Hearing this, everyone present was struck once again.
How could people differ so greatly?
"Ahem..."
Zephyr coughed lightly and continued, "We've covered Observation Haki. Now, let's move on to Armament Haki!".
At this point, everyone turned their gazes to Yuno.
Sensing the stares, Yuno was speechless. Why are you looking at me?
I don't know how!
Even Zephyr glanced at him for a moment before continuing,
"Armament Haki, like Observation Haki, has stages.
The first stage involves circulating Armament Haki into a stream of energy and attaching it to your fist or weapon to increase the power of your attacks. This level of power is something any pirate in the New World can master. It's the most basic use of Armament Haki.".
As he spoke, a faint stream of air began to swirl around Zephyr's hand.
He punched a metal target in front of him. With a loud bang, the metal dented.
"Next comes the second stage. When your Armament Haki reaches a certain level, you can use it as armor or protective gear. This stage is called Armament Haki: Hardening!".
With a low hum, Zephyr's fist suddenly turned jet black, the glossy sheen of hardened Haki catching the light.
He punched again — the target dented more deeply this time, and dense cracks appeared across its surface, as if it would shatter at any moment.
Clearly, the power had increased by more than double.
"I used the same force both times," Zephyr said, "but the stage of Armament Haki changes the power entirely."
"Then comes the third stage — the ability to inject your Haki into an opponent's body, destroying it from the inside out! Those who can do this are among the strongest on the seas!".
His voice was calm, but his eyes had grown sharp. The Armament Haki around his fist began to flow, and he struck once more with the same outward force.
This time, the impact was deafening.
Boom!
The metal target shattered into fragments that blasted outward across the training field.
Everyone was stunned.
They hadn't even seen him use much force, yet the target was annihilated in an instant.
Was this… Armament Haki?
Every gaze turned to Zephyr, filled with admiration.
Some veteran marines — even those who had seen this many times before — couldn't hide their excitement.
This was their instructor. The admiral of the Navy, "Black Arm" Zephyr.
Even now, his strength remained as formidable as ever.
Zephyr then briefly outlined the training methods for Armament Haki, much like the rigorous regimens used at the Marine training grounds.
Listening closely, Yuno felt more certain than ever that joining the Navy had been the right decision.
This training followed precise, efficient steps — far more effective than the clumsy trial-and-error of self-study.
Given equal physical potential, a recruit could master Haki far faster in the Navy than outside it.
Of course, progress still depended on a solid foundation — and after that, only real combat could push Haki to higher levels.
As Zephyr finished, Yuno closed his eyes and began to focus.
Triggering the hidden power within is similar to Observation Haki… Just find that faint feeling… and it'll be enough…
Everyone watched him closely.
Even Zephyr kept his eyes on him, thinking, Will this kid surprise me again?
Surround, surround… It should be like the technique I used after hitting level 80… If I can catch that faint sensation…
Yuno's physique wasn't yet at its peak, but it was strong enough to support the use of Armament Haki.
Which meant… comprehension was possible — right here, right now.
However, after a full five minutes, Yuno still hadn't grasped the trick.
"It's a bit difficult…"
Yuno opened his eyes and shook his head gently.
Seeing that Yuno hadn't mastered it immediately, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Just moments earlier, when Yuno had closed his eyes, they'd been holding their breath, afraid he'd suddenly harden his Armament Haki.
Zephyr chuckled softly. Comprehending Armament Haki wasn't so easy. If Yuno hadn't already awakened his Observation Haki, it was unlikely he'd be able to master this without proper training.
But then Yuno's eyes flickered as he looked at Zephyr.
"Zephyr-sensei, I want to fight you! From what you just said, Armament Haki needs to be honed and strengthened through battle. So, I'd like to ask you for guidance and see if I can comprehend it while fighting!"
In the One Piece manga, Monkey D. Luffy had often grown stronger during battle—recovering from injuries and breaking his limits mid-fight—like during his clashes with Katakuri in Whole Cake Island and Kaido in Wano.
With Yuno possessing his own "System" cheat, how could he be weaker than the so-called Rubber Sun God?
More importantly, Yuno had felt a fleeting sensation earlier, but couldn't quite capture it. Perhaps battle would help him seize it completely—hence his request.
Zephyr was slightly startled, not expecting Yuno to say such a thing. For a moment, he seemed to glimpse the same monstrous potential he had once seen in legendary figures like Garp and Whitebeard in their youth.
He grinned. "You'd better think this through! I won't go easy on you!"
Killing him wasn't an option, but teaching him a lesson? Absolutely.
Yuno's eyes shone with fighting spirit. "Please teach me, Master Zephyr!"
The instant Yuno finished speaking, Zephyr's figure vanished.
The next moment, he reappeared at Yuno's right and drove a punch straight toward his face.
Of course, Zephyr was holding back—otherwise, with his current speed and strength, one punch could have ended the fight instantly. Even if Yuno used all his strength, he couldn't possibly match Zephyr right now.
A red glint flashed in Yuno's eyes as he quickly turned and met the blow with his own fist.
Bang! Boom! Boom!
The blows collided in rapid succession, but in only a few exchanges, Yuno was sent flying.
Bang! Bang! Bang…
His feet stamped in midair, using Geppo (Moonwalk) to neutralize the force of the punch before landing. His Observation Haki immediately flared again, warning him of danger from the left.
A powerful gust of wind came from that direction—Zephyr's next attack.
'So fast…' Yuno's eyes narrowed. In the past, it was his speed that crushed opponents, but now he was experiencing what his former enemies must have felt.
Although his Observation Haki sensed the attack, his body couldn't keep up.
He crossed his arms to guard his torso.
Bang!
The impact hurled Yuno backward. He twisted midair, skidding across the ground and performing two backflips to disperse the momentum.
Determined to awaken his Armament Haki through combat, Yuno avoided using any weapons.
As he landed, his Observation Haki detected Zephyr's approach again.
He threw a punch forward—
—but Zephyr tilted his head to dodge, then countered with a heavy blow that knocked Yuno away once more.
This time, Zephyr didn't pursue. Instead, he smiled faintly.
"If you get beaten enough times," Zephyr said, "you might just awaken your Armament Haki."
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