The instructors felt neither anger nor disappointment that Dawn was the only one who had managed to persist through this hellish training.
After all, in their eyes, it was perfectly normal for children Dawn's age to be unable to endure such training.
As for Dawn being able to persist, they believed it was likely related to his experiences on the Boin Archipelago.
After all, he had trained madly to avoid getting fat and being eaten, only to fall into another bout of binge eating because of the training. That Dawn could persevere through such a cycle was already enough to show the strength of his heart.
In his previous life, Dawn had relied on sheer willpower to complete several surgeries in a row. In this life, he had constantly overcome temptation on Stomach Baron Island. Those repeated experiences of pushing past his limits allowed Dawn to keep going.
Moreover, most of those attempting Dawn's training were his peers, while Dawn possessed the soul of an adult who knew the future.
If an older trainee had come here, this so-called "hellish" training would have been nothing more than their daily routine.
But thanks to this, Dawn's Observation Haki had begun to take shape through his constant perseverance.
Perhaps because Dawn's Observation Haki was nearing its initial form, he could finally receive formal instruction in Haki today. From now on, he could openly seek guidance on how to use it.
This was a huge advantage. Many people did not even know the concept of Haki, and only began training it after reaching adulthood.
Of course, age might also have been a factor. Encountering Haki too early could do more harm than good.
But Dawn had been allowed to come into contact with Haki early because of his innate talent for Observation Haki. It was like having a "special pass" to train Observation Haki.
After all, Haki could not be mastered overnight. In the beginning, it would sometimes work and sometimes fail, so it had to be used constantly before one could truly grasp it.
Thus, being able to master Observation Haki ahead of time was a great advantage for Dawn. Once his strength and age reached the point where he could train Haki properly, he would only need to focus on Armament Haki.
"Then let us begin. Since this is your first time encountering the concept of Haki, we will start with the concept itself." Zephyr nodded in satisfaction at Dawn's focused expression.
He was not putting on an act. He was listening to Zephyr with utmost seriousness.
Even though Dawn already knew about the three types of Haki, what he had seen in anime was one thing. He had no idea whether the actual concepts differed in any way.
"Listen carefully. First, Haki is divided into three types: Observation Haki, Armament Haki, and Conqueror's Haki."
"Let us first discuss the rather special Conqueror's Haki. You only need to understand the concept for now."
"It is a power one is born with. It is said that only one person among several million possesses this 'chosen' Haki—the 'qualities of a king' that allow one to stand above others."
"Those who possess Conqueror's Haki can use their own spirit to intimidate opponents, causing the weak to faint without even needing to make a move."
"Furthermore, this Haki cannot be strengthened through training. It can only grow alongside one's spirit and personal strength."
"If you possess Conqueror's Haki, the first thing you must do is not find a way to train it, but learn to control it."
"Because if Conqueror's Haki cannot be controlled, it will drag everyone nearby into it, regardless of friend or foe."
"As for how far it can ultimately develop, that remains unknown. No one knows."
"The more important ones are the other two types of Haki. Unlike Conqueror's Haki, which only a very small number of people possess, everyone—even some powerful sea beasts—has this power within them."
Yeah, Dawn knew that. Kung Fu Dugongs could use Armament Haki...
"Armament Haki functions like invisible armor, enhancing the user's defensive power."
"It can also be infused into and wrapped around one's fists, feet, or weapons for attack, allowing one to contend with Devil Fruit users and even touch the physical bodies of Logia Devil Fruit users."
"Although it cannot render ability users powerless like Seastone, it can still seize Logia users."
"Furthermore, Armament Haki also has excellent defensive effects against the strange abilities of various Paramecia types. Against all sorts of attacks, Armament Haki is like a shield, capable of defending against many kinds of assault."
"But Armament Haki is not omnipotent. Take the Candle-Candle Fruit, for example. While it can defend against the high temperatures brought by melted wax, it cannot eliminate the wax itself. If the wax solidifies and traps you, Armament Haki generally cannot do anything about it."
Seeing Dawn listen so attentively, Admiral Zephyr shifted the topic. "You cannot yet come into contact with those two types, so your primary goal is still to train Observation Haki."
"Observation Haki can also be described as the 'power of hearing.' It is a power that allows one to strongly sense the 'presence' around them."
"Observation Haki can make the five senses extraordinarily sharp, allowing one to detect the presence of nearby living beings. Methods like sneak attacks will basically be noticed the instant the attack is launched."
"With systematic training, the range of Observation Haki can be expanded."
"Perceiving the strength of an opponent and predicting an enemy's next move are basic applications. Once Haki has been trained to the extreme, Observation Haki can even be expanded to cover an entire country, or perhaps even foresee the future."
"But take note: Observation Haki can only be used when the mind remains calm. If your emotions become agitated or you lose your reason, you will be unable to use Observation Haki."
As a Marine instructor, Zephyr's explanation was very comprehensive. Some of it was even unknown to Dawn. After all, who in his previous life would have memorized these settings in such detail? Everyone only knew the general effects.
As for the finer details and how to train it, Dawn knew absolutely nothing, so he did not dare miss a single word.
"Did you remember all that?" Admiral Zephyr asked Dawn after finishing his explanation.
"Yeah, I remembered it." Dawn nodded. Remembering such things was not difficult at all.
His memory was practically a cheat. Even scenes he had not paid attention to could be recalled in his mind, let alone words he had deliberately tried to remember.
Zephyr nodded and continued, "No matter what type of Haki it is, it is like a person's physical strength. Using Haki also consumes energy."
"The consumption depends on how long it is used, its intensity, and the area it covers."
"In battle, you must judge the intensity and amount to use according to what the fight requires. Haki is consumed, so when facing numerous enemies, learning how to distribute your Haki properly is also important."
"To survive in the New World, Haki is the most basic requirement. There is nothing novel about it. What matters is the degree to which you can master Haki."
Once the concepts of the three types of Haki had been explained, what awaited Dawn was grueling training.
Yeah... to put it plainly, getting beaten up...
Before you continue