Feeling the Haki

On the Moya Adventure Group ship.

Moya stood outside Hawkeye's room, hand hovering over the door before dropping back down, looking hesitant.

"Come in!" Hawkeye's cold voice drifted through.

It seems Observation Haki really is useful; it's everywhere, perfect for surveillance.

Moya opened the door and stepped into the room where Hawkeye sat.

"Senior Hawkeye!"

"I will now teach you the awakening and usage of Haki. First, tell me how much you already understand about it."

"Haki is a substance that breaks through the limits of the body, and it is also related to willpower and spirit. Armament Haki and Observation Haki can be acquired through training, while the one-in-a-million Conqueror's Haki requires innate talent and natural aptitude!"

"Not bad. I can teach you Armament Haki and Observation Haki. I don't possess Conqueror's Haki myself, though I know Shanks has a very powerful one!"

"Senior Hawkeye, could I experience your Haki firsthand?"

"Hmm? Very well!"

Hawkeye didn't ask for the reason.

Hum~

Hawkeye's hand turned pitch black, gleaming with a dark luster and radiating such intimidation that Moya felt a naked threat to his life.

Suppressing the sense of danger, Moya reached out to grab Hawkeye's black, Armament-infused fist; it was rock-hard and brimming with aggression.

Moya activated his Devil Fruit ability, but it had absolutely no effect on him, which left Moya feeling a bit disappointed.

Moya had hoped to steal a bit of Hawkeye's Armament Haki to use as a template for his own training, just as he had stolen the seed of Luffy's Conqueror's Haki.

He hadn't expected Hawkeye's Armament Haki to be so solid and flawless, rendering his Slip-Slip Fruit completely useless.

"Senior Hawkeye's Armament Haki is truly impenetrable. I wonder if you could lower the quantity and quality of it? I would like to start by experiencing a more basic form of Armament Haki."

"Hmm?" Hawkeye's sharp gaze fixed on Moya, as if he could see right through his little schemes.

"You only have one chance. If you dare make another request, I will kill you!"

"My apologies, Senior Hawkeye!"

Moya's heart skipped a beat; he nearly jumped out of his skin.

However, Hawkeye did as Moya asked, shifting his black-hardened Armament into a more basic form of coating.

Moya pushed his Slip-Slip Fruit ability to its limit, focusing all his senses on experiencing Hawkeye's Haki coating.

Under Hawkeye's impatient gaze, he finally managed to draw a sliver of the Armament Haki into his own hand to feel its presence and analyze its composition.

Using this sliver as a template, Moya focused on the strongest parts of his body, searching for a similar substance in hopes of finding his own Haki, which he could then fully develop through training.

The sliver of Hawkeye's Haki dissipated, and Moya failed to find any similar energy within his own body. It seemed his physical strength was still insufficient to generate Haki consistently.

He could only trigger an awakening in moments of extreme crisis or rage.

He seemed to have triggered it once before while fighting El Drago, back when he was consumed by anger.

Still, the sensation of Haki was now deeply imprinted in Moya's mind. As long as his physical fitness reached the required level to generate the energy, he wouldn't be like a headless fly, ignorant of what Haki truly was.

This also further confirmed the memories of Haki he had inherited from Buggy.

Afterward, Moya asked Hawkeye about methods for training Armament Haki, not daring to harbor any further ulterior motives.

He also asked about the cultivation and awakening of Observation Haki, as well as matters regarding swordsmanship.

After the cold-natured Hawkeye impatiently answered a few of Moya's questions, he leaped onto his Coffin Boat in the night and drifted away without looking back.

"Phew~ That god of slaughter is finally gone. Captain, did you gain anything?"

Buggy patted his chest, exhaling in relief as he hurried over to ask.

"I gained something, though not as much as I'd hoped! Still, it should be enough to handle most problems in the East Blue."

"Everyone, get some rest. We'll spend two days resupplying, then head to Nami's hometown to help her solve her problems. Nami's home is in trouble, so you all need to double your efforts and help her drive the enemies away!"

"Moya~ Is it really okay? Should we wait a while longer, until you're a little stronger?"

Nami was torn between the longing for Moya to liberate her home and the fear that something might happen to him.

"Relax. Small fry like Arlong are easy to deal with as long as we keep him out of the water. We just need to prepare well to prevent him from jumping into the sea!

We have so many crew members, what is there to fear? He has three officers, but don't I have my own? Haha~"

"That's right, Captain! We're no slouches either. Let's kill those damn Fishmen for daring to bully our boss Nami!" El Drago shouted.

"Thank you, everyone~"

Tears welled up in Nami's eyes. Bell-mère, I've finally found where I belong.

"Then get some rest. Tomorrow we'll formulate a plan to stop the Fishmen from jumping into the sea. Dismissed!"

"Moya, do you want me~" Nami lay alluringly on Moya's bed.

Moya did not act coy; it was a fierce and indescribable night of splendor.

Kaya and Maddie tossed and turned in the next room, unable to fall asleep, while Rika heard some sounds in her daze before drifting back off to sleep.

The next day, early morning.

"Ha, hey~"

Moya was exercising while lifting a dumbbell weighing several thousand jin.

The various officers and squad leaders were also training in Silent Step, and even the girls were working on their physical fitness.

Out at sea, one must have the resolve to become stronger.

Nami woke up leisurely in bed, and upon hearing the sounds of training outside, her face flushed red; it was all Moya's fault for being so intense, leaving her only just now recovering.

Nami walked out of her room and onto the deck. As soon as she appeared, Kaya and Maddie, both sporting dark circles under their eyes, looked at her with immediate envy.

Feeling their gazes, Nami felt both shy and proud; as expected, Moya was most fond of her.

"You're awake. Drink some water."

Moya stopped his training, took the water, and with a single leap, appeared right beside Nami.

"Thank you, Moya. You must be tired too, you should drink some as well!"

After taking a sip, Nami handed the water to Moya.

Moya didn't mind at all; he took it and drank, causing the single men present to wail in despair.

"Moya, I will train too, so that I can accompany you to the furthest reaches!" Nami declared firmly.

Moya did not object; he did not want his women to be dead weight.

"I'll see if I can find some powerful Devil Fruit for you all!"

"Moya, we will become strong too!"

Kaya and Maddie said in unison.

"I believe in you all as well!"

Moya looked at the two women in surprise. Could it be that last night's events had made them jealous? Moya smiled with a hint of intrigue in his heart.

"Big Brother Moya, me too! I want a Devil Fruit as well!"

Rika raised her hand, speaking up like a primary school student.

"Alright~ If I find good Devil Fruit, everyone gets one!" Moya said gently.

"Then let's continue training! Strive for every squad leader and above to master Silent Step and Basic Swordsmanship!" Moya shouted!

"Yes, Captain!"

Just like that, the training atmosphere of the Moya Adventure Group grew increasingly intense, and the strength of the entire group was set to rise.

Two days later.

"Let's set sail! To Cocoyasi Village!"

"Prepare plenty of fishing nets!!"

This was a true battle, and also a survival battle for the cannon fodder of the Moya Adventure Group. Facing hundreds of Fishman with ten times the physical strength of a human, this would serve to prune the Moya Adventure Group.