The road to strength was long and monotonous. Mihawk had spent another two months immersed in high-intensity training.
Today, however, something was different. Kavi brought Mihawk to the top of the mountain as the sun slowly crept over the horizon.
"Boy, the first phase of your training ends here," Kavi said, standing tall as golden rays washed over them. "Now, we begin the next stage."
The early morning sunlight bathed the two in warmth, not heat—like a quiet promise of growth.
"From today on, this is where you'll train every morning and evening."
Mihawk furrowed his brow, skeptical.
'Training here? What are we supposed to do—watch the sunrise and sunset?'
Seeing his expression, Kavi chuckled. "You've already laid the foundation. From now on, continue to condition your body during the day. But the real training… happens here."
With that, Kavi sat cross-legged, facing the rising sun.
'Meditation? Seriously?' Mihawk stared blankly. "Is this really training, or are you just messing with me again?"
Kavi didn't even flinch. "You'll understand in time. Just follow along. Who knows more about training—you or me?"
Mihawk hesitated, then slowly mimicked his teacher's posture, sitting cross-legged and closing his eyes.
Meditation wasn't a goal—it was a method. A way to still the heart and focus the mind.
If you wanted to push Observation Haki to its peak, dodging rocks wasn't going to cut it.
Kavi's own Haki had reached terrifying levels through this practice.
People always assumed he spent his days relaxing, napping on his chair, sipping tea.
But even then, he was meditating.
In truth, Kavi had stumbled upon this method through experimentation.
To his surprise, it worked—especially on Observation Haki.
It developed faster than his Armament Haki, despite the latter being reinforced daily by his sign-in system.
Even his Conqueror's Haki grew steadily with this mental training. This wasn't just idleness; it was silent refinement.
And now, Mihawk would experience it for himself.
"Relax your thoughts," Kavi's calm voice guided him.
"Feel your breath. Listen to the wind around you. And whatever you do—don't fall asleep."
That last part sounded like a joke.
Then—thud!
"Bang!"
Mihawk's eyes shot open. He looked up to find Kavi staring at him, arms crossed, a disapproving glare in his eyes.
Mihawk flushed with embarrassment and quickly straightened up. "I… fell asleep. That was fast."
"Keep your mind clear," Kavi said sharply, "and stop overthinking."
Mihawk's heart skipped. 'How did he know what I was thinking? This old man was seriously scary.'
Apparently, Mihawk's emotions were all over his face.
And so, every day from then on, Mihawk followed Kavi to the mountaintop.
Mornings and evenings were spent in quiet meditation.
The rest of his time was devoted to physical training. His days were full—and fulfilling.
A month passed.
Then, one morning, something changed.
Mihawk sat, as always, breathing evenly, mind calm. Ten minutes passed… then suddenly, the world shifted.
He felt it.
Though his eyes were closed, he could sense the world—the grass, the trees, the rocks. They all breathed with subtle life.
Lines appeared in his mind, flowing like streams of energy.
The grass had delicate, fluttering currents. The stones beside him radiated slow, stable pulses.
Everything had a rhythm. A path.
Follow it, and you enhanced its flow. Go against it, and it would break apart with a crack!
Mihawk's eyes snapped open. He gently brushed the grass in front of him with his hand—and shhhk! the blade sliced cleanly in two.
"I did it!" Mihawk leapt to his feet. "I did it!"
Excitement surged through him like a wave. It wasn't a fluke. It worked. The old man hadn't lied after all.
Kavi remained calm, merely shaking his head. "You've only touched the threshold. Remember this feeling."
He didn't warn Mihawk not to get carried away. That was a lesson best learned through experience.
Sure enough, Mihawk tried again, heart still pounding. He reached out to the grass—nothing. No reaction. He tried again. Still nothing.
Confused, he frowned. "What's going on?"
"You're too impatient," Kavi said, amused.
Mihawk realized his mistake instantly. 'I got arrogant… I lost the feeling!'
He hurriedly sat back down and tried to recapture the moment—but it was gone. The sensation would not return.
'Tsk… I missed the window.'
But Mihawk didn't let it discourage him. If he'd done it once, he could do it again.
From that day on, he meditated with obsession, chasing that feeling. Even when Kavi advised him to rest, Mihawk refused.
Sometimes Kavi would wake in the middle of the night and find Mihawk still sitting there, dark circles under his eyes.
Kavi sighed, 'If this keeps up, this kid might just die from overwork.'
Mihawk wasn't possessed, just addicted to that moment of clarity. That incredible connection to the world.
And slowly, it came again. Not once, but many times.
He began sensing more than just grass.
He could feel the breath of trees, the pulse of rocks. He learned to identify the weak points of everything around him.
With just a touch, he could shatter them.
His Observation Haki skyrocketed.
Meanwhile, Kavi had no choice but to resume cooking duties, muttering curses under his breath the entire time.
"Damn brat. I shouldn't have taught him. Now I'm stuck doing all the chores again."
Yet, even as he complained, he couldn't hide his pride.
Mihawk was becoming something formidable.
And the kid was happy. After all, he got to train all day and eat hot meals every night.
But that didn't stop Kavi from grumbling.
"Are you a starving ghost reincarnated?! You eat like ten men!"
Every day, he regretted it more—yet somehow, watching Mihawk grow, he never stopped smiling.
And Mihawk? He just trained harder.
Whatever he was thinking… only he knew.
...
Author's Note – New Patreon Tier: Story Seeker (18+)
I've added a new Patreon tier called Story Seeker (18+).
This tier is intended for adult readers (18+) and includes mature themes and smut content. Please join only if you enjoy this type of material.
What this tier includes:
Everything from the lower tiers
Access to the same fanfics and original novels
Exclusive 18+ smut chapters available only here
If you're looking for more mature content and exclusive adult chapters, this tier is for you.
👉 Join here: patreon.com/Shadow_demon_007
As a bonus, I've also uploaded a free fanfic for this month today for all readers to enjoy.
Thank you for your continued support. 💙