Chapter 278: Volume 2 – Chapter 180: Do You Understand?

Pure strength forged through relentless trials...

Are you sure this isn't just a "serious punch"?

Daren couldn't help but mock the idea in his mind.

Still, hearing Garp's serious and forceful words, he took a breath, calmed himself, and began to carefully digest the meaning behind them. Before long, he found himself deep in thought.

It was true—just like Garp said, most of his combat ability had been "stacked" together.

With his powerful physique as the base, he had piled on Armament Haki, a variety of combat techniques, and even Devil Fruit abilities—like stacking bricks onto a foundation.

What came out of it was a rough, brute-force "fighting machine" that relied purely on physical power to overwhelm opponents.

But in actual battle, was he truly making full use of his physical advantages?

Was there a smooth, seamless synergy between his body, strength, and speed, and his Haki and Devil Fruit powers?

Had he really pushed his combat potential to its peak?

Before this conversation with Garp, Daren had never seriously considered these questions.

Because of his innate sensory abilities, his past training had always focused on boosting specific "stats" from his personal panel.

He'd strengthened his body through endurance and lightning-tempering.

He'd trained his strength by dragging warships under heavy load.

He'd sharpened his speed through bullet-dodging drills and short-distance bursts.

Almost every training session had been highly specialized.

That approach wasn't bad—on the contrary, it had a major advantage: with his data panel, Daren could clearly identify his weaknesses and keep pushing past his limits by discovering new, targeted ways to train.

There was no doubt that, especially early on, this was the fastest and most effective way to build power.

But...

Could a method like that really create a top-tier powerhouse?

Probably not.

Daren's mind instinctively recalled a certain character from the original Dressrosa arc.

Elizabello II, King of the Prodence Kingdom.

The guy was no pushover—he was even nicknamed the "The Fighting King."

It was said that he could unleash the "King Punch" thanks to his naturally powerful physique.

With a single blow, he could demolish an enemy fortress. Some claimed that even a Yonkō would be injured outright if they were hit.

So was he strong?

With the sheer destructive power of that "King Punch," Daren figured he might actually be able to injure a Yonkō.

But the problem was, to throw that punch, Elizabello II needed to "warm up" for at least an hour before his body could generate that level of force.

In a real fight, that was basically useless.

By the time he finished warming up, who knows how many times he'd have already died.

In that sense, Elizabello II's situation wasn't that different from Daren's. He too possessed immense power—but couldn't fully unleash it.

Like a heavily armed fortress that still felt clunky and inefficient.

It was like owning a high-performance sports car with a top-tier engine, an elite chassis, and the best transmission... but lacking a skilled technician to properly tune it.

The only difference was that Daren's shortcomings weren't as obvious.

And now, what Garp was talking about was helping Daren bring all his power and abilities together into one cohesive force.

...To integrate every piece of his strength—and unlock the full potential of this supercar that is Rogers Daren!

"I see..."

Daren muttered softly, his eyes gradually lighting up.

"So what should I do?"

He looked at Garp with excitement.

"Watch carefully."

Garp let out a hearty laugh, took a step forward, blew on his fist, focused his gaze, and then punched the warship in front of him.

Bang!!

The entire warship shuddered violently, and the spot where his fist landed exploded with fragments.

"Got it?"

Garp turned back with a smile.

Daren: …

What the hell am I supposed to get from that!?

Isn't this just the difference between a regular punch and a serious one?

Frustration welled up inside him. He really wanted to say something, but when he saw the proud look on Garp's face—as if he genuinely believed he'd just delivered a masterclass—Daren opened his mouth... and said nothing.

This was totally just a showy load of nonsense!

Just like Kaidou... flashy names for attacks that all boil down to the same thing: horizontal swing, vertical swing, strong swing, stronger swing!

"Hmph, I knew I wasn't wrong about you! You really are the right one to carry on my legacy! Bwahahaha!!"

Seeing Daren stay silent, Garp assumed he had truly understood and couldn't help but thump him on the shoulder with pride, roaring with laughter.

"Uh... Vice Admiral Garp, have you ever tried teaching this to anyone else?"

Daren's eye twitched as he asked.

Garp scratched his head and chuckled.

"I guess you could say I have. I told that brat of mine once, but he didn't seem to get it. Ran off to work on some 'claw' technique instead."

"And Sakazuki... hmm, I don't like that guy's methods, but he is an important talent in the Navy. Still, right after I explained it to him, that damn kid just turned around and bolted without a word."

He suddenly started grumbling.

"Really pisses me off! I laid out the strongest technique right in front of them, explained it so clearly, and they still couldn't get it!"

Daren: …

Honestly... not getting it sounds about right.

"Alright, since you understand it now, let's get started!"

Garp shook his head and looked at Daren with anticipation written all over his face.

He pointed at the warship in front of them.

"A hero's strength doesn't just appear out of nowhere. Only through relentless training can you become the strongest!"

"No Devil Fruit powers. No Haki either... Control your strength, pour all your focus and spirit into each punch…"

"This warship is your punching bag!"

...

At the same time, at the training grounds.

Zephyr frowned as he looked over the students lined up in formation.

"Where's that brat Daren? Didn't he already return to headquarters? Where'd he run off to?"

Everyone froze for a moment, exchanging looks, then shook their heads—no one knew.

"Maybe he's off flirting with some girl..."

Tokikake, standing at the front, curled his lip and muttered.

He turned to Gion beside him and grinned.

"With a shameless guy like him, what more can you expect, right Gion?"

Gion glanced at him without expression, paused, then said calmly,

"Daren might be a flirt, but he's not a bad person."

Tokikake's eyes widened in shock, stunned.

Gion... was defending Daren!?

He looked like he couldn't believe it, as if he were dreaming.

But before he could react, Zephyr suddenly erupted with a shout full of shock and fury.

"What!?"

"That brat got dragged off by Garp!?"