Let’s have some fun!

Ian who was feeling his instincts flare-up, all of a sudden saw Shanks speed up towards him.

Shanks appeared next to Ian and took a swing at Ian's head, with a grin on his face.

Physically Ian was much stronger and faster, so he was able to see Shanks move. But now, unlike earlier, Shanks had reached a speed comparable to him.

Ian dodged Shanks's strike to his head, but Shanks didn't waste any time and attacked again and again and he kept coming with attacks.

But after a few seconds, Shanks grinned and increased his speed as he attacked Ian once again.

But unlike earlier when he was still dodging out of the way, this one attack came so fast Ian couldn't react.

Shanks was not in a position to attack as fast as he did. But even so, it was like his body moved on its own and delivered this attack. As if he didn't need to think about what to do before moving like an instinctual level of reaction…

Ian's body was thrown backward by Shanks punch to his gut.

The fact that his future sight didn't trigger from the first of the exchange didn't matter for him at the moment, since quite a foreign feeling was occupying him at the moment…

Pain.

Ian was feeling pain.

He was thrown backward a distance from Shanks before he backflipped using his hands and righted himself on the ground.

He looked at Shanks's hand that punched him.

Shanks still had the same stance, with his right hand in a punching position. And Ian couldn't see any change about him as if he was still the same as before…

His sword was back into its sheath.

'It's not coated in Haki…' Ian pondered.

He had been hurt by Haki punches before, and he knew the damage to expect from them…

But this was different. Just that regular strike to him, that he would normally take easily, made his body ache like never before… There was also something else to note but he would have to observe more to make sure…

'This shouldn't be possible…' Ian thought.

If Shanks managed to hurt him, then he must be using Armament Haki. Plus since he did this much damage to him, it meant he was also using Conquerors Haki at the same time.

So there should be black lightning showing along with the armament coloring appearing.

But somehow Shanks was hiding that… Ian knew for a fact that he was hiding them. There was just no way he could deal that much damage without them.

But as far as Ian knew, there was no way to hide neither the black lightning that appeared when using Infusion nor the blackish color that comes with Hardening.

And now that he was focused, he remembered that his observation Haki didn't kick in… this was a first for him. He couldn't react to Shanks with observation alone… plus the way Shanks moved made it clear to Ian that right now he was not as fast as him…

Shanks's voice soon snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Surprised aren't you?" Shanks asked him.

There was a playful smile on his face.

Ian smiled back.

"This is an interesting technique…" Ian replied back.

Instead of the red lightning, maybe it was this technique that his father had talked about.

"Your observation won't work… your devil fruit intangibility won't work… and any attack that lands would deal massive damage… now what will you do?" Shanks asked.

Ian quietly listened.

The fact that Shanks started with a punch instead of a sword attack, clearly showed his intention of just teaching him…

Ian appreciated that.

Also, it might seem Ian was not on guard, but he was absolutely focused right now.

He had subtly used his observation Haki, and he was shocked when he couldn't detect Shanks at all. If he was not seeing him with his own eyes, he would question if he was even there…

So what Shanks said proved to be true. He can't see him, he would take huge damage, and he can't turn intangible since that would be just stupid.

So far this new technique he was seeing gave Shanks the ability to use Haki without showing he was using it.

But that was not all… No, it also made it possible for him to vanish from one's observation range and remain hidden… even from his future sight.

Ian got ready. He was almost a hundred percent sure this was not all there was to the technique.

So he paid attention to what was going to come next.

Shanks gave a subtle nod of approval.

"This is the ultimate form of Haki. Watch well and learn!" Shanks said before he got ready.

He then leaned forward and pressed on the ground leaving cracks forming on it as he vanished.

But unlike the last time, Ian was more ready.

He might have gotten complacent and heavily relied on his future sight, but he was not totally helpless… there was still an ability of his that he had subconsciously dropped for the better option, which is observation Haki.

This ability was what he had often back then from the DNA of the minks.

It gave the body an instinctual reflex to danger, which made it possible to evade the most dangerous of attacks.

This was what Ian relied on next along with his strongest form...

So even though Shanks appeared next to him, Ian managed to react.

Shanks attacked with a kick towards his midsection trying to throw him back, but Ian moved out of the way appearing above Shanks, and tried to deliver a strike down on his form, only for Shanks to weave out of the way effortlessly.

Shanks took a few steps back and started to observe Ian.

Right now Ian was in his Raijin mode, which is why he was on even speed with Shanks.

Shanks didn't know how it was possible though. In this state, no one would want to fight him. Except of course Whitebeard or his captain if he was still alive.

Apart from those though, Shanks was confident he would be faster than the rest, and in a fight, that would be deadly to anyone.

But... Ian was keeping up with him easily.

'Maybe I should change this training style… since clearly, I can't beat it into him…' He thought to himself with disappointment…

He unsheathed his sword and got ready.

He could no longer play around.

Right now Ian proved that he was as strong as him and maybe even stronger than him so he had to put his all.

Similarly, Ian brought his spear out. And then he grinned as he spoke.

"Let's have some fun shall we?" He asked. He was not going to be helpless and take a beating. Nope.