What Is Haki?

Moon Island, coast.

The warship had raised its sails and was ready to set off at any moment.

By the shore, the deputy army commander of the Goa Kingdom stood with a group of soldiers, his face full of gratitude.

"Second Lieutenant Luo Ya, if the Navy hadn't saved us this time, we would have died at the hands of the Buggy Pirates. If you ever have the chance, you must come visit the Goa Kingdom."

"There will be a chance."

Luo Ya exchanged pleasantries with a fake smile.

The Goa Kingdom was less than a day's journey from the 153rd Branch. If one drifted in a barrel like Luffy, it would only take one or two days.

Traveling back and forth was very convenient.

But under normal circumstances, the kingdom's army and the Navy did not get along very well. They carried themselves with an arrogance that suggested they looked down on others.

In the eyes of many soldiers from allied nations, the Navy was merely hired muscle specialized in catching pirates, far beneath them, who protected the kingdom's safety—especially the nobles serving in the army's upper ranks.

After brushing them off for a while, the Goa Kingdom's ship quickly departed.

Luo Ya walked toward Zoro, who stood by the shore as though contemplating life.

He had no particular thoughts about Nami, but Zoro was different. This guy truly had strength. Other than his terrible sense of direction and occasional stupidity, he had practically no flaws.

Luo Ya came up beside Zoro and asked with a smile, "You don't have a ship. Want to leave on my warship?"

"No need."

Zoro arrogantly refused. He did not want to owe Luo Ya another favor; what had happened On the Island was already enough to make him unbearably ashamed.

"I'll leave on my own!"

"Quit talking bullshit."

Luo Ya rolled his eyes and said in a tone that brooked no argument, "Stop wasting time and get on the warship. With your ability to get lost, you'll never leave this island for the rest of your life."

"..."

Zoro's brain heated up.

Damn it, he was actually looking down on him!

Who would get lost?!

Considering that he really might be unable to leave this island, Zoro hesitated for a long time before following Luo Ya with a dark expression.

He would get off at the next island!

Strange. He felt like he had forgotten something.

The warship sailed into the open sea, heading toward the 153rd Branch.

As night fell, Luo Ya went alone to the prison area. The Marines on guard immediately stood when they saw him arrive.

"Second Lieutenant Luo Ya!"

"You two stand guard outside. Without my orders, no one is allowed in."

"Yes!"

The Marines did not hesitate. They immediately went outside the prison area and stood guard on either side of the door.

Though they wondered why Second Lieutenant Luo Ya had come to interrogate a prisoner only after dark, it was not their place to ask. Questioning a superior without authorization brought no benefits.

Carrying an oil lamp, Luo Ya entered the prison cell holding Buggy. Since there were no Sea Stone handcuffs, he had specifically ordered Buggy's feet cut off and locked inside a metal box.

That move had made Buggy completely give up on escaping.

Clack!

The oil lamp was placed on the floor, faintly illuminating the prison cell.

Buggy raised his head. When he saw that Luo Ya was the one who had come, his legs could not help trembling. Though his lower body had received emergency treatment, he still felt a stabbing pain.

"It's you!"

The hatred in his eyes was undisguised.

"Don't look so fierce. I only hit you with a couple of clubs."

Luo Ya spoke indifferently.

Even someone like Usopp could still jump around after having his skull shattered. Buggy's injuries were not that serious at all.

"Clatter, clatter~~"

Hammers, iron pincers, charcoal braziers, branding irons.

All kinds of torture tools were laid out before Buggy, and every single one of them could bring back painful memories for him.

Buggy's expression changed drastically. He did not even dare breathe loudly.

Luo Ya smiled. Under the flickering glow of the oil lamp, it was exceptionally terrifying.

"I ask, you answer. Understand?"

"Mm-hm, mm-hm, mm-hm."

Buggy nodded desperately.

Luo Ya gave a slight nod. He had no interest in interrogating prisoners, but if necessary, he would not hesitate to do it.

"I want to know how to master Haki."

"Haki?!"

Buggy froze.

He had considered countless possibilities—coveting his treasure, seeking information about other pirates—but he had never imagined the other party would ask about Haki.

Had his identity finally been exposed?

Buggy quickly recovered, putting on a bewildered expression. His large, watery eyes radiated innocence and stupidity.

"Haki? What's that?"

Slash!

The blade flashed, and head and body were separated!

Luo Ya picked up Buggy's head, nailed it to the wall, then grabbed a branding iron and asked with a broad smile, "I'll ask you one more time. How do you master Haki?"

"Wait, we can talk this out!"

Buggy's face turned pale.

He could tell that Luo Ya was absolutely not joking. If he could not answer, that red-hot branding iron would definitely be pressed onto him.

This guy was even crueler than a pirate!

"Haki, Haki..."

Buggy drew a blank, sweating profusely in panic.

Damn it, if he knew how to master Haki, how could he have fallen this low? The captain had never taught him either!

No, perhaps Captain Roger and First Mate Rayleigh had taught him, but he simply had not listened carefully or taken it to heart.

Feeling the scorching heat beside his ear, Buggy's mind raced wildly.

"Wait, I remember!"

"Haki, right, that thing!"

"Unshakable belief is strength!"

Mr. Rayleigh had once said that unshakable belief was strength!

"Unshakable belief."

Luo Ya frowned.

Of course he remembered those words, but trying to master Haki with just a single sentence was a little too fanciful.

Countless people in this world believed in their own abilities, yet very few could awaken Haki on their own.

At least, none among the people he knew could.

"Be more specific!"

"I don't know, I really don't know!"

Buggy shook his head desperately, tears streaming down his face. "Ray—I once heard someone mention that Haki is a latent power humans are born with, but I don't know how to train it specifically."

"I only know that Haki's nature is similar to subtle sensations like one's own presence, intimidation, killing intent, and so on."

"Oh, right, Haki is imagination!"

"The power of imagination has no limits!"

Buggy could not remember clearly. He only knew that Rayleigh had said Haki was an extension of will—the power of imagination. He truly had no interest in the lessons that came afterward.

"Imagination."

Luo Ya sighed inwardly.

He actually remembered all these abstract concepts about Haki, and judging from Buggy's appearance, he probably truly did not know. After all, this guy was genuinely weak.

He believed that if he kept fighting, one day he would also comprehend Haki. But having a clear method would always be more efficient than fumbling around blindly.

"That's enough for today."

Luo Ya turned and left.

He did not want to say too much, especially regarding Buggy's identity. Knowing too much might very well lead to CP inviting him over for tea.

Outside, the sea breeze brushed against his face.

Luo Ya lit a cigarette and carefully recalled everything he knew about Haki, but his attention was soon drawn to the young man swinging a sword on the deck.

It was Zoro.

The young man stood on the empty deck, swinging his sword again and again. He was drenched in sweat, clearly having trained for a long time.

Luo Ya paused slightly, stubbed out his cigarette, and jumped down. Arriving beside the young man, his gaze fell on the other's waist.

The bandages had been stained red.

That kid's wounds had split open, yet he gritted his teeth and kept training through the pain.

"Why aren't you asleep yet?"

"It's not time yet. Three hours of sleep a day is enough for me."

Zoro kept swinging his swords, paying Luo Ya no mind.

His defeat on Moon Island still haunted him. Only by training even harder could he soothe the resentment in his heart.

Luo Ya fell silent.

Only three hours of sleep a day.

This kid didn't have a "world," yet he worked no less hard than Luo Ya—no, he was even more desperate!

"Come with me."

"Where to?"

"The Training Room!"

An idea formed in Luo Ya's mind.

Maybe he could test it on this kid. Although Zoro didn't know Haki, that didn't mean Luo Ya couldn't teach him.

It was all conceptual stuff anyway. He could just bluff his way through it. Maybe this kid was a once-in-ten-thousand martial arts genius!

"Zoro, I'll teach you Haki!"