Haki [Seeking Collection]

The instructors weren't angry or disappointed that only Dawn managed to stick with the hellish training to the end.

After all, in their eyes, it was normal for kids Dawn's age to fail to keep up with such training.

That Dawn could persist was, they figured, tied to his experiences on the Boin Archipelago.

After all, the cycle of training like mad to avoid getting fat and eaten, then falling back into gluttony because of the training—being able to endure that loop already showed the strength of Dawn's will.

In his past life, Dawn had relied on sheer perseverance to perform several surgeries in a row, and in this life, he'd constantly overcome temptation on Stomach Baron's island. Those experiences of pushing past his limits let him keep going.

Besides, most of the people trying Dawn's training were his peers, while Dawn himself had the soul of an adult who knew the future.

If an older trainee had been put through this, such "hellish" training would've just been their daily routine.

But thanks to all this, Dawn's Observation Haki had begun to take a rough shape through his relentless persistence.

Maybe because his Observation Haki was nearing that initial form, Dawn was finally officially allowed to learn about Haki today. From now on, he could openly seek guidance on using it.

This was a huge advantage—many people didn't even know the concept of Haki, and most didn't start training in it until adulthood.

Of course, age might've been a factor too; getting exposed to Haki too young could do more harm than good.

But Dawn's natural talent for Observation Haki was decent, so he got to learn it early—basically a "special pass" to train in Observation Haki.

After all, Haki wasn't something you mastered all at once. At first, it would work sometimes and not others, so you needed constant practice to get a handle on it.

So Dawn mastering Observation Haki early was a big edge, because by the time his strength and age caught up to where he could train in Haki, he'd only need to focus on Armament Haki.

"Then let's start now. Since this is your first time hearing about the concept of Haki, we'll begin with understanding what it is." Zephyr nodded in satisfaction at Dawn's focused expression.

It wasn't faked—Dawn was listening to Zephyr with serious attention.

Even though Dawn already knew the basics of the three types of Haki, what he'd seen in the anime was one thing; the actual concepts might have differences he wasn't aware of.

"Listen carefully. First, Haki is divided into three types: Observation Haki, Armament Haki, and Conqueror's Haki."

"Let's start with the more special one, Conqueror's Haki. You just need to understand the concept for now."

"It's an inborn power that only one in several million people possesses—a 'chosen' Haki, signifying the 'qualities of a king' that set someone above others."

"Those with Conqueror's Haki can intimidate opponents with their sheer 'spirit,' knocking the weak unconscious without lifting a finger."

"This Haki can't be strengthened through training either; it only grows with one's own spirit and personal power."

"If you have Conqueror's Haki, the first thing to do isn't to figure out how to train it, but to learn to control it."

"Because if you can't control Conqueror's Haki, it'll indiscriminately affect everyone around you, friend and foe alike."

"As for how far it can develop in the end, that's unknown—no one can say."

"The more important ones are the other two types. Unlike Conqueror's Haki, which only a rare few have, these exist in everyone—even in some of the stronger sea beasts."

Yeah, Dawn knew that one. The Kung Fu Dugongs used Armament Haki...

"Armament Haki acts like an invisible armor, boosting the user's defense."

"It can also be wrapped around fists, feet, or weapons for attacks, allowing you to fight Devil Fruit users and even touch the bodies of Logia-type fruit users."

"While it can't drain a user's strength like Seastone, it can grab hold of Logia users."

"For all kinds of weird Paramecia abilities, Armament Haki also provides good defense. Against various attack methods, it works like a shield, blocking different types of strikes."

"But Armament Haki isn't perfect. For example, against the Wax-Wax Fruit, while it can defend against the heat of the wax, it can't eliminate the wax itself. If you get trapped in solidified wax, Armament Haki won't help."

Seeing Dawn listening intently, Admiral Zephyr shifted the topic. "For now, you can't touch those two yet, so your main goal is to train in Observation Haki."

"As for Observation Haki, it can also be called 'the power of hearing.' It's a force that lets you strongly sense the 'presence' around you."

"Observation Haki sharpens the five senses to an extreme, letting you detect the life force of those nearby. Sneak attacks are basically spotted the moment they're launched."

"With systematic training, you can expand the range of your Observation Haki."

"Sensing an opponent's strength and predicting their next move are basic applications. When you master this Haki to its peak, you can extend it across an entire country—or even see into the future."

"But note: using Observation Haki requires your mind to stay calm. If you get emotional or lose your cool, you won't be able to use it."

As a Marine instructor, Zephyr was thorough, covering things Dawn hadn't known. After all, in his past life, who'd bother memorizing all these details? He'd only known the general effects.

When it came to specifics and training methods, Dawn was completely clueless and didn't dare miss a single word.

"Got it all?" Admiral Zephyr asked, looking at Dawn after finishing.

"Yeah, I've got it." Dawn nodded. Memorizing this stuff wasn't hard at all.

His memory was practically cheating—he could recall even scenes he hadn't paid attention to, let alone deliberately remembering words.

Zephyr nodded and continued, "No matter the type of Haki, using it consumes energy, just like physical strength."

"The consumption depends on usage time, intensity, and the area Haki covers."

"In battle, you need to gauge the intensity and amount based on the fight's needs. Haki depletes, so when outnumbered, learning to allocate it wisely is crucial."

"To survive in the New World, Haki is the bare minimum. There's nothing flashy about it—the key is how well you master it."

After explaining the three types of Haki, what awaited Dawn was grueling training.

Yeah... bluntly put, it was getting beaten up.