Chapter 6: Conqueror's Haki

"Hawkeye also has Conqueror's Haki? Well, that makes sense, he is the world's greatest… What the hell!"

The shockwave from their clash surged closer and closer. Bardock felt as if his brain had been hammered twice, leaving him dizzy. But he was unwilling to give in—he hadn't even seen the outcome of the move yet.

Had Bardock turned around, he would have noticed that many of the crew members had already fainted from the Conqueror's Haki, with only the officers remaining unaffected.

"Do you think a mere aftershock can bring me down? Aah…!"

Bardock silently screamed, and then he felt something break through a barrier in his body, like a shield blocking the external shockwaves.

"Does this kid also have the potential of a king?"

Beckman took everything in calmly, lighting a cigarette, its tip glowing faintly in the evening breeze.

Bardock, however, didn't have time to worry about anything else. The dust on the island began to clear, revealing Shanks and Mihawk. They had gone from facing each other to standing back-to-back. If this were some clichéd plot development, one of them would fall in the next moment, blood gushing from their body as if a high-pressure valve had burst.

But nothing of the sort happened. Although both of them looked somewhat battered, neither was seriously injured.

Shanks turned around and threw an arm around Mihawk's shoulders, slapping him heartily. "That was incredible, Mihawk. You even took that move! I thought I had this one in the bag."

This technique, "Divine Departure," was indeed powerful. The Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, had once used it effortlessly to send the heir of Wano's Shogunate, Kozuki Oden, flying. Shanks had only recently started mastering it, but the fact that Mihawk could block it without injury spoke volumes about his strength.

"Alright, everyone, let's have a feast!"

"Woo-hoo!"

The crew busily tidied up the small island, lit a bonfire, and began preparing food. Bardock helped Lucky Roux with the cooking.

Over the past few days of traveling together, Bardock had gotten along best with Lucky Roux. Both were food lovers, and they had endless topics to talk about. Bardock had learned many culinary techniques from Lucky Roux, while Roux had gained a lot of new ideas for dishes from Bardock's world. It was a win-win.

"Uta, sing us 'Binks' Sake,' and let's all raise a glass," said Shanks, who, if not a pirate, could have been an excellent party host, always setting the perfect mood.

"Yeah!" The crew raised their drinks and drank heartily.

"Yo-ho-ho-ho, yo-ho-ho-ho

Yo-ho-ho-ho, yo-ho-ho-ho

Yo-ho-ho-ho, yo-ho-ho-ho

Yo-ho-ho-ho, yo-ho-ho-ho

Bring Binks' sake to you,

Like the sea breeze, ride the wind and waves..."

At first, it was Uta singing, but soon, everyone else joined in. The most surprising part was when Mihawk joined the singing as well.

"Mihawk, Mihawk, who would've thought you had this side to you. If only I had a Den Den Mushi with a camera function, I'd record this and sell it to Big News Morgans…"

The thought made Bardock smirk mischievously. But then, suddenly, a sharp gaze fell upon him—no, pierced him. It was a gaze so sharp that it felt tangible, making Bardock's scalp tingle. He quickly straightened up and raised his glass towards Mihawk in acknowledgment.

"Shanks, is that guy one of your crewmembers too?"

Following Mihawk's line of sight, Shanks shook his head, "That's Bardock, a guest on my ship. He's only eight years old but incredibly talented. Beckman said he awakened his Conqueror's Haki too. On top of that, he ate a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit. If nothing goes wrong, he'll definitely become a big deal in the future."

Mihawk didn't say anything more and quietly continued drinking.

"Come on, drink up! You've got to finish it all in one go!"

After a while, Mihawk, who enjoyed good liquor but wasn't one to overindulge, left the party early to rest on his small boat. Shanks and the rest of the crew, however, continued their revelry late into the night, determined to drink until they dropped.

"Shanks, what was that final move you two used earlier? How did you manage to clash without touching each other?" Bardock asked during a lull in the drinking.

"Hahaha, that's Haki! Haki! It's a combination of flowing Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki!"

"Haki? Armament? Conqueror's?"

"Yeah, Haki is an innate power that all humans possess, a potential force. It's an invisible energy composed of aura, breath, and intimidation... When you control these unseen sensations, your willpower becomes a weapon, and that's Haki."

"Potential force?"

"That's right. Most people spend their entire lives without ever being able to tap into their Haki. There are two common types: Observation Haki, which lets you sense the presence of others, and Armament Haki, which enhances your offense and defense. Then there's the rarest type, Conqueror's Haki, which represents pure intimidation and is only possessed by those with the potential to be kings. Bardock, you have the potential of a king, which only one in a million people are born with."

"Hahaha, of course! That's just like me. So, Shanks, how do I awaken the other two types of Haki?"

"Ya-le-ya-le, I'm not the best teacher, you know. But in simple terms, Observation Haki requires training in perception, and Armament Haki needs a strong body. Remember, unwavering willpower is the key to strength. The best way to awaken Haki is through real combat…"

Shanks, not being particularly good at explaining things, rambled on, sharing his personal experiences here and there, offering tips as they came to mind. Fortunately, Bardock had already done some homework beforehand and was able to piece together the key points, especially regarding Shanks' training suggestions, which gave him plenty of inspiration.

"Thanks, Shanks. Cheers to you! I'll finish this one!"

"Bottoms up! Hahaha, Bardock, until you fully master your Conqueror's Haki, don't use it recklessly. You might end up hurting your own people. Come on, fill up your glass, and let's toast again!"

"Cheers!"

The party went on late into the night, and for the first time, Bardock got drunk in the pirate world.

…

"Knock knock knock."

Bardock awoke to the sound of knocking, finding himself lying on the cabin floor. He had no idea how he got there.

When he opened the door, he was greeted by Lucky Roux, smiling broadly. "Bardock, we've spotted the Sabaody Archipelago! Get ready! We need to resupply."

"That was quick. Roux, I'm going to miss you guys."

"Then join us! We can study food together! Hahaha!"

"I think I'll pass. You've already got a monkey." Bardock was referring to Bonk Punch, one of Shanks' officers, who was an actual monkey.

"Alright then. I'm pretty busy with all the supplies, so I won't be able to say goodbye later."

"Okay, you go ahead. I'll go find Shanks."

When Bardock found Shanks, the latter was standing at the bow of the ship, gazing out towards Sabaody.

Upon seeing Bardock, Shanks suddenly burst out laughing, "Hey, Monkey King! You can't handle your alcohol, huh?"

"Uh, Monkey King?"

"Yeah, you were going on about being the Monkey King, saying you were going to wreak havoc in Heaven. Oh, and you said you were going to beat Sengoku into a pulp."

"No way," Bardock quickly asked, "What else did I say?"

"Take a guess."