"It hurts... It hurts..."
Ace clearly had not used much force at all, yet after taking that hit, Luffy was sent flying as if he had suffered a heavy blow. He lay on the ground, clutching his head tightly as he rolled around and cried out.
Even Zoro, standing nearby, was stunned.
"Hey, Luffy, what are you doing? Didn't you say your body is rubber? Why does it hurt?!"
"I don't know either!"
Luffy held his head and stood up, tears streaming from his eyes as he shouted at Ace.
"His fist is just like Grandpa's. It hurts so much..."
Watching this, the disappointment in Ace's eyes deepened.
"So you don't even know what Haki is?"
"Haki!"
This was the second time everyone present had heard that word.
The last time they heard about Haki was last night, when Robin mentioned it to them.
Seeing their reaction, Ace was certain.
"Looks like you really don't know. You're seriously ignorant. You haven't even mastered Haki, and you're already thinking about making a name for yourselves in the New World? You're way too naive. Are you children?"
Zoro did not grow discouraged from Ace's words. Instead, his gaze became serious.
On the road to becoming the World's Greatest Swordsman, he would never back down.
Now that he had encountered such an incredible power, there was no way he would let it go.
"So what exactly is Haki?"
"Oh. Nice look in your eyes."
Feeling Zoro's presence in that moment, Ace was slightly surprised.
"In that case, I'll show you."
As soon as he finished speaking, in everyone's perception, Ace suddenly seemed to become a different person. The sunny boy from moments ago turned into someone radiating killing intent. At the same time, his figure vanished from where he stood and rushed toward Zoro.
"What?!"
At that moment, Zoro's heart pounded violently, because he truly felt undisguised killing intent.
Without the slightest hesitation, he used his strongest technique.
"Three-Sword Style: Oni Giri!"
But what happened next left him stunned.
His Oni Giri had indeed blocked the incoming Ace, but what he could not accept was that the boy had actually caught his two swords with his bare hands.
In other words, this boy had used his flesh and blood to stop the slashes of his blades.
Had his swords really become that dull?
Just then, he noticed the dark black sheen covering the boy's arms.
In an instant, he seemed to understand something.
Then Ace looked at him with ease and smiled.
"Did you see it clearly? This is the power known as Armament Haki. In the face of Armament Haki's defense, your slash can't even leave a mark on me!"
"!"
For a swordsman, Ace's words were an absolute humiliation.
But Zoro had no time to respond, because at that same moment, he felt an enormous force coming through his blades.
"And besides defense, Armament Haki can also increase the power of attacks, like this..."
"Boom..."
Ace's fist, covered in Armament Haki, slammed directly into Zoro's blade.
The force was too great to resist. Like Luffy, Zoro was sent flying backward like a kite with its string cut.
Seeing this, the once confident Usopp had already gone deathly pale, while Sanji rushed out with an ugly expression.
"Collier Strike!"
"Épaule!"
"Flanchet!"
Facing Sanji's dense barrage of kicks, as numerous as Luffy's punches, Ace still moved as if he were taking a leisurely stroll. Sanji could not touch him at all.
"You've got to be kidding me..."
Sanji could not accept what was happening and kept attacking with all his strength, but the result did not change at all.
Ace, by contrast, looked relaxed and even had time to explain.
"This is the power known as Observation Haki. It sharpens a person's five senses, allowing them to predict an opponent's position and movements. So if you haven't mastered Observation Haki, you simply can't hit me..."
"What?!"
Sanji still wanted to try, but Ace did not give him the chance. In a flash, he appeared in front of Sanji and kicked him away, sending him flying toward Luffy and Zoro.
Then Ace landed on the ground and looked at Usopp, whose legs were already trembling.
"Now you're the only one left... A crew member of the future pirate king. What ability do you have?"
"Ability..."
What ability could he possibly have? Watching Ace walk toward him, Usopp wanted only to run.
Especially now, with Ace openly releasing his killing intent.
Usopp had only just left a small village. When had he ever faced such a terrifying opponent?
"No way. I can't beat him at all!"
Just as Usopp was about to beg for mercy, three figures appeared in front of him, protecting him.
"Bastard, don't bully Usopp!"
"He's our crew member!"
"Four against one, and we still can't win? I won't accept that!"
At that moment, looking at Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, who were battered all over yet still stood in front of him to protect him, Usopp was moved, and a trace of courage rose inside him.
"That's right. I am Usopp-sama, the sniper of the Straw Hat Pirate crew. How... could I surrender...?"
Feeling the four of them unite as one, Ace's eyes lit up slightly. Unfortunately...
"That's a good spirit. Too bad you're still too green. I may never have gone to the sea below, but I know this world is cruel. So next, I'll teach you how to face reality..."
"Boom..."
In an instant, an unbelievably powerful presence erupted from Ace and swept across the entire shore.
...
Ten minutes later, inside Pagaya Shipyard, the atmosphere was heavy, and everyone from the Straw Hat Pirate crew was downcast.
"Is Usopp okay?"
Nami looked nervously at Usopp, who was being cared for by Conis. His eyes had rolled back, and he lay unconscious on the sofa.
Conis also looked a little awkward as she comforted her.
"Don't worry, Nami. He'll be fine. Usopp only fainted. He'll be all right after he sleeps for a while."
"That's good."
Although she said that, Nami could not truly relax as she looked at Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, all sitting in the room with heavy expressions. She sighed.
Zoro sat on the sofa, gripping the swords in his hands tightly.
"Unacceptable... Unacceptable..."
What kind of power was that?
The opponent had not even moved. A powerful presence had simply pressed down on them, and the three of them instantly lost their ability to fight. Even though their opponent had already left, Zoro's body was still trembling slightly.
"Is that also the power of Haki?"
"This humiliation..."
"As I am now, what right do I have to become the World's Greatest Swordsman...?"
Just then, Luffy suddenly stood up with a serious expression. He looked at everyone and raised his fist.
"I've decided..."
"!"
"Let's go find Ace together and learn Haki..."
***
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