14 Training Montage

After my victory over Rayleigh, he asked me to explain my devil fruit powers. I trusted him fully at this point, so I didn't leave anything out.

"I ate the Niku Niku, no Mi turning me into a Cell Human. Within a certain range, I can control my cells in any way I want. Like I did with the bone trap, I can also extend the range with my Observation Haki."

Rayleigh hummed as he stroked his beard while brainstorming, "I have a friend who can help you master your devil fruit powers. But we should focus on training your Haki. I assume you know all three types."

I nodded, "I need to learn Armament Haki as fast as possible. Even if I break all the bones in my body along the way. "

Rayleigh smiled, "I won't tell you the risks of the training involved. I know you won't stop anyway. As you said before, I won't question your resolve."

"Thank You, Ray-San"

-Three Months Later-

Rayleigh wasn't lying. His form of teaching wasn't training. It was survival. He used my insane healing factor against me. For hours he would throw Haki infused rocks at me while I was blindfolded.

I wasn't allowed to doge the rocks; I had to face them head-on. Rayleigh never threw them with enough force to fatally injure me, but broken bones, lesions, and bruises were all on the table.

Rayleigh used pain as a motivator. For the first month, I had nothing to show for it besides internal bleeding fractures. I would have a five-minute break every day to eat, so I had enough energy to heal.

By the second month, I had awakened Aramanet Haki, but I still couldn't grasp the hardening technique. The rocks still pierced through my weak armor, but they hurt less, so that was a bonus.

When it happened, it was like any other day when I felt my Haki surge to my right arm and harden. When I blocked the speeding rock, instead of pain, all I felt was a light thud.

Taking off my blindfold, I saw my arm was pitch black, but Rayleigh didn't let me celebrate. To make sure it wasn't a fluke, he had me harden each limb and hold it for a minute.

"That was faster than I thought, but it's not over. Don't think you can take on the world with the meager strength you have."

I looked Rayleigh directly in the eyes, "I don't need a lecture. I only need you to push me past my barriers."

Rayleigh pushed up his glasses, his face cold, "Okay then." Before I could react, the old man sucker-punched me, his fist pitch black.

It was the semi-truck all over again. Flipping around, I found my footing, but Rayleigh seemed to teleport in front of me. Bringing up my hands, Rayleigh grinned as he punched me again right in the stomach.

I folded around his fist before the punch sent me, flying into a mangrove tree. Jumping out of the hole, I covered my arm in Haki.

Rayleigh teleported in front of me again. Holding up my arm, I groaned as Rayleigh Haki overpowered mine, sending me into the ground.

"Seems like you don't understand you are nothing more than a fish in a pond trying to swim to the ocean."

I roared at Rayleigh from the crater I created around me, "Stop underestimating me!!" My Haki exploded outwards, and Rayleigh smiled as he released his Conquerors Haki.

The air smelled like ozone, and red lightning split the air. After a second, I lost control, and my Haki failed me, and Rayleigh completely overwhelmed me.

I didn't faint, but I couldn't move. However, just where I was to the point of passing out when Rayleigh finally stopped.

"I thought you might have it, one of the few in the world to have the power of kings," Rayleigh said as he dropped from the sky.

I frowned as I jumped out of the crater, "Did you do all of that just to rile me up." Rayleigh had a smug look on his face, "Maybe?"

"Whatever. What comes next? What type of training will you subjugate me to?" I asked as I brushed dirt off my shoulders.

"Your training is over. Practice won't develop your Haki. Only in life and death scenarios will you see real improvement." Rayleigh advised as he pulled out a flask and took a sip from it.

"Hey Ray-San, you're a swordsman, right?"

"Yeah, I was pretty good back in the day. Why do you ask?" Rayleigh looked at me sideways from his flask.

"Do you still think you have enough years in you to teach me again?"

Rayleigh smiled, "Let's go buy you a sword."

It wasn't hard to find a weapons shop, but selecting a sword was a whole different ordeal. I knew nothing about the grade of blades, and without Rayleigh's help, I would have been useless.

After inspecting swords for an hour, I left the shop with a decent Katana. It wasn't a Meito sword, but it would help me get by until I could forge my own.

"You seem familiar with that katana. Do you know how to use a sword," Rayleigh asked me as I started to polish and sharpen my sword.

"Yeah, I created my own style as well, but I still would like to be taught by one of the strongest pirates in the world."

Rayleigh laughed as he unsheathed his own sword, "Well let's see this so-called style of yours."

Grinning I turned on my Observation Haki, "I haven't done this in a while. So forgive me if I'm a little rusty Ray-San."

Grabbing the scabbard with one hand and wrapping my right hand around the hilt, putting most of my weight on my front foot.

[Iai Sutairu: Draw]

In one smooth motion, I pushed off the ground while drawing my katana. Rayleigh absently blocked my strike with his long sword.

Guiding my sword away Rayleigh slashed at my shoulder but I dodged by simply running away, pivoting to face Rayeligh again I sheathed my sword.

[Iai Sutairu: Domain]

I stood in place as I condensed my Observation Haki to 3 meters, I could sense every speck of dust around me and I could predict how they would move.

If an enemy allowed me to set up my Domain my chances of losing almost disappeared, Rayleigh was warry about my stance but he rushed in any way.