Armament Haki (Edited)

Adrian stood on the command deck, the calm sea stretching behind Mystoria Island. He waved Koby and Helmeppo over, his expression serious, reflecting the importance of their discoveries and the need to keep things under wraps.

"Koby, you have the documents and the carvings we photographed, right?" Adrian asked as they moved forward.

Koby held a folder filled with sketches and notes, nodding. "Yes, sir. Everything's here."

"Good. Give these to Vice Admiral Garp. He needs to see what we've found," Adrian instructed, preparing them for their briefing with the higher-ups.

They reached the command deck's door, marked with the Marine insignia. Adrian knocked and then entered with Koby and Helmeppo following. Inside, Vice Admiral Garp and his right-hand man, Bogart, paused their strategy talk as the trio entered.

"Adrian, what do you have for us?" Garp asked, his voice booming but friendly.

Adrian nodded at Koby, signaling him to step forward. "Sir, Koby will brief you on the physical evidence we collected from the ruins on Mystoria Island. I'll cover the other details with you privately afterward."

Koby confidently handed the folder to Garp, who began flipping through the sketches with keen interest. Helmeppo watched silently, his gaze shifting between the officers and his friend.

"Very good, Koby. Looks promising," Garp remarked as he browsed the contents. "What about the bandits?"

"We took care of a group hiding in the ruins. They're locked up in the brig for questioning now," Adrian answered, keeping his voice professional.

Garp nodded in approval. "Well done. Koby, Helmeppo, you're dismissed. Keep up the good work."

As the two left the room, a wave of pride washed over them, lifted by Garp's praise. Once outside, Helmeppo turned to Koby.

"Boss really knows his stuff, doesn't he?" Helmeppo remarked, using their new nickname for Adrian, inspired by his leadership and the respect he commanded.

"Yeah, he's amazing. I'm learning so much from him," Koby responded, his admiration for Adrian clear. "Think we'll get more missions like this?"

"Hopefully. As long as they don't all involve haunted graveyards," Helmeppo joked, sharing a laugh with Koby.

Back inside, Adrian's demeanor became serious as he spoke to Garp and Bogart privately. "Sir, the archaeological findings are significant, but there's more to Mystoria Island's history, possibly linked to the Void Century."

Garp raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Should we keep an eye on Mystoria Island?"

"Yes, perhaps a specialized team for a follow-up. The implications could be far-reaching," Adrian suggested, keeping his knowledge of his shadow powers off the record.

Bogart, ever the strategist, agreed. "Sound plan. I'll arrange for surveillance and further investigation."

Adrian nodded, satisfied with the discussion. "Thank you, sir. That's a prudent approach."

As the ship navigated through the Grand Line's rough waters, they encountered various sea creatures. Suddenly, a massive Sea King attacked, its eyes glinting maliciously.

Without hesitation, Garp stepped forward, his fist glowing with a mysterious black sheen. With a powerful shout, he struck the creature, sending it reeling back into the water, stunned.

Koby and Helmeppo, watching in awe, turned to Adrian. "What was that, sir? How did Vice Admiral Garp do that?" Koby asked, a mix of fear and fascination in his voice.

Adrian smiled, seizing the teaching moment. "That's Haki, specifically Armament Haki. It uses spiritual energy to strengthen physical abilities and weapons, and it can even hit the true bodies of those intangible due to Devil Fruit powers."

Helmeppo's jaw dropped. "So, it's like a superpower?"

"It's more about spirit and willpower," Adrian explained. "Anyone can learn it with the right training and determination."

As Garp returned, brushing off the encounter with a hearty laugh, Adrian pondered his own abilities. Even though he commanded powerful allies like Arlong, Bear King, and Blade Specter, he knew he needed to enhance his physical skills.

Learning Haki seemed essential, especially to keep his shadow powers hidden and still manage threats effectively.

"I hope to learn Haki myself one day," Adrian mused, partly to himself. "It's vital for a Marine, especially out here."

Koby nodded eagerly. "Can you teach us, boss, when you learn?"

"I'll do my best," Adrian promised, his commitment reinforcing his resolve to master this new challenge. "Learning together, that's how we'll all become stronger."

Onboard, as they navigated the unpredictable currents of the Grand Line, they were deep in a training session under Garp's guidance. Garp had planned their route to pass through several key pirate hotspots and strategic islands, giving his protégés real-world experience of Marine duty in these dangerous waters.

As they continued their practice, a Marine lookout signaled the arrival of seagull mail—a common way to receive news across the ocean. A bird landed gracefully, a bag strapped to its back filled with newspapers and wanted posters.

Koby hurried over to collect the delivery, his enthusiasm evident. He quickly rifled through the items, his eyes lighting up when he found the latest bounty poster for Monkey D. Luffy, now worth 30,000,000 berries.

"Check this out!" he exclaimed, holding up the poster for everyone to see.

Helmeppo leaned in, his expression thoughtful as he remembered his own encounters with Luffy and the Straw Hat crew back in Shells Town. Holding the poster, he felt a rush of nostalgia and a sense of how much had changed since those early days.

Adrian joined them, curious about the commotion. He glanced at the poster and nodded, not surprised to see Luffy's face; the bounty was a clear sign of the young pirate's growing reputation since their showdown at Arlong Park.

"Ah, Luffy's really making a name for himself," Adrian said with a grin. Turning to Koby, he added, "I ran into Luffy and his crew at Arlong Park. We had quite an adventure together."

Koby's eyes sparkled with surprise and respect. "You met Luffy, sir? That's incredible! He was my inspiration when I first decided to join the Marines. He motivated me."

Adrian knew well the kind of impact Luffy could have on people. "He has that effect on folks. Luffy's the kind of guy who pushes you to go further, to dream bigger."

Koby's face lit up with renewed determination. "That just makes me want to train even harder! If I'm going to meet Luffy again, I need to be much stronger. Can we step up the training, sir?"

Adrian's smile widened, impressed by Koby's motivation. "Absolutely, Koby. Let's push harder. The stronger you are, the better you'll be at your job and facing whatever comes your way."

Helmeppo jumped in, not wanting to be left behind. "Count me in too. I don't want to be the weak link when we run into pirates like Luffy."

Adrian clapped both on their backs, pleased with their spirit. "That's the spirit! Let's get back to training then. There's no time like the present to start improving." They returned to their exercises with renewed vigor, ready to tackle whatever challenges the Grand Line might throw at them next.