The idea was clear; he just needed to experiment and deduce it slowly amidst the old man's Conqueror's Coating. He might still experience many eye-rolls, but his immunity would also improve. Some trials were necessary to endure.
"I've got some ideas, but this power doesn't seem to be universally applicable. I haven't seen this power on anyone else. It's a power that can ignore physical defenses, and it has unexpected effects when combined with swordsmanship and Haki. I want to see if this power can be used to resist Conqueror's Coating."
Vic has figured out the direction he needs to work towards in the coming period.
"It lacks universality? That's a bit of a shame! But you said Conqueror's Haki is a form of mental power, does that mean everyone has the potential to break through barriers and unleash it, as long as there's a way to improve mental power?"
Garp was somewhat disappointed to hear that it wasn't universally applicable, but thinking of what Vic said, it seemed that Conqueror's Haki wasn't something that could only be born out of millions of people. If there were a way to enhance mental strength, perhaps there could be a few more Conqueror's Haki users in the Navy, but such a method might be hard to find.
"It's probably very difficult. Since only one in a million people can develop Conqueror's Haki, it means that the foundation of mental strength varies greatly."
Furthermore, enhancing one's mental strength is not easy; it may require tempering in a special environment, and the most difficult part is probably breaking through that barrier.
No matter how strong one's mental power is, it can't break through the barriers or be projected outwards. These illusory powers are really hard to understand. I wonder if that guy from the Vegapunk, has any research in this area. I'll try to find an opportunity to ask him!
Vic wasn't too optimistic about what the old man said. The old man's old rival, Chinjao, had said that there were countless people in the New World who possessed Conqueror's Haki's Haki.
Although he said that, by the end of the Wano Country arc, only about twenty people were confirmed to possess Conqueror's Haki. He probably said that to belittle Luffy, which is a way of trying to make him feel bad. So Conqueror's Haki is really rare!
With such a large population in the world, only about twenty people have developed Conqueror's Haki. This is not one in a million, but possibly one in a hundred million. Many people may have the potential to become a king, but for various reasons, few can Awakening it. The right time, place, and people are all indispensable. Vic just felt that he was still lacking something.
"Take your time! Before you Awakening Conqueror's Haki, try to find ways to enhance your mental strength. When you do, your Awakening Conqueror's Haki will be even more powerful."
If anyone can solve this problem, I believe it's you. As for Vegapunk, although he's a genius scientist, his research direction is completely opposite to the illusory power you mentioned.
However, given his intelligence, he should have some constructive insights. You could visit his research institute sometime!
Garp wasn't very familiar with Vegapunk, but he had provided a lot of technology to the Navy, so he had some understanding of it. Vegapunk's research was mostly focused on tangible things, which was pragmatic. It shouldn't have anything to do with intangible things like mental power, which was something Vic had just mentioned.
The old man was right. Vegapunk had all sorts of inventions, and he could even replicate the abilities of Devil Fruit. Later, he was even able to create powerful androids like Seraphim.
However, the Seraphim's defense and speed rely on the bloodline talent of the Lunarians, and have nothing to do with Armament Haki or Observation Haki. They have never been seen using Conqueror's Haki, and rely more on physical strength and copied abilities to fight.
This shows that either Vegapunk didn't understand the essence of Haki, or he didn't know where to start. Although he said that Seraphim the strongest humans, their lack of Haki is their weakness!
Therefore, the only way for the Vegapunk to make up for this deficiency is to use the bloodline talent of the Lunarians. However, the speed and defense of the Lunarians are mutually exclusive, which is a huge flaw. It is impossible for someone like the Vegapunk, who pursues perfection, to make such a mistake, which can only mean that the Vegapunk is also powerless.
It's also possible that the Seraphim only just been put into use and haven't had time to Awakening their Haki yet. Or perhaps because the Seraphim can only obey orders, they will never Awakening their Haki. But the Seraphim do have the foundation to Awakening their Haki, because their essence is still human; they have simply become war machines that obey orders!
"Hmm! That makes sense! It really comes down to the old man; he's so knowledgeable and experienced. But asking Vegapunk for his advice should be helpful. I'll go see him after this mission; I'm quite interested in Vegapunk!"
Vic's face broke into an interested smile, while the Punk Hazard Research Institute in the New World sent a chill down the spine of the Vegapunk, as if they were being watched by a malevolent beast!
At this moment, Vegapunk still had a super big head. He looked around and, finding nothing amiss, shook his head and continued to immerse himself in his research. He had just thought that the little dragon he had modified had sneaked into the laboratory.
Although Rebecca and the others listened to Vic and the old man's conversation, they felt completely unable to join in. They could only listen in a daze, and it would probably take several rounds of Conqueror's Coating before they would have the right to speak.
However, they found their conversation quite profound, and only top-tier experts would discuss such topics. Although they might not fully understand it now, they felt these words would be helpful in the future.
After chatting for a while, once the supplies were replenished, the warship set sail. This was a thriving island, and with the pirate issue resolved, there was no need to linger. If it were an uninhabited island, they might have stayed longer, at least allowing Vic to experience more of the intense caresses of the Conqueror's Coating, and perhaps even figure out how to resist.
" Vic! I'm heading back to the warship now. You can stay here and slowly work through and perfect your training. We're not far from the Red Line anymore. The next island is Water 7, where the warship will stop for resupply. We won't make any special stops for you after that. You can continue your training in Conqueror's Coating when the warship resupplyes!"
Garp straightened his suit and Justice Cloak, and without waiting for Vic's reply, he took out some rice crackers from his pocket and walked towards the beach, eating them as he went.
Vic sat cross-legged on the ground, his eyes not even opening, only nodding slightly. This time he didn't faint. He had already figured out a new move to counter the Conqueror's Coating, which was why the old man no longer spent time specifically training him. Vic was no longer someone who couldn't fight back. Now he needed to consolidate and deeply contemplate the move he had just learned.