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"Haki stands above all!"
This was a famous saying spoken by Kaido, or rather, "Kai Sensei" in this context. Even though right after saying it, he proceeded without hesitation to awaken his Devil Fruit ability, it didn't mean that the importance of Haki was diminished in any way.
In this world, ordinary people rely on Devil Fruit powers, the strong rely on Haki, and those even more extreme rely on technology.
Every top-tier powerhouse capable of standing at the peak of the world possesses extraordinary Haki mastery. At this moment, Donquixote Doflamingo and Donquixote Rosinante were trembling all over in the face of the overwhelming Haki crushing down on them.
The very instant the aura struck them, they realized the gap between themselves and the man before them; it was like heaven and earth.
"Buzz!!"
The surging Haki came crashing in, vast and majestic, oppressing every single cell in their bodies.
"He actually confined his Haoshoku (Conqueror's Haki) only to the area we're in, without affecting anyone around us at all! What terrifying control!" Doflamingo was shocked.
In the second second of the impact, he instinctively released his own Haoshoku to confront it. Rosinante did the same. Three waves of Conqueror's Haki clashed, but in just an instant, they saw the figure ahead curl his lips into a grin.
"Feel it well, the difference between your Haoshoku and mine! Only by understanding the gap can you set your goal!" Kojin's eyes widened as he spoke.
An even more terrifying pressure erupted, instantly suppressing their Haoshoku so that it could only remain around their own bodies. At that moment, even the background of the void seemed to change, turning black and crimson like hell itself.
"Too… terrifying… I can barely hold on!" Rosinante gritted his teeth.
Though he said that, his eyes were wide with determination, still holding on with everything he had. Soon, both of them realized Kojin's intention. This overwhelming Haoshoku pressure allowed them to personally experience the difference in Haki, helping them comprehend how to control Conqueror's Haki.
From unconscious intimidation… to conscious restraint… this was an entirely new realm, eventually reaching terrifying magnitude and precise control.
"Under the pressure of an enemy, your understanding of your own Haki grows faster and deeper!" Kojin's voice rang out.
With his arms folded, he continuously released Haki outward from his body.
"The fact that you've awakened Haoshoku means you already have a one-in-ten-thousand chance of reaching the top of the world!"
Sweat poured from Doflamingo and Rosinante's foreheads. Their bodies trembled uncontrollably.
But they endured.
Facing this overwhelming aura, they refused to fall. Only Haoshoku can confront Haoshoku. Though their own seemed weak and powerless in comparison, it remained stubbornly resilient.
'Control it… manipulate it!' Doflamingo thought.
Soon, he discovered that he could slightly move the scattered Haki aura, gradually condensing it.
This realization delighted him. What shocked him even more was that Rosinante, beside him, had also achieved the same thing.
'This brat… mastered it this quickly?'
'He has only just awakened Haoshoku!'
The joy in his heart was quickly doused like cold water.
The pressure lasted for a full quarter of an hour. When Kojin finally withdrew his Haoshoku, both of them collapsed onto the ground with a thud, completely drained.
"Is this all you can handle?" Kojin grinned, looking at them. "I told you, only in life-and-death situations will you unleash your greatest potential. And only then will your Haki grow faster!"
Doflamingo and Rosinante raised their heads, and what they saw caused their expressions to drastically change. The figure not far ahead suddenly tore open his upper garment, revealing a body of terrifying, sinewy muscles.
In the next instant, he moved.
His speed was unbelievable, he appeared above them in the blink of an eye.
"Fight me with the resolve that you could die at any second!" With a loud laugh, Kojin threw a punch.
Almost instinctively, the two of them sprang up from the ground, narrowly dodging the blow.
Boom!
The ground trembled and caved in, forming a massive crater.
"He's really trying to kill us!!" Rosinante shouted in terror.
"If you've got time to panic, think about how to deal with him instead!" Doflamingo said with a grim expression.
Dragging their exhausted bodies, the two instantly entered combat mode.
"Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki), is the power to sense your own strength and spread it throughout your body like armor, increasing your defense. It can also be concentrated on your fists, legs, or weapons to enhance attack power. It can even allow you to touch the true bodies of Logia-type Devil Fruit users." As Kojin spoke, he once again appeared above them.
His speed was just as terrifying, like teleportation, placing immense pressure on both of them.
"When your training reaches a certain level, you can instinctively awaken this power! Of course, you can also master it through practice. Smoker and Buggy both obtained Busoshoku through training!"
Hearing this, Rosinante was startled.
His former junior had, without him even realizing it, already surpassed him.
"And Ryuo!"
As those three words fell, Kojin lifted his leg and kicked straight into Donquixote Doflamingo's abdomen. Doflamingo crossed his arms in front of him and blocked the kick, even showing a brief look of relief.
But soon after, he saw the smile in Kojin's eyes.
"It is the flowing form of Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki)! By making Armament Haki flow within your body, you can enhance its power and release it outward! You can strike targets from a distance, and even attack inside the target, causing devastating internal damage!"
Hearing this, Doflamingo's pupils shrank. Because in the very next second, Kojin personally demonstrated what "Ryuo" truly meant.
Boom!
Doflamingo was blasted backward. It felt as though his internal organs had shattered, pain flooding his entire body as he coughed up blood.
'So this is Ryuo?!'
He was shaken to his core. It can bypass external defenses and directly destroy the inside!
Just imagining it was enough to understand how terrifying this ability was.
Like a stone, its surface remains intact, but its interior has already been completely crushed.
"Make your Armament Haki flow, and you will master it!" Kojin's voice echoed.
In an instant, his figure appeared again in front of Donquixote Rosinante.
His right fist shot forward without any flourish, arriving before Rosinante's eyes in a flash.
What surprised Kojin was that this punch, one that should have been impossible to dodge, was avoided at the last moment.
Rosinante's body flickered, narrowly evading it.
"Th-that was close! If that punch had hit, I'd be dead!" Rosinante cried out.
"Interesting! Have both your Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) and Haoshoku awakened at the same time?" Kojin smiled.
He stepped forward and threw another punch.
Rosinante's eyes glowed faintly red as he dodged one punch after another, as if he could predict the attacks in advance.
"Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) is the power to strongly sense the presence and aura of others! At higher levels, you can even foresee probable future events! It also allows you to perceive your opponent's thoughts and emotions. To awaken it, Rosinante, you're quite talented!" Kojin said with satisfaction.
But his attacks only grew faster.
After dodging five strikes, Rosinante was finally hit on the sixth, his face taking the blow as he spun through the air and slammed onto the ground with a thud.
"To maximize your potential… Every punch I throw is a true Iron Fist. I won't hold back at all." Kojin said coldly.
At that moment, Doflamingo flashed forward, appearing right in front of him.
His fingers spread wide as he slashed downward.
"Goshikito (Five Colored Strings)!"
But when the razor-sharp threads struck Kojin's body, they snapped instantly.
"Use Haki! Relying on Devil Fruit abilities alone will only make you weak!" Kojin said sternly.
His fist shot out mercilessly, smashing directly into Doflamingo's nose.
Crack!
The bridge of his nose broke instantly. Blood sprayed out, and his sunglasses shattered on the spot.
"Don't make me repeat myself. In this special training, you are only allowed to use Rokushiki and Haki! Fight me using the power of your own body!"
His voice was icy.
Rosinante took it in stride, but Doflamingo's expression darkened, he even suspected he was being targeted on purpose.
"The goal is to help you master Haki as quickly as possible!"
Kojin continued his relentless assault.
Though furious, Doflamingo was sharp-minded. He had already begun focusing on understanding Haki, while Rosinante continuously relied on his Observation Haki.
"Ryuo…! Make Armament Haki flow within your body!"
Doflamingo took a deep breath. Enduring the pain, he tried to guide his Armament Haki through his body with sheer will. Originally, Armament Haki could only be used to coat a specific part of the body for defense or offense. But now, after experiencing Ryuo and concentrating deeply, he began to vaguely perceive something,
Inside his body, something like swirling, dancing cherry blossoms.
"I see it!! I can feel it!"
Doflamingo's eyes widened.
At that exact moment, a foot ruthlessly smashed into his face, sending his head ringing as he was kicked flying.
When he got back up, he glared irritably at the figure standing ahead.
"That's enough for today's special training! Tomorrow, I'll continue! This training will only end when you've fully mastered Haki!" Kojin said with a grin.
Training the two of them also served as a way for him to loosen up his own body.
It was, in fact, quite an enjoyable activity.
As for Smoker and Buggy, their training was naturally handled by others.
(End of Chapter)