Sailing: I was falsely accused of watching Nami bathe, but I'm blind.

Sometimes it's a seemingly casual flick of the staff, yet it moves with lightning speed; sometimes it's a pebble underfoot enveloped by an invisible force, shooting towards Kai like a cannonball; sometimes it's even when the two are walking side by side, a sudden force of gravity presses down on a certain part of Kai.

These attacks were not fatal; Fujitora clearly controlled his strength, aiming only to train Kai's predictive reaction abilities.

At first, Kai couldn't keep up with Fujitora's pace at all.

He could only manage to evade the attack at the very last moment, relying on his instinctive sense of danger and superhuman reaction speed.

Nevertheless, he was beaten badly and often covered in bruises.

"Too slow!" Fujitora's voice was devoid of any emotion. "Your perception is only at the 'present' level! If you only react when danger occurs, you will always be on the defensive! Extend your 'mind's eye' beyond your opponent's movements. 'See' their intentions, 'capture' the slightest 'sign' before their attack, and 'predict' the 'next moment' that is about to happen!"

Kai gritted his teeth, enduring the physical pain and intense mental tension, and tried again and again to extend his perception forward.

He tried to detect the subtle muscle contractions, energy fluctuations, and even the fleeting attack intent hidden beneath Fujitora's calm exterior before his attack.

This process is more difficult than any previous training, requiring a high degree of mental concentration and a subtle application of sensory abilities.

He felt as if his brain was overloaded, and each failed prediction felt like a heavy blow.

But Kai did not give up.

After each hit, he would immediately reflect on where he went wrong: Was his perception not sharp enough? Was his concentration not high enough? Or was his judgment of the "momentum" flawed?

After countless failures, reflections, and attempts, in the high-intensity, seemingly endless training, Kai felt that his perceived world seemed to have undergone some subtle changes.

He began to be able to catch some... blurry "afterimages".

In the instant Fujitora made his move, he seemed to be able to "see" the location where the cane and sword might arrive, or the trajectory of the pebble, a fraction of a second later.

These "fragments of the future" are very vague, fleeting, and extremely unstable.

But he knew that this was progress!

He began to try to react to these vague "fragments of the future".

Although he still stumbles and makes frequent mistakes, his dodge success rate is indeed improving at a visible speed!

From initially being completely passive and taking hits, to later being able to barely dodge most attacks, and then occasionally even being able to make an evasive move half a step ahead, causing Fujitora's attacks to miss.

Although he was still far from being able to keep up with Fujitora's unpredictable speed, this ability to "predict" danger gave him an unprecedented sense of security and confidence!

He knew that he still had a long way to go before mastering this advanced level of Observation Haki.

But at least he has seen the threshold and taken a solid first step.

This ability to briefly foresee the future will undoubtedly become one of the key trump cards for him to defeat his enemies in future battles.

As Kai's Haki and combat skills improved day by day, Fujitora never relaxed his training of his basic physical fitness.

Fujitora knew that even the strongest Haki and the most exquisite techniques required a sufficiently strong body to bear and unleash their full potential.

Otherwise, it's all just castles in the air.

For Fujitora, who possesses the Gravity Fruit's power, the best way to temper his body is naturally to go all out!

The "weak" gravity that had been applied to Kai earlier was beginning to weaken as he gradually adapted to it.

So, without any hesitation, Fujitora began to gradually increase the intensity of gravity applied to Kai.

Kai immediately sensed the huge change.

If the previous gravity felt like carrying a heavy object weighing tens of kilograms, the current feeling is like carrying a heavy mountain!

His every step became unusually heavy, as if he were stepping not on the ground, but on a sticky swamp.

Every time he raises his hand or throws a punch, he needs to expend many times more force than usual, and his movements become sluggish and clumsy.

Even the simplest breathing felt like an invisible force was pressing down on my chest, making it difficult.

"This... is too heavy..." Kai couldn't help but complain for the first time, feeling his bones groaning under the strain.

"Is it heavy?" Fujitora's voice was calm and emotionless. "What is this weight compared to a punch thrown by a true strongman, or the burden that fate places on you? If you can't even withstand this little bit of pressure, how can you talk about becoming stronger? How can you talk about taking control of your own destiny?"

Fujitora's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Kai's head, instantly bringing him to his senses.

Yes, compared to the pain he endured and the vows he carried, what is this physical pressure?

He gritted his teeth, stopped complaining, and silently endured the mountain-like pressure.

Fujitora's requirements also became more stringent.

He not only required Kai to perform basic daily activities such as walking, running, and jumping under this super gravity, but also required him to complete designated combat training under this condition!

To move quickly, dodge precisely, and even launch effective attacks while carrying the weight of a small mountain on one's back! This is simply an impossible task!

Kai's training became more arduous than ever before.

He had to exert all his strength under immense pressure to barely keep up with Fujitora's speed (Fujitora did not apply gravity to himself).

He needs to push his Observation Haki to its limit under immense pressure in order to anticipate Fujitora's attacks and use all his strength to make clumsy but effective dodges or blocks.

Because once hit, the damage will be multiplied by gravity!

He still needs to attempt an attack under immense pressure.

However, his speed and strength were greatly reduced; his once swift punches and kicks became sluggish, and his once sharp blades lost their power.

He must rely more on precise perception to find the slightest flaw in his opponent and launch an attack in the most energy-efficient and effective way.

After each training session, Kai felt like he had been pulled out of the water, completely soaked, his muscles ached so much he could barely feel them, and he was exhausted to the core.

He even fainted several times due to exhaustion.

Chapter 39 The Sword Without Light!

But every time he woke up, he was still greeted by that heavy, omnipresent gravity, and Fujitora's calm yet unquestionable voice: "Get up, continue."

"

Under this extreme, almost brutal pressure, Kai's potential was squeezed out in an unprecedented, almost insane way.

His body, like a piece of refined steel repeatedly forged, became more and more resilient and powerful with each approach to and surpass of its limits.

His muscles became more solid and explosive; his bones became denser, able to withstand greater impacts; and his endurance and recovery abilities were also dramatically enhanced.

More importantly, his willpower, like steel tempered in a raging fire, became incredibly tough and tenacious!

At the same time, this extreme training method also forced him to have a deeper understanding of the use of strength.

He began to learn how to more effectively mobilize every bit of his body's strength under pressure, how to use breathing and rhythm to conserve energy, and how to combine mental and physical strength more perfectly.

He also relied more on precise perception to compensate for his lack of speed and strength. His combat intuition became sharper, and his grasp of timing became more accurate.

Gravity, like a mountain, forges not only the body but also the soul.

At the foot of this invisible "mountain," Kai gritted his teeth and persevered, climbing step by step toward a higher peak.

Once Kai's Observation Haki had reached its peak and his physique had become sufficiently resilient, Fujitora began to guide him through the final and most crucial step—perfectly integrating these two abilities with his combat skills to create a truly unique fighting style of his own.

Kai's chosen fighting style is a combination of swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat.

He didn't specialize in swordsmanship like Zoro, nor did he rely solely on kicking techniques like Sanji.

He prefers to use his agile movements and uncanny senses, along with his short sword (or a more suitable weapon he may acquire in the future) and his fists and feet, to engage in close-quarters combat.

Fujitora provided him with highly targeted guidance based on his specific characteristics.

If Kai chooses to use swordsmanship (short sword), Fujitora teaches him how to incorporate "mind's eye" into his sword moves.

"The sword is an extension of the arm, but even more so, an extension of the heart."

While demonstrating some basic swinging, thrusting, parrying, and blocking movements with his cane sword (extremely fast, yet effortless), Fujitora explained, "Don't look at where your opponent's sword is; that's too slow and you're easily fooled by feints."

Use your heart to listen to his breathing, to feel the subtle contractions of his muscles, and to capture the airflow and energy fluctuations he creates when he swings his sword.

"

"The moment your opponent's intentions manifest in your mind, your sword has already arrived! No need to think, no need to hesitate, wherever your heart leads, that is where your sword will go! This is the true meaning of the 'Sword Without Light'—transcending the limitations of vision, reaching the very essence of offense and defense!"

Kai is putting it into practice.

He began sparring with Fujitora (who would suppress his strength to be equal to his own, but retain his unpredictable perception and skills), trying to "read" every subtle movement of Fujitora with his senses.

He discovered that when he was fully immersed in the world of perception, no longer thinking about "how to make a move," but letting his body follow the guidance of his "mind's eye," his swordplay seemed to become smoother, faster, and more... elusive!

He could even anticipate the landing point and force of the Fujitora sword before it was fully swung, allowing him to make the most accurate and effective block or dodge.

Sometimes, he can even interrupt Fujitora's rhythm with a sharp, piercing strike before the attack has even gained momentum!

If Kai chooses to use physical techniques (fists and kicks), Fujitora will teach him how to use his senses to unleash the full power of physical techniques.

"The fight between fists and feet is not a brute force confrontation, but a contest of 'strength' and 'momentum'."

"Fujitora explained, "Use your senses to 'penetrate' your opponent's defense, to 'find' the weak points in the flow of his power, and to 'feel' the flow of energy inside his body."

"

"When attacking, one should avoid the opponent's strength and target their weakness, precisely delivering one unit of force to the weakest point of their power. A small amount of force can cause great damage."

This is the secret of the 'Silent Fist'—it's not that there's truly no sound, but rather that your attack, like a silent undercurrent, dismantles your opponent's defenses and strikes at their very core without them even realizing it!

"When defending, you need to be aware of the opponent's changes in center of gravity and use their force against them."

Like flowing water, one should follow the opponent's momentum, either guiding it to empty space or using its force to counteract oneself.

The more sensitive you are, the more adept you will become at throws and locks.

"