Rayleigh naturally didn't believe Reid's lies, but he didn't press the issue either.
He turned to Shanks and said seriously,
"Koutarou, you don't have a Devil Fruit power or Armament Haki. That tiger is perfect for your training."
"Mr. Rayleigh… are you sure he's suitable for me?
"Shanks swallowed hard. The tiger in front of him stood over two meters tall—if it reared up, it would be several meters high. It was intimidating, to say the least.
"So Rayleigh arranged for this massive tiger to train Shanks? That's way too cruel!" Reid shivered at the thought. Shanks didn't have any Haki at this stage and was defenseless.Reid himself still wasn't fully adapted to life in this world. The size of some of the creatures here often shattered his expectations.
Rayleigh looked at Shanks coldly, like a man willing to sacrifice his kin for justice. His face was calm, without a hint of emotion.
Shanks met his gaze. There was no trace of a joke in Rayleigh's eyes—just calm resolve.
"Alright, Mr. Rayleigh. If I die, it just means I wasn't strong enough.
"With that, Shanks tied his straw hat behind his neck, his eyes steady and determined.
"He's not scared.
"Reid watched Shanks clench his fists and stand tall. He was moved by the young man's courage.
"At least he didn't back down. That's something.
"Rayleigh's expression didn't change, but it was clear he was satisfied with Shanks' attitude.
"Reid, let's go."
"Okay."
As they walked, Reid couldn't help but ask
"Brother Rayleigh, are we just going to leave Shanks there alone? That tiger is huge. It could eat him in one bite!"
Reid was genuinely shocked. Shanks was just a normal person right now—and according to the system, only a level 2 fighter with no Haki.
"Then he'll have to rely on Hong taro. I can't help him.
"Reid glanced back at Shanks, still full of doubt, but followed Rayleigh anyway.
"There's no way Rayleigh would let Shanks be eaten. He must have some kind of understanding with the tiger... but it's still dangerous. Tigers are carnivores—they don't think like humans."
As Reid was thinking, Rayleigh suddenly spoke.
"Brother Reid, Hong taro's future is destined to be extraordinary."
"Brother Rayleigh, do you want to know what Shanks achieves in the future?"
"No. I don't want to know. But I believe that Hongtaro will one day be a king."
Rayleigh recalled the Conqueror's Haki that Shanks had recently awakened. Though weak, it was still the rare and powerful Haki of a king. Only those with a strong spirit and natural leadership could wield it.
"Then why did you ask if you don't want to know…" Reid muttered inwardly.
"Brother Rayleigh, do you know what kind of training I'll be doing next? Is it that blindfolded exercise you mentioned earlier?"
"Ah, yes. Be prepared, Brother Reid.
"Rayleigh grinned and handed Reid a cloth.
"You'll be using this to cover your eyes. I'll be your opponent. Your goal is to dodge 100 of my attacks in a row. If you get hit even once, the count resets."
"A hundred times in a row?"
"That's right. Do you think it's impossible?"Rayleigh looked ahead, not even glancing at Reid, as if amused.
"It'd be hard enough for a normal person to dodge 100 attacks without a blindfold."
"Hahaha. This is just basic training. In battle, you need to feel your opponent's presence—not rely on your eyes. True Haki can only grow when your senses are sharpened. It's a difficult path."
"I understand." Reid nodded.
"So that's why Rayleigh trains people with this method. No wonder he made Luffy dodge 100 attacks later in the story—it wasn't just a coincidence."
Just then, a thunderous tiger roar echoed through the forest.
"ROAR!"
"What a terrifying roar!"Reid's face went pale. He looked at Rayleigh nervously."Brother Rayleigh, are you sure Shanks can handle that tiger? What if it really eats him?"
"Don't worry. This tiger serves a dual purpose."
"Dual purpose?" Reid was confused. What did he mean?
"You'll see soon enough," Rayleigh said, surveying the area."This place is perfect."
Reid looked around. They were in a clearing surrounded by tall trees.
"Alright, Reid. Let's begin. A few months will pass quickly. Mastering just one type of Haki takes a long time."
Hearing this, Reid stopped worrying about Shanks. If Rayleigh was calm, then Shanks would be fine—at least he wouldn't die. And if he didn't die, Reid could always heal him later.
Reid tied the cloth over his eyes."Alright, Rayleigh. Don't hold back. As long as I'm alive, I can heal."
"Haha, I trust your medical skills."
"Alright then—let's start! Agh—!"
Before Reid could finish, he felt a sharp pain on his head.
"Ow! That hurt! Rayleigh, that's not fair! I wasn't ready yet!"Reid held his head, grimacing.It felt like being sucker-punched before the bell even rang.
"Reid, even training should be treated like a battlefield. Stay alert at all times."
"Got it—ah!"He got smacked again.
Within moments, Reid had two lumps on his head.
"Ow…"He gritted his teeth and held back tears.
"It hurts, but I'm starting to get used to it," Reid muttered, resisting the urge to rub his head.
"Oh? Looks like you're adapting to the pain."Rayleigh smirked, swinging again.
As expected, Reid got hit once more.
"Damn it, how am I supposed to dodge when I can't even see!"Reid was panicking. Being blindfolded threw off everything.
Rayleigh calmly explained
"Reid, closing your eyes is no different from opening them—if you use your heart to 'see.' True perception isn't just about vision. When your eyes are closed, your other senses must take over."
"Feel the breath… with my heart…"
"Exactly. Feeling your opponent's presence—their breath—is like seeing with your soul. With your eyes closed, it becomes even more powerful."