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"I see," Ian murmured, comprehending the explanation of Haki.
As a transmigrator, he was already familiar with the concept of Haki, but he hadn't known the specific training methods.
There were three types of Haki in this world.
Observation Haki, used to sense incoming attacks and perceive the presence of others; Armament Haki, used to enhance strength, defense, and even negate Devil Fruit abilities; and Conqueror's Haki, used to overpower and even knock out opponents with sheer willpower.
Conqueror's Haki was an innate ability that couldn't be acquired through training. It was considered a sign of kingly potential, and those who possessed it were rare, even in the New World, the latter half of the Grand Line, where powerful individuals were abundant.
Observation Haki and Armament Haki, on the other hand, were more common, especially in the New World, where their use was widespread, practically a standard combat skill.
The strength of Armament Haki was directly related to physical strength. The stronger the individual, the more potent their Armament Haki. Conversely, even if a weak individual learned Armament Haki, it would be significantly weaker.
Haki training was a gradual process, requiring time and effort. Attempting to cultivate Haki before reaching a sufficient level of physical strength was a waste of time, putting the cart before the horse. It was better to focus on enhancing physical strength first.
Human potential was nearly limitless, and theoretically, physical strength could be enhanced indefinitely. However, the stronger one became, the more difficult it was to improve further. Even across the vast expanse of the sea, individuals who could reach Garp's level of strength were rare.
Generally, it was most effective to begin cultivating Armament Haki after reaching a certain level of physical strength, when further improvement became challenging.
But Ian was different. He possessed a transmigrator's template system, an advantage even greater than the protagonist's plot armor. As long as he had souls, he could continuously grow stronger. The concept of premature Haki training didn't apply to him.
The strength of Armament Haki varied from person to person, but there was a simple and general classification for its control. The ability to envelop one's fists or weapons in Haki, slightly increasing their attack power, was considered the entry level.
True mastery of Armament Haki involved not just enveloping but also densely coating weapons and fists with Haki, achieving Armament Haki Hardening.
Further advancement allowed one to coat any part of their body with Armament Haki, achieving Full-Body Armament Haki Hardening. Reaching this level signified proficiency in Armament Haki.
However, the fundamental factor was still the strength of the Haki itself. No matter how refined one's control, if the Haki was inherently weak, it would remain ineffective.
Achieving Full-Body or Partial Hardening wasn't necessarily a sign of exceptional Haki strength. It merely indicated exceptional control over Haki.
For example, if Ian could easily break through Armament Haki Hardening as strong as steel, whether it was Partial or Full-Body Hardening, as long as its strength was below his threshold, it would offer little resistance to his attacks.
The strength of Armament Haki was paramount. Unless it reached an exceptionally high level, even the most intricate techniques would be useless against a powerful strike.
Ian, however, had a different interpretation. Perhaps the arduous physical training required for Haki was merely a method for refining a specific type of energy within the body.
Similar to chakra in the Naruto universe and magic power in the Fairy Tail universe, it was like channeling his spiritual pressure into his sword to unleash a sword wave, a way of utilizing internal energy. Just like in Wano Country…
The later events in One Piece, where Hyogoro taught Luffy Advanced Armament Haki, known as Ryuo, further supported this theory. The Hierro in the Bleach universe, the monstrous strength in the Naruto universe, and the physical combat techniques in Fairy Tail…
They were similar in a sense, all involving the utilization of their respective worlds' unique energies, although they tended to be integrated into the body, becoming passive abilities.
Making this power truly their own. With this understanding, Ian focused his spiritual pressure onto his right hand. It instantly turned pitch black, and then the rest of his body followed suit, confirming his theory.
He could sense the destructive power of his punches, akin to a sword wave or a Cero, similar to the destructive techniques found in various anime worlds. Fortunately, the rules of the One Piece world weren't as rigid as those in Naruto, Bleach, or Fairy Tail. Otherwise, he might have inadvertently developed entirely new abilities.
He had learned Armament Haki with such ease that other individuals would likely be enraged if they knew. Was this genius? No, it was a cheat!
With his ability to devour souls, he possessed an abundance of this energy, although it was still inferior to that of Garp and other top-tier individuals. He likely needed to reach 60% fusion and his second Resurrección to rival them.
Observation Haki, similarly, involved manipulating and enhancing spiritual energy, akin to various mental abilities in other worlds. Materialization, control, transformation, illusions… Sensing, perception, telepathy, and even the "Voice of All Things" were merely different applications of this spiritual energy.
As an Arrancar, an Espada, whose powers revolved around souls and spiritual pressure, he had an abundance of mental energy.
He extended his soul-sensing, encompassing the entire room. He observed Tashigi, the sword enthusiast, who had abandoned her examination of Shusui, her jaw agape in astonishment.
He had learned Armament Haki just like that?
Time seemed to slow down as his perception heightened. Then, his senses returned to normal, and the world, which had been moving at a snail's pace, sped up, the entire process taking only a split second from an outside perspective. Tashigi was still in shock.
Turning to face the stunned Tashigi, Ian picked up an apple from his desk and held it out to her. As he did so, the apple shimmered, gradually becoming transparent.
Wavy lines, like ripples on water, appeared on its surface. Simultaneously, within his mental space, the green Devil Fruit sapling lost its transparent fruit, the Suke Suke no Mi, previously belonging to Absalom, the lion-faced invisible man. Beside it remained the black fruit, the Kage Kage no Mi.
"Sir… what did you feed me?" Tashigi, in a daze, took a bite. However, a putrid, foul taste, like rotten excrement, assaulted her senses, snapping her out of her trance. Wait… had she eaten something?
"It disappeared… Was that a Devil Fruit?"
She stared at Ian in disbelief. Just as she was about to unleash her fury at his bizarre sense of humor - she was his subordinate, not his plaything - she vanished.
She had heard tales of Devil Fruits. Despite the many useless and undesirable abilities, they were highly sought after.
Like opening loot boxes in a video game, their value was determined by chance, each one worth over 100 million berries. Knowing the specific ability of a Devil Fruit increased its value even further. The Ope Ope no Mi, for example, was worth 5 billion berries, while a warship cost only 1 billion.
Logia fruits, with their elemental powers, were undoubtedly worth at least that much, as their abilities were incredibly powerful. In the hands of a skilled user, they could be world-destroying. Other Devil Fruits, like Katakuri's Mochi Mochi no Mi and Doflamingo's Ito Ito no Mi, were similarly potent.
Then there were individuals like Buggy, Foxy, and Moria, who squandered the potential of their powerful Devil Fruits, turning them into mere gimmicks.
Even renowned swords, while valuable, were less sought after than Devil Fruits. A sword crafted by one of the "50 Skillful Grade Blades" was worth a million berries, while a Meito could fetch tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions. However, they were rarer than Devil Fruits, as they required skilled blacksmiths and compatible swordsmen, limiting their availability and potential.
Furthermore, in the later stages of the story, even a wooden staff could be trained to become a Black Blade, making swords relatively less valuable.
Devil Fruits, on the other hand, offered the chance to acquire incredibly powerful abilities that anyone could utilize.
"Was that the Suke Suke no Mi?" With her extensive knowledge, she deduced the Devil Fruit's identity based on its effect. For a swordsman, it was a highly coveted ability.
Blackbeard, in the original story, had given this fruit to Shiryu, enhancing his already formidable swordsmanship.
Unlike the incompetent Absalom, Shiryu could effectively conceal his presence and movements, making him an even more dangerous assassin.
There were no inherently useless Devil Fruits, only incompetent users. It all depended on the individual.
"Yes, it was the Suke Suke no Mi. Consider it a reward and a welcome gift for joining my crew. I acquired it by chance, and as a swordsman myself, I could vaguely guess its ability based on its appearance."
Ian lied effortlessly. Absalom's existence had been relatively unknown until he revealed himself during the Paramount War to rescue Moria, attracting unwanted attention.
"Unfortunately, I've already consumed a Devil Fruit. Fortunately, this one is stronger and more suitable for me." He feigned disappointment, manipulating Tashigi, a naive newcomer, like a puppet.
"Don't worry, sir. I'll work hard!" Tashigi immediately declared her loyalty. The Suke Suke no Mi was worth billions of berries, perhaps even tens of billions to a swordsman. At her current salary…
It would take her a lifetime to earn that much, unless she hunted down powerful pirates, which was a long shot. And even then, there was no guarantee she would encounter this specific Devil Fruit. The sea was teeming with swordsmen.
"It's fine. It was useless to me anyway. However, I suggest you learn Soru, Geppo, and Observation Haki. If you're pursuing the path of swordsmanship, those techniques will be invaluable."
Soru, a technique for instantaneous high-speed movement, and Geppo, a technique for walking on air, were incredibly useful, not just for swordsmen, but for practically everyone.
While not all Marines had access to Rokushiki training, Ian was a Vice Admiral, and the instructions were right there on his desk.
After the Thriller Bark incident, he had realized the devastating potential of the Suke Suke no Mi in the hands of a skilled swordsman. Combined with Soru for swift movement, it would be nearly impossible to predict an attack, even with Observation Haki. Only someone like Fujitora, whose Observation Haki was as refined as soul-sensing…
An invisible swordsman? A terrifying ability indeed!
Moreover, the Suke Suke no Mi's awakening granted the user the ability to turn their surroundings, and even themselves, invisible.
What use was Observation Haki against that? Unless it was refined to the point of precognition.
Undoubtedly, he had successfully recruited Tashigi, a valuable asset acquired through a generous gift.
A Devil Fruit worth billions of berries. Only because he possessed Ulquiorra's template and the ability to devour souls and potentially create Devil Fruits could he afford such a gesture.
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Word Count [1905]
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To Be Continued..
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