"Does Hawkeye also possess Conqueror's Haki? Well, it makes sense—he is the world's strongest… Holy shit."
The shockwave from their clash surged outward. Badak felt as if his brain had been hammered twice, leaving him dizzy and disoriented. But he refused to give in—he hadn't even seen the outcome of that strike yet.
Had Badak turned around, he would have noticed that many of the crew had already been knocked unconscious by the Conqueror's Haki. Only the officers remained unaffected.
"You think mere aftershocks can take me down? Ah—!"
Badak let out a silent roar. Then, he felt something break through the barriers within his body, like a shield blocking the relentless external pressure.
"Does this kid also have the qualities of a king?"
Beckman observed everything with keen eyes, lighting a cigarette. The ember flickered in the evening breeze.
But Badak had no time to dwell on it. As the dust on the island settled, Shanks and Mihawk, who had been facing each other earlier, now stood back-to-back. In a clichéd scenario, one of them would collapse in the next moment, blood gushing out as if from a high-pressure nozzle.
Yet that wasn't what happened. Though neither was unscathed, they only looked slightly worse for wear.
Shanks turned and threw an arm around Mihawk's shoulders, slapping him heartily. "Damn, Mihawk, you actually blocked that! I thought I had it in the bag."
Divine Departure was indeed a fearsome technique. The Pirate King, Roger, had once used it to effortlessly send Kozuki Oden—heir to the shogunate of Wano and commander of Whitebeard's Second Division—flying. Shanks had only just begun mastering it, yet Mihawk had taken it without injury, a testament to his overwhelming strength.
"Alright, men—party time!"
"Whoo—!"
The crew tidied up the small, battered island and lit a bonfire. Badak helped Lucky Roux prepare the food.
After traveling together for several days, Badak had gotten along best with Lucky Roux. Both were foodies with endless topics to discuss. Badak had learned many culinary techniques of the pirate world from Lucky Roux, while Lucky Roux had gained plenty of creative food ideas from Badak's world—a win-win."Uta, give us a round of 'Binks' Sake.' Let's all raise our glasses together." If Shanks weren't a pirate, he'd definitely make an excellent host—he really knows how to liven up the atmosphere.
"Cheers..." The crowd raised their glasses and drank heartily.
"Yo-ho-ho-ho, yo-ho-ho-ho
Yo-ho-ho-ho, yo-ho-ho-ho
Yo-ho-ho-ho, yo-ho-ho-ho
Yo-ho-ho-ho, yo-ho-ho-ho
Deliver Binks' sake right to your side
Like the sea breeze, free and untamed, riding the waves
..."
At first, it was just Uta singing, but soon everyone joined in. The most unbelievable part was that even Hawkeye started singing along.
"Mihawk, oh Mihawk, I never expected you to be like this, Hawkeye. If only I had a Video Transponder Snail, I'd record you and sell the footage to that big newsman Morgans..."
Badak chuckled mischievously at the thought, his lips curling into a sly grin. Suddenly, he felt an intense gaze piercing through him—so sharp it felt almost physical, making his scalp tingle. He quickly composed himself and raised his glass toward Hawkeye.
"Shanks, is that one of your crew members over there?"
Following Hawkeye's gaze, Shanks shook his head. "That's Badak, a guest on my ship. He's only eight but has incredible talent. Beckman says he's already awakened Conqueror's Haki, and with his Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit, he's bound to become someone extraordinary in the future."
Hawkeye said nothing more, quietly sipping his drink.
"Come on, drink up! Down it in one go—finish that glass!"
"After this one, there's another! To Mihawk, bottoms up!"
"Cheers..."
Mihawk enjoyed good wine but wasn't one to overindulge. He retired to his small boat halfway through the feast, while Shanks and the others continued reveling, determined to drink until they dropped.
"Shanks, what was that last move you guys did earlier? How could you clash without touching?" Badak asked knowingly during a lull in the drinking.
"Hahaha! That's Haki, my friend! Haki! The flow of Armament Haki and the infusion of Conqueror's Haki!"
"Haki? Armament? Conqueror's?"
"Ah, Haki is a latent power all humans possess—an innate potential. Presence, aura, intimidation... When you learn to manipulate these unseen forces, your willpower becomes a weapon. That's Haki."
"Latent power?"
"Exactly. Most people never manage to awaken it in their lifetime. There are two common types: Observation Haki, which lets you sense your opponent's presence, and Armament Haki, which enhances attack and defense. Then there's the rarest kind—Conqueror's Haki, the power of intimidation. Those who awaken it are said to have the qualities of a king. Badak, you're one in a million with that potential."
"Hahaha! Well, of course—that's just like me! Shanks, how do I awaken the other two types?"
"Ahh, I'm not much of a teacher, you know. Simply put, Observation Haki requires training your perception, and Armament Haki demands a strong body. Remember, unwavering resolve is strength itself. Real combat is the best way to awaken Haki..."
True to his word, Shanks wasn't the best instructor. His explanations were scattered, based purely on personal experience. Luckily, Badak already had some prior understanding and could piece together the key points, especially finding Shanks' training suggestions particularly enlightening.
"Thanks, Shanks. Here, a toast to you—I'll finish mine first!"
"Bottoms up! Hahaha! Badak, until you master Conqueror's Haki, be careful not to use it recklessly—you might hurt your allies. Come on, refill those glasses! Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
The party lasted well into the night, and for the first time in the pirate world, Badak got drunk.
...
Knock knock knock.
The sound of knocking roused Badak from sleep. He found himself sprawled on the ship's cabin floor, with no memory of how he'd gotten there.Opening the door, it was Lucky Roux, who said with a smile, "Badak, we can already see Sabaody Archipelago. Get ready! We'll need to resupply too."
"That was fast, Roux. I'm going to miss you guys."
"Then why not join us? We can research delicious food together, hehahaha!"
"Better not. You already have a monkey." Badak was referring to Monster, a genuine monkey and one of the Red Hair Pirates' officers.
"Suit yourself. I won't say goodbye later—I'm swamped with preparations for supplies."
"Alright, go ahead. I'll go find Shanks."
When Badak found Shanks, he was standing at the bow, gazing into the distance at Sabaody.
Seeing Badak approach, Shanks suddenly burst into laughter and said, "Hey, Handsome Monkey King, you can't hold your liquor, huh?"
"Ah, Handsome Monkey King?"
"Yeah, you said it yourself yesterday—something about being the Handsome Monkey King and wreaking havoc in the heavens. Oh, and you also said you'd beat Fleet Admiral Sengoku until his head was covered in lumps."
"No way," Badak quickly asked, "What else did I say?"
"You guess."