One Piece : Wild Hunt

While Nami, Zoro, and Usopp seemed interested in what Thomas had to say, Lucy's expression immediately formed into a frown. Adventures were supposed to be things you experienced directly, not something you knew about in advance, so, before Thomas could continue, she shouted, "Stop it!"
With everyone directing their attention to her, Lucy adopted a serious expression as she said, "The past is one thing, but I don't want to know about the future! If I know how things will end from the very beginning, what's the point in going on a journey!?"
As he had been hoping Lucy would interrupt him, Thomas maintained a smile as he replied, "As I said a few seconds ago, every action we take changes the future. Nothing is set in stone. But don't worry. I just wanted to mention this now, so you guys don't become suspicious when I share random tidbits of knowledge about various people and places. I have no intention of 'spoiling' anything."
Losing her edge, Lucy replied, "Oh, that's okay then," before regaining her smile and adding, "Still, you shouldn't expose things about a person's past without their permission. It should be up to them to decide if they want to share. That's how people express their trust in others."
Nodding in approval, Thomas replied, "You're right..." before shifting his attention to Zoro and adding, "Sorry if I said something I shouldn't have. In exchange, I'll help you find some decent swords in the future."
Shrugging his shoulders, Zoro replied, "It's no big deal. I was just a little surprised, that's all. If you insist on apologizing, hurry up and tell me how to awaken this mysterious energy known as Haki. I want to start training it as soon as possible."
"Sure, no problem," replied Thomas. However, before he could begin his explanation, Nami interjected, saying, "Wait a minute. I need to speak with Thomas in private. It won't take long."
Though Zoro and Caenis exhibited mild annoyance, neither said anything as Nami practically dragged Thomas into the interior of the Going Merry. More specifically, she brought him into a section of the ship that served as the galley, meeting room, and helm.
Seeing the internal steering column, Thomas took a moment to stare at the tiny circular port behind him, asking, "How the hell are you meant to steer the ship from inside? Don't you need to be able to see where you're going...?"
Waving her hand dismissively, Nami said, "That isn't important right now." Then, with a serious expression, she added, "I was speaking with Astolfo earlier, and she seemed to be aware of who I was, even though it was our first time speaking in private. When I pointed it out, both she and Caenis began acting suspiciously..."
Though he knew Astolfo was terrible at keeping secrets, Thomas didn't believe she would blather so soon after meeting Nami and the rest of the Straw Hats. He also knew Nami could be fairly manipulative, but instead of calling her out on it, he replied, "I imagine so. After all, It's not exactly a coincidence our paths crossed at the Baratie."
Narrowing her eyes in suspicion, Nami asked, "And what about Arlong...?"
As he had initially planned to deal with Arlong much later, Thomas wasn't lying as he replied, "That was kind of a spur of the moment thing. Shortly after we entered the East Blue, Musashi suggested eliminating him. I was eager to test the results of my training, so I accepted."
Furrowing her brows, Nami asked, "And what about the villagers and the people of the Conomi Islands? Did you interact with any of them...?"
Shaking his head, Thomas responded, "No," before explaining, "Shortly after destroying Arlong's base and capturing his crew, a group of Marine ships showed up, led by a man calling himself Captain Nezumi. Drake wanted to sink them, but I was against it. Instead, Caenis tore off their rudders and damaged their keels before we used the cover of a storm to flee."
Though she got the impression Thomas's response was rehearsed, Nami didn't think he was lying outright. She also trusted Lucy's 'intuition' when it came to people, so instead of pressing Thomas for details about Arlong and the Conomi Islands, she asked, "Why are you here? You said it wasn't a coincidence we met at the Baratie, and everything that's happened since then has made it pretty obvious you were aiming to join Lucy's crew from the start..."
Reacting far more naturally, Thomas unhesitantly replied, "That's actually not the case. In fact, before our journey over to this island, I was planning to offer Lucy and the rest of you some advice before parting ways. Drake was the one who talked me into becoming a member of Lucy's crew. The reactions of Caenis and the others should have made it fairly obvious that this wasn't planned..."
Recalling the brief altercation between the two fearsome women, many of Nami's suspicions evaporated. At the same time, realization donned upon her, compelling her to softly mutter, "You saw a vision of the future where Lucy became Pirate King and decided to help her..."
Since it was a good opportunity to clear some things up and remove the expectation that he was 'omniscient,' Thomas shook his head, clarifying, "I never saw Lucy become Pirate King. Rather, I witnessed a future where someone named Luffy was well on their way to attaining the title. In other words, my knowledge is based on an alternate reality of sorts. Because in every single one of those visions, Lucy was a man..."
Blinking in surprise, Nami's expression and tone were full of disbelief as she questioned, "Seriously? Though she isn't the most feminine girl in the world, I can't even imagine what a male version of Lucy would be like..."
Smiling wryly, Thomas replied, "They have the same dream, but Luffy's favorite food is meat. Other than that, they seem fairly similar...both give off the impression of someone that can achieve anything, no matter how far-fetched their dreams might seem to others..."
"That certainly sounds like Lucy..." replied Nami, her expression softening into an affectionate smile. She had originally been preparing to part ways with Lucy to protect her, but now that Thomas had appeared and Arlong had been defeated, it was starting to seem like she might actually be able to pursue her dream.
Out of curiosity, Nami asked, "And what about me? Did you see me in any of your visions?"
Nodding in affirmation, Thomas answered, "Indeed. After Luffy defeated Arlong and destroyed the room where your maps were kept, you became the Navigator for the Straw Hats. I could tell you a lot more, but I want to respect our Captain's wishes. Also, as I pointed out, my knowledge is of a completely different reality from this one. It will doubtlessly prove useful, but assuming things will play out the same is incredibly foolish..."
"Fair enough," replied Nami. However, as she was still curious about the extent of Thoma's knowledge, she asked, "You can still tell me about the past, right? I won't ask about the others, but I'm curious to know just how much insight you've gained into my past..."
Adopting a wry smile, Thomas replied, "I gained these visions over many, many years, so I can't remember everything clearly. However, I do know you have an adoptive sister named Nojiko and that the two of you have an adoptive mother named Bell-mere who sacrificed herself to protect you. I also know about the circumstances that Arlong forced you into-"
Before Thomas could continue, Nami interrupted him, exclaiming, "That's enough...!" with a slightly horrified look on her face. She had been curious at first, but hearing Thomas casually list details about her past caused an involuntary shiver to run through her body. She now understood why Lucy had been so against Thomas sharing what he knew. Hearing a complete stranger disclose intimate knowledge about your past and possible future was unnerving...
Empathizing with Nami's discomfort, Thomas's smile became apologetic as he said, "If it's any consolation, the version of you I'm knowledgeable of is clearly from an alternate reality. I'm also willing to answer just about any question about myself, so feel free to ask."
Though it wasn't much, Nami felt at least a little relieved when she heard Thomas's words. The notion that there were 'other' versions of her was a little jarring, but it wasn't difficult to accept. Seeing multiple Devil Fruits in action and watching Musashi split the sky in two had numbed her to such revelations...
Crossing her arms, Nami suggested, "Let's end things here for now. I will probably have more questions for you later, but I need time to collect my thoughts first. There is one thing I would like to know, though..."
Narrowing her eyes slightly, Nami asked, "What do you hope to achieve by becoming strong enough to stand at the pinnacle...? Since you have knowledge about a possible future, there must be something you want to attain that requires that amount of power. Even Zoro has that promise you mentioned previously."
Instead of immediately responding to Nami's question, Thomas lowered his head and fell into a shallow but contemplative silence. He hadn't put much thought into what he would do once he neared or reached the end of his journey. All he knew for certain was that he would never accept an ordinary life now that he had been given a chance to change, not just his fate but the fates of others...
Meeting Nami's gaze, Thomas's expression became uncharacteristically serious as he answered, "I'm not trying to obtain anything concrete. I just want to be powerful enough to take charge of my life and live without the fear of others deciding my fate..."
Though he understood that he could never escape the influence of a being like Zelretch, Thomas could accept an afterlife of servitude so long as he was allowed to live free and unfettered in his current life. With that in mind, he should probably be doing everything in his power to make the most of the opportunity he had been given...
Adopting a wry smile, Thomas added, "Beyond that, I want to ensure that you, Lucy, and everyone who joins the Straw Hats can attain your dreams. Before I set out with the Wild Hunt, I lived vicariously through the 'visions' I witnessed throughout my life. Now that I've been given the opportunity to experience one of those journeys directly, I plan to do everything I can to ensure a happy ending for as many people as possible..."
Taken aback by Thomas's sincerity, Nami found herself at a complete and total loss for words. She now understood Lucy's comment about Thomas wanting to help them. She was still unsettled by his intimate knowledge of her past and a potential future, but, at the very least, he didn't appear to have any malicious intentions. If he did, he could completely shatter their dreams on a whim...
Forcing a smile, Nami replied, "Then it looks like I'll be relying on you in the future. I'm planning to accept Lucy's invitation to join her crew as a Navigator, so I'll need all your information about the Grand Line and its unique weather patterns."
Nodding in affirmation, Thomas revealed, "Drake left me a copy of the map Astolfo made of the first half of the Grand Line. It's nowhere near complete, but it includes the location of several Marine Bases and a few islands that most consider legends. Astolfo has the unique ability to find anything she's looking for, so the two of you will be working together a lot in the future."
Blinking in surprise, Nami asked, "Seriously? You have a swordswoman who can split the sky, a doctor that can heal severe injuries in minutes, a child-like Oni that can tell if a person's lying, and now someone who can locate anything? What other abilities do your Spirits possess...?"
Smiling wryly, Thomas revealed, "Drake's ship can fly and submerge, Caenis can breathe underwater and manipulate the sea, Chiron can teach pretty much any skill, Atalanta can snipe people from several kilometers away, and Beethoven's music can immobilize enemies while strengthening her allies..."
"..."
Massaging her forehead, Nami attempted to process everything Thomas had just revealed. If he was telling the truth, there wasn't much his Spirits 'couldn't' do...
Shaking her head free of thoughts, Nami replied, "Forget it. We'll discuss this in greater detail later. For now, you should return to the deck and tell Zoro about that Haki thing. I need to talk to Lucy."
Nodding his head, Thomas responded with a curt, "Sure, no problem," before turning around with the intention to depart. Nami looked like she still had something to say but ultimately stopped herself. She wanted to thank him for saving her village, but until she confirmed it for herself, she couldn't quite believe Arlong was gone and that her nightmare had come to an end...
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(A/N: Since when did Thomas have a brain? Our boy is over here playing 4-D Chess...)

While Lucy was dragged off by Nami for a private discussion, Thomas stood in a group with Zoro, Usopp, Caenis, and Astolfo to explain the basics of Haki. Atalanta was also present, but she was perched in the crow's nest while Benienma broke off from everyone to prepare lunch.
With everyone's attention focused on him, Thomas started things off by saying, "Keep in mind that I'm not exactly an 'expert' when it comes to Haki. While I am familiar with its awakening, training, and advancement methods, my constitution prevents me from learning Haki. However, my Reinforcement Magecraft is functionally similar, so I'll be utilizing it as a visual aid during my explanation."
"Put simply, Haki is spiritual energy, given form and function through a person's will. It typically awakens during a crisis, specifically when a person's desire to survive or overcome an obstacle manifests as a burst of awareness, fighting spirit, or intimidation. The former provides insight, while the latter two allow you to endure attacks, strengthen your own, or overwhelm your opponent with a burst of willpower that can suppress or knock them unconscious."
"Though different cultures have different names for them, people in the Grand Line refer to the variants of Haki as Observation, Armament, and Conqueror's Haki. As the names imply, Observation Haki increases your perception of the world around you. When mastered, it lets you read the flow of a person's attacks and, at the highest levels, see a few seconds into the future. Armament Haki allows you to strengthen your body and weapons, drastically increasing your strength, speed, endurance, and, in the case of swords, their cutting ability. The advanced form of Armament Haki, known as Ryo in the land of Wano, allows you to project it outside of your body like a wave, destroying your opponent from the inside or letting you slice through objects far larger than the length of your sword..."
Though Thomas's explanation of Observation Haki had captured his interest, Zoro's eyes became fiery when he heard the description of Armament Haki. Most of the swords he wielded ended up shattering due to his immense strength, so Armament Haki was exactly what he needed to preserve his weapons and push his swordsmanship to the next level.
Fortunately, while Zoro was clearly interested in Armament Haki, he didn't interrupt Thomas's explanation, allowing him to explain, "The final version of Haki, Conqueror's Haki, is by and large the most powerful. It's also the rarest, so much so that only a handful of people worldwide can access it. To that end, it is also known as Supreme King's Haki, distinguishing those in possession of it as having the capacity to rule over others."
"What makes Conqueror's Haki so powerful, besides its ability to suppress entire crowds of people, is its ability to amplify the other manifestations of Haki. Combined with Observation Haki, it permits you to immobilize your targets with a glare, erase your presence, and block others' ability to peer into the future. When combined with Armament Haki and infused into your body or weapon, it drastically increases the potency of attacks, allowing you to ignore the Armament Haki of others outright. In other words, if you encounter someone who's mastered Conqueror's Haki and don't possess it yourself, you are pretty much fucked..."
Understanding the implication of Thomas's words, Zoro remarked, "So if I want to become the World's Strongest Swordsman, I'll need to master at least Armament and Conqueror's Haki."
Nodding in affirmation, Thomas replied, "Generally speaking, those who are qualified to obtain Conqueror's Haki have some degree of mastery in both Observation and Armament Haki. Being able to read the trajectory of projectiles, predict the future, and sense hidden foes is pretty useful in a world where people can fuse with the environment and become invisible."
Returning a nod of his own, Zoro replied, "Fair point," before asking the most pertinent question, "Now, how do I awaken and train my Haki? If it were as simple as placing myself in dangerous, life-threatening situations, I would have awakened it long ago."
Catching Zoro a little off-guard, Thomas revealed, "Odds are, you already have. Haki lies dormant within all living creatures and can even manifest in inorganic objects once they've accumulated enough spiritual energy. To have reached this point, distinguishing yourself from 'normal' people, you must have already awakened your Haki. You just need to learn how to tap into it."
Raising his right hand, Thomas began to condense Magical Energy into his fist as he added, "In the case of Armament Haki, you need to visualize the effect you wish to achieve. Imagine your spiritual energy and willpower as an invisible energy that you can channel into certain parts of your body or extend through your blade. Once you reach a level where you are attuned to both yourself and your surroundings, you can theoretically cut through anything."
Lowering his hand, Thomas smiled as he said, "To that end, it's better to focus on Observation Haki early on. It's the easiest to awaken but second only to Conqueror's Haki in terms of difficulty to master. As for the actual method, you simply need to blindfold yourself and have people attack you at random. Once your desire to sense and react to said attacks increases beyond a certain threshold, you will naturally awaken Observation Haki. Once you do, you will have a much easier time training Armament Haki as you'll eventually be able to sense the spiritual energy within yourself, your surroundings, and others."
Raising his brows, Zoro questioned, "I just have to blindfold myself and let people attack me? It's that simple...?"
Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "Unless you have a natural affinity with Observation Haki, it's actually 'very' difficult. However, as an exceptionally skilled swordsman, you should have a fairly easy time since you're already capable of focusing your intent and have likely mastered a few meditation techniques. With proper focus, all you need is a strong enough desire, and you will attain it naturally."
Adopting a vicious smile, Zoro asserted, "If that's all it takes, I'll awaken it within a week," before pulling his iconic dark-green bandana from his arm and tying it around his head, covering his eyes. He typically only donned said bandana when he got 'serious,' so wearing it demonstrated just how eager he was to awaken and master Haki.
Exhibiting this point further, Zoro's expression and tone hardened as he said, "I trust that you're telling the truth. Therefore, I will not remove this blindfold until I awaken Observation Haki..."
Smiling wryly, Thomas replied, "That's the proper conviction to have. And don't worry, this is the training method developed by Silvers Rayleigh, the First Mate of Gol D. Roger. The first phase is getting used to going about your daily life with a blindfold. The second phase is surviving on an island inhabited by predators. Animals are a lot more 'honest' than people, so it's easier to sense their intent. After that, the last stage involves dodging the attacks of humans. Once you can dodge a hundred attacks from someone adept at hiding their presence or concealing their intent, you can be said to have mastered the basics of Observation Haki."
"Fortunately for you, Benienma is exceptionally skilled at concealing her presence. Once you reach the point where you're ready to face a human opponent, I'll ask her to help with your training."
As Thomas had already revealed some pretty outlandish things, Zoro didn't question how he knew the training method of someone like Silvers Rayleigh. Instead, he felt excited by the prospect of reaching a point he could dodge both animals and people with his eyes closed...
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With no animals to train against, Zoro settled on having Lucy help with his training while the Going Merry made its way over to the Baratie. The latter couldn't even lie without assistance, so she was pretty much incapable of deception. Thus, even though it was much too soon for him to delve into the second and third stages of Observation Haki training, Zoro asked Lucy to spar while Usopp randomly fired at him with a slingshot.
While Caenis criticized him for getting ahead of himself, Thomas believed Zoro would be able to rouse Observation Haki in record time. He was the one Straw Hat that never stopped training and attempting to improve. In the latter chapters of the manga, he could be seen lifting massive weights with his feet while doing upside-down pushups on his thumbs. If anyone could awaken Observation Haki in a week, it was him.
Not wanting to be left behind, Thomas positioned himself at the back of the quarterdeck, working to improve the rate at which he converted his Mana into Magical Energy by gathering it in his hands and unleashing it in the form of a laser-like energy blast. His current goal was to unleash an energy blast comparable to a cannonball within one second of charging. At present, it took him around fifteen seconds to gather that much energy, but that was a substantial improvement over the two and a half minutes it required a few months prior.
Seeing Thomas fire off destructive beams from his palm, creating large plumes of water whenever his attacks impacted the surface of the sea, Nami couldn't help feeling he would become a monster in the future. At the same time, she felt trepidatious about the types of adversaries they would face if even the power to create explosive lasers wasn't considered sufficient to triumph within the Grand Line...
With such thoughts in mind, Nami waited until Thomas was taking a break before approaching him to ask, "In this 'alternate reality' you viewed, what kind of techniques did the me there use? She must have undergone some kind of special training to be able to support Luffy and the others..."
Smiling wryly, Thomas questioned, "I thought you weren't going to ask about the future anymore?"
Furrowing her brows, Nami stated, "If we're going to venture to places with giant monsters and people capable of destroying mountains, I need to be able to defend myself. I don't want to be a liability to Lucy and the others..."
Though he exhaled a sigh through his nose, Thomas didn't feel any real trepidation about replying, "You used a unique weapon known as a Clima-tact, a custom bo staff created by Usopp. It wasn't particularly powerful early on, but you were eventually able to upgrade it to the point you could emulate thunderstorms and create illusions. Beyond upgrading your staff, you primarily focused on improving your navigational and meteorological skills..."
"I see..." responded Nami, a thoughtful expression developing across her face. She didn't require a more thorough explanation to understand that she was probably one of the weaker members of the crew. Now that she had the opportunity to change things, she was determined to be stronger than her alternate reality counterpart. After all, if they were 'fated' to fight against the most powerful beings in the world, remaining powerless would jeopardize herself and others.
With a serious expression on her face, Nami looked up at Thomas and asked, "Do you think Caenis would help me train if I were to ask her? She seems pretty strong..."
Adopting an even wrier smile, Thomas replied, "She would probably agree if I were the one to ask, but I honestly wouldn't suggest it. Caenis can be fairly brutal, so you would be better off asking Lucy, training your body, or focusing on awakening Haki. If Lucy isn't an option, you could try asking Astolfo. Despite her appearance, she could probably body both Lucy and Zoro at their current level."
Blinking in surprise, Nami questioned, "Seriously? I noticed that she wears armor, but she doesn't really strike me as the combative type..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas retorted, "That's something you should keep in mind, especially once we reach the Grand Line. First impressions can be deceiving. Take Benienma, for example. She looks like a harmless child, but she's the fastest and second strongest person on the ship right now. She can also conceal herself in shadows and move about completely undetected, so she's even more dangerous than Caenis."
"..."
Though she knew Benienma was dangerous, hearing Thomas mention her capabilities caused an involuntary shudder to permeate Nami's body. She initially believed this was merely the result of his words, but the truth was far more terrifying as the moment Thomas finished speaking, a child-like voice emanated from behind her, questioning, "Did Master call Benienma, dechi...?"
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(A/N: Danger birb...)

Seeing Thomas and Benienma emerge from belowdecks, the nearby Zoro remarked, "Looks like that creepy doctor wasn't just talking out of his ass. I expected you to be out for at least a day or two."
Before Thomas could respond, Lucy, who had been seated atop the sheep-like figurehead at the front of the Going Merry, bounded over to say, "You're awake." with a broad smile on her face.
Nodding his head, Thomas returned a smile as he replied, "Yeah. Despite his appearance, Asclepius is probably the greatest doctor in the world. So long as their head and heart aren't destroyed, he can even resuscitate the recently deceased."
Blinking several times, Lucy asked, "Really? Maybe I should have pushed harder to get him to join us..."
Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "I can't imagine him accepting. As far as I'm aware, there are no medical facilities aboard this ship. He also isn't very sociable, so he would be miserable sharing a room with several other people..."
"Ah..."
Looking around at the Going Merry, Lucy adopted a thoughtful expression as she revealed, "I was just thinking about that. With this many people on board, we'll probably need to upgrade the Merry in the future. That Drake woman offered to give us a Full-rigged Galleon, but..."
Directing her gaze to the quarterdeck, the location of a very disgruntled-looking Usopp, Lucy's usual smile turned slightly wry. Usopp had refused the moment Drake proposed giving them a ship. Lucy empathized with his desire to hold onto the Merry for as long as possible, but she also knew it would be impossible to become King of the Pirates on a Caravel designed to navigate gentle rivers, not fearsome seas...
Surprising Lucy and Zoro, Thomas confidently asserted, "The Going Merry is a fine ship. We'll eventually have to swap her out for a larger vessel, but I'm certain she'll hold up until we reach Water 7, the city where the former Pirate King's ship was constructed."
While Lucy's eyes practically lit up, Zoro preempted her fangirlish line of inquiries by asking, "Are you familiar with the Grand Line...?"
Nodding his head, Thomas answered, "Not just the Grand Line. I know all kinds of things about this world, including the identities of the Yonko, the Shichibukai, and several other important figures. Most importantly, I know about the existence of Haki, the energy that separates the truly powerful in this world from the rabble. Haki is what makes people like Gol D. Roger, the Four Emperors, and the Admirals of the Marines so powerful. Without it, we wouldn't even last a week in the 'New World,' the name given to the second half of the Grand Line."
Adopting a 'very' serious expression, Zoro asked, "Is that what made that woman, Musashi, so powerful...?"
Since Benienma was practically standing in his shadow, Thomas had little choice but to reveal the truth, admitting, "The Spirits I summoned with my Mana-Mana-no-Mi are an exception. However, Dracule Mihawk, the man currently regarded as the World's Strongest Swordsman, is a master of all three varieties of Haki. He is even the rival of one of the Four Emperors, Red-Haired Shanks, the man considered to have the most powerful Haki in the world."
Hearing Thomas mention the name of the man who inspired her to become a Pirate, Lucy's eyes widened to their fullest as she asked, "Is Shanks really powerful...?"
Nodding his head, Thomas revealed, "Except for Mihawk and his fellow Emperors, there isn't a person in this world that can compete with Shanks in terms of strength and mastery of Haki. You saw Musashi's sky-splitting attack, right? Shanks can perform similar feats when he clashes with his fellow Emperors."
Sensing no falsehoods in Thomas's words, Lucy removed the straw hat from her head, staring at it with a thoughtful expression as she remarked, "I never realized Shanks was such a big deal..."
Though the look on Lucy's face gave Thomas a sense of foreboding, he promptly suppressed it. Even if Lucy viewed Shanks as 'more' than just a mentor, it didn't really matter. Lucy was pretty cute, but Thomas couldn't imagine the bubbly Pirate as a potential love interest...it just felt wrong...
Getting straight to the heart of the matter, Zoro asked, "Do you know how to train this Haki? You wouldn't speak about it like this if you didn't have at least some clue about how to develop it."
As he never imagined he would be teaching 'the' Roranora Zoro, Thomas couldn't help grinning as he crossed his arms and replied, "You're right. Not only do I know the method to awaken Haki, but I also know how to advance and refine it to the peak. However, each person has a different affinity with Haki, and only a select few can awaken the most powerful variant, the 'Color of the Supreme King,' also known as Conqueror's Haki. Without that, becoming the Pirate King or the Strongest Swordsman in the World are impossible dreams."
Preempting Zoro's next question, Thomas's smile broadened as he said, "Since we're friends or, at the very least, allies, I don't mind revealing the method to awaken Haki. I decided to accompany you because I thought we could grow stronger together. Keeping secrets to try and preserve an advantage wouldn't be very sporting of me."
Though he initially thought Thomas and his 'Servants' would be a pain to deal with, Zoro adopted a smile of his own as he said, "If you're not just talking out of your ass, I wouldn't mind calling you my friend. Just try not to get upset once I defeat that Musashi woman."
Shaking his head, Thomas surprised Zoro by stating, "I would honestly be relieved. Musashi's swordsmanship has reached a point where she has no real opponents. If you can reach her level and pose a legitimate challenge to her, I'm sure she would be grateful."
Adopting a serious expression, Zoro firmly asserted, "I won't stop training until I surpass her, Mihawk, and every other swordsman in this world. You have my word..."
Nodding his head in approval, Thomas left Zoro feeling at a loss for words as he responded with a sincere, "I believe you," before adopting a smile as he mused, "After all, you're the First Mate of the future Pirate King. If you weren't one of the strongest people in the world, you'd be a liability..."
As Zoro's expression became markedly more severe, Usopp walked over, inserting himself into the conversation by asking, "Hey guys, what are you talking about with such serious expressions on your faces?"
Before Thomas could respond, Lucy answered, "Tom was telling us about something called Haki and how it's required to be one of the strongest in the world. You should listen in, Usopp."
Shifting his attention to Thomas and Benienma, Usopp's had a skeptical look on his face as he asked, "What's this Haki? And why should we trust you? Magicians are known for their cunning and deception..."
Though he was still reeling due to how 'distinctive' Usopp looked with his long nose, perfectly rounded eyes, and thick lips, Thomas replied, "I'm not asking you to trust me. I'm sharing information and letting the results speak for themselves. Besides, didn't I already warn you about Beni? So long as she's around, I don't have a choice but to be truthful..."
Directing his gaze to Benienma, Usopp's expression became even more distrustful as he asked, "But how do we know you were telling the truth when you warned us? It could be a ploy to try and trick us into disclosing the truth while you lie to our faces."
"That's easy to prove," replied Thomas before turning his attention to Benienma and stating, "Beni, I'm going to ask these people to tell you a combination of truths and lies. It will be your job to distinguish between them, preferably 'without' cutting off their tongues..."
Nodding her head, Benienma responded with a curt, "Understood, dechi," before staring intently at Lucy, Zoro, and Usopp. The latter gulped when her eyes fixated on him, but he managed to stand his ground despite his visibly trembling legs.
Comparably undaunted, Lucy raised her hand and exclaimed, "I'll go first~!" in a spirited tone. Then, without hesitation, she stated, "I love vegetables, my dream is to be King of the Pirates, and...umm...uhh..."
As she wasn't good at telling lies, Lucy promptly fell into a contemplative silence, seriously considering what she was going to say. When she failed to come up with something even after thirty seconds, Zoro adopted a wry smile and said, "Let me have a crack at it..."
"No!" responded Lucy, her expression morphing into a frown. She wasn't sure what she was going to say, but she was determined to come up with a good lie that would trick Benienma.
Exhaling an exasperated sigh, Zoro crossed his arms and decided to wait for Lucy to complete her turn. Unfortunately, she couldn't come up with a lie even after several minutes had passed, so their game was interrupted by the appearance of Caenis, Astolfo, Atalanta, and Nami, emerging from the Going Merry's interior.
Before Nami could ask why Lucy had shouted, Caenis and Astolfo perked up, the latter exclaiming, "You're awake~!" before rushing over to Thomas and hugging him until he began to appear uncomfortable. While that was happening, Caenis walked over, crossed her arms, and adopted a teasing smile as she remarked, "You got your ass handed to you."
Though he expected such a response, Thomas couldn't help smiling wryly as he, "I did my best..."
Nodding in affirmation, Caenis replied, "Yeah, I know. But if that were a 'real' fight, doing your best would have gotten you killed. If you don't want me 'babysitting' you all the time, we're going to need to up your training in the future."
Suppressing a tired sigh, Thomas responded with a half-hearted, "I'll do my best..." He appreciated Caenis's desire to help him grow stronger, but the harshness of her words left him feeling more defeated than when he lost to Lucy...
Once Atalanta and Nami had walked over to join them, the latter asked, "What was that commotion earlier? I heard Lucy shouting..."
Since Lucy was still thinking of a lie, Zoro replied, "Usopp doesn't believe we can trust Thomas, so we were testing his claim about Benienma being able to tell when someone was lying. Lucy volunteered to go first..."
"Ah..."
Understanding what the problem was, Nami walked over and whispered something into Lucy's ear, causing the obsidian-haired girl's eyes to light up before shouting, "The sky is purple...!"
Though everyone knew Lucy's words were a lie, Benienma had a serious expression as she asserted, "That's a lie, dechi."
As if she was genuinely surprised by Benienma's response, Lucy reacted with a shocked expression, exclaiming, "Whoa! She really 'can' tell when people are lying...!"
Demonstrating a similar lack of awareness, Benienma puffed out her non-existent chest with pride, the feathers of her apron puffing noticeably as she replied, "Of course, dechi...!"
While everyone else adopted wry smiles or slightly exasperated looks, Usopp maintained a serious expression as he stated, "It's my turn. Let's see if your ability can see through me, the Great Captain Usopp...!"
Before Usopp could proceed any further, Benienma narrowed her eyes and asserted, "You're lying."
"..."
Recovering from his brief stupor, Usopp's left brow visibly twitched as he said, "I haven't even started yet..."
Shaking her head, Benienma clarified, "The statement about you being a Great Captain was a lie, dechi."
"..."
Too taken aback by Benienma's words, Usopp lost the courage to speak further. Instead, Thomas seized the initiative to assert, "You may not be great right now, but you'll eventually become one of the most renowned people in the entire world. Certain groups will even refer to you as 'God Usopp,' the Great Warrior of the Sea."
Blinking in surprise, Usopp met Thomas's gaze, pointing to himself as he asked, "You're talking about me...?"
As he was planning to reveal a number of things during his journey with the Straw Hats, Thomas responded with a curt nod, stating, "Every action we make changes it somewhat, but I can accurately predict the futures of certain individuals. If their fate is especially powerful, I may even possess knowledge of their past..."
Directing his gaze to Zoro, Thomas took a gamble by adding, "So long as you never lose sight of your goal, you will be able to make good on your promise with Kuina..."
Hearing Thomas casually name-drop Kuina, Zoro's eyes became as round as saucers. He hadn't even informed Lucy about the 'reason' he wanted to become the World's Strongest Swordsman, so he never expected, not in a million years, for Thomas to expose him...
...
..
.
(A/N: Lucy is too pure for this world xD...)

Chapter 32: Disclosure