"Shanks, what are you guys doing?"
Uta felt like she'd missed something fun. She dove into Shanks' arms and rubbed against his firm abs as she asked.
"Luffy's trying to awaken his Conqueror's Haki," one of the pirates chuckled, explaining to their princess.
"And then he let out a fart."
"HAHAHAHA—!"
"Conqueror's Haki? I've seen Shanks use it!"Uta bragged to Luffy.
"Just one glance from him, and hundreds of people dropped to the ground!"She looked at Shanks with admiration, then touched his lean, firm waist again with a satisfied smile.
"Shanks, use your Conqueror's Haki on me!"
After a moment of thought, Luffy made up his mind.
I'm Luffy, after all.
He had strong combat instincts—even top-tier Observation Haki like seeing into the future was something he picked up through fighting.There's no reason he shouldn't be able to use something like Conqueror's Haki.
Maybe… it was just because he hadn't felt that kind of power before?
"This kind of power is still too dangerous for kids," Shanks shook his head.
"Conqueror's Haki is a force that impacts the will and spirit. Luffy, you're still a child," he said.
Conqueror's Haki isn't a teachable or replicable power.Anyone struck by it must undergo a "will check"—the weak-willed lose consciousness and become completely vulnerable.
Shanks didn't believe a seven-year-old could pass a conqueror's test.
"Who do you think I am?!"
Luffy pointed to himself with his thumb and shouted loudly,"I'm Monkey D. Luffy!"
He announced his full name seriously to Shanks.
That cocky stance made Uta grind her teeth. She glared at the little brat in frustration.
Too arrogant!
Luffy wasn't sure if stating his full name would help, but at the very least, invoking the "Will of D" couldn't hurt!
In the world of pirates, every time Luffy announced his full name, something mysterious or dramatic tended to happen.
To those top-tier figures, it would trigger cryptic reactions like:"So that's how it is.""Ah, makes sense.""Knew it.""Typical of a D..."
"D… huh?"
Shanks looked at the boy in front of him with great interest. A red glint flashed through his eyes.
"Your cocky little brat… then let's test your potential."
A breeze passed.
Luffy felt it—that wind came from Shanks.In that instant, his eyes rolled back, and his body collapsed backward, completely out of control.
Even his thoughts froze. Luffy's mind went blank.
But then—something stirred.
The foreign "wind" from Shanks triggered something strange inside him.More accurately, it activated the wind within Luffy himself.
A surge of will be exploded from Luffy's body, turning into a gust that blew outward in all directions.
"That's…"
Shanks' pupils contracted. The other pirates also gradually quieted down.
"No doubt about it… Conqueror's Haki. This brat really has it…"
"A power one is born with…" Shanks murmured.
Conqueror's Haki can appear at random—even a commoner's child could awaken it.
But if one's parents possessed it, the odds increased significantly.
Luffy's body, which had been falling backward, suddenly straightened up.
At the very moment his Haki burst forth, Luffy regained consciousness and vaguely sensed the wind rising within him.
Maybe he had his earlier "urgent kingly emotions" to thank for this.
The wind was faint—but it was there.
The pirates around him didn't react, as if they hadn't felt anything at all.Only Uta and Miss Makino, who was quietly wiping dishes nearby, were affected by Luffy's fledgling Conqueror's Haki.
They both lost consciousness and collapsed.
Uta was slightly better off—since she was already in Shanks' arms, she didn't fall all the way to the floor.
"You actually managed to pull it off. You've got real potential, Luffy,"Shanks patted his head."In the future, you might just become a truly formidable ruler."
"But for now, you'd better apologize properly to Miss Makino and Uta."
"Okay!"Luffy nodded eagerly, while still savoring the feeling of releasing Conqueror's Haki.
That power, once activated, seemed to sweep out in all directions, conducting a full-area, indiscriminate will check.
Seven years after reincarnating into the One-Piece world, he'd finally gained a real supernatural power!
About ten minutes later, Makino and Uta slowly came to.
"What… what just happened to me?"
As their consciousness returned, they realized they were slumped over the table, with fragmented memories.
"This little brat awakened his Conqueror's Haki and knocked you both out,"Shanks calmly explained from the side.
"A newly awakened Conqueror's Haki attacks all surrounding living beings indiscriminately. It's a power that doesn't distinguish friend from foe."
"I see…"Miss Makino nodded, half understanding. She was just an ordinary person who didn't know much about the world of fighters.Since she hadn't been injured, she decided to let it go.
Uta, on the other hand, was furious.All she knew was that a seven-year-old had attacked her—and succeeded.It was way too much and totally destroyed her sense of dignity as an "adult."
"I am sorry!"Luffy bowed deeply in a perfect 90-degree formal Japanese-style apology.
As a grown-up, Miss Makino quickly forgave the cute child.
But Uta puffed up her cheeks in frustration.
"I just saved you this morning, Luffy, and now you attack me in the afternoon?"
"You're way too much!" she grumbled unhappily.
"Hmm… then as an apology, I'll take you to a super cool place!"
Luffy thought for a moment and came up with a great way to appease a grumpy girl.
That instantly caught Uta's attention."It better be cool, or I won't forgive you!"
Uta hopped down from her chair and stretched her arms.
The newly awakened Conqueror's Haki hadn't been that strong—Uta mostly just felt like she'd had a really good nap.She even started wondering if next time she went to sea, she could ask Shanks to use that move on her again so she could sleep like a baby.
So, Luffy and Uta headed out.
"Sure enough, it's best to play with kids your own age. They bond so fast,"Shanks said with satisfaction, watching them go off together.
"When are you planning to leave?" asked Makino, resting her chin on her hand.
"Maybe in a week. Let Uta enjoy herself a bit more—I still need to decide on our next destination," Shanks replied.
"Captain, how about the Kingdom of Music? Uta could study some music there—I'm sure she'd love it."
One of the pirates suggested.
"The Kingdom of Music… Elegia? That's a great idea."
Shanks nodded slightly.
Meanwhile, Luffy was taking Uta deeper into the island.
Windmill Village, true to its name, had many large windmills scattered through its forests.
And Luffy's destination—was the largest windmill of them all.
(End of Chapter)