ONE PIECE: NEN MASTER - CHAPTER 10

As I had predicted, after understanding how it worked, and getting a few examples, I managed to access my Haki in record time, much to Inuarashi’s astonishment, who simply gawked at the fact it had taken me a few hours to grasp the basics, something he expected it would’ve taken me a few months if I was lucky.

Of course, grasping the basics had been easy, because Haki fundamentally speaking operated just like Nen. There were differences, sure, but they were so minimal that they barely made a change.

Needless to say, being able to tap into one’s Haki, and being able to use it, are two entirely different things.

Haki, like Nen, needed to be nurtured, as each operated by taking energy from a different pool. To access each pool, and push a greater power, you needed both experience and a strong body.

Nen was all about experience, while Haki was a combination of both requirements, requiring about all, a formidable body.

Right now, because of my young undeveloped body, my ability to utilize Haki was below optimal. Therefore, I still needed to train, in order to access my full potential, which according to Inuarashi in terms of Haki was big.

I had yet to see what he meant by that. From my perspective, I felt the contrary, but I believed him, he knew more than me about the subject.

“Valor, breakfast is ready!”

Hearing my mother call, I jumped out of the bed, putting some clothes at sound breaking speeds, before I made my way down to the kitchen. Reaching the kitchen, I am welcomed to the usual image of my father scrubbing the kitchen clean, as mom served the food. 

“What are we having?” I asked. As both turn towards, ears perking.

“Omelets,” Mom replied with a loving smile, putting my plate on the table alongside a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, “Extra ham.”

Heaven does exist. Here’s proof.

“So, any big plans today?” Dad asked, as he continued to clean.

“No, not really, more of the same, training with Lord Inuarashi, and then training a bit on my own,” I replied, taking a sip of the orange juice, “If I get the time, I might hang out with the guys, and Sakura.”

“My son, hitting on an older woman,” Dad sighed, before breaking into a big smile, “I’m proud of you.”

I shuddered, realizing what my dad was implying, “Never, she’s my friend, and nothing more.”

“Ignore your dad,” Mom rolled her eyes at him, throwing him a kitchen towel, “He’s simply at that age he wants to see you dating and stuff, but I have told him, you are too young for that. Isn’t that right?”

Age wasn’t the problem, I was simply not interested in anyone I had seen so far. At first, sure, when I was younger, I was revolted by the idea of engaging in any type of physical relationship with a Mink. My mind was at that time, just beginning to adjust to my new reality, now? I didn’t mind, heck, I found some Minks very attractive, but I really wasn’t interested in any of them, beyond the fact of having the occasional thought go like -Damn, she’s hot.-

“Isn’t that right baby? You won’t make me a grandma so soon, right?” Mom muttered in a tone that almost sounded like a threat and a plea mixed.

“Not planning to,” I replied, giving her a reassuring smile. After all, having kids was nowhere in my plans so far.

“Good,” Mom sighed, giving me a relieved smile. I guess the idea of being a grandmother before reaching her forties it’s a tough subject for her.

“Where did that come from, anyway?” I asked, my ears flattening as I tilted my head in curiosity.

“Well….” Dad chuckled, basically skipping like a Disney Princess out of the kitchen, which was funny because he was currently wearing what every Disney Princess wore during the first few minutes of their movie, a cleaning attire, “We found out you have a fan club!”

I blinked, processing what he had said, “A fan club? Why?” 

“Well, not only Lord Inuarashi took you as his disciple, but during the attack, you saved many people,” Dad replied, taking a seat, ripping his current attire like a velcro suit, revealing a new attire, one that looked like merch, from my fan club. 

“I…” I, what was I supposed to say here?

“I’m a loyal customer of the Valor appreciation club,” Dad beamed at me, proudly sporting the merch.

“The club has a lot of young girls, really interested in you,” Mom sighed, giving my dad a tired look, “So, we were worried, you might… well, you know.”

Well, if it weren’t for my past life, I wouldn’t know, I mean, I had yet to hear about the bees and shit. Which, I didn’t complain about.

“Don’t worry,” I sighed, giving her a small chuckle.

“Well, back to cleaning,” Dad chuckled, snapping his fingers as he jumped back to his morning duty, cleaning the kitchen after breakfast.

Mine was taking out the trash.

—-----------------------------

Done with my breakfast, I dashed through the forest as a blurring shadow, jumping from tree to tree, each step nearing me towards the training zone where my teacher awaited, as I mused how since I had awakened my Haki, my spars with him had become harder. With him using Haki and Electro, in every fight, more than once, leaving a scar or two in my body, as a reminder that even during training I had to give it my all.

Smiling at the thought, I hastened my pace, reaching Inuarashi who was sitting against a tree, waiting for me.

“Just in time,” Inuarashi muttered, gaze trained on me.

“What are we doing today?” I asked, walking towards him.

“We fight,” Inuarashi replied, standing up. His will echoing across the forest like a wave of sheer determination.

I could feel his Haki pushing the very air around him off, immediately realizing something was different about today’s morning spar, I could feel it.

Nodding, I crouched into position.

Smiling, Inurashi raised his rapier, holding it to his heart, “Show me the fruits of your training.”

I smiled, wondering what had brought this on, “I will.”

Closing the distance between us in an instant, Inuarashi swung his rapier at me, coating the weapon in a thick layer of Busoshoku Haki. Upon seeing this, I kicked at the ground beneath me as hard as I could. Pushing my body out his range, dodging the small gust of wind his weapon had created.

Crouching once again I dashed towards him, avoiding a swing of his blade in the nick of time, while positioning myself behind him in a seemingly fluid motion, throwing a Busoshoku Haki coated punch at the middle of his spine.

However, before my attack could land, Inuarashi moved his rapier out of sight in a fluid motion, blocking my Haki coated fist before it reached its destination. 

Haki’s clashing, the ground crumbled beneath us, as Inuarashi turned, he kept his blade clashing with my first slowly pushing it back, as he swung a kick my way. Unable to dodge due to the proximity and the lack of stable ground beneath us, I braced for the impact, coating the area he was about to attack with Haki, moment after, feeling his attack sent me flying across the forest a few dozen meters above the ground.

Resuming control of my body, I twirled around the air, dancing in a series of movements to position myself as Inuarashi rushed towards me leaping for the attack.

Slowly descending into the ground, I waited for Inuarashi’s blade to reach arm’s length before dodging his attack, while grabbing his hand, using it as a base for support, delivering a Haki coated kick of my own in the back of his neck, as I landed on the ground on my feet.

“Good,” Inuarashi complimented, standing up from my attack completely unharmed.

I smiled, knowing full well I would lose this fight, not that it mattered, I didn’t expect to beat him, not this soon, I had just started to learn how to use Haki, this was a fight between a pro, and a beginner, but the compliment made me feel good enough about my progress.

That, however, wasn’t to say, I would not do my absolute best.

Taking a deep breath, I strained all my senses to the fullest, focusing each and every single one of them on Inuarashi, as I prowled forward, one step at a time, my hands crackling with Electro.

“Enough,” Inuarashi said, in a tone that by this point I knew meant, the spar was over.

….

……

“What happened?” I asked, feeling a bit down with the fact I had not been allowed to lose giving it my all.

“I confirmed what I needed to confirm,” Inuarashi replied, walking towards me while sheathing his blade. He looked almost dejected, which made me feel like I had failed some sort of test.

“Did I just fail a test or something?” I asked, my tail twitching anxiously.

“No,” Inuarashi shook his head, taking a seat on the ground.

I sighed, wondering then, why did he look so glum, “So, if it isn’t my performance, what is it?”

"That obvious?" Inuarashi half laughs, half grunts. "Well, I guess I’m glum because of that damned cat.”

Nekomamushi?

“What happened?” I asked.

“A few days ago, he sent through one of his soldiers a letter,” Inuarashi sighed, I could tell by the way his body tensed he was not happy, at all, about said letter, or the subject in general. “About you, about how unfair it is for the day to take Zou’s talent completely, that like all in Zou, that which is unique should be shared. That both day and night have a right to you, to nurture your talents, the rest of the letter were insults to me, and other stuff.”

Nekomamushi wanted to train me? I wonder if he really wants to, or is just to annoy Inuarashi.

“So, as to keep the peace, you will spend three days with the Lord of the Night, and three days with the Lord of the Day,” Inuarashi declared, his tone leaving no room for arguments. “Beware of that stupid cat, he will try to corrupt your mind with his idiotic ideas.”

I sighed, today wasn’t going like I had expected, I guess now I have two teachers that just happen to hate each other. Who knows? This might be beneficial, Nekomamushi might even have some useful tips to compliment what Inuarashi has taught me.