Chapter 43 Loy: I really need a Haki Devil Fruit, thank you!
"Hoo~"
Slowly retracting his fist, the powerful Haki coiling around Zephyr's body gradually receded.
His entire body, whose muscles had constantly changed with the flow of Haki earlier, also slowly recovered at this moment.
Fine beads of sweat had already appeared on Zephyr's forehead.
"I'm old now."
Feeling the fatigue emanating from his body, the old man sighed in his heart.
The punch he had just thrown, utilizing the deep sea current, was truly his full power, held back by nothing.
With the help of Black Body Flow to control every part of his body and unleash his maximum potential, his already peak Haki could erupt with unimaginable power.
In his younger, more vigorous days, he could maintain this state for a considerable amount of time.
But for him in recent years, such an attack put a significant burden on his body.
In fact, it was just like this four years ago when he encountered the Pirate who defeated him at sea—at that time, Zephyr, going all out, had almost completely crushed his opponent.
But that Pirate, relying on monstrous vitality, managed to hold on until Zephyr's body couldn't bear the strain, which led to the tragedy four years ago.
According to the SSG scientists who examined him and prepared his new arm—in a few more years, Zephyr's body might be completely unable to use the profound meaning of Black Body Flow, and even continuous high-intensity combat would become extremely difficult.
This was the power of time.
Even an Admiral who once intimidated the seas would grow old.
But fortunately...
"There are still successors."
Zephyr took a deep breath, turned around, and saw Loy with his burning gaze.
He grinned.
"Kid, how was that?"
"Amazing."
What could Loy say? "Just now, that was..."
"The true profound meaning of Black Body Flow."
Zephyr said proudly, "First, temper your body until you can control every part of it. Then, use that control over your body to guide and master Haki."
"When using Haki, control every part of your body to squeeze out its potential, complementing your Haki."
This was the special aspect of his physical technique.
Many strong individuals could achieve the winding of Armament Haki.
In fact, there were many people whose pure Haki strength was greater than Zephyr's.
But just like what Zephyr's punch demonstrated earlier—when Zephyr threw his punch, it wasn't just Haki flowing.
Every single part of his entire body was squeezing out its own potential.
That's why his physical technique wasn't called 'Black Arm', but 'Black Body'!
Therefore, Loy had nothing more to say.
What else was there to say?
Train!
Subsequently, under Zephyr's guidance...
Loy didn't hesitate, diving into one of the countless surging 'black whirlpools', directly plunging in.
Then...
"!!!"
The sensation of pain came once again.
But this time, it was different from the deep-sea water pressure before.
If the deep-sea water pressure was merely like a tall mountain pressing down on Loy's body...
Then this time, the immense deep-sea current was like that tall mountain growing fists and punching him heavily!
No... it was a hundred punches!
"Rumble!"
Loy felt that even though his tendons and bones had become tough, almost like steel, after consuming the Quick Slash Devil Fruit, they seemed to be groaning at this moment.
"Endure it, feel your body changing, feel the strength in every inch of your body—your control over your body is too poor; a large portion of your strength is being wasted."
And at this moment, Zephyr's voice entered his ears.
After hearing these words, Loy gritted his teeth fiercely.
But after only a moment, he quickly felt his strength give out, his body relaxed, and like a withered leaf, he was swept up by the violent current and dragged towards the deep sea.
But it was at this moment that Zephyr's figure suddenly flickered.
He instantly appeared within the current, grabbed Loy with his left hand, and pulled him out.
Then, without waiting for Loy to speak, he said directly, "Some muscles are torn, but your bones should be fine. With your recovery ability—start the next round of training in ten minutes?"
Upon hearing this, Loy grinned, "Seven minutes is enough."
"Good kid."
Zephyr grinned, his expression growing more relieved as he looked at him: "Seven minutes then—I'll go prepare some coating bubbles for you."
With that said, he turned and left.
Loy quietly remained in this deep sea, silently feeling his body recover.
In his eyes, at this moment, was pure determination.
On normal days, he was a lazy fellow.
But in situations that required effort, he had never backed down.
Seven minutes later, Zephyr returned.
Loy, without hesitation, once again plunged headfirst into the giant waves.
Once, twice, thrice...
In this quiet stretch of the deep sea, Loy was repeatedly swept away by the 'black whirlpools' and repeatedly pulled back by Zephyr.
"The muscles in your left calf, your efficiency in using them is much worse than your right calf."
"Do you know why your shoulder collapsed this time? Because just now..."
"The point of exertion for your abdominal muscles needs to be further back; you need to feel it... Next time, control your strength to seventy percent."
"That's right, just like that—you have to control your heart to pump blood faster."
"Keep going! At your age, how can you even sleep?"
And Zephyr also demonstrated why he was renowned as the Marine's legendary instructor.
Whenever Loy failed, he could almost accurately pinpoint Loy's problems.
And through these repeated failures, Loy indeed experienced changes in his body.
The steel-like skin brought by the Quick Slash Devil Fruit seemed to become even denser under repeated tempering.
As for the strength brought by the Giant Devil Fruit and Strongman Devil Fruit, his mastery over them also gradually became more refined—he could even clearly perceive which part of his body's muscles grew stronger after tearing and recovery.
"I'm getting stronger—without adding any Devil Fruit abilities, but I'm definitely getting stronger."
Loy could clearly perceive this point.
This allowed him to almost ignore his body's fatigue and continue training frantically.
Until a certain training session...
"Crack!"
Loy stood amidst the violent currents, trying his best to control his body and resist the immense current.
His heart pumped faster, his muscles were fully engorged, and he gritted his teeth, extending both hands to maintain his body's balance.
Then...
"Buzz!"
At a certain moment, he felt an unprecedented sensation appear within his body.
Loy found it hard to describe that sensation.
It wasn't a Devil Fruit ability, but rather, from deep within his bones and muscles, as if some kind of power was surging.
It seemed to exist in every part of his body, like magma hidden beneath an underwater volcano.
But that sensation was fleeting, so much so that Loy almost suspected it was an illusion.
So when the current swept him away again, and Zephyr once more pulled him out...
Loy immediately and eagerly asked Zephyr about what he had just felt.
Then...
"You felt it?"
After hearing him, Zephyr looked at Loy, seemingly a little surprised.
"Of course it wasn't an illusion—what you felt was your own 'Haki'."
"Indeed..."
Hearing this, Loy also secretly thought "Indeed" once: "That's Haki?"
He had already guessed it—the power existing within his body, but not a Devil Fruit ability, must be Haki.
But the problem was...
"How do I use it?"
Loy looked at Zephyr with some anticipation.
Upon hearing this, Zephyr looked at him with a wry smile: "What are you thinking, kid? It's not that simple."
He didn't hide anything and directly told Loy his understanding of Haki: "Haki exists within every person's body; only some are stronger and some are weaker."
He extended a finger: "Aside from the inherently special Conqueror's Haki..."
"The other two types of Haki can both be acquired through training. The stronger a person's physique, the higher the potential for Armament Haki within their body."
"The more sensitive a person's perception ability, the higher the potential for Observation Haki within their body."
Speaking of this, he also pointed at Loy.
"Your body is as strong as a monster's, so the potential for Armament Haki within you is definitely formidable. It's normal to feel it so quickly."
"But feeling Haki is only the first step—tempering and guiding Haki out is the key to training Haki."
Hearing this, Loy naturally felt a little disappointed.
"Then how long will it take me to initially guide Haki out? How long until I reach your level?"
He genuinely had a strong need for Haki—when facing Logia ability users, Armament Haki was indeed very useful.
Zephyr didn't hesitate either: "To initially guide Haki out, probably about half a year."
"To skillfully use the Haki within your body, even talented individuals probably need one or two years."
"As for training to the old man's level... with your physique and talent, you should probably be able to guide out all the Haki within your body in about ten years. By then, you should also have fully mastered the essence of Black Body Flow."
Speaking of this, Zephyr's eyes were full of anticipation.
In his view, Loy was currently less than thirty years old.
In another ten years, he would only be less than forty, right at his peak condition.
Zephyr was very sure—Loy at that time would definitely be stronger than him!
'Garp is always boasting in front of me that Kuzan learned his Iron Fist. When the time comes, I'll show him just how strong my successor is!'
But it was obvious that Loy was stunned at this moment.
"It'll take half a year to guide Haki out?"
"One or two years to skillfully use it? Ten years to reach the peak?"
He could understand Zephyr's words—his physique was too strong, so the potential for Haki was also strong, and naturally, it would require a lot of time to develop it.
Moreover, a quick thought reminded him that even Luffy, with full combat talent and protagonist's halo, spent a full two years training with a Haki master like 'Dark King' Rayleigh before skillfully mastering Haki.
In comparison, Zephyr's judgment clearly already held Loy's potential in very high regard.
But for Loy, this amount of time was still a bit too long.
"Isn't there some kind of Haki Devil Fruit or something like that?"
He muttered to himself like this.
But it was obvious that Zephyr didn't know Loy's thoughts.
So at this moment, after daydreaming about his future bragging rights to his old friend, he looked at Loy again.
"Had enough rest? If you've rested enough, continue—ten more times today and you can go back!"
"Ten... ten times?!"
(end of chapter)