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The old woman, Amazon, was stunned. Arthur had dodged the Impact Dial''s blast while facing away from her. It was unbelievable.
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She steadied herself, recovering from the Dial''s powerful recoil. She aimed at Arthur again, releasing another blast.
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"Boom—!"
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A powerful gust of wind rushed from behind.
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This time, Arthur had no intention of facing it head-on—He wanted to test his newly awakened Observation Haki.
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He didn''t look back at Amazon, but in his mind, a blurry, white figure appeared.
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This was Amazon''s form, projected into his mind through his—Observation Haki.
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He tilted his head to the left. The blast grazed his ear again, another clean miss.
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Arthur was ecstatic. This initial awakening of his Observation Haki was remarkable. It wasn''t just sensing air currents or the speed of the wind.
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He could directly project a white silhouette into his mind. He could "see" the figure''s movements, its weapon, and even the airflow caused by the attack!
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This was strikingly similar to the Observation Haki of the future Marine Admiral, Fujitora.
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He remembered Rayleigh''s words: Haki was a latent power within all humans in the world.
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This power was an innate ability. It was like instinct, existing alongside concepts like presence and intimidation.
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Most people were unaware of this power. Or—they couldn''t unlock it, even after a lifetime of trying.
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Besides Conqueror''s Haki, Armament Haki and Observation Haki could be awakened and strengthened through training.
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Conqueror''s Haki was a sign of a king. Those with Conqueror''s Haki could attack without even lifting a finger. It was a form of mental attack.
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Those hit would foam at the mouth and faint.
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Unlike—Observation and Armament Haki, Conqueror''s Haki was innate. It couldn''t be learned or inherited. It was determined by fate.
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It required an innate strength of spirit!
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Every person who possessed Conqueror''s Haki was a lawless individual, living freely on the sea. This was why most people who awakened Conqueror''s Haki were pirates.
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The Marines had to follow orders. How could they train their own spirit?
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But let''s put aside Conqueror''s Haki for now.
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Observation Haki heightened the five senses. It allowed one to sense the presence and emotions of others. It could also be used to predict and avoid danger.
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As long as a creature was alive, its body emitted a unique sound. Observation Haki could use these sounds to predict an opponent''s next move and position. With training, the range could be expanded.
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Arthur''s five senses were naturally strong. He could sense when someone was watching him. It wasn''t surprising that he had awakened Observation Haki.
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"Did I gamble on this rising current and gain this power early? Hahaha, this is—perfect."
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Arthur laughed wildly. He moved like a willow in the wind, dodging the Impact Dial''s blasts again and again.
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The old woman, Amazon, was stunned. Her arms trembled slightly. She couldn''t withstand the powerful recoil anymore.
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"I wanted to enter Sky Island without fighting anyone. But you won''t let me. If I''m going to fight someone, I might as well go all the way!"
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Killing intent flashed in Arthur''s dark eyes. His feet moved rapidly. The powerful reaction force made him disappear instantly. He reappeared next to Amazon. His clenched fist struck out.
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He was going to silence her!
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He didn''t want to be cruel to an old woman. But if he let a witness live, he would have no place to hide on Sky Island.
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Amazon would surely report his arrival to the God who guarded Heaven''s Gate, Gan Fall.
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With Arthur''s current meager strength, going against the endless Sky Island guards was foolish.
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Gan Fall and his priests in their prime were surely stronger than Arthur.
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If that happened, he would be hunted, captured, or even executed.
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The best way was to kill the witness, Amazon.
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Only the dead could keep secrets.
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Killing her would only buy him some time. The Sky Island guards would eventually find out she was dead.
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Before that, Arthur needed to get the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. If he couldn''t, things would get serious...
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He quickly considered two options. He always planned ahead.
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When the Sky Island army came looking for him, Arthur would either have to hide among the Skypieans or in some remote location.
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Or he could join the Shandians and fight against the Skypieans.
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The Shandians were the original inhabitants of God''s Land, Upper Yard. They were forced out of their homeland by the Angel Islanders, who desperately craved soil.
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For centuries, they had been trying to reclaim their land. They hadn''t succeeded. If Arthur joined them, they would never refuse a strong fighter, unless they were completely insane.
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Before gaining the power to crush all conspiracies, planning was essential. Once he had ''that'' power, he could just crush everything in his path. No need for plans.
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Arthur understood this—deeply.
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...
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Appearing next to Amazon as if by teleportation, his rapid steps carried him forward in a blur. His iron fist, swift and powerful, slammed into her head.
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"Despicable Blue Sea dweller, God won''t forgive you..."
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Those were Amazon''s last words. Arthur''s fist struck her head. Her body flew out like a broken sack.
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"Boom—!!!"
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She crashed into the Heaven''s Gate structure. Blood spurted from her orifices. Her bones were shattered. She died instantly.
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Arthur didn''t feel any remorse for killing. In fact, he felt a faint thrill.
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This lawless world, where might made right, was fascinating. Only with enough power could one achieve their dreams, their ambitions, and obtain true freedom!
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"It''s so exhilarating to kill without restraint, without the burden of guilt..." A cold smile played on Arthur''s lips.
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The wind rustled his black hair.
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His gradually recovering vision took in the scene of blood. In the reflection of the blood, he looked like a demon.