Having witnessed Jerry's incredible performance at Marine Headquarters, Luffy and his crewmates naturally understood that he possessed extraordinary combat abilities.
However, Rayleigh's pointed words weren't quite enough to completely convince the determined Straw Hat Pirates of the true gap between their current level and what they'd need for the New World.
Seeing their obvious confusion and stubborn unwillingness to accept his assessment, Rayleigh's mouth curved upward in a knowing smile, while Jerry's face darkened with growing irritation.
"I can tell you don't believe me," the Dark King said with obvious amusement, "so why don't you go ahead and test it yourselves? He's right there, after all."
Stimulated by Rayleigh's deliberately provocative challenge, every single member of the Straw Hat Pirates immediately prepared for battle, their competitive spirits ignited despite the overwhelming odds.
"Hey! Stop messing around like this," Jerry protested with genuine concern, casting a worried glance toward his fishing line. "If you scare away my big fish, you're all going to pay for it!"
"Don't worry about that," Carina called out with obvious mischief. "He doesn't have any chance of catching a big fish anyway."
"That's absolutely right!" Skull chimed in enthusiastically. "On average, Captain Jerry might not manage to catch a truly big fish even once per year!"
"What passionate youth, even though I no longer possess passion or youth myself! Yohohoho!" Brook added his own commentary while adjusting his afro.
Carina, Skull, and several others who were standing nearby seemed determined to stir up trouble, joining together to encourage the brewing confrontation with obvious glee.
"Luffy! You can do it!" On the other side of the gathering, numerous Kuja warriors, including Empress Hancock herself, cheered for the Straw Hat captain in perfect unison.
This scene made Cavendish grit his teeth in frustrated jealousy. "Damn Straw Hat! How dare you steal my spotlight and devoted fans!"
"Jerry! Beat them up for me!" the narcissistic prince shouted indignantly, pulling on Farul's reins in his agitation.
"Let's go! We want to experience the true power of the New World!" Luffy declared boldly, taking the lead in their assault by rushing forward like an unleashed wild animal.
Zoro and the others followed closely behind their captain, each displaying their most refined combat techniques. For several intense moments, the beach erupted with flying fists, surging kicks, and sword strikes that gleamed like rainbows as they crisscrossed through the air in coordinated attacks.
"Are you people actually serious about this?" Jerry sighed deeply and immediately flipped over to stand up from his comfortable reclining chair. He definitely didn't want his relaxation equipment and precious fishing gear to be damaged in the upcoming demonstration.
Although Jerry followed Rayleigh's suggestion of using only one finger, even the slightest movement of his body proved sufficient to effortlessly avoid every attack launched by Luffy and his determined crewmates.
Immediately afterward, Jerry's outstretched right index finger became nothing more than a phantom blur. With absolutely amazing speed and devastating precision, he instantly knocked away Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Chopper, who had been attacking him from close range with their best techniques.
Next, he casually ignored the numerous arms that Robin had sprouted all across his body in an attempt to restrain him. Instead, he formed a playful finger gun gesture and aimed it toward Nami, Robin, and Usopp, who were positioned at a safer distance.
"Pew! Pew! Pew!" Jerry provided his own sound effects with obvious amusement.
Three precisely aimed water droplets shot forward like arrows, striking each of the three distant targets with perfect accuracy. However, these seemingly harmless droplets suddenly expanded dramatically while traveling through the air, instantly transforming into three massive water spheres that engulfed their targets completely.
"Help me! Ahhhhh!" Usopp screamed with characteristic exaggeration, his voice reaching such a shrill pitch that it completely drowned out Nami's shouts of surprise and alarm.
After several muffled impacts echoed across the beach, the entire Straw Hat Pirates crew lay scattered and thoroughly defeated across the rocky shore.
"Oww! That really hurt!" Luffy groaned, covering the prominent swollen bump that had appeared on his forehead. "Why didn't my rubber powers work at all? It felt just like getting hit by Grandpa's fist..." He rolled around on the ground twice before managing to get back to his feet, looking considerably more disheveled than usual.
"Damn it!" Zoro gripped his sword hilts tightly, struck his thigh in frustration, and slowly forced himself to stand upright despite the pain.
Sanji and Chopper also gritted their teeth determinedly, rolling over from their prone positions on the sand and preparing to launch another attack despite their obvious injuries.
"That bastard! How dare he hurt Luffy!" Hancock raged with fury and immediately started to step forward to intervene, but Elder Nyon quickly grabbed her arm and advised the Empress to remain calm and observe.
Watching Luffy and his friends charge forward again only to be knocked back even more quickly than before, Rayleigh finally spoke up to prevent further unnecessary punishment. "Stop this right now. It's good that you understand the gap between your abilities, but why are you risking serious injury here?"
"But why did his attacks hurt me so much?" Luffy wondered aloud, still rubbing his aching head. "I'm supposed to be made of rubber... Hey, come to think of it, this feels similar to when Hancock and her warriors hit me."
Luffy was halfway through his confused complaint when he recalled his experiences during his time on Amazon Lily, though he still didn't understand the underlying principles that made such attacks possible.
Sanji and the others had already learned the answer to Luffy's question during their time traveling with Jerry's crew. The cook started to speak up, but noticed that Rayleigh also seemed prepared to offer an explanation.
So Sanji closed his mouth, dusted himself off methodically, and lit a fresh cigarette while waiting for the legendary pirate's lesson.
Rayleigh addressed Luffy with a patient smile. "That power you just experienced is called Haki. In the New World, Haki represents one of the most common and essential techniques used by truly strong fighters."
He paused to ensure Luffy was paying complete attention before continuing. "Haki not only dramatically improves one's overall combat effectiveness, but it also serves as one of the most reliable methods for dealing with Devil Fruit abilities. Therefore..."
After listening carefully to Rayleigh's detailed explanation, Luffy finally began to understand why Jerry's seemingly casual attacks had been so incredibly painful despite his rubber body's usual immunity to blunt force.
Watching Rayleigh's various teaching behaviors since their arrival on the island, Jerry realized that his role as a demonstration tool had reached its natural conclusion. He scratched his head and thought to himself with mild amusement, "This old man really does love educating people, doesn't he?"
With that observation, he returned to his comfortable reclining chair and crossed his legs, returning his attention to his fishing line and the peaceful waters of the Calm Belt.
After a moment of silent communication, Luffy exchanged meaningful glances with Zoro and his other crewmates. They seemed to reach an unspoken understanding about their next course of action.
Then Luffy stepped forward and addressed Rayleigh with complete sincerity and determination. "Uncle Rayleigh, please guide us in our training! I want to master the power of Haki completely. I want to improve my strength so I can better protect my friends and everything I hold dear!"
Following their captain's lead, the entire Straw Hat Pirates crew bowed deeply to the former vice-captain of the Pirate King, showing genuine respect and humility.
Rayleigh studied the straw hat hanging on Luffy's back for a long moment, his eyes moving across its familiar form before finally settling on the young pirate's determined face.
A warm smile spread across the old man's weathered features. "That's no problem at all, but I should be clear that I'm just an ordinary retired pirate. What I can teach you is limited to knowledge and skills related to combat and survival."
He gestured toward Nami and the others. "However, regarding your navigator and other specialized roles, I can certainly offer some useful suggestions and guidance."
As soon as Rayleigh finished speaking, Luffy and his crewmates' faces lit up with pure joy and anticipation. They immediately erupted into enthusiastic cheers that echoed across the harbor.
Deuce and the other Black Star Pirates looked at each other with mild bewilderment, unsure whether they should feel honored or concerned about this unexpected development, while the Amazon Lily warriors began discussing the implications with obvious excitement.
Especially when Hancock learned that Rayleigh was planning to conduct the training on nearby Ruskaina Island, the Empress immediately made an enthusiastic promise to provide Luffy with the most delicious food available. However, she notably failed to mention anything about provisions for anyone else in the group.
Cavendish had retreated into his own elaborate fantasy world, striking poses for an imaginary audience, while Brook began letting himself go completely. This resulted in several Kuja warriors chasing him around the beach while he ran with his hands protecting his skull, shouting apologies.
Skull observed all these chaotic scenes unfolding simultaneously and couldn't help asking the practical question: "So what about us? Should we leave for our next destination, or what exactly is our plan?"
Carina watched Carrot bouncing around excitedly among the Kuja warriors and spread her hands with resigned amusement at the situation.
"How about we stay here for a few days?" Deuce suggested hopefully, clutching his notebook with sparkling eyes. "I'd really love to experience what daily life is like on an island located in the Calm Belt. The research opportunities alone would be incredible!"
Jerry silently threw away whatever mysterious object he'd managed to hook during the recent commotion, methodically put away his fishing equipment, and responded to Deuce's expectant gaze with casual acceptance. "Alright, since we're already here anyway, I might as well try fishing for some Sea Kings while we wait."