The water was cold—but Mario felt hot.
His body was soaked, chilled to the bone, but inside? He was burning. Not from fear or panic. From something far more powerful:
Excitement.
In every direction, chaos churned. Debris from Krieg's warship floated around him like driftwood, shouts echoed from the Baratie, and high above on one of the fins, Dracule Mihawk stood with his sword drawn—calm, composed, and terrifying.
Mario clung to the wooden plank, half-submerged, eyes locked on the deck of the Baratie. His heart raced as he whispered to himself, "It's happening…"
Zoro vs. Mihawk.
"Gosh, that scene was so good," he muttered with a grin, water dripping from his chin. "I don't need to interfere there… it builds Zoro's character."
He knew what came next, almost beat for beat. *Zoro would challenge Mihawk. He'd lose—but it would forge his resolve. That moment… that raw, tear-filled vow to never lose again—it gave chills.
Mario shook his head, wiping seawater from his eyes. "Nope. Not touching that one. Wouldn't dare."
Farther down the timeline of chaos, he knew the Krieg Pirates would regroup, and despite their sinking ship, they'd launch an all-out assault on the Baratie. The cooks would fight. The Straw Hats would fight. Sanji would shine.
And then—
Luffy vs. Don Krieg.
A clash of willpower and conviction.
"Also don't need to interfere….or can't" Mario said with a breathy laugh, still treading water, clutching the plank with one hand and the hidden CP0 manual against his chest with the other. "It's all so… epic. Just as I remember it."
He floated there a moment longer, letting the cold waves crash around him as cannon smoke filled the air and the story he loved unfolded live before his eyes.
But unlike the first time he read it…This time, he was in it.And next time?
Maybe he'd be the one fighting.
He swam quietly toward the back of the Baratie, where the chaos of the main deck was out of sight, muffled by distance and wind. His fingers gripped the restaurant's outer ledge, and with a grunt, he hoisted himself up onto the narrow balcony just outside the kitchen.
This is it, he thought, glancing around. This is where Sanji gives Gin food…
Man… what a great scene.
But then Mario slapped his cheeks lightly. Focus!
He ducked back into the shadow of the wall. While all this is happening, I need to start reading—at least the beginning. God knows if I'll be able to avoid the fighting later.
He reached under his soaked shirt and pulled out the black manual, still tightly wrapped. It was slightly waterlogged, but the wax-sealed cloth had done its job. He unwrapped it again carefully, the cloth sticking a bit, then opened to the first page.
"Cipher Pol Zero: Combat Doctrine – Initiation Protocol."
He scanned the page—dense, precise writing, emotionless but clear.
"The agent must condition the body through repetition beyond human limits. Pain is a guide. Resistance is weakness. Speed is survival."
Mario gulped.
...Yeah, this is gonna hurt.
But still, he kept reading. Flipping through pages, scanning through the Rokushiki techniques: Soru, Geppo, Tekkai—even just reading the warm-ups made his muscles ache in sympathy.
Still, part of his mind itched.
I want to see it… the Zoro and Mihawk fight. The moment where he raises his swords and Mihawk cuts him down like a fly. The moment Zoro refuses to fall forward.
He peeked around the corner of the balcony—just in time to hear the clashing of blades on the upper fin of the Baratie.
No. Focus.
He looked back at the book, clenched his jaw, and nodded to himself.
There are other epic fights. Other emotional moments. But if I want to stand on the same stage someday… I need to earn it.
He flipped to the page titled:
"Stage 1: Conditioning the Core."
And with the distant sound of steel against steel echoing in the background, the war for the East Blue had begun.
And his own training arc was finally underway.
„To learn Tekkai, one must undergo rigorous and relentless physical training to achieve a peak human body—a level of conditioning few ever reach. It wasn't just about being strong. It was about transforming muscle, skin, and bone into something unshakable."
Mario sat cross-legged on the wooden balcony, the CP0 manual resting open in his lap. His eyes traced the bold, inked words under the section labeled:
TEKKAI – "Iron Mass""To stop movement is to become immovable. To harden flesh is to become unbreakable."
The following pages were filled with diagrams, anatomical sketches, and training methods that bordered on torture.
"Every muscle must be pushed to its breaking point—then rebuilt.Every nerve must learn to accept pain—not as suffering, but as feedback.Only then can Tekkai be awakened."
Mario swallowed hard.
He looked down at himself for the first time since arriving in this world—really looked. His body, still wet from the ocean, glistened under the sun filtering through the Baratie's back balcony slats. And then it hit him…
Wait a second… I'm not in bad shape?
His muscles weren't bulky like Zoro's, but they were defined, compact, lean. His arms were toned, his core tight—not a single roll in sight. His legs felt strong, grounded. He flexed his hands and watched the tendons tighten in his forearms.
This… wasn't the body he remembered.
Back home, he couldn't even do ten push-ups without feeling like his lungs were collapsing. His gut had been soft, his back always aching from sitting too long. A regular dad bod, complete with the beer belly and a mild cholesterol problem.
But this? This was a body forged by the logic of this world. It wasn't perfect—it didn't scream "superhuman"—but it was a foundation.
A damn good one.
He ran a hand over his stomach, feeling the faint ridges of his abs.
"…Okay," he muttered to himself, a half-grin tugging at his lips. "That's new."
But then he frowned.
I have no idea what my limits are. I haven't tested my endurance. My reflexes. My strength. I need to know what I can do.
His hand went to the CP0 manual beside him, still open to the Tekkai section. Every sentence seemed to challenge him. Daring him to try. To push harder. To prove he had the right to even attempt learning such a technique.
Boom!
A loud explosion rocked the fins of the Baratie, shaking the wood beneath Mario's feet. The fight had escalated—the clash of steel and raw power echoing like thunder over the sea.
This is it, he thought, heart pounding. The real battle. But I need to learn. I need to absorb everything I can—fast.
Mario tucked the manual under his arm and focused, blocking out the chaos around him. The sounds of clashing swords, shouted orders, and cracking wood filled the air, but his mind zeroed in on the pages of the manual, soaking in every word.
Rokushiki: The Six Powers
The manual detailed techniques that seemed almost supernatural:
Tobu Shigan: A ranged finger strike that pierced enemies from afar, like a bullet fired with the speed of a cannonball.
Shigan: A lethal finger thrust aimed at vital points, capable of piercing flesh and bone like a dagger.Soru: High-speed movement so fast it appeared the user vanished and reappeared elsewhere in an instant.
Rankyaku: Powerful air slashes that could cut through steel and enemies alike.Geppo: The art of sky jumps, allowing the user to leap off the air itself, effectively walking on air for brief moments.
Kami-e: Paper-like evasiveness where the body would become flexible, allowing attacks to pass harmlessly through.
Mario's fingers traced the lines as if memorizing the very flow of each technique. It was overwhelming—but thrilling. If I can even master one, just one, he thought, I'll be closer to standing alongside these legends.
Then the manual shifted.
Haki: The Will of the Spirit
Mario's eyes widened as he read.
Haki was no mere power—it was the manifestation of willpower itself, spiritual energy flowing from one's very soul.
There were three types:
Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki): The ability to sense the presence, strength, and emotions of others, even before they moved—a sixth sense of the battlefield.
Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki): A protective coating of spiritual energy that could harden the body or weapon, allowing attacks to bypass Devil Fruit defenses and augment physical strength.
Haoshoku Haki (Conqueror's Haki): A rare, overwhelming willpower that could dominate the minds of weaker opponents, forcing them to submit or lose consciousness.
The manual explained that training Haki required intense mental discipline, meditation, and pushing one's spirit beyond its limits.
Mario glanced out toward the horizon. The sound of swords clashing and the grunts of combatants pierced the air, but his mind was now set.
I can't just be the Quartermaster who watches from the sidelines.
If I want to protect this crew, this family, I need power.
Power not from magic or Devil Fruits, but from my own will.
His fingers curled into a fist.
"Time to push beyond. I need to start right away. First up: meditation. I need to feel my spiritual power, at least a small amount."
Mario found a quiet corner on the deck, away from the chaos of the ongoing battle. The waves gently rocked the Baratie beneath him, and the salty sea air filled his lungs. He closed his eyes, sitting cross-legged, and took a deep breath.
Focus. Clear your mind. Feel your spirit.
Minutes stretched on as Mario struggled to silence the whirlwind of thoughts in his head. His heart raced, memories of past failures and doubts creeping in. But he forced himself deeper into the stillness, searching for that faint pulse of energy—his Haki.
A faint warmth stirred inside his chest.
There it is.
Not much, but enough to give him hope.
Mario opened his eyes and smiled faintly. Meditation was just the beginning.