira raised a hand to calm her down. "Don't get too excited. I didn't say I mastered Observation Haki. What I've learned is a method similar to it."

"What do you mean?" Sandersonia asked, confused.

"I don't fully understand Observation Haki yet," Akira explained, "but I can enhance my five senses to such a degree that the effects are almost identical."

The Kuja Pirates fell silent, trying to process his words. His explanation might be humble, but wasn't that precisely what Observation Haki was?

Suddenly, Shisui and Itachi stepped forward. "Brother Akira, we've learned it too."

Having practiced the breathing techniques and honed their awareness to extreme levels, Shisui and Itachi stood beside Akira, their talents just a fraction behind his own.

Akira nodded approvingly. "Indeed, Observation Haki is useful, but for us, it's merely supplementary. Our eyes are what matter most." His Sharingan gleamed as he spoke. While Observation Haki was impressive, it paled in comparison to the power of their eyes—the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Both Shisui and Itachi nodded in agreement. They had heightened their senses to the maximum, but even so, the clarity and precision of their Sharingan far surpassed the newfound abilities of their physical senses. Without Sharingan, they would have taken Observation Haki more seriously, but as things stood, it served as support.

As the trio continued their experiments, the women of the Kuja Pirates stood back, quietly watching in awe. For the first time, they witnessed the overwhelming difference between natural talent and hard work. It was as if the three Uchiha men operated on a different level altogether.

Meanwhile, back in her quarters, Hancock opened her eyes, feeling a noticeable change in her body. Her physical strength had significantly improved due to the Snake Breathing technique. She returned to regular breathing, but an unexpected feeling of emptiness crept into her chest. It was hard to believe that merely changing her breathing could have such a profound effect on her fitness.

At the same time, she realized that maintaining this breathing method would require increased lung strength. But once mastered, it could elevate the strength of all Amazon Lily's warriors.

A flicker of a smile appeared on Hancock's lips. "That man," she mused, "he's so generous. Could it be that he likes me?" She quickly brushed the thought aside, but another followed: "Of course, he does. After all, I am the most beautiful woman in the world. Who wouldn't?"

Then she paused. "I wonder how he's doing with Observation Haki? It's not that easy to learn…"

As Hancock thought about Akira, an uncontrollable urge to check on him took over. She tried to convince herself it was to see how he was progressing, perhaps even offer help—if he needed it, of course.

Suddenly, a boom resounded, echoing like an explosion across the ship. Hancock's face tightened in concern. "Are we under attack?" She hurriedly made her way out of the cabin.

"No, Sister Hancock!" Marigold exclaimed, pointing towards the horizon. "Look over there!"

Hancock followed her sister's finger and gasped. Akira, Shisui, and Itachi stood in a triangle formation, not on the ship, but on the sea itself. They stood perfectly balanced, defying nature.

"Is this real?" Hancock whispered, her eyes widening. How could anyone stand on the sea without sinking?

"What are they doing?" she asked.

Marigold explained, "They were experimenting with Haki earlier. It seems they decided to test it in combat, and… well, this happened."

Out on the water, Shisui smirked. "Brother Akira, we're going all out now. Don't get upset if you lose."

Akira returned the smirk. "Just make sure you don't cry when you do. I still remember how you looked when you cried as a kid."

Shisui's face flushed. "That was a long time ago! Get ready, Itachi!" he shouted.

*Boom!*

Three swirling vortexes suddenly erupted from the sea around Akira, shooting toward him like drills of water.

Akira smiled calmly. "I knew you'd do something like this, Itachi."

He raised his hand slightly, murmuring, "Water Style: Water Barrier." The sea around him responded instantly, rising in a liquid wall that blocked Itachi's attack.

Without hesitation, Shisui formed hand seals. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!" A massive fireball, more than three meters wide, erupted from Shisui's mouth and barreled toward Akira.

Akira's eyes flickered with amusement. "That's not enough to stop me." He extended his right palm and slashed through the air. A streak of invisible force cleaved the fireball in two, causing it to explode in a burst of steam when it hit the water.

The women of the Kuja Pirates gasped.

"Did you see that?!" one exclaimed. "He's using Haki with such precision—he's already mastered it!"

They were astonished. Although they had witnessed Akira use Haki on the ship earlier, his ability to release it so fluidly, with such control and at such a distance, was beyond their expectations. For the first time, they realized just how powerful this man was.

And, more importantly, they understood something else—no amount of hard work could compensate for the kind of talent Akira and his comrades possessed.

...