I'm Not Learning Haki, Garp!

Lynn spread his hands and leaned forward slightly.

He walked toward Garp step by step.

He was not moving quickly, but every step he took was exceptionally steady.

Meanwhile, the Marines in the distance hurriedly found comfortable spots and began drinking the hot soup that had just been cooked.

Eating dinner while watching the fight between Garp and Lynn had become part of their daily routine.

It was by no means a meal enhancer.

Time was simply too scarce. After dinner, they would have to return to the forest to continue training.

But the Marines did not want to miss the battle between Garp and Lynn because of that, so they had moved dinner to this time as well.

On the other side, Lynn had already strolled into the circle and arrived before Garp. Only a single step separated them!

Seeing this, Garp grinned. "Brat, you've got fewer unnecessary movements now."

Lynn nodded.

Garp was referring to Lynn's habitual dashing movement from before.

Against experts who could use Observation Haki, Lynn's intentions to attack were far too obvious—especially when his opponent was Garp.

Lynn had suffered for this many times already, so he had drawn his own conclusions.

"The movement of an attack depends on its purpose. Purpose comes before movement."

Lynn slowly said, "If a movement is unnecessary for the purpose, then discard it."

The principle was actually very simple.

Lynn's purpose in battle was to make Garp leave the circle beneath his feet.

No matter what kind of attack Lynn used for his first move, Garp had to remain inside that circle.

Since that was the case, rather than dash in with an easily predicted trajectory, it was better to slowly walk into the circle and attack Garp from the closest possible distance!

Garp nodded. The speed at which Lynn had grasped this principle far exceeded his expectations.

Was it because of the experience he had accumulated through constant battles?

Garp looked down at Lynn and grinned. "Brat, ready to begin?"

"What are you talking about, Old Man?"

Lynn raised his head to look at Garp, smiling as he replied, "Hadn't it already begun?"

Whoosh!

A suffocating pressure spread between Garp and Lynn.

"Huh? Are my eyes playing tricks on me?"

One Marine rubbed his eyes and asked in confusion, "The air between Vice Admiral Garp and Lynn seems to be distorting!"

The other Marines looked over at his words, only to confirm it from their various angles.

The two were staring at each other, and the aura radiating from them had actually begun to warp the air itself!

"What are they doing?" one Marine asked, puzzled.

"They're waiting," Smoker answered.

He lit a cigar and held it between his teeth, frowning as he continued, "Do you know what Quick Draw is?"

The Marines all nodded. It was a method of dueling between gunslingers.

Two gunslingers stood facing one another, each trying to guess the moment the other would draw and fire.

Then, at the instant the other drew their gun, the second person drew first and defeated their opponent, winning victory and glory.

"They're getting ready to Quick Draw," Smoker slowly said.

Some of the Marines did not understand what he meant.

Lynn and Vice Admiral Garp fought barehanded. What did that have to do with guns?

But they soon understood.

Inside the circle—

Lynn's arms hung at his sides, his hands naturally open.

Garp, meanwhile, had his arms folded across his chest, the smile on his face not fading in the slightest.

In an instant—

Whoosh!

Lynn clenched his left fist, his waist and abdomen exploding with force as he threw an uppercut straight at Garp's chin!

At the same time, Garp raised his left hand before his chin and blocked Lynn's fist.

Bang!

Lynn's left fist was stopped.

But immediately afterward, Lynn had already clenched his right hand and fired a faster, heavier straight punch at Garp's chest.

Subdue with Might!

Garp suddenly twisted his left arm, using the force of his forearm to deflect Lynn's heavy punch.

Whoosh!

With his punch missing, Lynn's body briefly lost its balance!

His pupils constricted sharply as he hurried to adjust, but it was already too late.

Garp's fist had reached Lynn in that fleeting instant.

Bang!

The fist landed, sending Lynn flying backward with a dull thud.

It sounded like a long exchange.

But in the eyes of the distant Marines, it had lasted no longer than a blink!

In less than three seconds, Lynn and Garp had exchanged several blows!

Only then did the Marines understand what Smoker meant.

For Lynn and Garp, Quick Draw did not require actual guns. Their fists were enough!

The Marines who saw this could not help asking themselves whether they could have taken Lynn's attacks just now.

Aside from Smoker, a Logia user, everyone else's answer was no.

As for Smoker, while he was confident he could take Lynn's two punches, he could only barely evade them. Counterattacking like Garp was absolutely impossible.

"Lynn Barek, a man with a bounty of 100 million Beli who dared to declare war on the Celestial Dragons..."

Smoker sighed to himself.

Just how many monsters were still hidden in this era?

On the other side, Lynn had not suffered much damage from being sent flying by Garp and immediately got back to his feet.

He rolled his neck and sighed. "No, no. Observation Haki is practically cheating."

"Wahahahaha!"

Garp burst into laughter. "That's why, if you can make this old man leave the circle, it proves you've learned Haki!"

Bang!

Before Garp had even finished speaking, Lynn suddenly pushed off the ground with his back foot and dove straight at Garp.

Hero Skill: Astonishing!

Lynn's strongest move had once forced Garp back a full two and a half steps!

But this time, Garp had no intention of taking the move head-on.

Garp leaped into the air, easily dodging Lynn's incoming dive.

Lynn missed, then heard Garp's voice coming from directly above him.

"Brat, against experts who can use Observation Haki, this move of yours is far too slow!"

Whoosh!

In an instant, Garp descended from the sky with his feet together, stomping Lynn viciously into the ground!

Boom!

Lynn smashed a huge crater into the ground.

Garp stood at the edge of the crater and lectured him, "Kid, don't forget your battle experience. Find the method to comprehend Haki through that experience!"

Lynn silently climbed out of the crater.

Chunks of dirt of all sizes slid from his shoulders.

Crackle...

He looked at Garp and slowly said, "Old Man Garp, Haki really is troublesome!"

"Hm?" Garp raised a brow.

"What I've learned from these past few days of brief training is that the more I force myself to comprehend Haki, the more likely I am to forget where my true strength lies—unless I forget that Haki even exists."

Garp's brows furrowed tightly.

"What exactly are you trying to say, brat?!"

In an instant, Lynn's Energy Value was consumed in great quantities, and the surrounding air dropped several degrees in succession.

"I'm not learning Haki, Garp!"

Hero Skill, ready!