Days bled into weeks, turning the punishing grind of Rusukaina into a routine. Leo, fueled by massive meals and the constant, nagging urgency of his System, had thoroughly worked his way up the food chain. He had gone from barely surviving wolf packs to confidently dispatching large Rock Gorillas using his Armament Haki-coated Kukri. His Level steadily climbed, but the thrill of easy experience was long gone.
He had just defeated a giant, six-legged lizard and returned to the central clearing.
Luffy was there, chewing on a bone and looking utterly, utterly bored.
"Meat is still good," Luffy declared, throwing the bone aside, "but fighting is boring now."
Leo collapsed onto the ground near him, too tired and bruised to care about decorum. "Tell me about it. I've cleared the entire west quadrant of anything worth fighting. I think the Jungle Lions are starting to recognize my face. They just run now."
I'm leveling up now, and my Armament Haki is growing through use, but my senses are still useless.
"Rayleigh is taking forever," Luffy complained, stretching his neck around to look for his mentor. "We don't know what to do now. We've fought everything."
Leo sat up, a dangerous idea clicking into place. He closed his eyes, straining his memory. The anime... the Observation Haki training! Rayleigh used the blindfold method. That's how Luffy unlocked it!
Leo sat up, a dangerous idea clicking into place. He knew the next scene in the script. He knew the training method. Why wait for the director?
"Hey, Luffy," Leo said, leaning in conspiratorially. "I know the next step. We need to train for Observation Haki."
Luffy's eyes widened. "Observation Haki? You mean the one where you can predict the future? How do you know how to train it? Rayleigh hasn't even told us how!"
Leo shrugged casually, trying to sell the lie. "I remember seeing Rayleigh do something similar at the beginning of our training. I think I figured out the principle. It's a sensory power—you eliminate one sense to heighten the others, specifically the ability to sense intent."
Luffy, surprisingly, bought it instantly. "Oh! Sounds tough! But if it makes me punch harder, I'll do it! Show me, Leo! Teach me!"
Blindfolded Brawler
Leo quickly found a long strip of black cloth among their supplies. He tied it securely around Luffy's eyes.
"Alright, Luffy. I have this wooden training club," Leo explained, picking up a heavy branch. "I'm going to attack you, and you have to dodge before I even swing.
Luffy, blindfolded, stood ready. "Ohk! I'm ready! Hit me harder!"
Leo sighed, settling into a familiar, measured stance. He had done this thousands of times in military drills.
Leo swung the club for a slow, deliberate strike.
WHOOSH!
Luffy ducked under the attack effortlessly.
Leo swung faster, feinting high but aiming low.
SWISH!
Luffy jumped straight up, the club passing harmlessly beneath his feet.
Leo attacked again, this time putting speed and power into a straight overhead strike.
ZING!
Luffy swayed slightly, leaning back just enough for the club to graze the air an inch from his nose.
Leo stopped, dropping the club in disbelief. Less than a minute had passed, and Luffy had dodged five deliberate, varying attacks without effort.
Wait a minute! Leo's mind raced, a cold pit forming in his stomach. In the anime, this took Rayleigh days of hitting him in the face! He was getting pummeled, frustrated! He wasn't dodging perfectly after the first minute! How is he doing this so fast? Is something wrong with my teaching? Or is the timeline speeding up his growth?
Luffy pulled the blindfold down to his neck, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Yes! This is too easy, Leo! I'm getting better! Bring it on! Hit faster!"
"No, no, that's enough," Leo muttered, utterly defeated. "You've clearly got the knack for dodging. Now… now we switch."
Leo took the cloth from Luffy, tied it tightly around his own eyes, and picked up the wooden club. The world went instantly black. The sounds of the jungle amplified.
Okay, I know the principle. Focus on intent. Luffy's intent is always simple: punch, kick, eat. I know his style. He'll lead with his right fist, or maybe a simple straight kick. I just need to sense the flow.
"Are you ready, Leo?" Luffy's voice was full of playful excitement.
Leo took a deep, centering breath. "Yes! Hit me, Luffy! I can sense it! I'm ready!"
BAM!
The sound was less of a hit and more of an explosion. Leo felt a sudden, blinding pain across his temple. His entire body launched sideways with sickening force, slamming him headfirst into the unforgiving trunk of a thick jungle tree. The blindfold instantly ripped off his head.
He slid down the trunk, spitting blood and sawdust, the world spinning in nauseating circles.
Wait! Leo thought incoherently, clutching his throbbing skull. I thought I sensed the attack coming from the… the right! It was clearly a right-side feint! But…
He blinked his eyes open and saw Luffy standing over him, holding the club in his left hand, which he had used for a wild, unpredictable overhead smash.
"LEO! ARE YOU OKAY?" Luffy shouted, his expression shifting from playful to instantly concerned. "Why did you run to the side? I just went for the easy smash!"
Leo stared up at the clear blue sky, his vision clearing slightly. He was dizzy, nauseous, and entirely humiliated.
He managed a weak, sarcastic groan. "I'm fine, Luffy. Just great. I think I'll wait for Rayleigh to return before I try to teach any more classes."
He realized that his gamer mindset—his reliance on predicting scripted moves—was useless against the most unpredictable man in the world.
Note: Wait for the twist in the next chapter — there's a surprising turn in how Luffy learns Observation Haki.
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