Chapter 43

"So, Mantra down here in the Blue Sea is called Observation Haki?" Kong asked, stepping on the back of a pirate struggling beneath his foot. It turned out that in the New World, different forms of Haki were widely known and practiced.

"Y-yes. There are three types of Haki," the pirate stammered, fear lacing his voice as he glanced at his injured siblings nearby. "Armament Haki, Observation Haki… and Conqueror Haki."

This pirate was no small fry either—he was Charlotte Cadenza, a member of the infamous Big Mom Pirates, now reduced to trembling under Kong's foot.

Kong had arrived in the New World, and the first pirate ship he came across just so happened to belong to the Big Mom Pirates. Truly, his luck was outstanding..

"So, you guys look like you're searching for something," Kong said casually, one foot still planted on Cadenza's back. His eyes shifted toward the horizon, where Enel could be seen flying the ship in his direction. "What are you looking for?"

"We're hunting down the Pirate Hunter… Zephyr! He attacked Mama's ship, and now he's on the run from us," the pirate said shakily.

Kong raised an eyebrow, the name striking a chord. He remembered reading about Zephyr in the Marine records. A former admiral—one of the legendary figures who once stood alongside Garp, challenging monsters like Whitebeard and Gol D. Roger.

So why would someone like that abandon everything to become a pirate hunter?

"Why would he be a pirate hunter? Isn't he as strong as Gol D. Roger or something?" Kong asked curiously.

Cadenza shook his head quickly. "He's powerful, sure… but even in his prime, he was no match for Gol D. Roger or the other big names. Our big brother is hunting him down now—he's more than enough to handle him."

Kong rubbed his chin, thoughtful.

'Zephyr… also known as the Teacher. Could I convince him to join my crew? But he's a pirate hunter.' Kong's thoughts swirled, possibilities running wild in his mind. After a moment, his eyes turned back to Cadenza.

"Alright then, tell me how to train Armament Haki. I've already got Observation and Conqueror Haki," Kong said with a grin. The best part about Conqueror Haki? Once someone's will had been overwhelmed by it, persuasion became much easier. After all, how could someone fight back when their spirit had already been subdued?

Cadenza explained Armament Haki in detail, outlining how it allowed a person to use their own spirit to create invisible armor around their body. As he listened, Kong slowly began to realize something—he had already encountered Armament Haki plenty of times before.

Those Marines who managed to strike Logia users like they weren't intangible? That was the work of Armament Haki. It didn't just enhance physical attacks—it allowed one to bypass the natural defenses of Logia fruits, even nullifying devil fruit abilities altogether.

Armament Haki could also nullify healing abilities, enhance offensive power, and—best of all—serve as an extension of one's will in combat. This invisible armor wasn't just for defense. It sharpened attacks, increased durability, and could even be infused into weapons or projectiles. The arrows fired by Hancock's crew were clear examples of Armament Haki in action. And the sword Kong had used—without coating it in Conqueror's Haki—was shattered on impact for that very reason.

"The best way to train it is through battle," Cadenza explained. "Or, you can keep hardening your fists and striking something solid over and over. It's like forging a blade—the more pressure it endures, the stronger it gets."

Kong nodded thoughtfully. "So, how do I activate it?" he asked, his voice calm

"Well, some people awaken Armament Haki in the heat of battle. For others, they need to look inward and draw out their spirit. Since you already have Observation Haki, it should be easier for you," Cadenza explained.

Kong tilted his head, a visible question mark practically hanging over him.

Seeing the confusion, Cadenza tried to describe the feeling further—but that only made Kong scratch his head in deeper puzzlement.

"I can already do that," Kong said slowly. "Every time I use Conqueror Haki to boost my attacks, that energy comes with it. My spirit moves through me and covers my sword. That's probably why the blade doesn't shatter when I channel Conqueror Haki into it."

Of course, when Kong first began learning to use conqueror-infused attacks, his sword would constantly shatter under the pressure. But over time, through relentless training, he learned to stabilize the energy—harnessing his Conqueror Haki not only to empower his strikes but to reinforce the weapon itself. What Kong didn't realize was that he'd unknowingly been using Armament Haki all along.

He held out his palm, focusing, trying to summon that same spiritual energy without calling upon his Conqueror Haki. But the moment he tried, his Conqueror Haki surged forth alongside it. His body had grown so accustomed to drawing both together that separating them now proved to be a challenge in itself.

But Kong needed to learn to wield Armament Haki independently of Conqueror Haki. Conqueror Haki created a bubble-like force around his attacks, allowing them to hit before making contact—an incredible power, but one that masked the true benefits of Armament Haki. Without mastering Armament on its own, he couldn't fully tap into its potential, such as bypassing devil fruit defenses or reinforcing his body and weapons with refined control. More importantly, he sensed he was capping his own growth by relying too much on their combined force, when they were not mastered to there peak.

With a frustrated sigh, Kong leapt back onto the Maxim, leaving Cadenza behind in visible relief as the ship soared off into the sky.

But barely a second passed before Cadenza scrambled to his feet, rushing to find a Den Den Mushi. He had to report everything to his older brother. Now, there were two targets on the list—but between an aging Zephyr and someone like Kong, who had already awakened Conqueror Haki and showed monstrous growth potential, it was clear where their priority should lie.

"So, what are we doing?" Enel asked, listening in on the conversation Cadenza had over the transponder snail. He could easily summon a lightning strike and end the problem now, but he waited—Kong was the captain, after all.

"I want to see if we can get Zephyr to join my crew. After that, I'll let you fight him. See if you can learn something. Haki grows through battle," Kong said, his gaze fixed on his palm. "My physical growth hit a plateau years ago. If I want to keep climbing, I need to focus on this new field—Haki."

The body had its limits. But those limits? Haki seemed to break right through them.

"After mastering Haki, then I'll turn my focus to my Devil Fruit. I should aim for an awakening," Kong said quietly. For a long time, he'd believed he'd already mastered his devil fruit, until the day he forced his body to grow extra limbs. That moment revealed just how much further he still had to go.

He began to wonder… What else could he do? His ability allowed him to control his body, so why not reshape his arm into a blade, or something even more useful? The possibilities were there, but he'd simply never explored them. In that sense, he had been limiting his own potential.

"Also," Kong added, glancing at Enel, "I want to see if you can push your Devil Fruit to its limits too. Try something like a railgun."

Enel blinked, clearly confused.