Hardening Technique

As the night deepened, the Merry bobbed gently on the tranquil ocean waves, emitting a rhythmic creak.

The sea breeze dispersed the lingering scent of alcohol from the earlier feast, and the starry sky above was as brilliant as an overturned jewel box.

Although the atmosphere was relaxed, Ronan's words quickly sobered up the few individuals who had been immersed in the shock of Haki.

Ronan set down his wine cup and looked at the two pairs of eager eyes before him, slowly saying:

"The advanced techniques I mentioned earlier, whether it's Armament Haki or Conqueror's Haki that can awe everything, are still too far off for our current strength."

"You have to eat rice one mouthful at a time, and walk one step at a time."

He stood up and walked to the center of the deck, his posture as upright as a pine tree: "The urgent priority now is to first get started with 'Observation Haki', and at the same time..."

Ronan paused, his gaze sweeping over Luffy's thin, rubbery limbs, and Zoro's muscles, which were sturdy but not yet at a superhuman level:

"We need to train our Physique like crazy. Only by possessing a superhuman Physique can we bear the domineering power of 'Armament Haki'."

Zoro keenly grasped the main point. He sat cross-legged on the ground, his palms stroking the hilt of the sword at his waist, a flicker of understanding in his eyes:

"Ronan, you mean that the prerequisite for cultivating Armament Haki is to have a sufficiently powerful body?"

"In other words, the Horse Stance you taught us before isn't just about standing still; it's laying the foundation for this?"

"Precisely, your comprehension is very high."

Ronan nodded approvingly, "The Horse Stance is the accumulation of 'stillness', the foundation for regulating Blood Essence and stabilizing the lower body."

"But relying solely on the Horse Stance to reach a level capable of bearing Armament Haki in a short period is too slow."

"Yeah, too slow..." Luffy mumbled, clearly impatient with the tedious standing meditation.

Zoro suddenly raised his head, his eyes burning with the primal desire for power that a swordsman possesses:

"Are you saying there are techniques more efficient than the Horse Stance for strengthening the body?"

"Of course, and there are plenty."

Ronan clasped his hands behind his back and, on the deck of this异世界 (different world), began to reveal the treasures of Chinese National Martial Arts:

"The saying goes, 'Externally train the tendons, bones, and skin; internally train the breath.' However, we can't bite off more than we can chew. Let's start with the most domineering and direct one—a Hardening Technique."

"Moreover, practicing the Hardening Technique can make the cultivation of Observation Haki twice as effective!"

"Hardening Technique?" Nami tilted her head, her orange short hair fluttering in the night breeze, her face full of confusion. "What's that?"

"Simply put," Ronan explained.

"It's through special breathing exercises, combined with external impacts, to train a person's skin, muscles, tendons, and bones to be as hard as steel."

"This is a technique born purely to enhance defense, strength, and explosive power."

As he spoke, Ronan's voice deepened slightly, carrying a hint of temptation:

"If you achieve minor success, combined with specific medicinal baths, you can become impervious to blades and fire."

"Impervious to blades?!"

These four words struck Luffy and Zoro's nerves like lightning.

Luffy jumped up, his eyes shining, and even drool dripped from the corner of his mouth (though not because of food):

"Doesn't that mean I'll never have to worry about those annoying swordsmen cutting me again?! Rubber plus impervious to blades, I'll be invincible!"

Zoro couldn't help but clench his fists, his breathing quickening:

"Can it significantly increase pure strength? If the body is as hard as steel, then my slashing power..."

Ronan chuckled inwardly as he looked at their eyes, which were like hungry wolves spotting meat, and then poured a basin of cold water:

"Of course. However, I must state the unpleasant truth upfront. Although this technique is domineering, the process of cultivation... is extremely painful."

"It's a pain that goes deep into the bone marrow; you must be mentally prepared."

"Pain?"

Zoro's lips curved into a ferocious and fanatical arc:

"I couldn't ask for more! As long as I can become stronger, the more pain there is... the better!"

Luffy laughed even more carelessly: "Hee hee hee! I'm not afraid of pain!!"

"What a bunch of masochists..." Nami, standing nearby, put her hand to her forehead helplessly, but then she seemed to think of a crucial question.

"Wait, Ronan. You just said that practicing this Hardening Technique can make cultivating 'Observation Haki' twice as effective? Is there any relationship between the two?"

"Miss Nami, that's a great question."

Ronan turned to Nami, a sly smile in his eyes:

"To achieve the state of being impervious to blades through Hardening Technique, besides cultivating Qi, what is the core method? Of course, it's--getting beaten."

"Huh--?!"

As soon as Ronan finished speaking, a chorus of surprised exclamations rang out on the deck.

"Getting beaten?" Usopp flinched.

Ronan nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Skin and muscles only become tougher through constant blows, destruction, and rebuilding."

"And the best beginner method for practicing Observation Haki is to close your eyes and feel the attacks with your heart."

Ronan spread his hands, making a perfect logical loop gesture.

"Think about it, when you close your eyes and try to dodge an attack, you won't be able to at first, right?"

"If you can't dodge, you'll get hit. When you get hit, you can use the breathing technique of the Hardening Technique to tank the damage and strengthen your body."

"If you dodge, it's an improvement in Observation Haki; if you don't dodge, it's an improvement in the Hardening Technique."

"No matter the outcome, you're getting stronger. This is the tailor-made, win-win training method I've created for you!"

A silence fell over the deck, broken only by the sound of the waves.

Then, Luffy burst out with a shout.

"Awesome! I want to train! I want to train! It's just getting hit! I'm not afraid of getting hit at all! As long as I can get stronger, hit me all you want!"

Zoro's eyes already conveyed his battle intent: "It can hone a swordsman's intuition and strengthen the body... this training method suits me perfectly."

"Um..." Nami raised her hand, her face turning a bit green, and asked weakly.

"Ronan, that Hardening Technique... will practicing it make me bulky? Like, really bulky... with muscles all knotted up like rocks?"

Ronan nodded honestly. "In the early stages, of course. Because your Strength will increase significantly, muscle expansion is a necessary path. However, once you reach the peak and return to simplicity..."

Before Ronan could even finish the phrase "return to simplicity," an image had already formed in Nami's mind.

Her reflection in the mirror showed her slender, slim figure gone, replaced by arms thicker than Zoro's.

Veins bulged on her neck as she struck a bodybuilder pose in a bikini, letting out a rough laugh: "Wahaha! I'm the strongest!"

"Nooooo!!"

Nami screamed and clutched her slender arms, shaking her head frantically, her eyes filled with terror.

"I don't want to become a muscle woman! Absolutely not! I won't train! I'll die before I train!"

Usopp, standing nearby, shook his head like a rattle drum, saying with righteous indignation.

"I'm a sniper! A long-range support! This barbaric training method that requires getting hit doesn't fit the noble temperament of 'Captain Usopp'! I'll just watch... just watch!"

Ronan glanced at the "remote mage" duo and didn't insist.

"Alright then, to each their own."

Ronan turned around, his gaze sharp as he looked at Luffy and Zoro. Tonight's main characters were them.

"Luffy, Zoro. Starting tonight, the three of us will practice together."