16 Chapter 16

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Chapter 16

Title: Haki?

….

There was one thing that pissed me off in this world. And that was Garp, I had been with the man for a week now and he just kept eating crackers while 'training' me, which computed to just him beating the shìt out of me.

Even as these thoughts ran through my head I was on the deck of his ship, breathing heavily, feeling like every muscle in my body had been ripped apart and suddenly a shadow descended over me. 

*munch* *munch* *munch*

Cookie crumbs hit my face, I don't even have the energy to move out of the way. 

"Are you already tired? Kinda weak for a Zoan. I remember this fish guy being able to fight for days." Said Garp, a smile on his face as a melancholic look appeared in his eyes, "Sheesh, young people nowadays are so weak. At my age… uhhh… how old was I again?"

"You are seventy-four years old sir!" One of the marines said while saluting the Vice-Admiral.

"Yeah, anyway, I am an old man and you still haven't been able to land a hit in me. Not like it would do anything though, as even your bear form feels like a little a cute dog by how hard it hits." Garp kept mocking me, and honestly, by now his insults started getting to me. Well, I hadn't dashed out yet outwardly, but I felt like it was close, the injuries and hard training were getting to me. Plus the lack of sleep too, this damn old man hasn't slept since we have arrived here and was bored enough at night to come and try teaching me how to fight against sneak attacks. 

Which was bullshìt by the way since I know he would be injured by Axe-Hand Morgan while he was sleeping too. 

I think that he was just bored and found someone like me to hit I have the favorite kind of face he likes to punch. He said that I looked like one of those nobles who always smiled politely even if they hated you. Yeah, I think he was just punching me because as a Marine he can't legally punch Nobles, but by now I think he might have punched some by the reckless way he acts.

"You know, my grandson has some ideas of becoming a pirate-" *snore* He suddenly fell asleep in the middle of telling me a story about Luffy.

Feeling that my stamina had regenerated enough, Zoans are something I am growing to love recently. My recovery time keeps getting faster and faster. Like the bear inside feeling inadequate against Garp and trying to make up for the shortcomings of strength, defense, and recovery.

Immediately I changed into my hybrid form and hair grew all over my body with my nails extending and turning into sharp dark claws. I clenched my hand into a fist and used all of my power to punch the sleeping old man straight in the face.

BOOOOOOM!

The power behind the attack made some of the wind around me move, and Garp was pushed by my punch and crashed through the ship, almost blasting through the helms and off into the sea.

But mid-flight, he had woken up and straightened himself, digging his feet on the wooden deck below him. "Hm? Is it morning already?" He inquired with a sleepy look, then he gazed at me and yawned. "Oh, it's you brat. I thought you wouldn't have the guts to wake me up till morning, it seems like I was wrong."

Except for some small amount of blood coming out of his nose, he didn't seem bothered at all. 

"You know old man, your stories suck. I couldn't care less about some grandson or the other." I don't know if it was the fatigue getting at me, or the lack of sleep. Maybe both and I subconsciously thought that after being knocked out by the old man I would be able to rest. But even then, saying something like this out loud… saying it honestly… it felt nice after all the beating I have taken from this bastard old man.

"Ah… is that so…" Garp looked at me calmly, and that was when I knew… maybe keeping my mouth shut would have been better.

Still, I tried to defuse the situation. "Well, you said that you don't like dishonest people like me right? So I was truthful."

"Hmmm~" Garp seemed to think for a second, but he just shrugged and cracked his knuckles. "I still don't like you, it feels like if I listen to you anymore then you will weasel your way out of it."

The old man's fists then take on a darkened shining color, signifying that he was using Haki. 

Okay… he had never used Haki, even when we fought 'seriously'. I knew he could beat me black and blue without using it, he knew that too. So why the hell is he using it?! That damn monstrous old man.

"Do you know what Haki is, brat?" Asked Garp possibly.

"Yeah," I answered him truthfully, not seeing the need to lie to the old man. 

"Good, then if you have any other questions about it ask my men, NOT me… because that would be annoying to explain. Anyway, with Armament Haki, you have to want it real bad. You have to believe it to happen, no doubts must remain in your mind when you use Armament, because it won't work. Still, though, you mustn't think like that, why? Because it WILL work!" 

Garp's explanation was weird, but I understood what he meant by it. Haki works only if you believe it to work, both consciously and subconsciously, and since I lived without Haki for a long time, this would be harder to learn than usual… maybe? Because my knowledge in Haki isn't anything special I could be wrong in some things, but I get the gist of it.

Anyway, my new goal now is… to attain Armament Haki while Garp escorts us to the Grand Line-...

Baam!

I didn't see the fist that attacked me, nor did I see Garp move, he only disappeared from my view. His hit was so sudden that it interrupted my thought process… and my vision was surrounded in darkness as my consciousness slipped away from me. 

Damn, the difference in power is just too wide.

"Rest now, you brat." I heard Garp say, or that could have been my imagination… who knows? I am just too tired.

….

-General POV-

As Max's body hit the ground and went back from his hybrid bear form to his human body, Garp looked at his Haki infused fist and frowned. 

'Did that brat just subconsciously use Haki to try and stop my fist?' Wondered Garp and he gazed at the unconscious Max with a strange look on his face. He felt a small resistance at the hit, though not enough to completely block Garp's punch, the difference was still noticeable. 

"Damn I am an awesome teacher." The Vice-Admiral took all the credit for his good teaching. 

His marine crew sighed, used to Garp's strange antics.

….

A/N: The MC had training physically to an acceptable level. Now he plans to divulge into Haki and training more.