Chapter 43: Roy: I Really Need a Haki-Haki Fruit, Thanks!
"Phew..."
Zephyr slowly retracted his fist. The powerful Haki surrounding him faded away.
His muscles, which had been shifting in sync with the Haki flow, returned to normal.
Beads of sweat formed on Zephyr's forehead.
"I'm getting old..."
Feeling the fatigue in his body, the old man sighed internally.
That punch, severing the deep-sea current, was his full power, held back by nothing.
Using the Black Body Style to control every part of his body and unleash his maximum potential, his already peak-level Haki could erupt with incredible force.
In his prime, he could have maintained this state for a long time.
But now, such a strike placed a heavy burden on his body.
In fact, this was exactly what happened four years ago when he was attacked by that pirate. Zephyr had crushed the opponent with his full power.
But the pirate survived with monster-like vitality, outlasting Zephyr until his body gave out. That led to the tragedy.
According to the SSG scientists who examined him and prepared his new arm, in a few years, Zephyr might lose the ability to use the Black Body Style's secret techniques entirely. even sustained high-intensity combat would become difficult.
This was the cruelty of time.
Even an Admiral who once ruled the seas would grow old.
But fortunately...
"There is a successor."
Zephyr took a deep breath and turned to see Roy's burning gaze.
He grinned.
"Well, kid? How was it?"
"Awesome."
What else could Roy say? "Was that..."
"The true secret technique of the Black Body Style."
Zephyr said proudly. "First, temper your body until you can control every part of it. Then, use that control to guide and master your Haki."
"When you use Haki, control every part of your body to squeeze out its potential, syncing it with your Haki flow."
This was what made his martial art unique.
Many strong fighters could use Armament Haki. Some even had stronger raw Haki than Zephyr.
But as Zephyr demonstrated, when he punched, it wasn't just Haki flowing.
Every part of his body was squeezing out its potential.
That was why his style wasn't 'Black Arm,' but 'Black Body'!
Roy had no complaints.
What else was there to say?
Train!
Under Zephyr's guidance, Roy didn't hesitate. He picked one of the countless surging 'Black Serpents' and jumped right in.
And then...
"!!!"
The pain returned.
But this time, it was different from the deep-sea pressure.
If the water pressure was like a mountain pressing down on him...
Then this massive current was like the mountain grew a fist and punched him in the gut!
No... a hundred punches!
BOOM!
Even with the Dice-Dice Fruit hardening his body to steel, Roy felt his muscles and bones screaming.
"Hold it! Feel the changes in your body! Feel the strength in every inch! Your control is terrible! Most of your power is being wasted!"
Zephyr's voice reached his ears.
Hearing this, Roy gritted his teeth.
But moments later, his strength gave out. His body went limp, swept away by the violent current like a dead leaf into the deep.
Just then, Zephyr flashed.
He appeared in the current, grabbed Roy with his left hand, and pulled him out.
Before Roy could speak, Zephyr said, "Muscle tears, but the bones are fine. With your recovery... start the next round in ten minutes?"
Roy gritted his teeth and grinned. "...Seven minutes is enough."
"Good kid."
Zephyr grinned, looking even more pleased. "Seven minutes it is. I'll go prepare more coated bubbles."
He turned and left.
Roy floated quietly in the deep sea, feeling his body recover.
His eyes were filled with determination.
He was lazy most of the time. But when effort was required, he never backed down.
Seven minutes later, Zephyr returned.
Roy didn't hesitate, diving back into the massive current.
Once, twice, three times...
In the silent deep sea, Roy was thrown back by the 'Black Serpent' again and again, and dragged back by Zephyr again and again.
"The muscles in your left calf are much less efficient than your right."
"Do you know why your scapula broke this time? Because you..."
"Engage your abs further back. Feel it... Next time, limit your power to 70%."
"Yes, that's it—control your heart to pump blood faster."
"Again! Again! How can you sleep at your age!?"
Zephyr showed why he was a legendary instructor.
Every time Roy failed, Zephyr pinpointed the problem perfectly.
And through repeated failures, Roy felt his body changing.
The steel skin from the Dice-Dice Fruit seemed to become denser under the constant hammering.
His control over the strength from the Rhino and Strong-Strong fruits became finer—he could clearly feel which muscles were tearing, repairing, and becoming stronger.
"I'm getting stronger. Without adding any fruit abilities, I'm getting stronger."
Roy felt it clearly.
This allowed him to ignore the exhaustion and train like a madman.
Until one attempt.
Crack!
Roy stood in the violent current, struggling to balance his body against the massive force.
Heart pumping, muscles gorged with blood, he gritted his teeth, extending his arms for balance.
And then...
VMMM!
For a moment, he felt something unprecedented inside him.
It was hard to describe.
It wasn't a fruit ability. deep within his bones and muscles, a power seemed to surge.
It felt like magma lurking beneath an undersea volcano, present in every part of him.
But the feeling vanished instantly. Roy almost thought he imagined it.
So when the current swept him away and Zephyr fished him out again, Roy immediately asked about it.
"You felt it?"
Zephyr looked at Roy, surprised.
"It wasn't an illusion. What you felt... was your Haki."
"I knew it..."
Roy thought. "So that's Haki?"
He had guessed it. A power inside him that wasn't a Devil Fruit had to be Haki.
But the problem was...
"How do I use it?"
Roy looked at Zephyr expectantly.
Zephyr laughed. "What are you thinking, kid? It's not that simple."
He didn't hold back, explaining his understanding of Haki. "Haki exists in everyone, strong or weak."
He held up a finger. "Except for the rare Conqueror's Haki..."
"The other two types can be trained. The stronger the body, the higher the potential for Armament Haki."
"The sharper the senses, the higher the potential for Observation Haki."
He pointed at Roy.
"Your body is monstrous, so your Armament Haki potential must be ridiculous. It's normal to feel it so quickly."
"But feeling it is just the first step. Tempering and guiding it out is the key to Haki training."
Hearing this, Roy was disappointed.
"So how long until I can guide it out? How long until I reach your level?"
He really needed Haki. It was very useful against Logia users.
Zephyr didn't hesitate. "To guide it out initially... about half a year."
"To use it proficiently... a talented person needs about a year or two."
"As for reaching my level... Hmm. With your physique and talent, you should fully draw out all your Haki in about ten years. By then, you should have mastered the essence of the Black Body Style."
Zephyr's eyes were full of anticipation.
Roy was not yet thirty. In ten years, he wouldn't even be forty—right in his prime.
And Zephyr was certain: That Roy would be stronger than him!
'Garp keeps bragging about Kuzan learning his Iron Fist. Wait until he sees... how strong MY successor is!'
But Roy was stunned.
"Half a year to guide it out?"
"A year or two for proficiency? Ten years to peak?"
He understood Zephyr's point—his body was too strong, so his Haki potential was vast, requiring time to develop.
Even Luffy, with max combat talent and plot armor, took two years with Rayleigh to master Haki basics.
Comparatively, Zephyr's assessment was actually rating Roy's potential very highly.
But for Roy... that was still too long.
"Is there... like... a Haki-Haki Fruit or something?"
He muttered internally.
Zephyr, unaware of Roy's thoughts, finished his daydream of showing off his student and looked back at Roy.
"Rested enough? Then let's go—ten more rounds today, and we can head back!"
"T-Ten!?"
☆☆☆
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