The weather was splendid, with sunlight pouring like honey across the deck.
"Boss~ Help me apply sunscreen," Miss Valentine drawled sweetly, lounging on a deck chair in her bikini and sunglasses, her crossed legs swaying lazily.
Bahr chuckled and walked over to take the sunscreen bottle from her.
Though "Lemon Girl" wasn't particularly strong in combat, she was great at lifting spirits and providing emotional comfort—quite the valuable asset.
Nico Robin sat on another chair in a simple white sundress, sipping delicately from an exquisite coffee cup before returning her attention to an old book.
Soon after, Paula emerged from the cabin with light steps, wearing a navy-blue headscarf, a cropped midriff-baring top that accentuated her slender waist, and tight jeans that made her long legs appear even more striking. She swayed her hips as she handed Bahr a glass of juice. "Boss, freshly squeezed pineapple juice with crushed ice."
Bahr set down the sunscreen, took the glass, and gulped a large mouthful. The cool, refreshing juice slid down his throat, and he let out a satisfied laugh. "Tastes great."
Life on this voyage was turning out to be quite enjoyable.
Suddenly, Daz Bones stepped forward with a serious expression. "Boss, what is Haki?"
Bahr glanced at the "cold-blooded" Daz Bones and grinned. "Want to learn?"
Daz Bones didn't respond, but his intense gaze said everything.
"Alright, let me show you something." Bahr stood up and walked to the center of the deck.
Miss Valentine remained lounging in her sunglasses, Paula stood nearby holding her juice glass, Mr. 4 edged closer, and even Robin set down her coffee cup.
Bahr swept his gaze over them and began, "Haki is a latent power within every person—essentially, the aura or presence everyone possesses. Most people never realize it, or if they do, they can't harness it, living their whole lives in ignorance."
"So... we all have Haki?" Miss Valentine propped her chin on her hand, looking surprised.
"Exactly." Bahr nodded. "Haki is broadly divided into two types: Observation Haki and Armament Haki."
He turned to Daz Bones. "Mr. 1, attack me with everything you've got."
Without hesitation, Daz Bones' arm transformed into a blade with a sharp shing.
"You're planning to slash diagonally at my left arm with your right arm." Bahr closed his eyes, sidestepped lightly, and dodged effortlessly.
Daz Bones' eyes widened in shock. He launched several more slashes, but each time, Bahr predicted his movements and evaded with ease.
Bahr explained leisurely, "The ability to sense an opponent's presence, detect enemies beyond your line of sight, and predict their next move—that's Observation Haki."
Just then, Bahr frowned slightly. "Nico Robin, were you about to sprout a hand on my left leg to trip me?"
Everyone turned to Robin, whose hand had frozen mid-motion. Her eyes were filled with astonishment.
Now they all understood—Observation Haki was truly extraordinary.
At that moment, a sharp clang drew everyone's attention. Bahr had blocked Daz Bones' blade with a single finger, sparks flying from the impact.
"How is that possible? Daz is a Dice-Dice Fruit user—his arms are sharper than swords! How can a finger block it?" Paula gasped, eyes wide.
Bahr grinned. "This is Armament Haki—an invisible armor coating your body. With enough Haki, you can withstand any attack."
Sweat beaded on Daz Bones' forehead as he gritted his teeth and slashed repeatedly. Each strike clashed against Bahr's dark-purple-tinged finger with metallic clangs, sending sparks flying.
Yet despite his exhaustion, not even a scratch appeared on Bahr's finger.
Everyone was stunned, feeling as though a door to a new world had opened before them.
Bahr patted Daz Bones' shoulder and continued, "When this armor becomes strong enough, it can be converted into offensive power, allowing you to fight Devil Fruit users—even touch the real body of Logia users."
With that, he flicked his finger. Daz Bones' blade-arm trembled violently from the impact, and he let out a pained grunt.
Seeing their dumbfounded expressions, Bahr couldn't help but feel a little smug, his lips curling. "To master Haki, you must believe in this power and train relentlessly. Back in my day, I practiced day and night—"
In truth, he had just woken up one day with the ability, and casual practice was enough for him to improve. But in front of his subordinates, he had to make himself sound diligent.
Robin rested her chin on her hand, deep in thought, before suddenly looking up at Bahr. "Boss, you said Haki is broadly divided into two types. Does that mean there's another kind?"
Bahr raised an eyebrow. This woman was sharp. He nodded. "Indeed, there's one more—Conqueror's Haki. It allows the user to overwhelm or knock out opponents with sheer willpower. Only one in a million possesses it—it's the mark of a 'king.' Many of the top fighters on the seas have it."
Hearing how rare Conqueror's Haki was, everyone's eyes widened further.
Bahr paid no mind to their reactions. He himself didn't have Conqueror's Haki, which was why—despite possessing the ridiculously overpowered Space Fruit—he never acted recklessly.
His battle with Garp was proof enough of his wisdom.
Glancing down at the contemplative Daz Bones, Bahr said, "Mr. 1, as a Dice-Dice Fruit user, if you train your Haki well, you won't just cut steel—you'll be able to slice through anything in this world."
Daz Bones shuddered, his eyes blazing with newfound determination.
Bahr scanned the group. "I won't say more about Haki—you'll have to comprehend it yourselves. You're all Devil Fruit users, but you've only reached the first stage of development. Only by pushing your abilities to their limits can you achieve 'Awakening'—that's when a Devil Fruit's true power emerges."
This left them even more stunned. None of them had ever heard of Devil Fruit "Awakening."
Bahr fixed his gaze on Mr. 5. "Your Bomb-Bomb Fruit has immense potential. You could focus on attaching explosions to objects or increasing their destructive power. Put in the effort. If I catch you picking your nose again, I'll cut you down!"
To think this guy had turned the Bomb-Bomb Fruit into "booger bombs"—what a waste.
Mr. 5 twitched his lips. "Understood, Boss."
Just then, Robin spoke up again. "Boss, what changes after 'Awakening'?"
Bahr didn't hold back. "After Awakening, your abilities can affect the surrounding environment. For example, Paula's Spike-Spike Fruit might make stones grow thorns, and Miss Valentine's Weight-Weight Fruit could create gravity fields..."
Truthfully, Bahr was just speculating. The specifics depended on their own development.
Come to think of it, his own Space Fruit hadn't Awakened yet—otherwise, he'd have caused much bigger disturbances.
Miss Valentine, still lounging, rolled her eyes playfully before getting up and sidling up to Bahr, wrapping her arms around his and pressing close. "Boss~ I don't understand any of this. You'll have to teach me properly, okay?"
The more she learned about Bahr, the more she found him fascinating—an enigma wrapped in overwhelming strength.
Bahr didn't hesitate to wrap an arm around her waist, giving her a light pinch as he grinned. "Sure, since you're being so sweet, I'll teach you hands-on later."
He figured "Lemon Girl" only needed to know how to be jealous, but since she was acting cute, he'd play along.
A woman who knew how to act coquettish had it made!
The lighthearted mood loosened everyone up, and they dispersed to digest the knowledge Bahr had shared.
Robin had just settled back into her chair with her coffee when she noticed the Log Pose suddenly pointing straight up. Her brows furrowed. "Boss, the Log Pose is being pulled by a stronger magnetic island—it's pointing to the sky."
Bahr raised an eyebrow, flicking his fingers to pull the Log Pose into his hand. He stared at the upward-pointing needle, then glanced at the endless sky above, a thought striking him.
Could it be... Sky Island? Was their next destination Jaya?
Thinking back, after leaving Alabasta, the Log Pose should indeed be directing them toward Jaya, an island crawling with pirates.
"Are we going to run into the Straw Hats again?" Bahr muttered inwardly before turning to Robin. "Can we still stick to the original plan and head to the previous island?"
Robin studied his expression carefully. "We're already within the next island's waters. The direction is correct."
Bahr nodded. "Then ignore it. Let's proceed as planned."
"Boss, if the needle points to the sky... is it Sky Island?" Robin suddenly grew excited, her gaze fixed on Bahr.
Bahr smirked and snapped his fingers. "Bingo. Correct."
Nico Robin's eyes widened. She shot up from her chair, remembering that Bahr had once mentioned—Sky Island held a Historical Text.
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