"Armament Haki" Bullets?

Zoro's explanation of "Observation Haki" struck Alzack and Bisca's hearts like a thunderbolt.

Using one's "heart" to see the world?

Sensing an opponent's "intent" and "killing intent"?

This had completely surpassed their understanding of "combat." They had always believed that battle was a contest of magic power and skill. They had never imagined that beneath those outward forms lay an even deeper battlefield—one of "will" and "perception."

Alzack stood there in a daze, feeling as though his beliefs about shooting, built over more than twenty years, had been utterly overturned in that instant.

At that moment, Bisca, an equally outstanding sharpshooter, voiced her own confusion.

"Mr. Zoro," she said gravely, stroking the massive magical sniper rifle at her waist, "I think I understand the issue with speed. But... what about power? My Requip Magic can summon all kinds of large-caliber firearms, with enough firepower to flatten a small mountain. But against certain special enemies who can turn their bodies into elements, like sand or gas, my bullets pass straight through them and can't cause any damage. How should we deal with that?"

This was also a problem that had troubled her for a long time. No matter how powerful the firepower was, it was useless if it could not hit a solid target.

After hearing her out, Zoro looked at the enormous firearm in Bisca's hands, then lowered his gaze to the swords at his waist. A thoughtful glint flashed through his eyes.

He recalled how he had used blades coated in Armament Haki to strike the true bodies of those Logia-type ability users.

A bold notion—one that would sound utterly fantastical to anyone in this world—began to take shape in his mind.

"If my swords can be coated with a Haki called 'Armament Haki' to grab hold of those drifting guys," he said slowly, raising his head to look at Bisca and Alzack, "then why can't your bullets do the same?"

"Eh?!"

The husband and wife cried out in shock at the same time.

"Coat bullets... with Haki?" Alzack murmured. The idea was so mad, so unbelievable. "But Haki is the 'will' and 'spirit' you spoke of, while bullets are merely lifeless things made of magic power! How could something formless be attached to something tangible?"

"Why not?" Zoro shot back. His logic was simple and domineering. "A sword is lifeless too, but if the person holding it has enough resolve, their will can extend through the blade. Aren't your guns and bullets extensions of your bodies as well?"

Looking at the couple, who had fallen into deep thought because of his words, he continued in his unique "Zoro-style teaching method."

"Forget all those complicated magic theories. Right now, think about just one thing—why do you pull the trigger?"

"To... complete missions and protect the guild," Alzack answered.

"Too vague." Zoro shook his head. "Not enough. That level of resolve can't produce power. Make it more specific."

Alzack and Bisca exchanged a glance and saw the same answer in each other's eyes.

They recalled the despair they had felt when facing Acnologia on Sirius Island, the helplessness when the guild had faced disbandment, and every moment they had supported one another and protected their daughter, Asuka.

Their eyes became incomparably resolute.

"To protect our family!" they declared in unison. "To protect each other, protect Asuka, and protect the family that is Fairy Tail! For that, we can give everything, including our lives!"

"Mm, that's more like it." Zoro finally nodded in satisfaction.

"Now, gather all that 'resolve,' all that 'conviction' you are willing to give your lives to protect, and pour it into your next bullet. Then fire it!"

Alzack and Bisca took a deep breath and closed their eyes as Zoro instructed. They no longer thought about the flow of magic power or calculated trajectories. They simply poured the hottest, purest desire to protect what they loved into their guns and the bullets about to be formed, without holding anything back.

"Hah!"

They fired at the same time!

Two bullets shot toward the distant targets—one from Alzack's Hurricane, the other from the sniper rifle Bisca had summoned.

The two bullets did not look much different from before. But upon closer inspection, a faint halo seemed to linger around their surfaces, so weak it was nearly imperceptible.

"Boom! Boom!"

The bullets struck the targets, triggering explosions far more violent than usual! Their power had increased by at least twenty percent!

Alzack and Bisca felt an entirely different vibration travel through their guns, and their faces filled with shock and delight.

"The power... really got stronger!"

Yet Zoro merely shook his head calmly at the result.

"It's still far from enough."

He said lightly, "Your resolve is still only at the level of 'emotion.' It hasn't been refined into true 'power.' But you're heading in the right direction."

"Remember," he said, leaving them with one final sentence before turning away to resume his tedious sword-swinging practice, "when your bullets can carry your souls, they will be able to pierce everything in this world."