Chapter 14: Haoshoku Haki
"Vice Admiral Garp! Please, wake up!"
A Marine officer in a gray suit frantically shook the sleeping legend, his expression a mix of awe and awkwardness.
Garp, however, had no sense of shame. He snorted awake, a snot bubble popping, and immediately burst into laughter. "Bwahahaha! I fell asleep again! My bad, my bad!"
Beside them, Cynthia tugged gently on Apollo's sleeve, her voice lowered to a persuasive whisper. "Little brother, just listen to me. Join the Marines! With your monstrous talent and Vice Admiral Garp's backing, you'd shoot straight to the top. Won't you reconsider?"
"No, Cynthia. I have my own path to walk. The Marines... let's just say the uniform implies constraints I'm not fond of." Apollo's tone was polite but immovable.
Cynthia sighed, her shoulders slumping. "What a waste."
"We should get moving, Vice Admiral," the officer in the gray suit interjected, standing up briskly. "We just received a priority dispatch. Captain Morgan of the 153rd Branch has been arrested for abuse of authority. We need to escort him to Headquarters for court-martial."
"Captain Morgan?"
Apollo's eyes narrowed slightly. He remembered the name well. Morgan was the tyrant Luffy defeated right when Zoro joined the crew.
If Morgan is being arrested, that means Luffy has already set sail, Apollo realized. It explains why Garp is in the East Blue—he's likely checking in on his grandson.
"Is that so? Alright, let's head out!"
Garp stood up, flashing a grin full of blindingly white teeth. "Kid, I have a feeling this isn't the last time we'll meet. I just hope when that time comes, I won't have to throw you in a cell."
Apollo looked up at the old Vice Admiral, feeling a rare sense of physical inadequacy.
Garp stood at a towering nine feet five inches.
In Apollo's previous life, that was nearly the height of a building's first story. Even sitting down, the man was like a fortified wall; standing up, he was a mountain.
At six-foot-three, Apollo was considered tall where he came from. But here? In the Grand Line and beyond, he was merely "not short." This world was populated by freaks of nature—humans casually pushing ten, fifteen, or even twenty feet, not to mention the actual Giants.
What on earth do they put in the milk in this world? Apollo wondered, suppressing the urge to crane his neck.
As the Marines moved toward the door, a thought struck Apollo. He spoke up quickly. "Wait a moment, Vice Admiral Garp. There is one thing I'd like to ask."
Garp paused mid-step, his iconic dog-mask hood half-pulled over his head. He turned back, puzzled. "Eh? What is it?"
"I want to know... how do you train Haki?"
Haki. The dormant power that existed within all living things, yet few in the East Blue even knew its name, let alone how to wield it. Apollo had been experimenting on his own, but without a guide, he had hit a wall. He assumed he would have to wait until the Grand Line to learn it, but Garp's presence was a golden opportunity.
"You don't know Haki?" Garp blinked, looking genuinely surprised.
To Garp, a brat who radiated this much danger surely must have mastered the basics.
Apollo spread his hands helplessly. "You know the East Blue better than anyone, Vice Admiral. It's the 'Weakest Sea.' There's nobody here to teach me."
Garp scratched his chin, considering. "I can't stay long... tell you what. I'll explain the core principles. Whether you can grasp it is up to you."
"That is more than enough. I'm in your debt," Apollo said seriously.
While the basics of Haki were common knowledge in the New World, hearing them from Garp—the Hero of the Marines, a man who cornered the Pirate King with nothing but his bare fists—was a different matter entirely. This was like learning to box from the champion of the world.
Garp didn't hold back. He succinctly explained the concept of Busoshoku (Armament) and Kenbunshoku (Observation), detailing the flow of spirit and the hardening of will.
"Bwahahaha! But listen well, brat!" Garp finished with a roar. "Haki isn't a parlor trick! Without a master, it usually takes years of blood and sweat to manifest even a trace! Are you sure you don't want to join the Marines? I could teach you personally!"
The three headquarters officers behind Garp nodded vigorously in agreement.
"He's right," one said. "Training Haki without guidance is reckless." "It's dangerous. The only real way to learn is in life-or-death combat." "Trying to force it out based on theory alone? Impossible."
They spoke from experience. They were elites from the Grand Line, yet it had taken them years of grueling drills to unlock their Haki.
But their voices trailed off abruptly. The room fell silent, as if someone had hit the mute button on the world.
Three pairs of eyes bulged. Their jaws practically hit the floor.
Apollo glanced up, the jet-black coating fading from his fist. "Sorry, did you say something?"
He hadn't been listening. He had been too focused on channeling his Ki according to Garp's instructions.
"We... we said it's very difficult," one officer stammered, his brain struggling to process what he had just seen.
"It is a bit tricky," Apollo admitted. He looked at his hand again. He focused his will.
Vwoom.
Instantly, his hand turned a glossy, obsidian black. It was distinct, solid, and far more stable than his first attempt seconds ago.
The officers looked like they had seen a ghost.
Is he mocking us?He has to be mocking us!
But they couldn't even summon the anger. Their worldview was crumbling. How was this possible? Scientific logic, years of training doctrines—shattered in seconds.
Even Garp frowned, his playful demeanor vanishing for a second.
He knew Apollo was physically gifted—likely a Zoan user or just a genetic anomaly—but this learning speed was terrifying. Garp's sharp eyes could tell the first attempt had been clumsy, the work of a novice. The second? It was practiced.
Apollo noticed the heavy silence. He cleared his throat. "Ah, don't misunderstand. I have... special circumstances that make energy manipulation easier for me. It's not just talent."
Special circumstances? The officers remained silent. What kind of special circumstance lets you skip years of training?!
"What a terrifying brat," Garp muttered, his grin returning, though his eyes remained sharp.
Apollo offered no further explanation. The truth was tied to his Saru Saru no Mi, Model: Great Sage.
After hearing Garp's theory, Apollo realized that Armament Haki functioned similarly to the Ki he already used for his Sage Arts. He simply adapted the flow.
However, as he clenched his blackened fist, Apollo felt a tinge of disappointment.
It's weak.
Compared to his raw Ki or the physical might of the Great Sage form, this basic Armament Haki added negligible power to his strikes. It was rigid, too.
If his Sage Ki was a high-end gaming monitor running at 144Hz, this basic Armament Haki was a clunky 30Hz screen. It required conscious effort to maintain and lacked fluidity.
Still, Apollo thought, dismissing the coating, it has its uses. It's the only reliable way to hit Logia users. I'll keep it in my back pocket, but I won't waste time refining it until my Devil Fruit mastery hits a bottleneck.
As for Observation Haki? He didn't even need to try it.
He already possessed the "Golden Eyes" of the Great Sage—a sensory ability far superior to basic Observation. He could perceive auras, gauge strength, and sense emotions over a vast range. While he couldn't see the future like a Katakuri-level master yet, his current sensory arts were more than sufficient.
"Kid," Garp's voice dropped an octave, becoming uncharacteristically serious. "Are you really not going to join? If you nod your head right now, I guarantee you the rank of Rear Admiral. Instantly."
The officers behind him gasped. Rear Admiral?!
To skip the ranks of Ensign, Lieutenant, Commander, and Captain? To jump straight to a Flag Officer? It was unheard of. It was madness.
But then they looked at Apollo, who had mastered Haki in thirty seconds, and realized... maybe it wasn't madness.
"Thank you for the high praise, Vice Admiral," Apollo said, bowing slightly. "But I must refuse. I have my own crew to find, and my own adventures to live."
"Bwahahaha! Stubborn! I like it!" Garp laughed, slapping his knee. He didn't seem offended in the least. "Well, aside from Armament and Observation, there is a third type. Haoshoku—Conqueror's Haki."
Garp's expression darkened slightly. "This one cannot be trained. You're born with it, or you aren't. It is the proof of a King. Those who have it... they stand above the rest."
Apollo rubbed his temple, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Conqueror's? Oh, I know that one."
He narrowed his eyes.
BOOM.
An invisible hammer slammed into the room.
The air didn't just get heavy; it screamed. Black lightning crackled from nowhere. The sturdy oak desk groaned and splintered. Papers flew into a chaotic vortex. Cracks spider-webbed across the plaster walls.
Cynthia and the officers froze, their hearts skipping a beat as a primal fear seized their lungs. It wasn't aimed at them—if it had been, they would be unconscious on the floor—but the mere pressure was suffocating.
Then, as quickly as it came, it vanished.
Apollo exhaled. He had only awakened this power recently, accidentally knocking out half of Syrup Village in the process. (The villagers still thought it was a gas leak).
"This level of Haki..." Garp stared at Apollo, his eyes wide. "You really are a monster."
The three officers were catatonic. They had nothing left to say.
Garp left shortly after, dragging his traumatized subordinates with him.
The office in the Swan Town Marine Base finally grew quiet, leaving only Apollo and Colonel Cynthia.
"Little brother," Cynthia breathed, her eyes sparkling with a dangerous mix of admiration and hunger. "You keep hiding more secrets. I didn't know you were this impressive."
She had hoped Garp could give Apollo a career. She hadn't expected Apollo to terrify the Hero of the Marines.
Apollo looked away, feigning interest in a cracked wall. "There's a lot you don't know."
He tried to ignore the way she was looking at him. Cynthia was a mature, stunning woman, and the look she was giving him was destructive to a young man's composure.
They had met two months ago when Apollo saved her from a mutiny on her ship. Since then, he had frequented her base to turn in pirate bounties, and a rapport had built up.
"Hey," Cynthia purred, taking a step closer. "Do you want to... show me?"
"Show you?" Apollo blinked.
Cynthia licked her crimson lips. "Right here. The desk is broken, but there's plenty of space on the couch. We could have some fun."
Apollo sweat-dropped. "Cynthia, stop teasing. I'm actually here for serious business."
Cynthia's seductive demeanor vanished instantly, replaced by the sharp professionalism of a Marine Colonel. "You captured another pirate?"
"No," Apollo said, his expression softening. "I came to say goodbye."
Cynthia went silent. She walked over to the window, looking out at the sea. "I knew this day would come. The East Blue is too small of a pond for a dragon like you."
"I have a favor to ask," Apollo continued. "After I leave... please keep an eye on Syrup Village."
Cynthia spun around, her eyebrows shooting up. "Hah! So you came to ask me to babysit your little girlfriend! I knew it! You scoundrel, using me like this!"
"That's unfair," Apollo protested. "I came to say goodbye and ask a favor."
"Men!" Cynthia huffed, crossing her arms. "Don't think I don't know that Kaya is the only reason you stayed in that backwater village for six months."
Apollo looked at her suspiciously. "Cynthia... you sound jealous."
"Jealous? Of a teenager? In your dreams!" Cynthia scoffed, though her cheeks colored slightly. She sighed. "Fine. Don't worry. As long as I'm in charge of this sector, no pirate will dare touch Syrup Village. I'll protect your little princess."
"Thank you, Cynthia. Truly."
Two hours later, Apollo walked out of the Swan Town Marine Base. He boarded his ship, the Golden Snail, and set his course for home.
It was time to pack. The Grand Line was waiting.