The training room was silent.
After a long while, Hatchan finally snapped out of his daze, his expression complicated—like he had just poked a sleeping beast.
One moment, he had been emphasizing how difficult it was to awaken Haki, how even the most talented individuals needed extensive training and combat experience. The next moment, Rhode had already manifested Armament Haki…
Rhode looked at him innocently and said, "It… doesn't seem that hard."
"I just closed my eyes, sensed it, and with a little guidance, it naturally came out…"
"..."
Hatchan felt like his entire world had been turned upside down. He could tell Rhode was telling the truth—and that was precisely what made it sting.
"So, can I start training Haki now?" Rhode asked.
"...Yes."
Fish-man Hatchan's tone was heavy. He suddenly felt powerless—Rhode's talent was too overwhelming, and he wasn't sure he could handle it.
From then on, Hatchan began explaining Haki in detail. Previously, he had talked about awakening it; now, he moved on to training it.
Hatchan never would have imagined that he'd be teaching both the awakening and training of Haki on the same day…
Armament Haki was closely tied to physical strength.
The stronger the body, the stronger the Armament Haki. A weak physique would result in weak Haki, no matter how much one trained.
Take the all-female island of Amazon Lily in the Calm Belt, for example. The entire island was militarized, and nearly everyone could use Haki. But if their physical strength was lacking, their combat ability would still be weak.
Normally, the best time to train Haki was when physical training had plateaued—when further breakthroughs were difficult in the short term. That way, the gains would be highest and the results fastest.
But Rhode was different. In just over two months, he had reached a level of physical mastery that most took years to achieve. Conventional rules and limitations meant nothing to him.
He was a monster who defied common sense, an anomaly beyond comprehension.
So Hatchan didn't even bother mentioning this.
"The strength of Armament Haki varies from person to person, closely linked to physical strength. But in terms of mastery, there are still some general stages."
Hatchan steadied himself and began explaining in a calm, methodical manner.
"Manifesting Armament Haki and using it to coat weapons or fists to enhance attacks—that's the beginner stage."
"Refining it beyond a crude coating, achieving high-density adhesion to weapons or fists—that's Armament Hardening, the true mastery of Armament Haki."
"And beyond that, fully covering every inch of the body with Armament Haki, achieving full-body hardening—that's the advanced stage."
As he spoke, Hatchan demonstrated each level of Armament Haki control.
"However, there's something I need to warn you about…""The essence of Armament Haki lies in its strength. No matter how perfectly you control it, it's useless if the strength isn't sufficient."
Rhode nodded slightly. This aligned well with his own assumptions.
Achieving full-body hardening didn't necessarily equate to power.
A prime example was Vergo, one of the top executives of the Donquixote Family. Despite mastering full-body hardening, he was still instantly defeated by Trafalgar Law.
The strength of Armament Haki was the true foundation!
Take Black Fist Slote, whom Rhode had previously slain. Even if Slote had achieved Armament Hardening, Rhode's sword would still have pierced through him effortlessly—because his Haki simply wasn't strong enough.
"For someone like you, partial Armament Hardening is sufficient."
"Focusing too much on defense is an insult to a swordmaster," Hatchan remarked.
Rhode nodded in agreement.
A swordmaster? What defined a swordmaster?
A blade in hand, cutting down all foes in the world!
That was the conviction unique to a swordmaster.
Perhaps it lacked the visceral thrill of martial arts or the mystique and grandeur of Devil Fruit abilities, but there was a distinct romance to it—both dazzling and perilous.
Seeing Rhode's nod, Hatchan smiled approvingly before his tone turned serious:
"Then, let's officially begin your Haki training. You must—"
...
One month later, the training room.
Rhode stood with his sword held horizontally before him, his gaze fixed intently on the blade. Wispy, intangible strands of energy coiled around it—invisible to the naked eye.
Yet Rhode could sense them clearly. This was the latent potential inherent in every person in this world—the power known as Haki!
Over the past month of training, Rhode had not only made significant progress in the strength of his Armament Haki but had also fully mastered the basic application of Armament Coating.
Now, he was practicing Armament Hardening.
"Armament... Hardening!"
With a focused thought, the ethereal energy around the blade trembled before slowly coalescing, as if trying to solidify.
But—
Before the energy could fully condense, let alone take on the distinctive jet-black sheen of Armament Hardening, it abruptly dispersed.
"Failed again?"
Rhode exhaled softly.
Compared to his peers in the training program, he was far ahead—at just seventeen, he was already learning Two-Colored Haki, leaving them in the dust.
But in Haki training, he was still a novice, advancing step by step through trial and error.
Fortunately, Hatchan the fish-man was both highly responsible and deeply knowledgeable, capable of answering nearly any question. As a result, Rhode hadn't encountered any major roadblocks—his progress was steady, with occasional flashes of brilliance.
Sometimes, he succeeded in executing Armament Hardening, but it never lasted long, quickly crumbling apart.
This was a problem that needed urgent resolution.
While training Armament Haki, Rhode also practiced Observation Haki—and in this area, his progress was even faster.
Or rather, it barely required training at all. The peculiar state he'd sensed before was actually Observation Haki—it just hadn't been developed enough for practical combat use.
Under Hatchan's guidance, Rhode quickly grasped the application of Observation Haki.
Observation Haki was a sensory ability that allowed one to perceive an opponent's movements, enabling preemptive strikes or evasions.
The stronger the Observation Haki, the more details one could perceive, and the broader and more sensitive the detection range became.Reaching the pinnacle of cultivation could even grant brief glimpses into the future!
This level of Observation Haki is far rarer than Conqueror's Haki. Across these seas, no more than a handful have mastered it.
Abilities involving time, even the slightest fragments of such power, transcend mortal imagination and remain elusive to ordinary perception.
Rhode's rapid progress in cultivation deeply disheartened Hatchan, who had been closely observing him.
Initially, Hatchan could still offer some guidance, given his years of experience in Haki training and his unique techniques in various applications.
But Rhode's learning speed was astonishing—almost to the point of comprehending the whole from a single instance. It didn't take long for him to exhaust Hatchan's knowledge.
Now, Hatchan had adopted a "calmly watching you show off" attitude toward Rhode's training, feeling serene and no longer disheartened by Rhode's rapid progress.
Sometimes, Hatchan even thought that if Rhode were to tell him he had mastered Armament Hardening now, it wouldn't be all that surprising.
At most, he might be slightly startled.
Fortunately, mastering Haki required practical combat experience, allowing Hatchan to contribute a bit more. Otherwise, he might have truly doubted his worth as a Fishman.