At this moment, ten thousand meters beneath the sea—Fish-Man Island.
The Flying Pirates had finally landed on Fish-Man Island, their nerves still on edge. They had barely escaped annihilation at the hands of the massive Sea Kings. If not for Golden Lion Shiki awakening his Conqueror's Haki at the last moment in sheer desperation—stunning the creatures into submission—the entire crew might have been devoured.
"Looks like Haki is the key to stepping into the world of the strong," someone murmured in awe.
"That was way too close… So this is the power of Conqueror's Haki? The ability to intimidate all living things… Gyahahaha! Looks like I've got the makings of a king after all!"
Laughing wildly in the aftermath of his near-death experience, Shiki pulled out his Den Den Mushi and quickly typed a message on the small screen.
[#36: I awakened Conqueror's Haki today. From now on, the world's strongest will have to make room for me!!]
Feeling quite pleased with himself, Shiki stowed the device and stepped onto Fish-Man Island, eager to explore the legendary undersea kingdom.
...
On the Grand Line.
"Haha! Rayleigh, look at this! The News Coo just delivered a package to me, and it says, 'From Gol D. Roger.' Even the Marines still call me 'Gold Roger' on my bounty poster!"
Roger was practically buzzing with excitement as he inspected the mysterious gift. He was dying to know who had sent it.
"Roger, be careful! This could be a trap from the Marines!" Rayleigh called out, exasperated by his reckless captain.
"Relax, relax! I can hear a small life form inside. It's not dangerous!"
At twenty-five years old, Roger had already spent years sailing the Grand Line. He had developed an unusual form of Observation Haki—one that let him hear things others couldn't and even discern good from evil to some extent.
Cautiously, Roger opened the box. Inside was a sleeping Den Den Mushi, a few leaves, and a small instruction booklet.
Rayleigh picked up the booklet and read aloud:
[Smart Den Den Mushi—gifted to the world's chosen warriors. Users must not reveal their true identities, engage in insults, or provoke others, or the device will disable its features. This network exists for peaceful communication, information sharing, and the pursuit of the world's secrets.]
[Messages can be exchanged by writing on the screen. Swiping up reveals message history.]
[Food for the Smart Den Den Mushi: The richer the energy in the leaves, the longer the screen stays lit. Examples include the leaves of the Yarukiman Mangrove, the Sunlight Tree Eve, and the Treasure Tree Adam. Users must find their own supply.]
"A 'Smart Den Den Mushi,' huh? Let's see what's on the screen."
Eagerly, Roger tapped the device's small screen. The latest message immediately caught his attention—
#36 had just announced he had awakened Conqueror's Haki.
Curious, Roger scrolled further through the message history. The more he read, the more serious his expression became.
An immortal named Imu has lived for 800 years?Even the Marine Admirals seemed shocked at the mention of 'three types of Haki'?Rocks—the ruler of the New World?Shiki—a rising supernova?
Gaban was the first to notice something peculiar.
"Hey… that #18 guy asked about Shiki's potential. You think he might actually be Shiki himself?"
Rayleigh furrowed his brow. "Roger, are we heading into the New World soon? And what exactly is 'three types of Haki'? Is that ability of yours a form of Haki too?"
"Haha! Since this thing is meant for peaceful communication, why don't we just ask?"
Without hesitation, Roger began writing carefully on the screen, making sure his handwriting was neat—he didn't want anyone laughing at his penmanship.
[#55: Can anyone explain what the 'three types of Haki' are?]
Roger laughed heartily. "Hah! Alright then, let's see if any strong fighters step up and confirm whether this Den Den Mushi is actually useful."
At that moment, Brook, who had just finished training and was taking a break, noticed the message. His excitement surged—after all, it was the Son of the Era, Gol D. Roger, asking a question!
[#5]: Another rookie? Fine, I'll explain it to you weaklings. The three types of Haki are Observation Haki, Armament Haki, and Conqueror's Haki.
Observation Haki allows you to sense the presence, strength, and emotions of others. Once refined, it even grants the ability to perceive enemies beyond your field of vision, detect their numbers, and predict their next moves.
Armament Haki enhances one's defense, forming an invisible armor-like protection. It can also be used offensively to counter Devil Fruit users and even strike Logia users directly.
Conqueror's Haki is a rare gift, possessed by only one in millions. It grants the ability to impose one's will upon others, intimidating or even knocking out the weak-willed. Those with this power are born to stand above others.
Most people can train to develop Haki and further refine it, but after a certain point, true mastery can only be gained through real combat at the absolute limit.
Moreover, each type of Haki has advanced applications—not something rookies like you can grasp just yet!
[#55]: Thank you for the guidance, senior! Are there any methods to train these Haki types?
Before Roger could respond, Rayleigh snatched the Den Den Mushi from his hands and typed out the question himself.
Even Golden Lion Shiki, stationed at Fish-Man Island, was staring at the screen intently—it felt like the opportunity to grow stronger was right before his eyes!
[#5]: What? You think you can just leech off me? Dream on!!
The blunt reply made the faces of both Shiki and the Roger Pirates darken instantly.
A moment later, the screen of their Den Den Mushi dimmed. Panic set in as the Roger Pirates scrambled, thinking the snail had died. Meanwhile, Shiki tossed it a leaf offering.
Flipping through the manual, they soon realized the issue—low energy. The snail needed to rest.
Luckily, the gift box had a small supply of leaves to feed it, but once those ran out, they'd have to find high-energy leaves on their own.
...
New World.
Charlotte Linlin, now sixteen years old and shedding the chubby features of her youth, beamed with excitement as she looked at the package delivered by a News Coo.
By contrast, Streusen, standing beside her, had a grim expression.
The package had a label: "To Linlin, from Mother Carmel."
Without hesitation, Linlin tore it open, revealing a Den Den Mushi, a stack of leaves, and an instruction manual. Unlike Roger's, this one was written in a tone resembling Mother Carmel's voice.
"It's from Mother! She never abandoned me~" Linlin cooed, gently stroking the snail as if it were a cherished loved one.
"Linlin, this is a scam! Destroy it immediately!"
Streusen's face twisted with unease. Carmel? He had seen with his own eyes—Linlin had devoured every last one of them. There was no way that woman still existed. This had to be some organization trying to deceive her! Linlin should only listen to him!
He lunged forward, raising his sword to stab the Den Den Mushi.
"You dare?!"
Linlin's expression darkened, her eyes turning bloodshot. With a furious roar, she threw a punch that sent Streusen flying.
"No one touches the gift from Mother Carmel!!!"
Her bellow echoed across the area, the sheer force of her voice sending another shockwave through the ground. At the epicenter of her rage, even the very earth beneath her feet began to peel away...
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+100 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg