Internal Destruction

In the dim and oppressive depths of the mine, a group of unfortunate prisoners found themselves in a dire predicament. Some of them were shackled with explosive devices, menacingly primed to detonate upon their exit. Life in these subterranean confines was a far cry from the world they had known before. Despite their once-formidable strength and Haki abilities, the relentless toil in the mining fields had exacted a heavy toll on their bodies, leaving them ill-prepared to confront the looming specter of the impending explosions.

The choice before them was stark, if not cruel: step out of the mine and meet instant obliteration, or remain confined and cling to the hope of a future escape. Consequently, these prisoners toiled ceaselessly, their eyes locked on the elusive glimmer of liberty.

Amidst the laboring captives stood Sebastian. He gripped another inmate's shackles with unwavering concentration, his hands enveloped in the aura of Armament Haki. Some of the shackles had darkened, betraying the telltale sign of armament color!

Ulti eyes wide with astonishment and her small mouth concealed behind a flower mask, watched in awe. Page One, couldn't resist making his way over and, upon spotting Sebastian amidst the crowd, raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Quite the handsome fellow, isn't he?" Page One remarked, a rare admission given his own vanity. It was a testament to Sebastian's charisma.

Ulti quickly explained, "He's attempting internal distruction!"

Page One, well-acquainted with the challenges of mastering Armament Haki, was taken aback. "Where did this guy come from to have developed Haki to this extent?"

Page knew firsthand the difficulties of mastering Armament Haki, having spent a year without progressing beyond the initial stages of hardening. The young man on the ground, roughly Page's age, had not only mastered external release but was also practicing the elusive art of internal destruction.

"I remember that even Boss Queen is still working on mastering armament color propagation," Page added with a hint of surprise. "And Jack hasn't achieved internal destruction either."

"That's right. Even old Queen is struggling," Ulti concurred.

"It's incredible. He's younger than me, and he's already surpassed me," Page admitted, a rare expression of humility.

Page couldn't help but acknowledge the presence of extraordinary individuals in the world.

"Sister, it's time for us to find that person you mentioned," Ulti declared with resolve.

Page nodded, his eyes fixed on Sebastian. "Oh, he's Sebastian…"

Page's astonishment grew as he realized that it had been only five hours since his sister had mentioned Sebastian's introduction to Armament Haki. In just half a day, Sebastian had grasped the basics and delved into the mysteries of internal destruction, an astonishing feat that left Page in disbelief.

Gulp!

Page swallowed hard and turned to his sister. "Sister, is it really him?"

Ulti, known for her rare moments of candor, nodded, equally awestruck by Sebastian's rapid progress.

"Page, how long did it take you to master Armament Haki?" Ulti asked, seeking to put things in perspective.

"It took me about two and a half months to grasp Armament Haki," he replied after a moment of reflection.

"It took me two months." Ulti said.

The siblings exchanged a bewildered glance, their jaws nearly dropping. Sebastian's progress was nothing short of phenomenal.

"I heard that King took around a month, and old Queen and Jack took two months," Ulti added.

Page shook his head, struggling to come to terms with the astonishing truth. "Isn't that a bit exaggerated? Cultivating Armament Haki within half a day and mastering the three primary techniques—could it be that he had prior experience with armament colors?"

"How old do you think he is?" Ulti asked, prompting Page to consider the enigma that was Sebastian.

"About my age?" Page guessed, though the truth remained a mystery.

Page, at just fifteen years old, was in the midst of rapid physical and strength development. His body was continuously strengthening as he grew, thanks to his early exposure to Armament Haki and Observation Haki within the Beasts Pirates. But there was something different about Sebastian, who was also fifteen.

Page and Ulti, who had been adopted by Kaido had grown up within the Beasts Pirates. From the tender age of six, they had been training and honing their skills under Kaido's deliberate guidance, which had brought them to their current level of strength. In the outside world, the kind of power they possessed at their age was unimaginable.

Even though Sebastian had also been exposed to Armament Haki, his ability to cultivate it to an extroverted level at the age of fifteen left everyone in awe. Page couldn't help but mumble, "This is incredible."

Sebastian, standing in the center, set aside a prisoner's handcuffs, shook his head in disappointment, and gradually retracted the Haki in his hand. The pirates around began chattering, seemingly relishing in his apparent failure. After all, in the world of the Beasts Pirates, every person around you could be a potential rival.

"Why would pirates be pleased about someone getting stronger? They'd be happier if that person grew weaker," one of the pirates remarked.

"At such a young age, he will undoubtedly master the highest levels of Armament Haki in the future," another one added.

"Tsk tsk, I'm so envious. If only I had his talent, imagine realizing I had Armament Haki as a teenager; I'd definitely become a renowned figure in the future," a third pirate chimed in.

Ulti made her way through the crowd to reach Sebastian and asked, "Have you ever been exposed to Armament Haki before?"

"No," Sebastian replied.

"Really? Don't try to deceive a young girl!" Ulti replied with a playful tone.

"I come from a poor and deprived mountain village. There was no opportunity to learn Armament Haki there," Sebastian said with a laugh.

Ulti was taken aback. It turned out Sebastian was a prodigy, and she needed to report this to Boss Kaido.

"You've already learned the external release of Armament Haki, but I can't teach you the final stage of internal destruction. However, don't worry; I'll go to Boss Kaido and find you a suitable mentor," Ulti assured him.

Kaido, had little patience for the weak and inept, but he held a deep appreciation for geniuses. Those who attempted to challenge him and displayed exceptional talents were often spared, their lives preserved while they were given a chance to pledge their loyalty to the Beasts Pirates.

"Um... I don't recall saying I hadn't learned internal destruction," Sebastian replied.

.....

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