Pirates: Martial Arts Masters on the Straw Hat Ship

"Conqueror's Haki..." Zoro's pupils contracted slightly as he repeated in a low voice, "What a domineering name."

Seeing the eager looks in everyone's eyes, Ronan began to explain:

"Of these three types of Haki, the first two—Observation Haki and Armament Haki—are potential abilities that most humans have the opportunity to master through diligent training."

"First is Observation Haki. That's the technique I used when dealing with Kuro and the cat-man brothers."

"It is a power that can strongly sense the presence of surrounding living beings. Once activated, you can 'see' the location, number, and even the next move of enemies around you directly in your mind, without relying on sight."

"Anticipate the move?" Usopp exclaimed in surprise, his mouth agape, and the chicken leg in his hand fell onto the plate.

"Is it really that weird? No wonder that guy named Sam couldn't catch you no matter what he tried; it's like you have eyes in the back of your head!"

Ronan smiled and said, "That's right. When Observation Haki is cultivated to a high level, one can not only sense attacks, but also sense the opponent's emotions and strength."

"And the legendary powerhouses who cultivated this domineering aura to its ultimate level..."

Ronan paused, glanced at Luffy, and said, "He can even briefly foresee the future!"

"Predicting the future?!"

These four words struck everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer.

Nami shook her head in disbelief: "Is this really something a human could do?"

"There are many monsters on the high seas," Ronan said meaningfully.

"What about Armament Haki?" Zoro pressed. As a swordsman, he was more sensitive to methods of attack and defense.

Ronan clenched his fists. Although he couldn't unleash Armament Haki yet, he could describe the feeling:

"If Observation Haki is the power of 'hearing,' then Armament Haki is the power of 'using.'"

"It can be thought of as an invisible armor. Covering the body with this power or wrapping it around weapons can greatly enhance defense and attack power."

At this point, Ronan glanced at Luffy, a hint of mockery in his eyes.

"For example, Luffy, you."

"Huh?" Luffy, engrossed in the conversation, pointed to himself. "Me?"

"You are a user of the Gum-Gum Fruit, so your body is like rubber."

Ronan explained, "So ordinary blunt force trauma, like a fist, a stick, or even bullets and shells, will bounce off your body with rubber and be basically ineffective, right?"

Luffy nodded smugly, pulling at his cheeks: "Hehe, that's right! I'm a rubber man, I'm not afraid of setbacks!"

"But..." Ronan changed the subject, "if the enemy's fist is covered in Armament Haki, then it's a different story."

"Armament Haki can suppress the 'physical form' of Devil Fruit users."

In other words, against Armament Haki, your rubbery properties will be rendered ineffective, and you will be beaten to a pulp, suffering excruciating pain, just like an ordinary person.

"Even elemental Logia-type Devil Fruit users can only be touched by Armament Haki."

Luffy was taken aback when he heard this.

Suddenly, a long-forgotten childhood memory attacked him.

He suddenly clutched his head, his face turning deathly pale, as if he had remembered something extremely terrifying:

"I remember now! My grandfather!"

路飞惊恐地大叫道，「我爷爷以前揍我的时候，明明我是橡胶人，但每次被他揍都痛得要死！我一直以为是因为那是『爱的铁拳』……原来是这样吗？！」

"And the last one?"

Nami, who had been listening silently, couldn't help but ask, "What's that called... Conqueror's Haki?" Although she wasn't good at fighting, this kind of knowledge sounded valuable.

Upon hearing this name, Ronan's expression turned serious.

The sea breeze seemed to grow heavier at that moment.

"Conqueror's Haki".

Ronan slowly uttered the word, his gaze sweeping over everyone present before finally settling on Luffy's clear eyes.

"This is a power that is completely different from the previous two."

"Observation Haki and Armament Haki can be awakened by ordinary people through hard work and training. However, Conqueror's Haki... cannot be obtained through training."

"What?" Usopp exclaimed in surprise, "You can't even master it through practice?"

"Yes," Ronan affirmed. "It's an innate talent, a 'kingly aura' that comes with birth."

On this vast ocean, only one in millions might possess such a talent.

"That is the 'qualification of a king' who stands above all others."

Ronan's voice was deep, carrying an epic quality reminiscent of describing a legend:

"A person with Conqueror's Haki doesn't need to take action; he can intimidate a group of enemies simply by the aura and mental pressure he releases."

"For opponents with weak willpower, such as ordinary soldiers or lowly pirates, the impact of Conqueror's Haki will cause them to instantly lose consciousness, foam at the mouth, and pass out. Even tens of thousands of people can be instantly killed."

"Killed tens of thousands of people in seconds?!" Usopp was so shocked he dropped his glass. "Is this even human? This is a monster!"

Ronan continued, "Not only that, but powerful Conqueror's Haki can even generate substantial physical shockwaves, shattering ships, cracking rocks, and even altering the weather."

"Only those with this qualification are qualified to stand at the pinnacle of this world."

silence.

A deathly silence enveloped the deck of the Merry.

Even Luffy, who is usually carefree, was shocked and stared wide-eyed, forgetting to swallow the meat in his mouth.

"Wow...that's amazing!" Luffy's eyes gleamed. "Only one in millions?"

Ronan chuckled inwardly as he watched Luffy's excited expression.

Foolish boy, you yourself are the one with the strongest Conqueror's Haki.

The green-haired swordsman present also possesses a demonic potential for Conqueror's Haki.

But Ronan didn't reveal it. These potentials needed to be awakened and understood by them themselves in the life-or-death battles to come.

"call……"

Zoro let out a long breath, downed the rest of the wine in his cup, and his eyes became sharper than ever before.

"It seems we still have a long way to go."

He stood up, walked to the ship's railing, and looked at the dark ocean in the distance:

"Observation Haki, Armament Haki, and that Conqueror's Haki... If I don't master these powers, I probably won't even be able to touch the threshold of becoming the 'World's Greatest Swordsman'."

Ronan also stood up, walked over to Zoro, and patted him on the shoulder:

"Don't be too anxious. The power of dominance is born to deal with extreme crises. Only on the edge of life and death, in the clash of the limits of willpower, will dominance awaken and become stronger."

"We have now embarked on this path."

Ronan turned around and looked at his companions behind him.

Although Nami was somewhat afraid, her eyes showed even more determination to face the unknown challenges.

Although Usopp's legs were trembling, he had already begun to imagine himself bragging after learning Haki;

Luffy was itching to fight, eager to find a powerful fighter right now.

"Alright, that concludes the lesson."

Ronan raised his glass again, gazing at the starry sky and the boundless sea:

"For our new ship, for the adventures to come, and for the power we will eventually master..."

"Cheers again!"

"Cheers!!"

The five wine glasses clinked together again.

......