One Piece: Undying Dream

"Let me educate you, then," Salazar replied, his tone shifting to that of a professor addressing a particularly slow student. "Every living organism generates an electromagnetic field—a bioelectrical aura, if you will. Most people never perceive these fields, let alone interact with them."

He began circling again, maintaining his distance but keeping Roku's attention fixed on him. "What fascinates me is not the power itself, but its physiological basis. You see, I've spent decades studying this phenomenon, and I've developed a rather... unique understanding."

"What you're experiencing is the ability to sense these fields—to process the electrical signals of my nervous system before they manifest as physical movement." Salazar's eyes narrowed. "You're reading intention, not just action."

Roku's brow furrowed. "You mean... I'm feeling what you're going to do before you do it?"

"A crude but essentially accurate summation," Salazar nodded. "Though 'feeling' is an imprecise term for a complex neurological process. Your brain is interpreting electromagnetic data that exists outside normal sensory channels."

A massive explosion shook the ground beneath them. Salazar barely seemed to notice.

"Warriors have different names for it across the world," he continued. "The people of Wano call it 'Ryuo.' Some refer to it as 'the Voice.' But the most common term is simply 'Haki.'"

"Haki," Roku repeated, the word feeling strangely familiar on his tongue.

"Don't mistake understanding the term for understanding the power," Salazar cautioned with evident disdain. "What you're doing now is equivalent to a child accidentally playing a perfect note on a violin. Technically impressive, but meaningless without proper training and context."

Roku's eyes hardened. "It was enough to take down your men."

Salazar waved a dismissive hand. "Rudimentary application against unprepared opponents. A trained practitioner can extend their awareness for miles, can distinguish individual consciousness from vast distances, can even harden their body against damage or project their will as a physical force."

"You talk like you can do these things," Roku said, his voice challenging.

Something dangerous flashed in Salazar's eyes. "I've spent decades studying what you stumbled upon by accident. The difference between us is like that between an astronomer and a child who happens to look up at the stars."

"If you're so knowledgeable," Roku pressed, "why are you so surprised that I can use it?"

Salazar's face tightened, a crack in his composed facade. "Because the awakening rate under normal conditions is approximately one in three thousand. Even under extreme stress—the kind I've scientifically induced in hundreds of test subjects—the rate barely improves." His gaze became calculating. "You shouldn't be able to access these abilities so quickly, with such intensity, without years of specialized training or genetic predisposition."

"Maybe I'm just special," Roku said with grim mockery.

"That's precisely what makes you so….. valuable," Salazar replied, his voice softening to something almost reverent. "What unique combination of factors allows you to manifest what eludes others? Is it genetic? Neurological? Environmental? Some perfect storm of variables I haven't yet identified?"

Lightning struck nearby, illuminating Salazar's face in stark white light that accentuated his gaunt features and the feverish gleam in his eyes.

What makes your case so exceptional is the speed of your development. Most subjects require years of intentional training or repeated near-death experiences to manifest even rudimentary abilities. Yet you... you blossomed in minutes, under my direct observation."

"My working theory is that Haki exists in two basic forms, though there are certainly specialized variations. The first is perceptive — what you experienced. The ability to sense electromagnetic fields generated by other organisms, allowing one to anticipate movements, detect presences, even perceive emotions as these fluctuations reflect neurological states."

"The second is projective. The ability to externalize one's own electromagnetic field, condensing it to the point where it can interact with physical matter. To put it simply: hardening one's skin against damage, enhancing the force of a blow, even extending one's influence beyond the physical body."

"The true mystery lies in why certain individuals develop these abilities while others never do. I've tested thousands of subjects across all demographics — slaves, marines, pirates, nobles. The capacity appears to be universal, yet the awakening is exceedingly rare."

"I don't care about your theories," Roku said, his patience visibly thinning. "Let Jiro go."

"Wait! Is that how you knew I was hiding in the jungle?" Roku asked, sudden understanding dawning.

"Yes," Salazar acknowledged with a slight nod. "Though my control is refined through years of study and practice. Your awakening is raw, instinctual... animalistic." He spat the last word. "Like giving a priceless sword to a monkey. You have no idea of the potential you're clumsily accessing."

Roku's eyes narrowed. "Seems to be working well enough against you."

"Is it?" Salazar asked softly. In a blur of movement too fast for normal perception, he closed the distance between them, a small device suddenly in his hand. "Let's test the limits of your newfound abilities, shall we?"