The night grew deeper as the Going Merry gently rose and fell with the waves on the quiet sea, its hull letting out a steady, rhythmic creak.
The ocean breeze swept away the lingering scent of alcohol from the earlier feast, while the star-filled sky above glittered like an overturned box of jewels.
Though the atmosphere was relaxed, Ronan's words quickly pulled everyone back from the shock of what they'd just learned about Haki.
Ronan set his cup down and looked at the two pairs of eyes burning with the desire to grow stronger.
"The advanced techniques we talked about just now—whether it's Armament Haki or the awe-inspiring Conqueror's Haki—are still far beyond our current level."
"You can't eat a meal in one bite, and you can't walk a road in a single step."
He stood up and walked to the center of the deck, his posture straight as a pine.
"Our most urgent task right now is to properly step into Observation Haki, and at the same time…"
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Luffy's skinny rubber limbs and Zoro's solid but still very human musculature.
"…to train our bodies like maniacs. Only a body strong enough to be considered inhuman can truly bear the domineering power of Armament Haki."
Zoro immediately caught the key point. Sitting cross-legged, one hand resting on his swords, understanding flashed in his eyes.
"So what you're saying is, Ronan, that cultivating Armament Haki requires an extremely strong physical body as a prerequisite?"
"In other words, the horse stance you taught us before wasn't just about standing still—it was laying the foundation for this?"
"Exactly. Sharp insight."
Ronan nodded in approval.
"The horse stance is a 'still' accumulation. It regulates blood and qi and stabilizes the lower body. It's the foundation."
"But relying on the horse stance alone to reach a level capable of supporting Armament Haki would take far too long."
"Yeah… way too long…" Luffy muttered, clearly growing impatient with the monotony of standing still.
Zoro suddenly looked up, eyes blazing with the most primal hunger for power.
"So you're saying there's a method more efficient—something that can strengthen the body faster than the horse stance?"
"Of course. There are plenty."
With his hands clasped behind his back, Ronan began revealing the treasures of traditional martial arts on the deck of this otherworldly ship.
"'Externally train sinews, bones, and skin; internally cultivate a single breath.' But biting off more than you can chew is pointless. So we'll start with the most direct and domineering method of all—horizontal body training."
"And while practicing it, Observation Haki training will become twice as effective."
"Horizontal training?" Nami tilted her head, orange hair fluttering in the night breeze. "What's that?"
"Simply put," Ronan explained, "it's a method that uses special breathing techniques combined with external impacts to temper the skin, muscles, and bones until they become as hard as steel."
"It's a technique born purely to enhance defense, strength, and explosive power."
His voice dropped slightly, carrying a hint of temptation.
"If you reach even a basic level—and supplement it with specific medicinal baths—you can achieve resistance to blades and spears, and immunity to water and fire."
"Resistance to blades and spears?!"
Those four words struck Luffy and Zoro like lightning.
Luffy leapt up instantly, eyes sparkling, saliva nearly dripping—not from hunger this time.
"Doesn't that mean I won't have to be afraid of annoying swordsmen anymore?! Rubber plus being blade-proof—I'd be invincible!"
Zoro clenched his fists, his breathing quickening.
"Does it greatly increase raw power? If my body becomes as hard as steel, then my cutting force…"
Ronan chuckled inwardly at their wolf-like gazes, then promptly poured cold water over their enthusiasm.
"That's true. But I need to be clear—this technique is extremely domineering, and the training process is… very painful."
"It's pain that cuts down to the bone. You'd better be mentally prepared."
"Pain?"
Zoro's lips curled into a savage, exhilarated grin.
"Perfect. If it makes me stronger, then the more pain, the better."
Luffy laughed without a care in the world. "Shishishi! I'm not afraid of pain!"
"What a bunch of masochists…" Nami muttered, rubbing her forehead. Then she seemed to realize something important.
"Wait, Ronan. You said this horizontal training can also make Observation Haki training more effective. What's the connection?"
"Excellent question, Nami."
Ronan turned toward her, a sly smile in his eyes.
"To reach blade-proof levels through horizontal training, besides breathing techniques, what's the most essential method?"
"…Getting hit."
"Huh?!"
A chorus of startled noises rose from the deck. Usopp instinctively shrank back.
Ronan nodded matter-of-factly.
"Skin and muscle only become tougher through constant impact, damage, and reconstruction."
"And the best way to begin training Observation Haki is to close your eyes and use your heart to sense attacks."
He spread his hands, forming a perfect logical loop.
"Think about it. When you close your eyes and try to dodge attacks, you'll fail at first, right?"
"If you fail, you get hit—and when you get hit, you circulate the horizontal training breathing technique to withstand the blow and strengthen your body."
"If you dodge successfully, that's Observation Haki improving. If you don't, that's horizontal training improving."
"No matter the result, you're getting stronger. That's the dual-win training method I designed specifically for you."
Silence fell over the deck, broken only by the sound of the waves.
Then Luffy shouted excitedly.
"That's awesome! I wanna train! I wanna train! Getting hit doesn't scare me at all! As long as I get stronger, hit me all you want!"
Zoro's burning gaze said everything. "Sharpening a swordsman's instincts while strengthening the body… this training method suits me perfectly."
"Um…"
Nami raised her hand, face turning slightly green.
"Ronan… that horizontal training… will it make people bulky? Like… muscles knotted up like rocks?"
Ronan nodded honestly. "At the early stages, yes. As strength increases, muscle expansion is unavoidable. But once you reach the peak and return to simplicity—"
Before he could finish the words "return to simplicity," Nami's imagination had already gone wild.
In the mirror stood her—but her slender figure was gone, replaced by arms thicker than Zoro's, veins bulging from her neck. She wore a bikini, striking a bodybuilder's pose while roaring, "Wahahaha! I'm the strongest!"
"No way!!"
Nami screamed and hugged her slim arms tightly, shaking her head in terror.
"I refuse to become a muscle woman! Absolutely not! I'm not training that—even if I die!"
Beside her, Usopp shook his head like a rattle drum, putting on a righteous expression.
"I'm a sniper! Long-range support! This barbaric 'getting-hit' training doesn't fit the noble aura of Captain Usopp! I'll just… observe. Yeah, observe."
Ronan glanced at the two "ranged casters" and didn't push them.
"Fair enough. Everyone has their own path."
He turned back, eyes sharp as flames, focusing on Luffy and Zoro. Tonight's main characters were the two of them.
"Luffy. Zoro."
"Starting tonight, the three of us will train together."
To Read advanced Chapters, head over to P@treon
patreon.com/DarkVerse146