Early the next morning, as daylight gradually spread across the sea…
Fresh from a bath, Arthur returned to the upper deck wearing nothing but his newly issued Marine cap.
He immediately resumed practicing one of the Six Powers (Rokushiki)—
Soru.
Or rather…
Learning how to kick off the air.
Every time he stepped forward and explosively drove his foot downward, something felt fundamentally wrong.
Deep down…
His instincts rejected the very idea.
In his mind, stepping on air simply wasn’t possible.
No matter how hard he trained or how many different approaches he tried, he couldn’t remain suspended for even a fraction of a second.
Still…
He kept trying.
Again.
And again.
And again.
“Can this really be done?”
Before Arthur lost patience…
Cooper did.
The eagle hovered in the air by flapping his wings while furiously stomping his talons toward empty space..
A few moments later…
It landed on the deck in defeat.
“Cooper…”
The bird let out a dejected cry.
It simply couldn’t believe any living creature could literally step on air.
From nine in the morning until nearly two in the afternoon…
The Marine warship sailed peacefully across the calm waters of the East Blue.
The weather was perfect.
Bright sunshine.
Gentle waves.
Beautiful scenery.
Arthur noticed none of it.
For five straight hours, every ounce of his concentration remained focused on mastering Soru.
Eventually…
His stomach growled.
He finally lay down beside Cooper on the deck.
“This doesn’t make sense…”
“My physical strength should already exceed Dragon’s.”
“I’ve met every requirement for learning Rokushiki.”
“So what’s missing?”
Five hours of nonstop practice…
And he hadn’t made the slightest breakthrough.
Just then…
A Marine officer walked over and blocked the sunlight.
He was a broad-shouldered, bald major with unnaturally pale skin.
A metallic beaked mask covered his face.
A purple cravat rested around his neck.
He wore a black feathered coat over dark trousers.
The first thing he said was…
“I hate chickens.”
Cooper immediately jumped to It’s feet.
“Cooper?!”
He had always considered himself the king of birds.
A proud eagle.
How could anyone mistake it for a chicken?
Arthur burst out laughing.
“…To be fair…”
“I probably did raise you like one.”
“I hate chickens.”
“Cooper!”
“I said I hate chickens!”
Unable to speak human language, Cooper had no way to defend It’s dignity.
Finally…
It gave up explaining.
With an angry cry, the eagle slashed forward with one powerful wing.
The major didn’t dodge.
The wing sliced straight through him.
His body split cleanly in half.
Cooper froze.
“Did I just kill him?”
It hurriedly retreated behind Arthur.
Arthur narrowed his eyes.
“…Interesting.”
Instead of blood…
The major’s divided body dissolved into countless black crows.
The flock rushed straight toward Cooper.
Arthur didn’t interfere.
There was no killing intent.
The officer was simply teaching the bird a lesson.
“Cooper!!”
The eagle was promptly beaten up by a swarm of crows.
A moment later…
It crawled back toward Arthur with bruises all over It’s face.
“Cooper…”
Arthur gently patted It’s head.
“From what I just saw…”
“If you learn Iron Body someday…”
“You’ll probably become terrifying.”
He wasn’t just thinking about his own future.
He wanted Cooper to grow stronger too.
A vision appeared in his mind—
An eagle with steel-hard wings tearing through entire battlefields.
The crows reassembled into the Marine officer once more.
“So…”
He looked Cooper over.
“You’re actually an eagle.”
Then he turned toward Arthur.
“Get up, recruit.”
“I’ve been ordered to teach you something.”
“Considering the upcoming battle…”
“There’s a good chance you’ll be on the front lines.”
Arthur immediately frowned.
“So I’m cannon fodder?”
Looking at the man’s powers…
Arthur finally remembered.
Turning into a flock of crows…
A crow-themed Logia…
There was only one person it resembled.
Karasu, the future commander of the Revolutionary Army.
At this point in history…
He was apparently still serving as a Marine major.
“Isn’t that obvious?”
Karasu’s tone remained harsh.
“You’re a new recruit.”
“Prove your worth.”
“Don’t treat small-scale battles like a joke.”
“Come.”
“I’ll teach you something useful.”
Although his words sounded severe…
Arthur had the feeling Karasu genuinely cared about the Marines under his command.
“What are you teaching?”
Arthur followed him to the ship’s railing.
“Stand up there.”
Arthur looked suspicious.
“…You’re not about to push me into the ocean, are you?”
Karasu glared.
“I’m your superior.”
“Why would I murder one of my own men?”
His amplified voice echoed across the deck.
Even the Marines on watch turned to look.
Arthur reluctantly climbed onto the railing.
Karasu tossed him a rifle and a pouch of ammunition.
“Take it.”
“I’ll provide the targets.”
“You shoot.”
Arthur blinked.
“…Firearms?”
“So I’m learning marksmanship now?”
Karasu nodded.
“Weren’t you the one who said experience matters more than theory?”
“So we’re skipping the lecture.”
“We’ll train directly.”
“Against many powerful enemies, bullets are useless.”
“But once your stamina runs dry…”
“A gun might save your life.”
“You’ve spent over five hours on Soru with no progress.”
“So…”
“Shoot for an hour.”
“Then eat.”
Arthur looked around.
Every Marine aboard had a clearly assigned duty.
Lookout.
Guard duty.
Navigation.
He was the only one wandering around without responsibilities.
Maybe…
He really didn’t feel like a proper Marine yet.
Karasu created dozens of black crows over the sea using his Soot-Soot Fruit powers.
“They’re your targets.”
“Fire.”
Arthur smiled confidently.
“Back during my training…”
“I was one of the best shots.”
He raised the rifle.
Aimed.
Pulled the trigger six times.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Six soot crows exploded instantly.
“Easy.”
Karasu remained expressionless.
“What about moving targets?”
The crows immediately began darting through the sky.
Arthur fired again.
This time…
His accuracy dropped sharply.
He didn’t become discouraged.
Instead…
He calmly adjusted.
“As long as I understand the rhythm…”
“I can predict everything.”
Even while practicing marksmanship…
Most of Arthur’s thoughts remained elsewhere.
“Why can’t I step on air?”
“Does creating all these crows consume Karasu’s stamina?”
“If Logia powers don’t use stamina…”
“Wouldn’t they be invincible?”
He observed Karasu carefully.
The major wasn’t even breathing heavily.
“Do Logia users literally become natural elements?”
“What about Paramecia?”
Only Zoan abilities seemed easy to understand.
They granted animal abilities…
But awakened Zoans also influenced the user’s mind.
Power always came with a price.
Like losing the ability to swim.
Arthur had already decided…
He would probably never eat a Devil Fruit himself.
Although…
If possible…
He’d love to find a Human-Human Fruit for Cooper someday.
Being able to speak would make life much easier.
Less than thirty minutes later…
Arthur had already reached nearly perfect accuracy against moving targets.
Karasu silently watched.
“Amazing.”
“His concentration and reaction speed…”
“He’s adapting unbelievably fast.”
An hour later…
Training ended.
Arthur and Cooper headed to the mess hall alongside Marines coming off duty.
The atmosphere inside was relaxed.
Some talked about their wives.
Others spoke of parents.
Some discussed brothers.
Others proudly shared stories about their newborn children.
It reminded Arthur of something.
Most of these people hadn’t joined the Marines for glory.
They simply wanted to protect what mattered to them.
Arthur quietly listened while eating.
Someone greeted him from behind.
He was too focused on his meal to respond.
Slowly…
Everyone began assuming he was cold and antisocial.
People naturally stopped approaching him.
After six hours of sleep…
Dragon finally woke up.
Yawning, he entered the mess hall, collected his lunch, and sat beside Arthur.
“How’s your training going?”
Arthur swallowed his food before answering.
“No progress.”
“I still can’t step on air.”
Dragon laughed.
“Take your time.”
“Even with the physical foundation already complete…”
“Mastering Rokushiki usually takes at least a year.”
Arthur suddenly asked,
“Colonel.”
“I’ve been wondering.”
“When Logia users use their abilities…”
“Do they consume stamina?”
“Of course they do.”
Dragon answered without hesitation.
“If they didn’t…”
“I would’ve beaten up the old man years ago.”
PFFT!
The entire mess hall sprayed food everywhere.
Everyone stared at Dragon.
Dragon froze.
“…”
Then awkwardly smiled.
“Forget I said that.”
Arthur nodded thoughtfully.
Then Dragon continued,
“Actually…”
“I’m more curious about something.”
“Yesterday your explosive movement speed was already incredible.”
“With that kind of physical ability…”
“You should’ve learned Soru quickly.”
“So why haven’t you?”
Arthur suddenly froze.
His eyes widened.
“That’s it!”
“I’ve only been trying to overpower the air!”
“Soru isn’t just strength.”
“It’s explosive speed combined with power!”
He immediately shoved the rest of his food into his mouth.
Grabbed Cooper.
And sprinted toward the deck.
“Arthur!”
Dragon hurried after him.
“What did you figure out?!”
The evening sun painted the ocean gold.
Arthur stood on the deck.
Then—
He exploded forward using the same footwork he’d developed over ten years of hunting.
Boom!
His foot struck the air.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Suddenly—
A white sonic boom burst beneath his foot.
For the very first time…
He felt solid resistance beneath his toes.
“I did it!”
“It really works!”
His face lit up.
Using Soru repeatedly…
He bounced effortlessly through the sky.
Like endlessly double-jumping.
Dragon’s jaw nearly hit the floor.
“…He learned it?”
Arthur laughed.
“So that’s it!”
“I just had to combine explosive movement with speed!”
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
One sonic boom after another echoed through the air.
In less than a day…
Arthur had mastered Soru.
“Next…”
“Geppo.”
Arthur grinned down at the stunned Marines.
He accelerated through the sky.
His figure blurred into afterimages.
The ordinary Marines couldn’t even follow him with their eyes.
“Woohoo!”
Arthur shouted excitedly as he darted around the warship.
“Arthur!”
Dragon yelled upward.
“Get down!”
“Rokushiki burns through stamina!”
Arthur ignored him completely.
Everywhere he moved…
Explosive shockwaves bloomed beneath his feet.
The Marines watched with mixed emotions.
Admiration.
Shock.
Jealousy.
Arthur suddenly stopped in midair.
Then swung his leg.
“Rankyaku!”
A massive flying slash burst from his kick.
It ripped through the air—
Straight toward the ship’s mast.
“…Oops.”
Arthur’s smile instantly disappeared.
CRASH!!
The mast split cleanly in half.
The lookout screamed while falling into the ocean along with the broken top section.
Marines rushed out from below deck, thinking pirates had attacked.
Instead…
They found Arthur.
Dragon covered his face.
“You idiot!”
A powerful gust of wind immediately rescued the falling lookout from the sea.
Arthur landed atop the broken mast.
Then…
His legs cramped violently.
“AAAAH!”
“My legs!”
He collapsed onto the deck in agony.
Dragon sighed.
“I warned you.”
“I admit it.”
“You’re a genius.”
“No…”
“Calling you a genius isn’t enough.”
“You’re a monster.”
Learning three Rokushiki techniques in a single day…
Even Dragon had never seen anything like it.
As Dragon and Karasu repaired the mast using their abilities…
Dragon finally understood why Garp had always insisted on building a strong physical foundation first.
That night…
Arthur sat inside a holding cell beneath the deck.
His sore legs rested on the bed while he gazed through the small barred window.
“I have to become stronger.”
“Strong enough to erase every regret I couldn’t overcome before.”
His exhaustion from earlier had already disappeared.
His recovery speed was abnormally fast.
Perhaps…
That was one of his own unique talents.
Just then—
The cell door slowly creaked open.
A brown wing carefully pushed it aside.
“Cooper…”
The eagle quietly wandered through the brig carrying a freshly caught fish weighing around ten pounds.
“Cooper…”
It called softly while searching each cell.
The prisoners immediately shouted.
“An eagle!”
“Hey!”
“Bring that fish over here!”
Cooper ignored every single one of them.
Then—
It heard Arthur.
“Cooper?”
“You got locked up too?”
The eagle immediately found his cell by sound alone.
It squeezed the fish through the bars.
Arthur smiled.
“For me?”
He quickly cleaned it before eating it raw.
“Cooper!”
The eagle crossed It’s wings proudly.
“Time to train.”
Arthur laughed.
Once he finished eating…
He immediately resumed exercising inside the tiny cell.
One of the imprisoned mountain bandits from Rapeseed Flower Village sneered.
“Hahaha!”
“Arthur!”
“You got thrown into solitary on your first day as a Marine…”
“And you’re still training?”
“Pathetic.”
“No matter how hard you work…”
“You’ll never beat the real monsters out at sea.”
Arthur ignored him completely.
He and Cooper quietly continued training.
Meanwhile…
In Dragon’s office…
Dragon was reporting Arthur’s unbelievable talent to his father—
Vice Admiral Monkey D.
Garp, the Hero of the Marines.
Back in the brig…
The bandit became irritated.
“I’m talking to you!”
Arthur finally stopped.
He turned toward the man.
“What exactly do I have to say to someone like you?”
“You’re nothing more than an insect buzzing in my ear.”
“You can’t stop me from becoming stronger.”
The bandit fell silent.
Everything Arthur had said was true.
He’d wasted his entire life drinking, extorting villagers, and chasing women.
Now…
He’d spend the rest of it behind bars.
Arthur looked away.
“What?”
“You wanted me to answer.”
“Now you have nothing to say?”
The bandit slowly crouched into a corner.
“…Stop.”
His confidence completely shattered.
Arthur ignored him.
He had only been confined for damaging the mast.
This man…
Would probably never leave prison again.
Soon enough…
Arthur forgot all about him.
While doing push-ups inside the cell, he continued thinking.
“Once I’ve completely mastered Rokushiki…”
“Learning Haki shouldn’t be too far away.”
“Especially Iron Body…”
“Could it be an imperfect precursor to Armament Haki?”
It was only his personal theory.
But the similarities were striking.
Both hardened the body.
Both greatly increased defense.
The difference…
Armament Haki existed on an entirely higher level.
“But how exactly do you learn Iron Body?”
“Increase blood flow?”
“Accelerate muscle activity?”
He experimented throughout the entire night.
Nothing worked.
Eventually…
Arthur smiled.
“Forget it.”
“I’ll perfect what I’ve already learned.”
“The rest…”
“I’ll figure out eventually.”
He had absolute confidence that one day…
He would master all Six Powers.