"What a... rare guest!"
Shakky also looked toward the door, her hands never pausing as she wiped a glass. Yet her eyes held a trace of scrutiny. This "madman" who had made Hancock suffer and killed a Celestial Dragon—what did he want, suddenly appearing at her bar?
Ryan paid no mind to their gazes. He walked straight to the counter, pulled out a barstool, and sat down. Lifting his chin toward Shakky, he said, "Boss, get me a glass of Rum. The strongest you have."
Rayleigh watched Ryan's composed demeanor and couldn't help but feel amused. This kid really doesn't act like an outsider. He picked up his own glass, took a sip, and decided to wait and see what the boy was up to.
"The strongest?" Shakky set down the glass she was cleaning, took a drag from her slender cigarette, and blew out a smoke ring. "The strong liquor in my bar isn't ordinary. Can you afford it? Or are you planning to dine and dash?"
"Don't worry, you'll get your money."
"After all, this is the 'Rip-off Bar'—your livelihood depends on overcharging customers."
"Quite the perceptive one." Shakky didn't bother with false modesty. She turned and retrieved a bottle of Rum with a dark gold label from the top shelf of the liquor cabinet. Fetching a tall glass, she poured with a steady hand. The amber liquid flowed smoothly along the inner wall of the glass, not spilling a single drop.
Ryan's gaze wasn't fixed on the glass but rather on Shakky herself. Slender and tall, she lacked the stoop common in elderly women. As she raised her hand to pour, her movements were relaxed, and even the way she glanced at the flowing liquor carried an air of casual laziness.
This wasn't the youthful freshness of a young girl relying on her youth. It was a charm honed by weathering storms and witnessing life and death, polished slowly by the passage of time—like aged wine, growing richer with each taste.
In the world of Pirates, most women, no matter how stunning in their youth, inevitably show the wear of time as they age. Some shrink into withered old ladies; others lose the light in their eyes. But Shakky was different. Even now, running a bar, she hadn't lost the dignity of a "former queen."
No wonder she had managed to become the queen of Amazon Lily in her early years, earning the title of "World's Most Beautiful Woman" through both her looks and strength. This kind of allure, even now, wasn't something empty-headed young girls could match.
This must be the nourishment of love!
"You old man are truly blessed, able to spend every day with such a charming boss. Much more comfortable than drifting on the sea." Ryan turned to Rayleigh, who was leisurely sipping his whiskey, and curled his lips into a teasing smile.
"You've got good taste, young man!" Shakky pushed the glass filled with strong Rum toward Ryan. "Since you're so perceptive, I'll give you a discount on this drink... I'll only charge you triple the usual Belly."
Witty as she was, her habit of overcharging... was hard to judge.
Ryan didn't mind. He took the glass but didn't rush to drink. Instead, he turned to Rayleigh. "We've crossed paths before. You still owe me a favor, haven't forgotten?"
"So..." Rayleigh set down his glass, leaning forward slightly, his eyes sharpening with curiosity. "You're here to collect that favor now?"
"Something like that." Ryan threw back his head and drained the glass in one go, then pushed the empty cup across the counter. His gaze fixed directly on Rayleigh as he stated bluntly, "What I want is simple: tell me your insights on using advanced Conqueror's Haki."
Since awakening Conqueror's Haki, Ryan had only been able to use its basic effect—intimidating surrounding foot soldiers with his aura—at most expanding its range slightly through the power of Dragon Roar.
But the true advanced technique, the "Advanced Conqueror's Haki infusion" that could wrap Conqueror's Haki around fists, feet, or weapons to multiply attack power, remained completely elusive to him. Let alone precisely targeting and intimidating a specific individual.
In this pirate world where strength reigns supreme, having awakened the "king's qualification" of Conqueror's Haki, there was no reason to remain stagnant.
As these words fell, the air in the bar grew still. Shakky paused while wiping glasses, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.
"Advanced Conqueror's Haki..." Rayleigh stared at Ryan for a few seconds, his fingers lightly tapping the counter, his tone carrying deeper meaning. "You know this isn't something you can learn just by being told. Conqueror's Haki awakens naturally, and its advanced application requires countless life-and-death battles to comprehend. Even if I shared all my insights with you, it'd be useless if you can't grasp them yourself."
"I'm not asking for a 'method to learn'—I want 'direction'," Ryan immediately retorted, his tone resolute and without hesitation. "Just clearly explain the application insights. Whether I can understand them or master them is my own business. Once you've spoken, the debt between us will be completely settled."
Though outsiders joked that Rayleigh was a "mediocre teacher," what Ryan needed was the combat experience Rayleigh had accumulated over decades and those details hidden within his "insights."
"Don't give me that nonsense about figuring things out through exploration. Even exploration requires direction. If there's ready-made experience to reference, why take unnecessary detours like a fool?"
"You're quite trusting of me, so certain I'll tell you." Rayleigh looked at Ryan and suddenly chuckled low, his fingers stilling on the counter, his tone teasing. "What if I mix in some personal bias and deliberately mislead you? Wouldn't that make your favor a complete waste?"
Upon hearing this, Ryan raised an eyebrow. Instead of panicking, he curled a smile. "The Dark King Rayleigh, after all, was the second-in-command on Roger's ship back in the day. You wouldn't resort to such tricks with a youngster like me. Besides..."
Ryan paused, slightly turning his body toward Rayleigh. He pointed at his own nose, his tone carrying a defiant question: "Do I look like someone who can be easily fooled?"
"A teacher opens the door, but the student must walk the path themselves." Whether the insights were correct could be determined after a couple practice attempts. Ryan never intended to "blindly follow Rayleigh"—he merely wanted to use the other's decades of combat experience as a bridge to help him reach the threshold of "Advanced Conqueror's Haki infusion" faster, avoid unnecessary detours, and master this technique as soon as possible.
Moreover, though Rayleigh might be a scruffy old man, he was trustworthy when it came to "credibility."
"You're quite perceptive, kid." Rayleigh stared at Ryan for two seconds before chuckling low again. He picked up his whiskey glass, swirling the amber liquid inside. "Fine, I agree. After decades of battling across the seas, I'll tell you everything I can about my practical experience with Advanced Conqueror's Haki infusion—without mixing in any personal bias."
"Straightforward." Ryan extended his rum glass, steadily bringing its rim toward Rayleigh.
Obtaining the combat experience of the Dark King Rayleigh had gone much more smoothly than he had anticipated.
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