Warship Island, the shoreline.
The setting sun dyed the sea a deep crimson. The rippling waves carried a sense of post-battle desolation mixed with calm. The Going Merry rose and fell gently with the tide, its hull letting out occasional creaks.
"They're back! They're back!"
Usopp, who had been pacing anxiously on deck, spotted several figures approaching from beneath the distant cliffs and shouted.
Nami rushed to the railing—but the moment she saw them clearly, her heart skipped a beat.
Ronan, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji were all in terrible shape. Their clothes were torn to shreds, their bodies stained with blood.
Luffy's red vest had a massive hole ripped through it. Zoro's clothes were soaked red. Sanji was limping badly as he walked.
Most striking of all was Ronan.
His hands were empty—the long iron spear that never left his side was gone.
A lingering aura of smoke, blood, and violence clung to him, heavy enough to make one's heart tremble.
"My god… how did you get hurt this badly?"
Nami covered her mouth, eyes full of worry.
"Don't tell me even you couldn't handle the Thousand-Year Dragons… just how terrifying are those monsters?"
"I told you!"
Usopp patted his chest, legs still shaking, but clearly relieved to see everyone alive.
"Creatures like dinosaurs were never going to be easy to deal with! But still… you all made it back alive—and with no missing arms or legs! That's already amazing!"
Ronan hopped onto the deck, took the towel Nami handed him, and wiped the blood from his face. His expression was as calm as ever.
"Yeah, there was a bit of an accident. Nothing too serious. As for the medicinal ingredient… we'll have to think of another solution on the next island."
Though he spoke with regret, his eyes gleamed brightly.
The gains from that battle far outweighed a mere drug catalyst.
"Hey, Ronan."
Zoro sat down cross-legged, grabbed the canteen Usopp handed him, and took a long gulp before fixing his sharp gaze on Ronan's empty hands.
"Your spear got destroyed."
"Yeah. Completely scrapped," Ronan said with a shrug.
Zoro frowned. As a swordsman who valued his blade above all else, he understood the importance of weapons better than anyone.
"Looks like ordinary steel weapons can't keep up with your current strength and techniques anymore. You'll need a tougher, stronger spear."
"Exactly."
Sanji leaned against the railing, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag to dull the pain in his body.
"That Dragon King's defense was freakish. And Ronan's fighting style is way too violent. With that kind of impact, it's already impressive the spear didn't shatter sooner."
"Honestly, when I saw it break, I thought we were finished for sure."
Only then did Luffy belatedly react.
He scratched his head and looked at Ronan in surprise.
"Huh? Ronan, your weapon's gone? Whoa… was it really that intense over there?"
"..."
A vein bulged on Sanji's forehead.
He had nearly died to a sneak attack.
"Anyway, good thing I didn't go…"
Usopp shuddered as he imagined the spear shattering.
"If even Ronan's thick iron spear got broken, how hard do you think those dragons' claws were?"
"Out with the old, in with the new."
Ronan took it in stride.
He walked to the bow of the ship and stared out at the distant sea, his gaze deep.
"That spear was only meant as a temporary measure. Poor resilience, too much loss when transmitting force."
"A lot of my techniques—like shaking force and explosive force—I couldn't use at full power because I was afraid of snapping the weapon."
"When we reach the next major island, I'll take my time choosing. I need a heavier spear, with better toughness—one that can withstand my full output."
As they discussed weapons, Zoro suddenly stood and walked over to Ronan.
"Ronan."
His voice was low and serious.
"That final exchange with the Dragon King… when you used your fist to clash head-on with its claw."
"That black thing… was that Armament Haki?"
The deck instantly fell silent.
Luffy and Sanji turned to look at Ronan as well.
Both Zoro and Sanji vividly remembered that moment—Ronan's fist turning like black iron, knocking back the dragon.
Ronan met Zoro's eager gaze and smiled, not bothering to hide it.
"Good eye, Zoro."
He nodded.
"That's right. Under life-and-death pressure, I just awakened it—Armament Haki."
"Really?!"
Luffy sprang up like a jack-in-the-box, eyes blazing as he rushed in front of Ronan.
"Ronan! You've already mastered that 'Armament' thing? The one that can actually hurt me? Hurry! Let me see!"
"You want to see it?"
Ronan's lips curled into a mischievous grin.
"Just looking won't do. You need to experience it yourself."
As he spoke, Ronan slowly raised his right fist.
"Hmmm—"
His focus sharpened. Blood, will, and spirit surged toward his fist.
An invisible yet tangible layer of energy wrapped around his skin, rapidly hardening and condensing.
A gray-black metallic sheen covered his knuckles, radiating an indestructible aura.
"This… is Armament."
Ronan said softly.
Before Luffy could fully process it, Ronan's arm snapped forward.
"Bam—!!"
The punch wasn't strong—just a light tap to Luffy's forehead.
But the result was explosive.
"Owwwwwwww—!!!"
Luffy clutched his head as tears burst out, rolling across the deck in pain. A large red bump swelled up on his forehead at a visible speed.
"It hurts!! Why does it hurt this much?!"
Luffy wailed.
"I'm rubber! Normal punches shouldn't feel like anything!"
Nami and Usopp stared, dumbfounded.
They knew Luffy's toughness better than anyone. He could take cannon fire without flinching—yet one light punch had him crying?
"That feeling…"
Luffy suddenly stopped rolling. He looked up, eyes dead serious, a trace of fearful nostalgia flashing through them.
"I remember now… Grandpa's 'Fist of Love' felt exactly like this! Pain straight to the bones!"
"Ronan! Teach me! I want to learn this too!!" Luffy shouted.
Zoro and Sanji stepped forward as well, flames burning in their eyes.
Zoro ran a hand along his sword hilt.
"If I could coat my blade with that power… my sword would cut through anything."
Sanji exhaled smoke.
"If I could kick like that, even steel would snap."
Ronan looked at the three of them, satisfied, and nodded.
"Good. While we sail toward the Grand Line, we'll start special training."
He withdrew his Armament Haki and laid out the plan.
"We'll train as we travel. Before we reach the next island, I want all of you to at least touch the threshold of Armament Haki."
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