30th Week
Leroy sat on the ground. Hand in front of himself. He was shutting off his aura. Keeping himself in a state of Fukai. To those that focused Aura into their eyes or used observation Haki to attempt to see his Aura, there was none to speak of. Zeke had already explained that the advanced capability of this is to use Gun and Hen to radiate his aura just slightly off of his body no different than the rest of the background he was within.
Because to those with keen senses. This sudden lack of Aura in a spot would looking like a glaring hole no different than if he had his Aura flared.
Zeke sat in front of Leroy. Drawing on the board yet again.
"I wanna mention something to you before we move on. Something that– Eh I can't hold myself back from explaining." He said. Causing Leroy to drop Fukai "Really?!"
"Focus!" Zeke whipped around and nailed Leroy in the head with a Marker. "And still no Observation Haki…I'll only explain this as you keep your head about you."
When in Fukai. He can't use Haki in nearly any capacity.
Leroy nodded. Regaining Fukai.
"So. I've mentioned that on the Planet. Haki is Everywhere. I've also said that it accumulates in some places. But? What happens when too much of it gathers?"
"Simple."
He moved away from the Whiteboard. Showing a large serpentine Figure amidst Crudely drawn Waves of the ocean.
"It Erupts."
"They're called Consolidations. Or Haki-Beast." He tapped the board "Thats How Sea Kings come into Existence."
"The Ocean creates the Largest amount of Fluctuating Haki within the World. Tied with all the other background generations. It causes these beast to form. But notably. It should be mentioned with Sea Kings in particular. They are still biological. They just gain size and the like from the Haki around. We still don't fully know how or where the Sea Kings start from. Just that this is why in some capacity."
Leroy reeled backwards. His face shaking as he concentrated to keep Fukai going. "Wait what?! Sea Kings, are in some way, created from Haki?"
"Yes!" Zeke said simply.
"But they are a bit of an outlier. I just wanted to Hit you with something big to see if you'd keep the Fukai active. But, Haki-Beast are rare. And can be anywhere from anything. They are basically one in a trillion perfect storm that erupt." He shrugged. "Why. I don't know. Cuz that moves away from my area of Expertise and Study."
"Ugh…" Leroy rolled his Eyes. Dropping Fukai again.
"FOCUS!" Zeke threw another Marker.
32nd Saturday
"So-They let you own guns and travel freely but–" Leroy stroked his face. "They don't let you actually own things?" He cocked a brow.
"Yeah basically." Freddie said. He had been in the middle of Explaining the 'Rights' of Citizens under the world Government. And had specifically mentioned that it was only if you were apart of the world government. Not if you were outside of it and they could be totally conditional depending on the scenario.
"Thats stupid." Leroy rubbed his face.
35th Wednesday.
"Cmon! Cmon! Cmon!" Arnie said. Clapping his hands together loudly. Eyes wired and beady as he leans forward. Nodding his head up and down quickly. His hands gesturing every so often. "Up Up Up!" Leroy was strapped into a leg extension machine. Extending his legs out with sweat pouring down his face as his hands gripped tightly at the support handles next to him. Hamstrings and Quads burning as he pumped!
"One More! One more!" Arnie screamed! Leroy's teeth grit hard as his neck tensed! Muscles bulging and veins beating hard! "GAHHH!" Leroy screamed as he fully extended for a final time– A massive slam reverberating as he let go!
"Hah…Hah…Hah…." He let his head fall backwards. Breathing hard. "What were you saying before?" He asked. Drinking from the large tank that Arnie handed him.
"Oh right. So one of the reasons why Fishmen look the way they do. Is actually because it helps with being in the Ocean. Their hair is all curly and tight because that texture doesnt retain water like thinner and straighter hair. It lets them enter and leave water with out it weighing them down. Its similar to the reason why some people who have Darker skin have hair like this too. Cuz they come from Islands with intense heat and it lets heat escape and regulate temperature."
Gulp…GULP A loud satisfied "Ahh" Came from Leroy as he asked more "So– Is that also why Fishmen tend to be Darker Colors too? Kirks skin is sorta– Brownish Tan. But Rhicos was both dark brown and vibrant blue!"
"Oh yeah? Well. Yes thats why! Same with scales sometimes too. Some fishmen have scales all over. Some none at all. Both that and their skin done helps with the light being shined through the water preventing them from being burned and letting the water temperature dissipate into them instead of heating them up."
"But some fishmen are susceptible to cold weather or hot weather depending on their Skin tone and fish type." Arnie put his hands on his hips.
"Yeah! Kirks really bad with hot temperatures. He's Feinted from the ship getting too hot! Or taking to hot of showers!"
35th Week.
"Time for Affinities, Difficulties, And Ranks, Leroy!" Zeke announced as he dragged Leroy out of his bedroom. It was far too early into the day and Leroy was still sore from the previous day to be getting pulled around like this!
"Huh? Auh!!" He whined as he was sat in the Chair. Zeke was Manic it seemed. Writing a ton of things on the Board quickly.
"Starting with! Affinities!" Squeak Squeak.
"To start Simply! Affinities are the way your Haki Naturally Acts, the way that you can use it, and a telltale sign of who you are as a person!" He finished drawing an eight pointed star with eight words and phrases attached to them. From the top going clock wise, Augmentation, Precision, Exotic, Ejection, Modify, Board, Singularity.
"Any questions or observations before I start?" He asked with a smile, turning to face a-
Totally out cold Leroy.
ZWIP! TWHACK! "OW! Another Marker?!" Leroy screamed as he felt the pain on his forehead. "Pay attention! This is possibly the most important aspect of understanding Haki!"
That got Leroy going. All sleep and exhaustion leaving his face as he focused forward.
"Good." Zeke Nodded. "Affinities, to some degree, influence how everything about Haki functions. Mainly, Affinities comes into a play mostly when designing things like Konseki or Kata. But Affinities that a person leans into or has, well, an affinity in, tells you about the person."
"So to explain them quickly." He begins to point to each circle sitting a top the point.
"Augmentation. The Ability to enhance and strengthen something. Usually a meatheaded person."
"Percission. A Singular and Focused ability or attribute. A focused Individual."
"Exotic. Extraordinarily Rare, and is something unique and special that cannot be categorized as its one of a kind. Typically, also a one in a million type of person."
"Ejection. To have haki, aura, or ability leave the body and be disconnected in some form. Typically an Overbearing type."
"Modify. The Ability to change an aspect or attribute of a thing. Typically a manipulative individual."
"Broad. An Area or Large effected area. An Individual who is Scatter Brained."
"Singularity. An ability that overlaps with two or more of other affinities. Typically a person like a polymath."
"Persistant. A Permeant ability in some capacity. A Neurotic Individual"
Leroy sat there. Mind racing as he thought about what this would mean. They were so…Non Descript and yet also had far more depth beneath the surface as he thought more about it. Already thinking about how he could use this information.
"So…" He began "Does a person only get…One?" He cocks a brow. To the Amusement of Zeke. "Ha! No. Not at all. Anyone can use, with some exception, any Affinity Type. But it becomes harder the further away you get from your Natural Affinity."
He wrote '100%' on Modify. And every set down, he took away 20%. With Augmentation being 20%.
"This is how it usually goes. You have less efficiency and capability to use each progressive type the further from the point you go. Typically ending in only 20%. But in the cases of Singularity and Exotic, resulting in 0%, or truthfully a negligible chance, this is due to Singularity having two 100%'s in the respective overlaps. And Exotic being–"
"Exotic" Leroy finished. "Exactly."
"How do we…Test what I have?"
"Theres a few different ways. Theres the Water Revelation Method. Paper or, Leaf. And finally, the dowsing rod method. Which would you prefer?" Zeke explains.
"Hmmm…Dowsing Rod! That sound cool!" His eyes lit up. "Interesting choice!"
Sometime later. Leroy sat in a large circle. With each each affinity written out around them. "So. Depending on where the rods point or what they do, will reveal your Affinity."
In Leroys Hands, he gripped tight two L shaped brass rods. With the shorter length covered in loose material to freely move when Haki is radiated into and near them.
"What if they cross or don't move?" Leroy asked. Seeing that only 6 of the eight were in front of him.
"If they cross, you're a singularity type. If they do nothing or Spin, then youre an Exotic Type. Now. Lets begin. Just let your aura out and the Dowsing Rods will move."
Leroy did as told. His Aura erupting to that notable flame around his body. And immediately. The Rods began to move. From left to right, they began to split apart but then the other rod rejoined and move in tandem. Before finally snapping in a sudden movement to the Furthest Left it could go!
It revealed that he was–
"Broad." Zeke said with a Smirk "Sounds about right!" He tilted his head and put his hands on his hips.
"Broad Affinity usually means that an Ability is…Broad. Not Exotic or Singularity. But capable of an Array of things. Just remember what I said about Affinities." Zeke nodded to Leroy.
"So. Before we move on. I just wanna say a final thing about Affinities." Zeke says. Wiping the board with the sleeve of his Cardigan. "You'll quickly be able to tell, and learn on your own with time. Every Haki type has an Affinity. Along with its abilities. Always 8. 8 Affinities. 8 Abilities. And to some extent. 8 different ways to combine together."
"Now! For Ranks and Difficulties."
"To explain first. Levels are simple as can be. There is Eight 'Dans' or Levels. Much like Martial arts has Dans or Belts. Haki and Haki-Dou, the developmental level of a Person and their Haki does as well. But only eight. Starting with Hachi or Mudan; No Haki Capabilities whats so ever. All the way up to Ichidan; Total Complete mastery of all aspects."
"It starts at none, then goes to basics, then fundamentals, then proficiency, then complete usage of all branches, then mastered advancements. Then near mastery where you have very little left to learn and have your own custom attributes and abilities, then finally, total master is just that. Completion."
"There is also Ranks between them. From Ichikyu to Rokyu. It is just a passover and transitional state that begins just after Seventh Dan and Ends just after near mastery. With Rokyu being that you are essentially a master. But the drainage is still too intense for your to be considered as such. Each Kyu Rank holds some form of Challenge Unique to each person. It could be drainage, usage of an ability, or even access to it in the first place."
"Where would I be?" Leroy asks, pointing to himself. "I would say right now…You're at about a Seventh Dan at Ichikyu Rank. Meaning you've got the basics down and are better than most at them. But you haven't gotten to the Fundamentals of the branches yet."
Another wipe and Zeke continued Writing. "Now for Difficulties. This ones pretty simple to grasp. Theres three levels of difficulty for Haki that gauges the Drainage and how hard they are to even unlock or use in the first place."
"Jokyu, or Hard. Uses either a huge amount of Haki, or is incredibly difficult to understand and unlock. Armament Hardening is Jokyu, even if its one of the most fundamental aspects that 99% of Fighters will have at their disposal. But another Jokyu is the ability to foresee events with Observation Haki. Which is an incredibly hard ability to utilize."
"Chukyu, or Average. Is where most Abilities sit. Its difficult to learn, and drains a decent amount. But it can be overcome with time and dedication to it. Abilities like Observations Periphery Ability is this. But so to is using Conquerors Haki at all."
"Finally, Shokyu, Easy or Little. Uses very little amounts of Haki or is very easy to learn. An extrodinariy hard ability to master is using Conquerors Haki to Manipulate the Enviornment, but drains very little depending on how its used. An easy ability is base armament, which uses very little haki. But is very difficult to break into."
"I see I see…And this would also be a scenario where yet again these labels could be tied to anything depending on the person? But also there are some that are easy or hard for 99% of people?" Leroy crouched to his feet. Chin in his hand as he could feel smoke spilling from his ears.
"Yeah basically!"
Why did this have to be so hard?
Weeks went by. Leroy learning, Training, Fighting more and more and more. From the ins and outs of how the Parliament of the World Government operated. To the history of racial relations between humans and other Races, training his body. His fighting style. Thinking on his feet. Fighting within now over 15 km into the Forest. Going against Praying Mantis' just as Zeke had on the first day. He was getting better and better at the fundamentals of Haki. Understanding its principles.
His training to try and unlock even the most fundamental of the 5 Branches seemed to be going well. But week after week. Despite getting faster and faster. He could feel that his speed was now slowing down in terms of how quickly he learned.
Until on the 52nd Week. At the Very end of the First Year of his Training.
Leroy experienced Bloom.
In the midst of his training. As he was focusing his Haki through his hands. Something different happened. Instead of the foggy haze feeling around his hands. It began to warm. As if his hand was inches away from a candle heat.
With his hands protected, he was able to punch through a wall of fire that a bird, which was monstrous in its size, had coated itself in.
The Armament Haki Allowing for his hand to be protected from the Temperature of its flames.
There was 3 Years Left.