All that could be said was that the world between them was far too vast.
The foundation of Haki is will. Its three extensions are the applications of that will.
Ideals, beliefs, emotions, killing intent... these spiritual pursuits act as fuel for Haki, making it stronger.
However, all of this is based on the physical and mental state of the Haki user, determining the ultimate effect this weapon called Haki can achieve.
The Haki clash in the giant village was a battle of will against will, body and mind against body and mind.
Experience, technique, spirit, physique... quality and quantity, both were indispensable.
Dark thunder crackled between Sakura's fists.
She didn't use her terrifying monstrous strength to crush Ace at all. She even considerately kept the intensity of her Haki within a range comparable to his.
Yet her effortless switching between the two types of Haki was already far beyond the young man before her by an unknown margin.
"Damn it!"
Feeling underestimated, Ace clenched his fists and swung another pair of surging black iron fists.
With Haki enhancement, his fists rubbed against the air at high speed, even igniting the air and producing flames.
But this very raging charge came to an abrupt halt before Sakura's open palm, and was even suppressed in return.
Like mist hitting a city wall, the Haki that had accompanied Ace in defeating countless powerful warriors and had never failed him before dissipated under Sakura's raised right hand.
His Observation Haki had clearly perceived her every move, and he had concentrated his Haki as much as possible in the direction of her attack... but it just didn't work. It couldn't even force out her other hand!
"Still need more practice!"
Sakura casually caught Ace's fist and threw him to the ground.
Taking advantage of Ace's stumble, she formed a fist with her right hand and ferociously punched toward his startled face. The sound of the punch tearing through the air was like thunder, and the Haki wrapped around Sakura's arm howled.
Thud!
Ace couldn't even use Observation Haki to predict and dodge before the fist hit his face. He flew backward, and his consciousness seemed to stay behind.
"Ugh..."
Ace groaned in the distance and instinctively reached for the sword at his waist.
But his fingers had already touched the hilt when he stopped, re-clenching his fists and assuming a stance.
"What are you hesitating for? Use your techniques if you have them!"
Sakura increased her Chakra output, quickly healing Ace's injuries. "Or have you, having adapted to your identity as a pirate with a rebellious bone, prepared to hide a technique for later use against me?"
"No, I was just worried..." As his consciousness cleared, Ace instinctively spoke, then immediately clamped his mouth shut when he realized what he was saying.
"Oh, worried I might get hurt?"
The girl laughed, a very bright and radiant laugh.
Ace: "???"
'No, there were so many people watching. You said that yourself, not me!'
"Excellent!"
Sakura nodded approvingly and took off her gloves, pulling out the hilt of her cloud rope from behind her back. "It seems I and the others as your teachers have been insufficiently responsible, making my student worry about me!"
"So today, I need to show you just how powerful your teacher is!"
A disciple's filial devotion was truly touching.
But that didn't conflict with Sakura's desire to beat him.
If he was so arrogant as to worry about his enemy in the middle of a fight, she had to respond to that disdain, or else wouldn't she be looked down upon by this foolish disciple?
On the basis of equal output, she would show him some advanced applications, since she was going to teach him anyway.
Limit strength, limit Haki....
Thus, having readjusted herself, Sakura raised her hand and lightly tapped the air.
— Armament - Shigan!
Ace's eyelids twitched wildly. His Observation Haki's premonition frantically warned him of danger. Without thinking, he grabbed his sword and held it horizontally across his chest.
Clang! Clang! Clang!...
Some of the attacks hit Ace's sword with a sharp sound, while the remaining Shigan pierced straight through his defensive Haki, causing the Haki wrapped around them to seep into his body.
Explode!
The Haki carrying Sakura's will exploded inside Ace, making him cry out in pain as, for the first time, paying the price of serious physical injury, he remembered that hair-raising turbulent flow of Haki.
"That hurts! Someone could die from this, Sakura-nee!"
His physical injuries were healed again. Ace coughed up blood as he struggled to his feet.
"Otherwise? Even if your body can be healed, the accumulated pain can still kill you!"
Sakura's mocking voice came. "So move faster, Ace. Otherwise, I might just have to discipline the disciples today!"
Flowing cherry-pink Haki formed an invisible layer of armor around Sakura's fists.
With overwhelming momentum and a ferocious smile, she descended from the sky and flashed before Ace.
In the distance, Yamato, who had stopped training, found a place to sit down and wrapped her arms around her knees.
"Sato Sakura, you're there, aren't you!"
The white-haired girl spoke, and the ground beneath her feet wriggled unnaturally.
Then, a small protrusion extended from beside Yamato's foot, forming a tiny mini Sato Sakura.
"Are you part dog? I'm hiding underground, and you still found me."
Sato Sakura, having used her ability to appear here, still had an expressionless face as she teased.
"Hehehe, who says we aren't both Inu Inu no Mi's users~" Yamato's smile was joyful. "Oh right, you also know that Haki technique Sakura-senpai taught us, don't you?"
Recalling their first fight, Yamato realized that no matter how hard she tried, her freezing air couldn't penetrate Sato Sakura's body. It was as if an invisible layer of armor was blocking her.
"Yes. Mother has taught you the principles, and your Haki level is already very close to that."
The tiny mud Sato Sakura shook off the excess dirt and jumped from the ground onto Yamato's chest.
She stretched comfortably, lying down on that softness that almost swallowed her up.
"Then I'll come find you and be your sparring partner!"
Yamato reached out and gently rubbed the little clay doll's head.
"Okay. I'm at the factory outside the village. Come find me directly."
The clay doll nodded, got up, jumped back to the ground, and merged into the earth.
Yamato, excited, glanced at Ace and Sakura fighting, then quietly slipped out of the giant village and ran toward the pharmaceutical factory in the distance.
At the center of the plaza, Sakura noticed Yamato leaving but didn't stop her.
Because she needed to focus more of her attention on Ace, to avoid accidentally killing him by striking too hard.
"Flow. The key is to make your Haki flow!" She didn't forget to urge Ace on as she punched.
Holding his sword with both hands, his vision already blurring, Ace painfully searched for a way to make his Haki flow amidst the collision of wills and even body and mind.
As a genius who had comprehended Haki on his own through battle, he had always used it instinctively to get this far.
This talent was indeed the asset that allowed him to become powerful without a teacher, but it had also become an obstacle to his further progress.
Now, wanting to get back on track and pursue a higher realm, he could only slowly make up for the lessons he had missed in the past.
Hundreds of slashes and counters, repeatedly enduring the pain of having his Haki shattered.
Finally allowed Ace to extend his foundation from mere 'sensation' to glimpse, through his Observation Haki, the flow of that Haki beneath Sakura's arms.
"Cough cough cough... I see!!!" Ace coughed violently.
His spirit revitalized as violent Haki suddenly gathered on his blade, flowing out into a layer of purple armor.
The twelve Supreme Grade Blades, Ace, carried a sharp sword intent as it rose against the current.
Colliding with Sakura's iron fist, which was also flowing with Haki.
Clang—!
After the clang, the two Hakis mutually annihilated.
Then, Ace's vision went black.
The last thing he heard was Sakura's clear, loud laughter.
So cheerful.