"Rosinante-nii, what are you doing here?" Robin asked curiously after the angry woman had fled in embarrassnt.
"Oh, my injuries have pretty much healed up, so I thought I'd cook up a feast tomorrow to celebrate. Figured you'd be around here, so I ca to invite you. Didn't expect to walk in on that scene, though," Rosinante replied with a laugh.
It had already been over six months since Rosinante arrived at Ohara.
During that ti, he had devoted himself entirely to healing in the back mountains of Ohara. After all, he knew what was coming: the Buster Call—a total annihilation operation led by five vice admirals and a fleet of battleships. And among those five, two would later beco Admirals, already possessing near-Admiral-level strength at this stage.
Facing such overwhelming military force, even soone like Rosinante didn't dare take it lightly.
He had to ensure that when the ti ca, he'd be in peak condition—ready for whatever might happen.
Now that his injuries had mostly recovered, Rosinante decided it was ti to treat himself and thank Robin for saving his life. He figured she'd appreciate being invited to the feast—though he hadn't expected to get tangled in local drama along the way.
"I'd love to co! I'll be there for sure tomorrow," Robin said enthusiastically.
…
The next day, Robin showed up outside Rosinante's small cabin in the woods. She pushed open the door and was stunned by what she saw—a long table stacked with an extravagant spread of food.
"Wow, it looks amazing!" Robin exclaid, her eyes sparkling.
"Perfect timing, Robin. Everything's ready. Don't expect too much—it's all pretty simple stuff. Next ti I'll make you a real feast," Rosinante said with a grin.
"Mmm! It's delicious!" Robin said after taking a bite. She looked genuinely surprised—this was easily the best al she'd had in her life.
"I'm glad you like it. Eat up," Rosinante said, chuckling as he added more food to her plate.
After their little feast, Rosinante stepped outside to begin his training while Robin sat nearby with a book, imrsed in reading.
But after a while, she paused, closed her book, and turned her gaze toward Rosinante.
She watched as he moved slowly and deliberately, each motion flowing into the next like water. His form seed… gentle, almost soft, and she couldn't help but feel puzzled. This… was fighting? This slow, graceful movent?
What Robin didn't know was that any modern-day person would instantly recognize what Rosinante was practicing—Aikido.
That's right. Over the past three months, whenever he wasn't healing, Rosinante had poured all his effort into studying and refining Aikido.
His battle with Kaido had taught him sothing critical. His unique fruit—the Silence Fruit—allowed him to absorb the power of enemy attacks and release it in return. But that release had always been crude, rigid, and extrely limited. It only worked because Kaido was the kind of brute who charged head-on.
If he'd been up against a more agile or clever opponent, his clumsy counterattacks would have been almost useless.
To truly wield that rechanneled power effectively in real combat, Rosinante needed control. He had to find a way to manipulate borrowed force smoothly, redirect it at will, and make it his own. And what technique embodied the art of redirecting force better than Aikido?
He couldn't think of anything else.
The concept of using "four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds," of turning an enemy's strength against them—this was the very soul of Aikido.
That's why, during his recovery in Ohara, Rosinante imrsed himself in mastering this ancient martial art.
Back in his old life, Rosinante had learned a few moves during military training. Like many modern young people, he admired Aikido in theory—but secretly felt it was kind of useless in real fights. In fact, he'd spent more effort learning explosive moves, which helped him grow strong quickly.
But as his research into Aikido deepened, Rosinante realized just how profound it truly was. Even a lifeti of study might not be enough to fully grasp its intricacies.
Of course, he wasn't aiming to beco a Aikido master. All he wanted was to internalize the core principle—using force against force—so he could better develop his Silence Fruit's capabilities.
Katakuri had spent over a year on Skypiea, researching and refining the Observation Haki thod Rosinante had passed on. With Katakuri's incredible talent and deep understanding, he'd evolved it from "Mind Net 1.0" all the way to "Mind Net 7.0"—a massive leap in both precision and depth.
Now that Rosinante was training with this upgraded technique, his own Observation Haki had grown far beyond what it was a year ago. And combining that with his intensive Aikido training had finally led to a breakthrough.
He had learned to truly control borrowed force.
But even after gaining that control, Rosinante didn't stop practicing Aikido.
Aikido, after all, wasn't just a martial art. It was based on the principles of yin and yang, the five elents, and the harmony of movent and breath. And the more Rosinante trained, the more he sensed sothing deeper awakening within him.
He began to feel the intent behind each movent—a unique kind of fighting spirit, born from stillness.
This Aikido intent not only refined his control over force—it elevated his entire body's awareness. His Haki, his reflexes, even his ability to channel the power of his Devil Fruit, had all improved dramatically.
In just six months of training Aikido, Rosinante had grown more than he had in a whole year of pushing himself to the limit on Skypiea.
And so, he fell in love with Aikido.
Truly, deeply, and irrevocably.
---------------------
T/N:
Aikido is a Japanese martial art focused on using an opponent's force against them. It emphasizes joint locks, throws, and redirection rather than brute strength, making it more about control and precision than offense.
User Comments
0 comments from readers