Chapter 123 - Little Garden 04. (Hakis)

[Chapter Size: 2747 Words.]

Third Person POV

Little Garden, First Half of Grandline.

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The sun rose on the horizon of Little Garden, announcing a new day on this island. After yesterday's battle, the training continued, followed by another feast during the night.

Now, inspired by the haki manual he had intensely studied once again, Luffy decided to embark on a journey to enhance these legendary abilities. Aware that this was a journey he could not undertake alone, he summoned a group of selected members from his crew to join him in training.

In the center of an isolated clearing, Luffy waited with determination, gazing at the first rays of sun penetrating the dense vegetation. Zoro, Lami, Reiju, Shirahoshi, and Kuina gathered, each curious to know why their captain had called them to a secluded spot while the rest of the team conducted their usual training.

Luffy, noticing the confusion on their faces, decided to provide the most comprehensive explanation possible about haki, starting with an intriguing statement.

"Did you know that everyone in this world has a hidden power? A power that lies dormant in most, but can be awakened and honed by a fortunate few. That power is Haki, the ability that the greatest forces in the world specialize in. It's not the devil fruit users who dominate the seas, but this power. Gol D. Roger is an example; his era was filled with monsters, and he never had a fruit, just like my grandfather, the most powerful Marine, and even Shanks, the Yonkou who gave me this hat.

"Does this thing really exist, Luffy-sama?"

"So, this is what they call Haki?"

"Everyone has this power...?"

"You mentioned this in the East Blue, and it sounds incredible. If it makes me more powerful, then I want to learn."

Luffy, hearing the exclamations of surprise, continued with serious eyes.

"Let's talk about how this power is classified. There are three main types of Haki. Not everyone has access to them, but I chose you five because each of you possesses the two basic types and even the third, which is Conqueror's Haki, an ability that only a small number of people in this world have."

Kuina, recalling the demonstrations of Yamato and Luffy, expressed her surprise. "Conqueror's Haki, something similar to what Yamato used in the East Blue and you used in Whisky Peak?! Do we have that too?"

Luffy, maintaining his serious expression, confidently replied. "Yes, Kuina. Conqueror's Haki is the Will of the King. They say only those with ambitions to reach the top of the world possess this power, but I disagree with that idea. I believe this Haki is born with us, from the first breath in this world. The will to ascend to the heavens is intrinsically linked to it, whether directly influenced or not. All of you, like me and Yamato, were born with this power. Now, our role is to develop it. This Haki will provide a formidable boost to your strength, far beyond simply stunning a weaker group of people. There's even an advanced stage called KING'S INFUSION, which is beyond the initial phase, but I'll tell you in advance, this is the power that the greatest monsters in this world use against each other."

Lami, displaying a thoughtful expression, questioned. "So, does that mean all of us had this Conqueror's Haki from the beginning?"

Luffy nodded seriously. "Yes, Lami. Each of you carries this Will of the King from the start. Now, we need to develop it together to reach our maximum potential."

Reiju, showing her interest, asked. "And what about the other two types of Haki? How can we access and enhance them?"

Luffy smiled and made a strategic pause, allowing his words to settle before continuing. Now, he would delve into the details of Armament Haki, revealing its true depth.

Satisfied with the readiness of his key members. "Well, Reiju, those are Armament Haki and Observation Haki. As for Armament Haki, the one I mentioned earlier, it involves channeling your inner strength to intensify your attacks. It has the power to hit Logia devil fruit users and make your strikes more powerful. Imagine throwing a normal punch, but with an extra kick, maybe even multiplying your attack. With this Haki, you can punch without moving your fist, destroying an internal part without causing much damage externally. You can even face Mihawk using a bamboo stick if you're powerful enough and cover it with this Haki. It's something that makes all the difference against more formidable enemies, an art that strengthens your attacks, making them more penetrating. With dedication and training, each of you can master this aspect of Haki, elevating your abilities to a new level. The advanced name for this Haki is called emission or internal destruction."

The eyes of the crew members fixed on the captain, now understanding the magnitude of the abilities they were about to develop.

Shirahoshi, with eyes shining with curiosity, raised a question. "So, Luffy, does that mean we can use this Haki to protect the people we love? Will we be strong enough to thwart any threat?"

Luffy smiled at Shirahoshi, acknowledging the importance of her question. "Yes, Shirahoshi, exactly! Armament Haki gives us the ability to protect the people we love and face any threat. The stronger your haki, the more powerful you are. You'll be strong enough to stop any enemy. Let's train hard and make this power our defense and offense."

Zoro, always focused on the quest for more power and improvement, also expressed his interest. "Armament Haki, huh? That sounds useful. If I master this art, I can finally cut those Logia users that Yamato dealt with effortlessly. Luffy, how long will it take for us to enhance this?"

When Zoro expressed his interest, Luffy replied calmly. "Zoro, Armament Haki will be amazing for you! In addition to making your swords more instructive, the power of your blades intensifies, helping even to cut mountains and islands. As for the time, it will depend on each one's dedication. The more we strive, the faster we'll master this. But I know you all are amazing, and I'm sure we'll master Armament Haki in no time!"

Zoro and Kuina had an intrigued look when Luffy mentioned cutting, but everyone there was quite surprised by this; such power and the opportunity to learn were beyond their expectations until that day.

Lami showed interest and inquired, "You mentioned a third haki."

Luffy nodded, sharing another crucial piece of the puzzle. "Yes, we have the last, but not least, just different. It's Observation Haki. This Haki allows you to sense the presence and intentions of people around you. It's like developing a sixth sense, something that goes beyond the limits of physical vision. Observation Haki is incredibly useful for anticipating the movements of enemies, even if they're outside your field of vision. You'll be able to perceive ambushes, predict attacks, and react more quickly in combat situations. It's a powerful tool to stay one step ahead of our opponents. Observation Haki goes beyond just sensing presence. With practice and development, you'll be able to feel the emotions of people around you, detect lies, and even anticipate future events to some degree in its advanced stage. Imagine being able to read an enemy's intentions before they even attack, or knowing if someone is hiding something important. This ability can be a significant advantage in various situations, both in battle and in social interactions."

The crew's eyes lit up with interest, eager to explore this new aspect of hidden power.

Luffy made a dramatic pause, staring at each crew member with intensity. "Now, here's the exciting part. All of you have the potential to develop these hakis before we leave the paradise. And today, we'll start with Armament Haki. Let's dive together into this training and explore the dormant power within us intertwined with our internal energy. Are you ready?"

Nods and expressions of determination indicated that the crew was eager to embark on this new chapter of their development as pirates. After the initial explanation, Luffy decided to move on to the practical training of Armament Haki. He approached Zoro, Lami, Reiju, Shirahoshi, and Kuina.

"Let's go, everyone! To awaken Armament Haki, first, you need to focus on the part of the body you want to strengthen. It can be the fist, the leg, or even the blade of the sword. Feel the inner energy, the will to become stronger, and concentrate it in the chosen area."

Zoro watched attentively, ready to absorb the knowledge. Luffy continued his instruction.

"Now, visualize this energy as an invisible layer around the chosen limb. It's like you're creating a second skin, but much more resilient. Focus on making this layer solid, dense. The firmer you make it, the more powerful the Armament Haki will be."

Despite Luffy's initial explanation of Armament Haki, the crew members were still somewhat perplexed and full of questions. Their faces reflected a mix of curiosity and confusion, prompting Luffy to realize that he needed to provide more details.

"So, I guess some of you are still a bit lost, huh?" Luffy asked, observing the confused expressions around him. "Let's clarify some things."

Zoro scratched his head, expressing the collective thought. "I got the part about wrapping things in an invisible layer, but how does it really work? Is it like magical armor?"

Luffy laughed, understanding the confusion. "It's not quite like that. It's more like... you're channeling your inner strength, making it harder. It's hard to explain, but when you're in practice, you'll understand better."

"Got it," said Zoro, although still looking uncertain.

Lami raised her hand, with a doubtful expression. "And this thing about attacking Logia devil fruit users... How does that happen?"

Luffy nodded affirmatively. "Good point, Lami. When you wrap your attacks with Armament Haki, they can hit Logias, even though they normally become intangible. It's like you're hitting something solid, even if it doesn't look like it."

Reiju, still trying to absorb the new information, asked, "And about this thing of increasing the strength of our attacks?"

"Exactly!" Luffy replied, excited. "Imagine your punches, kicks, or even sword strikes being strengthened. You can cause more damage to enemies, which is always useful."

Shirahoshi, with her curious eyes, asked timidly, "But... why does it work? I mean, how does this invisible energy do all of that?"

Luffy scratched his head, trying to simplify the explanation. "That's life and spiritual energy in all living beings. It's kind of magical, Shirahoshi. You don't need to fully understand it now, just feel it and learn to use it. As we practice more, everything will make more sense, I promise."

The crew nodded, still with a touch of uncertainty. However, Luffy's confidence and their willingness to learn allowed the training session to continue, each of them delving deeper into the mysterious world of Haki.

Lami, Shirahoshi, and Kuina practiced alongside Zoro, each following Luffy's instructions. The captain of the Straw Hats encouraged them.

"Great! Now, try throwing a punch in the air, kick, or even make a sword movement. You'll feel the difference. This is Armament Haki in action. It intensifies your attacks, making them more penetrating and effective against powerful enemies."

The crew members engaged in training, focusing on refining their strikes with the new technique. Luffy circled among them, offering individual guidance and correcting postures as he had studied the manual.

Excited about unlocking their Haki, the crew members began concentrating on channeling their inner strength to manifest Armament Haki. However, frustration soon set in as they realized that this skill was not something that could be mastered in a matter of hours.

Aware of the difficulty they faced, Luffy encouraged them to persist. "I know this isn't something you learn overnight. It takes years for everyone to fully master Haki. But what we're doing here is starting to unravel this power within us. Let's keep practicing, and soon, it will yield results."

Zoro, Lami, Reiju, Shirahoshi, and Kuina tried repeatedly, closing their eyes, focusing on their fists, but couldn't manifest the energy needed to coat their strikes.

"This is harder than I imagined." Zoro frowned.

"I understand why only a few can use this now." Lami sighed.

Shirahoshi, attempting to envelop her hand with Haki, looked to Luffy for guidance. "Captain, how did you learn all this; can you use it already?"

Luffy laughed. "I haven't even started yet; I'm just beginning with you guys so that you start practicing correctly. There's no better way to learn than to teach. I'll practice on my own later." Luffy spoke, prioritizing everyone learning the theoretical part first, so he could let the crew train on their own while he developed his own skills.

Hours passed with the crew persisting in their efforts, but Armament Haki still seemed to elude them. Frustration was palpable, but Luffy encouraged them not to be discouraged.

"Let's stop for today. You did a great job, considering you're just starting. The important thing is to keep practicing every day from now on. Haki is a skill that develops over time and experience. Let's gather again tomorrow for more training, and I'll practice with you. Now let's rest to finish our business on the island and train the body further with the rest of the crew."

The expressions of determination on their faces showed that, despite the initial difficulty, the group was eager to face the challenge and unlock the hidden potential of Haki. The path to mastering these special abilities was just beginning.

After the exhaustive Haki training, the Straw Hat crew dispersed across the island to engage in various activities. Luffy, Lami, and Reiju led the group in search of valuable resources on the island.

Lami, who had her own botanical room on the ship, explored the island again, where she found a variety of medicinal herbs. Carefully, she harvested those that would be useful for preparing medicines, ensuring that the ship was well-stocked for possible medical emergencies.

Reiju, in turn, wielded her spear skillfully while hunting dinosaurs. Her goal was to fill the ship's fridge with fresh and nutritious meat from what this island could offer, ensuring a food supply for the crew.

Excited about the prospect of finding exotic animals for another island he planned to cultivate with many species, Luffy led an expedition to capture the best living specimens. He knew this would add a special touch to his collection of extraordinary beings. Luffy appeared a few hours later with four cages filled with miniature animals and Alvida, who accompanied him through the forest for some intimate moments with Luffy as they took a break from hunting.

While the rest of the crew went about their own activities, some explored, like Vivi, who found Luffy and Alvida in one of their intimate moments and fled embarrassed, Zoro and Kuina who continued training, or Shirahoshi and the animals accompanying the giants by the ship. The others remained on the ship; Luffy placed Black Pearl in the middle of the camp where they held banquets to sleep and feed the prisoners in their prison, some reading, others pursuing their hobbies. It was good that they finally had time freed up by the captain to do their own leisure activities.

Another night passed with another feast. Luffy and the others trained again the next day and finally decided to leave the island in the middle of the day.

Luffy, already determined to take the giants with him, used the powers of the Moa Moa no Mi to shrink them to a more manageable size. Broggy and Dorry, now reduced to a more appropriate scale, looked at themselves in amazement, realizing they were no longer the colossal giants they used to be. The atmosphere around them changed, becoming more intimate and friendly.

"This is amazing, Dorry! Now we can travel together without crushing everything in our path," exclaimed Broggy, surprised at their new stature.

Dorry nodded, pleased with the idea of more accessible adventures. "You did something extraordinary, little one. Now, we're the right size for the ship, aren't we, Broggy?"

Luffy, satisfied with his visit to this island. "Let's go, guys! The next island awaits us!" With that, the Straw Hats, now accompanied by their new friends in a more compact version, departed from Little Garden Island towards new horizons, heading towards the Drum Kingdom, known for having the best doctors in the Grand Line.

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