22 Chapter 22

Upon reaching their destination, Toji carefully set Zoro down on the ground.

"We've arrived."

They were in front of a tightly locked iron gate at the back of a massive building.

Toji, with practiced ease, began unlocking the entrance and spoke up.

"Is 'Haki' the name of the technique you possess?"

"What's a technique?"

It was from that moment, Toji felt the urge to smack his forehead with his palm. Watching Toji struggle to explain, Zoro spoke up.

"Just show me first, then I'll ask questions."

Right, Zoro had mentioned showing it. It wasn't too late to judge after seeing it.

As the door opened, a wide space similar to a hall was revealed. It was filled with dust due to a lack of human presence for a long time. The walls and floor bore marks of being slashed or pierced by something sharp.

This place was once owned by a sorcerer who Toji had been hired to kill. The sorcerer, who enjoyed creating cursed objects, often tested the performance of his creations here.

After killing the sorcerer, Toji had quietly taken over the place with the help of Shiu Kong, and often came here to test new cursed objects.

[Next is math, arithmetic time…]

Toji clicked his tongue upon hearing the sound of a frog spirit slithering along the wall. It seemed a spirit had crawled in after leaving the place vacant for too long. Though it was only a third-class spirit.

"Good timing."

Zoro stepped forward briskly, fixing his gaze on the spirit.

"It's easier to show when there's a target."

"...You can see it, then."

You're blessed, too.

While Toji was engulfed in a mix of joy and alienation, Zoro shook his head lightly.

"I can't see it with my eyes."

It's about sensing.

Zoro walked up confidently to stand in front of Toji.

"The power of 'Haki' manifests from the essence of the mind, or more accurately, the will, that every living being possesses. Well, the color of the supreme king is something one is born with."

"Anyway, there are mainly three types of Haki: Observation Haki (Kenbunshoku), Armament Haki (Busoshoku), and Conqueror's Haki (Haoshoku)."

The third-class spirit noticed Zoro and fell from the wall with a thud. It landed on the floor and then bounced towards him.

"First, the Observation Haki (Kenbunshoku Haki)."

As the spirit directed its hostility towards Zoro, Toji instinctively tensed up, ready to strike it down. That would have been the case if Zoro hadn't been clearly tracking the spirit's movements with his eyes.

"It's the power to feel the presence of others more strongly."

Zoro closed his eyes.

[Experiment?]

Ssssh!

The frog spirit extended its long, filthy tongue towards Zoro's head.

With a simple tilt of his head, Zoro dodged the attack. Toji watched, somewhat dazed, as Zoro easily avoided the spirit's attacks with mere head movements, as if mocking it.

"Reflexes?"

No, he knew. He knew where the spirit would strike.

Enraged, the frog spirit lashed out its tongue like a whip. Zoro easily sidestepped it with a few movements.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"You can know where your opponent is, how strong they are, and where they will attack."

It's not magic, nor is it simply a physical ability being enhanced. Toji instinctively realized this Haki... was a power unlike any he had encountered before.

"The second is Armament Haki (Busoshoku Haki). It's like wearing invisible armor around your body."

Poof. Zoro's right hand was enveloped in Armament Haki, turning it jet black.

"When you wear Armament Haki, the covered part turns black. And the strength and defense of that area increase according to the intensity of the Haki."

A punch with just bare fists hurts, but a punch with Armament Haki hurts more and also offers better protection.

"You can also apply it to weapons."

Zoro drew a short dagger he was wearing around his neck. The Armament Haki from his hand transferred to the dagger, turning it jet black.

"Moreover, Armament Haki can 'grab' the essence."

The frog spirit tilted its head in confusion. With a light swing, its tongue was sliced in half and fell to the ground.

Screeching in pain, the spirit realized its tongue had been cut and started hopping madly.

[No! Hate it!]

"Stronger Armament Haki can attack without even touching."

Like this.

Zoro extended his hand. The frog spirit, as if to crush Zoro's hand, leapt high.

Boom!

Without their bodies touching, a powerful wave of Armament Haki was released like a blast, obliterating the spirit on the spot without a chance to react.

"Lastly, there's Conqueror's Haki, but I can't show that yet."

Even if one is born with Conqueror's Haki, the ability to use it depends on the strength of one's spirit and body. Until it manifests, those who possess Conqueror's Haki may not even realize it. In Zoro's case, while his spirit was strong enough, his body still had a way to go.

"These three are the basics of Haki."

Zoro turned back to Toji.

Toji wore an incredibly strange expression. It was as if he had just seen a small elephant grow wings and fly into the sky – astonished, questioning the reality before his eyes, and wondering if he was dreaming.

"Why that look?"

"...."