Zhang Da Ye nodded. Jinbe was probably just being modest. When he said he wasn't skilled in this area, what he likely meant was that he could go a few rounds with Big Mom without flinching—and maybe even leave her with a scratch or two.
So the group sat down together, four people and one cat forming a small half-circle around Jinbe, listening attentively like students at a lecture.
Jinbe was a little uncomfortable under such serious attention. He cleared his throat with a fist to his mouth and began.
"Haki is a latent power that exists within all humans across the world. And by humans, I mean the broad sense of the word—giants, dwarves, fishmen, all races are included. Haki is like spirit, presence, intimidation. Most people never realize this force exists, and even fewer manage to awaken it. Haki is generally divided into two types: Armament Haki and Observation Haki. Only a rare few are born with the third, Conqueror's Haki."
He poured out everything he knew without holding back. Jinbe was a man of honor—if he received kindness, he would repay it. If he was willing to teach Fishman Karate, then passing along knowledge of Haki was no big deal.
"Armament Haki is like an invisible armor. When strong enough, that armor itself can be used offensively, allowing feats impossible with brute force alone."
Jinbe picked up two wooden boards. With a normal punch, he snapped one cleanly in half. With Armament Haki coating his fist, the other board shattered into splinters.
Zhang Da Ye suddenly realized: that "invisible armor" wasn't literally black like in the anime. The dark shading was just a visual effect to tell the audience the character was using Haki, not that their fists literally turned black. The same went for the red glow of Ryuo or the lightning effects of Conqueror's Haki.
But when it came to how to actually train Haki, Jinbe's answer was simple: "I don't know."
His own Haki hadn't been gained through practice, but rather awakened naturally in battle. Only later did he come to understand what it was.
So the best he could do for them was demonstrate Haki several times and describe the sensations in his body when he used it.
"How about you guys—anyone feel anything?" Zhang Da Ye asked, having come up with nothing himself.
Shark Chili spread his hands. "Don't count on me. I'm already struggling to learn Fishman Karate. This kind of 'human power' probably doesn't exist in my body anyway."
Rui Meng Meng shook her head too. "Feeling some hidden force inside myself? That's way too abstract. I have no idea how to start."
Artoria said nothing, eyes closed, still trying.
Tom, too, closed his eyes, hand propping up his chin as his head slowly nodded down. He looked more like he was falling asleep.
Zhang Da Ye glanced at him, then suggested half-jokingly, "Jinbe, why don't you punch Tom with Haki and see if he feels it?"
Jinbe blinked. That's your pet, isn't it? Why would you abuse him?
Tom's head dropped again as he dozed, then snapped up. He rubbed his eyes, certain he'd just heard something outrageous.
Next thing he knew, his owner was grinning at him.
"Tom, how about letting Jinbe give you a punch? You'll feel the Haki, learn it on the spot. Later I'll buy you whatever you want—cat food, dog food, fish snacks, big bones, anything."
Tom looked at Jinbe's massive fist, then shook his head like a rattle drum. He pulled out a slip of paper that read: "This is animal abuse!"
He flipped it over. The back read: "I'll hire a lawyer!"
Zhang Da Ye snatched the paper away and ruffled Tom's head. "This isn't abuse, it's training. A lawyer's letter won't help. Besides, one punch won't kill you. Come on, try it~"
But Tom refused. He was scared of the pain.
"Then maybe hit me instead. Let me feel it firsthand. But keep it light—I doubt my talent's anywhere near Tom's."
Jinbe fell silent for a moment. Wait, did he just say the cat had the best talent?
Still, since Zhang Da Ye insisted, Jinbe curled a finger and aimed it at Zhang Da Ye's forehead. "If it's just to feel Haki, this will do. Brace yourself."
Thunk. Jinbe flicked his forehead.
Who would've thought a fishman with webbed fingers could deliver such a clean flick?
"Wah!" Zhang Da Ye's head snapped back and his body followed, collapsing flat on the deck in a starfish sprawl.
"Boss, are you alright?"
"Da Ye, how do you feel?"
"Meow?"
"Ahh…" Zhang Da Ye clutched his forehead. "Don't shout in my ear. My head's buzzing, feels like I got smacked with a sledgehammer. A big one."
After a while, he sat up, still rubbing his head. "Hoo~ That really packs a punch!"
Jinbe asked, "So? What did you feel?"
"Nothing." Zhang Da Ye sighed. "Guess I don't have the knack. Couldn't sense a thing. Maybe we really should test it on Tom."
"Let me try." Artoria raised her hand. She wanted to experience firsthand this power so different from mana.
Jinbe obliged with a restrained punch to her palm.
Artoria frowned, then summoned a silver gauntlet that extended to her forearm. "How about against this?"
"Of course." Jinbe struck again, same strength. This time a metallic clang rang out.
Artoria dismissed the gauntlet, thoughtful. "It feels like this 'Haki' is tied to the heart."
"The heart?" Jinbe was puzzled.
"Or rather, to willpower and conviction," she explained. "When you hit me without armor, subconsciously you worried about hurting me, so you held back. With the gauntlet, you believed it was safe to strike. Same strength, but the destructive power differed. That difference comes from the heart—the will—affecting the Armament Haki."
She didn't truly understand Haki yet, but she had fought countless battles and encountered many kinds of power. That experience gave her insight to quickly analyze the essence of a force.
Jinbe, only thirty-four at the time and still early in his pirate years, wasn't yet the seasoned veteran he would become. This was the first time he'd ever heard such a perspective.
"So… under the same conditions, the stronger one's conviction, the stronger their Haki?" he murmured, as though a veil had been lifted.
Wait a second—wasn't he supposed to be the teacher here?
Haki, beyond physical strength, truly was a power of the spirit. Rayleigh once said, "Unshakable will is true strength." Others had said, "If you don't believe in yourself, your Haki will weaken." And Sanji once admitted during a fight with Black Maria, "I can't bring myself to harm a woman. Even my Haki grows soft."
A force influenced by heart and belief—exactly the kind of thing a hot-blooded shonen hero was destined to master. Nowhere was it clearer than in Fairy Tail's magic, though even Naruto's chakra and dojutsu leaned that way.
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