Chereads / One Piece: Duel of the Grand Seas / Chapter 12 - Path of haki pt 2

Chapter 12 - Path of haki pt 2

The morning sun once again broke over the horizon, casting a warm glow on the tranquil island. Xpovac, already wide awake, stood on the deck of his ship, the breeze gently tousling his hair. Today marked the beginning of his journey into mastering Haki—an ability that could separate the great from the legendary. 

His Pokémon were all back from their morning run across the island, and as they gathered around him, Xpovac was ready to push their training to a new level.

"Alright, everyone," Xpovac said, holding up two books. "Today we learn Haki."

Lucario, Swampert, Mew, Tyranitar, and Lugia looked at him attentively, their eyes filled with excitement. They knew that whatever Xpovac had planned would be challenging, but that's what they craved. 

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Observation Haki Training

Xpovac began by explaining the first type of Haki—Observation Haki. "This ability will let you sense the presence, emotions, and even movements of others without relying on your eyes," he said, opening the book on Observation Haki.

Lucario, with its natural aura-sensing ability, was the first to grasp the concept. Xpovac stood several feet away from him and threw small pebbles in Lucario's direction. Without opening his eyes, Lucario dodged every single one. His ears twitched, and his aura flared slightly, but he was in complete sync with his surroundings.

"You're already a natural," Xpovac smiled. "Now let's try something harder."

He instructed Mew to teleport around them while releasing small bursts of psychic energy. The idea was for Lucario to predict where Mew would appear and dodge each attack. At first, it was tough—Mew was fast and unpredictable—but after a few attempts, Lucario started dodging Mew's energy blasts before they even formed.

"Impressive!" Xpovac grinned, his own Observation Haki tingling at the edges of his awareness as he sensed his Pokémon improving.

After Lucario, Xpovac moved on to Swampert, Tyranitar, and Lugia. Each of them struggled more than Lucario, especially with their size, but Xpovac guided them through basic exercises. He blindfolded Swampert and told it to navigate an obstacle course using only its instincts. Tyranitar was taught to sense vibrations in the ground, while Lugia was encouraged to feel the shifts in the wind and water around them.

For Xpovac, his own training meant sparring blindfolded with Lucario. It was difficult at first—Lucario's speed and precision were hard to track—but slowly, Xpovac began to feel the subtle changes in the air, the faint shift in Lucario's aura just before he attacked. After hours of intense practice, Xpovac could anticipate Lucario's strikes almost instinctively.

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Armament Haki Training

The second part of the training focused on Armament Haki—imbuing their bodies with invisible armor to enhance both defense and offense. This was the Haki that would allow them to clash with even the strongest opponents.

"Armament Haki will let you harden your body or attacks," Xpovac explained. "It's like coating yourself in invisible armor."

He started with his own training, summoning the energy from within and focusing it on his arms. At first, nothing happened, but he persisted, pushing the energy outward. Eventually, his arms shimmered faintly, the first sign that he was on the right track.

Lucario, already an experienced fighter, was the next to try. He clenched his fists, focusing on channeling his aura into Armament Haki. Slowly, his paws turned dark, the shimmering black energy coating them.

"Good! Now let's see what you can do with it," Xpovac said.

They began sparring again, but this time, both Xpovac and Lucario used Armament Haki to enhance their attacks. Each punch and kick was heavier, each block more solid. The energy surrounding their limbs crackled as they collided, sending shockwaves through the air.

Next, Xpovac worked with Swampert, who struggled to summon Armament Haki at first. But after several attempts, Swampert's fists began to glow with a faint black energy. Tyranitar and Lugia, too, managed to summon the power after hours of focused training. 

Tyranitar roared as his entire arm became cloaked in Armament Haki, and when he smashed it into the ground, the impact sent a shockwave rippling through the earth. Lugia, meanwhile, coated its massive wings in Haki, creating a barrier that could cut through even the toughest defenses.

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By the time the sun began to set, Xpovac and his Pokémon were exhausted but thrilled with their progress. They had all tapped into the power of Haki, though there was still a long way to go before mastering it.

As the Pokémon ran off to play on the island once more, Xpovac sat back on the deck of his boat, opening the system interface to check on the golden egg. The system indicated that it was still incubating, with a few hours left before it would hatch.

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System Notification: Golden Egg Incubation—Complete in 3 hours

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With some time to spare, Xpovac turned his attention back to Luffy. "System, where is Luffy right now?"

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System Notification: Luffy is currently at Shell Island, meeting Zoro.

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Xpovac chuckled to himself. "Just like the anime. I wonder how much trouble he's already causing."

He leaned back, closing his eyes for a moment, feeling the warm breeze on his face. The day had been productive, and with the progress they had made, he knew that he and his team would be ready for whatever challenges lay ahead.

When the egg hatched, it would be another exciting chapter in their journey together.

"Soon," Xpovac said to himself, a smile playing on his lips. "We'll be ready for anything."