It's been a week since I arrived in this strange world.
Seven days of learning, observing, adapting.
I've come to understand the people around me—Sabo, Koala, Hack, and Dragon. They're cautious, but not hostile. I can tell they don't fully trust me yet, and I don't blame them. If I were in their position, I'd be wary too. But they've given me something valuable: information.
I spent hours in their library, absorbing everything about this world—its power structures, its rulers, its history.
The Marines—the so-called enforcers of "justice." Their ranks are divided into different levels of authority, but at the top are the Admirals, some of the strongest figures in the world. Beneath them, the Vice Admirals and lower-ranking officers control the vast naval forces that govern the seas.
Then there are the pirates.
I read about Gol D. Roger—the Pirate King. A man who conquered the Grand Line, reached the legendary Raftel, and left behind the greatest treasure in history: the One Piece.
The balance of power is held by the Four Emperors, the Warlords, and the World Government.
The Celestial Dragons… I paused when I read about them.
Slavers. Corrupt rulers who believe themselves gods.
I frowned. They reminded me of the Monarchs—those who saw themselves as superior, those who sought to dominate the weak simply because they could. If they were anything like the Monarchs, then I already knew…
They deserved to be erased.
The more I read about Monkey D. Dragon, the more I understood why he fights.
The Ohara Incident stood out.
A massacre. An entire island—scholars, researchers, innocent people—wiped out simply for seeking knowledge. And Dragon had witnessed it firsthand. That was the moment he chose to act, the moment he realized words alone wouldn't change the world.
I can respect that.
A man who doesn't just complain about the world's corruption but moves against it? I've met few like him.
And then there's his lineage.
The son of Monkey D. Garp, the Marine Hero. And his own son, Monkey D. Luffy.
That family name seems to carry weight. Garp, Dragon, Luffy… a marine, a rebel, a pirate. A family tied to the fate of this world, whether they want it or not.
I spent time studying Devil Fruits—their abilities, their limitations. Logia, Paramecia, Zoan. A fruit that grants power but takes away your ability to swim.
Then there's Haki.
It took me five days to understand it—not just as theory, but to apply it.
The first thing I learned was Observation Haki—the ability to sense life, to feel intent. I wasn't new to the concept; I already had my Shadow Perception, allowing me to sense every being connected to my shadows.
I refined it. Expanded my range.
Before I could only sense enemies through my shadows. Now I could extend that sense even when my shadows weren't present. The world became clearer, movements easier to predict.
At first, the Revolutionary soldiers sparred with me. I dodged their strikes, feeling their intent before they moved.
Then Sabo stepped in.
I lost.
At least, at first.
Sabo's Future Sight let him react faster than I could. But each time we fought, I improved. By the end of the second day, I was countering before he even finished moving.
"Your reaction speed is insane," Sabo admitted. "It's like you're evolving in real-time."
I was.
Next was Armament Haki—the ability to harden one's body, to strike even Logia users.
It reminded me of how I coated my weapons with Shadow Energy.
I focused on merging the two. Instead of simply using Armament Haki, I infused it with my own Shadow Reinforcement, making it stronger—denser, heavier, unbreakable.
The first time I struck a boulder using this new form of Haki, the entire thing shattered to dust.
Koala, who was teaching me, took a step back.
"That's… not normal," she muttered.
I tested it against Sabo's Dragon Claw technique. Our blows clashed, sending shockwaves across the field. I still wasn't stronger than him in raw technique, but in force? I was already surpassing him.
This was the hardest one to understand.
Sabo explained that Conqueror's Haki was about imposing one's will upon the world. A force so strong that the weak would collapse just from standing near it.
But when I tried it… something different happened.
I didn't just release my will.
I released my shadows.
The air itself darkened, the ground beneath me turning into a spreading abyss. From the depths, millions of glowing eyes surfaced, staring at the living.
The Revolutionary soldiers who had gathered to watch collapsed instantly.
Even Sabo and Koala staggered. Hack, a trained Fishman warrior, fell to one knee, sweating.
Dragon was the only one unaffected. He stood firm, watching me with an unreadable expression.
"That's enough," he said.
I pulled it back. The moment the shadows disappeared, people gasped for air.
It was then I realized… this wasn't Conqueror's Haki.
This was something worse.
Dragon stared at me for a long moment before speaking.
"I don't know what that was," he admitted. "But it's not just Haki. It's something only you can do."
I nodded. I understood.
This was Shadow Haki—a fusion of my will and my power as the Shadow Monarch.
And now, after a week of training, I was stronger, faster, and more prepared than before.
This world may be different from my own, but that doesn't matter.
I will adapt. I will evolve.
And when the time comes, I will make my presence known.
Another Week of Clashes Between Sung Jin-Woo and Monkey D. Dragon
Day 1 – The Storm Overwhelms the Shadow
I stood across from Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, as the winds howled around us. His presence was suffocating, like standing in the eye of a storm that could collapse at any moment.
"You're strong," I admitted, rolling my shoulders. "I can feel it in the air."
Dragon smirked. "Show me why Sabo couldn't stop talking about you."
I dashed forward, shadow energy swirling around my fists. My blade, Kamish's Wrath, materialized in my hand in an instant as I swung at him with precision.
But he was fast. Faster than anyone I had ever fought.
Before my blade could reach him, a violent gust of wind exploded from his body, knocking me off balance. In that split second, Dragon disappeared—no, he was moving so fast it was like he became part of the storm.
BANG!
A compressed shockwave of wind struck my chest before I even registered where he was. My body skidded across the ground, plowing through rock and debris.
I pushed myself up, my ribs aching. His speed and power weren't just fast—they were on a completely different level.
"You rely too much on your instincts," Dragon said, arms crossed. "Observation Haki isn't just about sensing attacks. It's about reading the flow of battle. You can see my movements, but can you anticipate my intent?"
I clenched my fists. "I just need to adapt."
I called upon Igris, Beru, and Bellion, their forms materializing behind me.
Dragon smirked. "Good. Then let's go again."
The rest of the day was spent with me getting beaten down, over and over again.
Day 2 – Shadows Learning to Dance in the Wind
I stood before Dragon once again, but this time, I changed my approach.
Instead of reacting, I studied him.
I slowed my breathing, focusing on Observation Haki—not just to sense his movements but to predict them.
When he disappeared in a burst of wind, I didn't just stand there and wait.
I moved first.
I stepped into his flow, shifting my position just enough to let his attack pass by me. He appeared at my side, a fist coated in Conqueror's Haki-infused wind, but instead of taking the hit—
I let my body turn into a shadow.
His strike passed through me as if I wasn't there, and in the same instant, I countered—Kamish's Wrath cutting toward his side.
But Dragon grinned. The wind hardened around him, like an invisible armor, blocking my strike.
I clicked my tongue. "Your wind acts like armor, huh?"
Dragon didn't answer. Instead, a cyclone erupted from him, blasting me backward once again.
But I was learning.
Day 4 – The Storm and the Abyss Clash
The battlefield was no longer one-sided.
My Shadow Haki was developing, merging with my natural instincts.
By now, I had learned to imbue my strikes with my will, letting the black aura of my Shadow Energy clash with his storm-infused Haki.
Each time our attacks met, the air cracked, shockwaves rippling through Baltigo's landscape.
I used Kamish's Wrath coated in Shadow Haki, its black and violet energy clashing against his howling winds.
He used wind bursts, but I used my shadows to extend my movements, dodging faster than before.
Even my summons were evolving.
Bellion moved faster, his golden sword meeting Dragon's fists head-on.
Beru weaved in and out of Dragon's winds, attacking from angles he didn't expect.
Igris struck from Dragon's blind spots, keeping him on his toes.
For the first time, Dragon looked impressed.
"You're starting to understand," he said, his Conqueror's Haki bursting outward, splitting the clouds.
I exhaled, my own willpower surging forward, the air around me darkening as the shadows twisted in response.
And then, we charged at each other once more.
Day 7 – The Final Clash
By now, our battles had become legendary.
Everyone in Baltigo had stopped what they were doing to watch the storm and the shadow collide.
Dragon's attacks no longer overwhelmed me.
I could keep up. I could counter.
When his hurricane-infused fist came at me, I met it head-on—Shadow Haki coiled around my arm, absorbing and redirecting the impact.
When he tried to blast me away, I used my Shadow Monarch ability to phase through his attacks, striking from unexpected angles.
He struck. I parried. I struck. He dodged.
It was a battle where speed, power, and will clashed in perfect harmony.
And finally—
BOOM!
A final concussive shockwave exploded between us as our fists clashed, sending both of us skidding backward.
We both stood still, panting.
And then, Dragon chuckled. "You learn fast, Jin."
I smirked, rolling my shoulders. "Had to. Otherwise, I'd be stuck getting beaten for another week."
Dragon crossed his arms, nodding in approval. "You're strong. Strong enough to shake this world."
I let out a breath.
I had adapted.
Shadow Haki wasn't just something I was learning anymore.
It was mine now.
And with it, I was ready for whatever this world had in store for me.