Crimson mist hung heavy over the bay, a grim testament to the two-day struggle. Carl Grenett, perched on a distant, wind-scoured ridge, observed the carnage through specialized spyglasses. His analytical gaze traced the arcs of Haki-infused blows, the shockwaves rippling through the air, the increasingly desperate maneuvers of both combatants. Flesh and steel clashed below. The woman pirate captain, a whirlwind of blades and fluid movements, pressed her relentless assault. Her Armament Haki shimmered, a dark, impenetrable shell, while her Observation Haki guided her through the Vice Admiral's desperate counterattacks. Vice Admiral Kaelen, a mountain of Marine justice, roared defiance, his own Haki flaring in bursts of golden light. Each clash sent tremors across the water, a brutal display of honed power. Carl noted the subtle shifts in their fighting styles, the minute adjustments made under extreme duress, the tell-tale signs of Haki exhaustion creeping in. This prolonged engagement was a goldmine of combat data. Carl meticulously cataloged every discernible technique, every Haki application, every strategic choice. The sheer endurance on display, the way their bodies pushed past human limits, offered invaluable insights into the physiological demands of advanced Haki usage. Yet, a growing unease stirred within him. Vice Admiral Kaelen, though formidable, was clearly nearing his breaking point. His movements grew sluggish, his Haki flickered. The pirate captain, while also fatigued, maintained a chilling precision, her attacks aimed at vital points, systematically dismantling her opponent. Losing Kaelen would mean losing a significant dataset on Marine Haki development. His style was unique, a rare blend of brute force and refined defensive tactics. The pirate captain, too, represented a distinct evolutionary path of combat. Her aggressive, almost predatory application of Haki was fascinating. Carl considered the implications. Intervention would undoubtedly preserve Kaelen, perhaps even allow for further observation of his Haki capabilities. It would also likely disrupt the natural progression of events, the chaotic flow of the world Carl was merely meant to observe, not overtly steer. His purpose, as he saw it, was the perfection of his ultimate art, the scientific evolution of Haki. Direct involvement meant exposure, the risk of attracting unwanted attention from both the World Government and the myriad ambitious figures of this era. He was a ghost, a silent observer, a scientist in the wild. But the thought of losing such valuable 'data' grated on his disciplined mind. The potential disruption to the world's future balance, a balance he vaguely understood from his past life's historical knowledge, also weighed on him. If key figures fell too early, if the power dynamics shifted too drastically, would his own path remain clear? Still, his current project—the development of a communication network—was paramount. His Haki evolution required resources, a secure base, and reliable information gathering. Intervening now would set him back, perhaps catastrophically. He watched, his jaw tight, as the pirate captain pressed her advantage. Her final attack was a blinding flurry, a rapid succession of Haki-enhanced slashes. Kaelen roared, a desperate, guttural sound, his golden Haki flaring one last, defiant time. A sickening crunch echoed across the water, even at Carl's distance. Vice Admiral Kaelen stumbled, a crimson geyser erupting from his chest. He collapsed, a lifeless heap, into the churning waves. Silence descended, stark and absolute. The pirate captain, her chest heaving, stood over the spot where the Marine had fallen. She gave one last, weary glance at the battered remnants of Kaelen's ship, then, with a sharp whistle, signaled her own crew. They moved with practiced efficiency, quickly withdrawing, disappearing into the vast expanse of the open sea. Carl remained on the ridge, his gaze fixed on the empty bay. The conflict had concluded as he predicted, a brutal, inevitable outcome. No intervention had been made. The data, though incomplete, was now recorded. He had chosen the path of observation, of non-interference, for now. Slipping silently from his perch, Carl began his descent. His immediate objective now reasserted itself: the search for a suitable avian species. He needed intelligent, easily trainable, and highly migratory birds. His search goes on for weeks until one day, he finds a species of birds that are quite common and can be found around the world. The bird is called "Stripped Pigeot" . It is a species of pigeon with white and black stripes around its neck. It breeds by seasons, capable of learning and commonly migrates from one island to another. It can fly as fast as 200 km/ hour for 5 hours or maintained speed 100 km/hour for 10 hours. Despite the small bird, it can survive for months just by taking sea water. Desperate sailors that are stuck in the sea sometimes hunt them as emergency food. Carl found a huge nest of the stripped Pigeot . Inside, there are about a thousand eggs of similar size and shape. Carl decided to take about 100 eggs of the birds and hatch them himself. He also catches 2 pairs of adult pigeot for research. After taking the hundred eggs, he returned to his ship and into his research lab. Inside , Carl tries to scan each one of the eggs with his haki to make sure all are viable. Then, he uses his 'qi scan' unto the adult pigeot. He tries to see whether the birds carry any haki energy or not. Initially, he cannot find any haki energy but after scanning several times, he detects a faint pure haki energy . Carl smiled as his theory that all living things are capable of carrying haki energy appears feasible. Carl decided to experiment with the adult bird to identify the "Path of observation" in birds as its anatomy is different from humans. Trial after trial being done as cycle after cycle of haki energy were sent to flow inside the adult pigeot body. After 1 month of trial and error, he managed to find the proper 'path of observations for the avian. He tested his newly found path of observation by guiding the haki energy from the environment into the path of observation inside another newly caught adult pigeot. After a few cycles , the pigeot awaken his observational haki. It is able to detect presence about 1 meter from it and avoid any attack from anything around him that is within his speed limit. Carl also realizes that after awakening the observational haki, the pigeot become much smarter and able to speak some simple words. The observational haki from the bird is also very concealing and Carl himself is unable to detect it when the pigeot use its observational haki to observe him.

Chapter 32: The Intervention's Call