Observation Haki... In essence, it was a new form of perception born from the fusion and elevation of the five senses plus a "sixth sense." This new perception could be used for reconnaissance, and also for predicting an enemy's moves in battle.
For the user, it was like gaining an incredibly powerful insight, the ability to see through and anticipate the opponent's actions.
By the way, the reason why Haki was considered the ticket to enter the world of the strong came down to two main points: In fierce battles between powerful fighters, without the protection of Armament Haki, the fragile human body would collapse first. And in those high-speed battles, often faster than lightning, the naked eye simply couldn't keep up.
Without the perceptive power of Observation Haki, one wouldn't even be able to see the enemy's moves clearly. Therefore, Armament and Observation Haki were essential prerequisites.
"That's the basic knowledge." Rayleigh paused, then began explaining the finer details. "Many people think that training in Observation Haki should begin with abandoning the senses. They cover their eyes, block their ears, plug their noses... Gradually giving up the five senses."
"In total darkness, they try to dig out a kind of instinctive early warning system."
He said this while shaking his head. "But this method is wrong. Abandoning one sense only heightens your focus on the remaining senses. The essence of Observation Haki is elevation, not abandonment. The correct path is to use all the senses, and perfectly fuse them together—like how our internal organs coordinate and work in harmony."
At this point, he glanced at Junichi, who felt confused.
Why is he looking at me?
But Rayleigh didn't explain. He simply continued,
"So the true method of training can be summed up in one word: selflessness."
"Selflessness?" Junichi was a bit stunned.
"Exactly." Rayleigh nodded. "Observation Haki requires the user to maintain a calm mindset at all times. But that calm doesn't mean suppressing your emotions. It means relaxing both body and mind—feeling and accepting all the surrounding information peacefully. If you can't enter a 'selfless' state, you'll instinctively reject things you dislike, hate, or resist. And that makes it very hard to grasp Observation Haki."
After saying this, he glanced at Junichi again, his gaze a bit peculiar.
Junichi was even more puzzled.
Still, Rayleigh gave no explanation, only thought to himself:
This will be especially difficult for you.
Even though they hadn't known each other long, his sharp eyes had picked up on something. He could see that Junichi's nerves were always taut, like a drawn bowstring.
Restraint, endurance, suppression... On the surface, he seemed like a calm person. But Rayleigh could tell—this was coldness, not calm.
That kind of tense coldness and guardedness was exactly the opposite of what Observation Haki training required, because it called for a sort of selfless relaxation.
Even with talent, he's likely to get stuck at this step for a while, he concluded internally. But he didn't say anything aloud—he didn't want to discourage Junichi.
He simply said, "You can begin now."
"Okay," Junichi replied, not minding the odd looks. He sat down cross-legged on the spot and closed his eyes. The first step to training Observation Haki was to calm the mind.
Of course, calmness wasn't enough. You also needed to relax. To relax like a free bird, light and unburdened.
This was difficult for him.
Even after keeping his eyes closed for a long time, he couldn't enter that state. Every time he began to feel something, he instinctively shut it out.
As expected… He frowned inwardly, thinking, It's really hard for me to relax.
Life in the Naruto world, being reincarnated with the memories of two lives, the threat of the Itachi... All of these experiences made it hard for him to relax and feel lighthearted.
Soon, ten minutes passed, and he saw just one notification pop up from the system panel.
[You have practiced Observation Haki. Proficiency +1]
Not all training counted toward proficiency, only standard training qualified. But even this single +1 proficiency point helped him grasp a hint of the right feeling.
He slowly opened his eyes, gaze distant.
"Don't rush. Observation Haki takes longer to train than Armament Haki," Rayleigh, misunderstanding his expression, offered reassurance. "Many people grasp Armament Haki, but it takes them over a decade to comprehend Observation Haki."
With that, he turned and started walking away. "I'll get back to fishing. You keep practicing."
He left confidently. From his ten minutes of observation, he had already concluded that Junichi was hitting a wall.
The boy had a hard time relaxing.
Finally, something normal, he nodded inwardly. If he mastered Observation Haki in minutes too, I'd really be scared out of my mind.
Relieved, he felt his worldview had been spared a serious blow.
Humming to himself, he cheerfully stepped into the seawater again.
---
Back on the island, Junichi paid no mind to Rayleigh's comments. He already knew: training Observation Haki was much harder than Armament Haki.
Many powerful fighters, even with high-level Armament Haki, still remained stuck at the beginner stage with Observation Haki.
But he was different. He had a cheat-like advantage.
"That sensation just now…" He frowned, trying to recall the subtle state he was in when he gained that single point of proficiency.
He sank into deep thought.
That airy, relaxed state... it didn't suit him. But was that really the only way to train Observation Haki?
He didn't think so. If it was, he wouldn't have gotten that +1 in the first place.
Relaxation was an instinctual thing.
Some people—those with a simple mindset—could relax naturally, like Luffy. But others, those with complex pasts, might require special conditions for their heart to unwind.
Under what circumstances do I feel relaxed?
He started reflecting, but quickly shook his head.
No—that's not quite right. The real question is: under what circumstances am I willing to accept all the information around me?
That thought suddenly broke open a mental barrier. A flash of inspiration lit up his mind.
Embrace?
Conquer?
No, it's experience!
His thoughts sparked like lightning. In that instant, he realized what lay deep in his heart.
As a transmigrator, what he truly longed for was to experience all kinds of extraordinary adventures.
From that perspective, he gazed at the boundless world before him, as if looking at a vast amusement park. He wanted to dive in, to experience every story it had to offer.
Even Itachi... was just another game to him. A dangerous one, sure, but a game nonetheless. In that instant, everything became clear, and his heart opened up.
His mind naturally relaxed. He welcomed everything around him—because he was the gamer, and an exciting game awaited him.
[You have practiced Observation Haki. Proficiency +1]
[You have practiced Observation Haki. Proficiency +1]
[You have practiced Observation Haki. Proficiency +1]
...
The system messages started flashing like crazy.
His Observation Haki progress skyrocketed at lightning speed.
[Your Observation Haki proficiency has met the requirement. It has advanced automatically.]
[Observation Haki: (Uninitiated) → (Beginner)]