Chapter 22 - A Chibi Observer

"Ugh. Hey system, use 5 AP to heal me." Raiden said, wincing lightly. He had unknowingly pushed himself too hard, and now he was paying for it.

[5 AP used. The host has been restored to his perfect health.]

Raiden felt a familiar rush of heat through his body, healing him. He finally sighed in relief.

Ronan had dumped him in the room Koushirou had provided them, rather unceremoniously and went out to do...something. So, Raiden was now alone in the room and he decided to check his status page. It had been quite some time since he last did that.

[Status: SILVERS D RAIDEN

Titles:

•) Member of D clan -

Effect : Constitution +50%

              Charisma +50%

•) Pirate Hunter -

-->When fighting against pirates, all stats +10%

-->Fear Debuff - Pirates with weak will have their stats reduced by 10%.]

Physical stats:

Strength - D (50/10,000)

Constitution - D (100/10,000)

Agility - D (70/10,000)

Will - C (1,000/100,000)

Charisma - D (150/10,000)

Haki - None

Observation Haki (not available)

Armament Haki (not available)

Conqueror's Haki - E (0/1,000)

(The host can only use this power in small bursts.)

Devil fruits - Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Thunderbird

Devil Fruit Mastery (E) - 10/1,000

Combat techniques -

•) Force Palm (D) - 300/10,000

•) Rokushiki -->

1) Shigan(E) - 400/1,000

2) Geppo (E) - 800/1,000

3) Soru (D) - 900/10,000

Skills -

•) Observe(D) - (200/10,000)

(Can be used to enhance ???)

•) Rampage(D) - (8,900/10,000)

•) Dagger Mastery (E) - (10/1,000)

•) Sword Mastery (E) - (200/1,000)

•) Adaptive Reflexes (E) - (650/1,000)

Achievement Points - 1350]

"Nothing changed? That's weird. I'm sure something has changed." Raiden said scratching his head, confused.

The childish part of his brain thought that he had somehow unlocked his observation haki, given how he was able to somewhat track Koushirou's attacks. But now that he thinks about it, it would be an absurd notion.

He thought about that weird feeling for a few more moments, before he shook his head and decided not to think about it for now. There was nothing he could do anyway.

"Dagger mastery is more or less redundant right now, I guess I should just raise sword mastery and adaptive reflexes to D rank." Raiden murmured and quickly put the extra points in the two skills.

Once he was done recuperating, Raiden decided to go out as he was pretty bored alone in the room. The four walls were starting to feel like a cage, and his restless energy demanded an outlet.

He stepped out into the dojo grounds, taking in the sights and sounds around him. The air was filled with the shouts and laughter of young kids training diligently under the warm afternoon sun.

Wandering through the grounds, he noticed a large tree near the training area. A mischievous grin spread across his face. "Why not?" he thought. Climbing a tree seemed like the perfect way to indulge in his childhood fantasies of being a hidden observer, just like in the animes he loved.

Approaching the tree, he found its branches wide and sturdy, perfect for climbing. Leaping up, his agile body moved effortlessly from branch to branch until he found a comfortable perch. From this vantage point, he had a clear view of the training ground below.

His eyes quickly zeroed in on two familiar figures: Kuina and Zoro. Zoro, wielding two wooden swords, yelled in a childish tone, his face scrunched up in fierce determination. Kuina, with just one wooden sword, looked calm and focused...and generally more confident.

"Ha! Take that, Kuina!" Zoro shouted, charging at her with all his might.

Kuina easily parried his attack, her wooden sword moving in a blur. "You're too reckless, Zoro. You need to think before you swing."

Zoro's face turned red with frustration. "I'll beat you this time! I have two swords now!"

"Having more swords doesn't make you stronger if you don't know how to use them properly," Kuina replied, sidestepping his wild swing and tapping him lightly on the shoulder with her sword. "I win." She said with a smile.

Stumbling back, Zoro glared at her. "No fair! You're cheating!"

Kuina's expression softened as she stared at the greenhead. "I'm not cheating, Zoro. You just need to practice more. You're strong, but you need to work on your technique."

Zoro crossed his arms and pouted, refusing to look at her. "I'll beat you one day, Kuina. Just you wait."

"I know you will, Zoro. Keep training hard," Kuina said softly, standing up.

"Argh! Alright! I'm going to train. Don't you dare slack off Kuina! I'll beat you in no time, just wait!" Zoro yelled one last time, before he went to train, once again. The boy sure was competitive.

'Obviously. You will beat me one day. You're a boy afterall.' Kuina walked away, her shoulders slumped. Heading towards a more secluded part of the training ground, she picked up a wooden sword and began practicing her moves, that were infact already better than even Raiden himself, who didn't have any proper sword training.

Raiden felt a surge of empathy for the little girl. It was pretty sad that a girl her age was already doubting herself so much. The worst part was the fact she most definitely surpassed a lot of characters in raw talent.

Raiden stayed hidden for some time, staring at Kuina swinging her sword relentlessly, but soon decided to leave. The girl didn't know him, and it would be pretty weird if he just jumped in and tried to help her.

.

.

.

Raiden was roaming around the dojo, looking at the different training grounds and rooms the place had, when he spotted a familiar figure at the entrance, namely Ronan.

"Hey, where did you go?" Raiden asked, approaching him.

Ronan shrugged. "Just exploring the village. Not much to see though. No strong animals to hunt here," he complained.

Raiden laughed. "You're such a savage. Always thinking about hunting. What did those innocent animals ever do to you?"

Ronan smirked. "At least I don't go around killing humans like you, you fucking lunatic."

Raiden rolled his eyes. "Touché. But those were pirates, not innocent animals."

They walked towards their training ground, talking about mundane things. The sounds of the dojo training grounds grew louder as they approached.

Finally, Raiden looked at him with a glint in his eyes, "Want to spar?"

Ronan's eyes lit up with excitement. "You bet!" He didn't even wait for a formal start and immediately extended his fins and launched an attack at Raiden.

The two boys clashed, their laughter and shouts filling the air as they engaged in their playful but intense sparring session.

____

The next morning, Raiden and Ronan stood in the dojo's training ground, ready for their first day of training. It was still pretty early in the morning, so it was pretty peaceful at the moment. Koushirou approached them with an approving smile.

"Good morning," Koushirou greeted them, his voice calm. "Ready? Let's start with teaching you both the proper stance and foundation of all swordsmanship."

Raiden and Ronan straightened up, paying close attention as Koushirou began his lesson. He first addressed Raiden, who had developed a rather practical fighting style over the past year.

"Raiden," Koushirou said, stepping closer. "Your style is pragmatic, which is good in battle. But it prevents you from delving deeper into the art of swordsmanship. Let's start with a basic two-handed sword stance."

Koushirou demonstrated the very basic stance. He held the wooden practice sword with both hands, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and his weight evenly distributed.

"Watch carefully," Koushirou instructed. "This stance provides balance and the ability to react quickly. With two swords, you can't generate the same level of power you can do with a two handed sword. So you should focus on dishing out quick attacks for now. As for how to generate more strength, I will teach you both how to do that later."

Raiden nodded mimicked the stance, weirdly not noticing much difference but held the stance as Koushirou demonstrated.

"Good," Koushirou nodded approvingly. "Focus on this for now. Practice until it feels natural."

Leaving Raiden to his practice, Koushirou turned to Ronan. Teaching the fishman was a bit tricky. His fighting style was unconventional, involving his fins that were pretty similar to two swords held in a reverse grip. It lacked the traditional elements of swordsmanship, so it was pretty annoying to come up with a sword style for him.

"Ronan," Koushirou began, slightly exasperated. "Your style is unique, but it makes creating a structured training regimen challenging."

Ronan grinned, unperturbed. "I know, but it works for me."

Koushirou sighed, trying to hide his annoyance. He took one of his swords and demonstrated a basic stance, adapting it to the reverse grip. It was an awkward blend of traditional swordsmanship and the unorthodox approach of reverse grip.

While it was not a completely unknown style of fighting, but most fighters generally used it on rare occasions considering the circumstances at that moment.

The problem was that it almost completely negated the advantages of increased range that a long weapon like sword provided.

"Ronan, just focus on the stance I'll teach you. But what you need is a good martial arts teacher that can teach you how to fight in close quarters." Koushirou explained.

He showed Ronan a series of movements, each designed to improve balance and speed. Ronan followed along, though it was clear he found the structured approach difficult.

"This feels weird," Ronan admitted, his brows furrowed.

"It will," Koushirou replied. "But with practice, you'll find it more natural. Remember, a strong foundation is essential, even for unconventional styles."

Koushirou watched intently as Raiden and Ronan practiced their stances and swings, correcting small mistakes to ensure they built a solid foundation.

After a few dozen swings, both boys began to settle into their stances more comfortably, their movements becoming smoother with each repetition, but still far from being perfect.

"Remember, Raiden," Koushirou instructed, his voice calm yet authoritative. "Focus on the alignment of your shoulders and hips. Don't try to exert too much force for now. Just focus on getting the stance down."

Raiden adjusted his stance, feeling the difference as he swung his wooden practice sword. "Like this?" he asked, seeking validation.

Koushirou nodded approvingly. "Good. Now, keep that balance throughout your movements. Let the sword become an extension of your body."

Meanwhile, Ronan struggled with the more traditional stance Koushirou had adapted for him. He was still not used to a fine tuned sword style and even instinctively went to his wild fighting style.

Koushirou noticed this and adjusted his approach, demonstrating the stance again with slight modifications. "Try to angle your fins slightly more outward. It should allow for better leverage and fluidity in your strikes."

It was a fun learning experience for him too. It's not everyday he got the chance to work on an almost new style.

Ronan attempted the adjustment, his movements still clumsy but gradually improving under Koushirou's patient guidance.

"You're getting there, Ronan," Koushirou encouraged, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "Keep it up."

The boys kept practicing for the next couple of hours, both making decent progress and Koushirou was pretty satisfied with it.

Finally, Koushirou clapped his hands, signaling the end of the training session. "Alright, that's enough for today. You've both done well. Rest up now, and I'll go train my other students."

Raiden and Ronan nodded, both drenched in sweat but smiling from the sense of pride. They watched as the old man left and plopped down on the ground with a huff, catching their breath.

Ronan turned to Raiden with a mischievous grin. "Hey, Raiden, what do you say we go out and hunt some pirates? I'm itching for a fight."

Raiden shook his head, still panting. "Not now, Ronan. We don't have a lot of time before Garp comes and makes me join the Marines."

Ronan's face twisted in distaste. "Do you really have to join the Marines? Isn't there another way to do that thing?"

Raiden shrugged, trying to keep the conversation vague. "It's the easiest way for now."

Ronan stared at him for a moment before nodding reluctantly. "Alright, if you say so. I'm going for a swim. See you later.

Raiden waved him off. "Enjoy your swim."

As Ronan vanished from sight, Raiden lay back on the ground, his mind drifting to the plans he had been forming. He had about eight months before Garp would be here to pick him up. Eight months to learn as much as he could from Koushirou, to sharpen his skills, and to grow stronger.

While he didn't really want to join the marines, it was the easiest way to get close to those guys. And it's not like Raiden wasn't going to exploit the crap of those guys. He'd make the most out of his time there. But for now, he didn't want to have to worry about that.

He continued to lay on the ground, enjoying the rare moment of peace when a meek voice called out to him.

"Ano, Raiden-san?"

Raiden turned his head to see Kuina emerging from around the corner. She looked determined yet slightly nervous.

"Would you like to spar with me?"

______