Chapter 35: Disciplining the Monster Trio
The longer Apollo stayed in this world, the more deeply he realized that this was a real, breathing reality.
Luffy and the others might be the "Chosen Ones," favored by fate, but they were definitely not immortal.
The Straw Hat Pirates had encountered many dangers on their journey in the original story, and there was more than one instance where they almost faced a total wipeout.
In the manga, they always managed to turn danger into safety through luck or grit, but in this real world, even a slight mistake could lead to a completely different, fatal outcome.
Not to mention, there was now his existence—a variable like a butterfly in a storm.
A gentle flap of his wings might just shatter a certain plotline into pieces. He absolutely couldn't view the future as a fixed storyline anymore.
After scolding the Monster Trio, Apollo didn't stop. He turned his gaze to Usopp, who was staring at the ground, trying to bury his head in the sand like an ostrich.
"Usopp, you must know your own strength. But you are a sniper. If you don't want to be an insignificant character, or even a burden to others, you must also improve your strength!"
"I don't know much about sniping, but you don't have the monstrous physical durability that Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji possess. Frontal combat is destined not to bring you much achievement."
"Therefore, I suggest you approach combat from the perspectives of support, traps, and tactical assistance. How to do it specifically is up to you to consider."
"Support? Assistance?"
Usopp's eyes instantly lit up.
These words were like a sharp sword, cutting through the fog in his heart.
He had always felt a little inferior. Nami was the navigator, indispensable. Luffy and the other two were strong monsters. Only he seemed to always be the one dragging them down.
But his physical fitness simply couldn't compare to the monsters', and even if he wanted to improve his strength, he had no direction.
Apollo's words pointed him toward the path he was meant to walk. This was natural because this was a truth Usopp would eventually realize himself in the future; Apollo merely accelerated the process.
Watching Usopp fall into deep thought, Apollo looked at the last person. "Nami... never mind. I'll help you figure something out."
He shook his head helplessly.
Nami's situation was different from Usopp's. She wasn't a combatant, so theoretically, she didn't need powerful combat abilities. However, the Straw Hats were a small elite crew.
Once they encountered danger, not only would no one be able to protect Nami, but she would even have to participate in the battle herself.
Furthermore, as a pirate sailing on the Grand Line, one couldn't survive without a certain level of strength.
Nami's future weapon, the Clima-Tact—though upgraded many times in the story—still had significant flaws in Apollo's opinion.
It was slow to activate, had low initial power, and was of little use in close-quarters combat.
He planned to try and see if he could create a superior weapon for Nami using his knowledge or magic.
"Then I'll leave it to you," Nami said with a grin, sticking out her tongue.
"Such favoritism," the others muttered to themselves simultaneously.
Apollo then turned his gaze back to Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji. "As for you three... starting today, you will train with me."
His decision to intervene in their growth arose after the entrance ceremony at Reverse Mountain.
Before that, he had always been reluctant to interfere too much with the Straw Hat Pirates' journey, wanting to see the familiar plot unfold.
But seeing how fragile they actually were compared to the threats ahead, he changed his mind.
He hoped they would be safer and have a smoother journey.
The three of them remained silent, furrowing their brows in thought.
Apollo stretched, stood up, and said, "Of course, I understand that before training begins, I need to provide some evidence to prove that I am qualified to be your teacher."
Click.
Zoro's Wado Ichimonji was drawn slightly from its sheath, and a smirk played on his lips. "Exactly. I've long wanted to witness the power that defeated Arlong."
Luffy tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Sanji lit a cigarette and took a deep drag. "Idiot. Simply put, this bastard is going to take on all three of us by himself."
"Are you ready?" Apollo asked indifferently.
"I don't quite understand, but we're going to fight, right?"
Luffy took a stance, clenched his right fist, and grinned. "Then bring it on!"
Nami waved her hands repeatedly. "Wait! If you're going to fight, do it outside! You'll break the ship!"
"Don't worry, Nami. I promise not to damage anything."
BOOM.
An incredibly powerful aura suddenly erupted from Apollo, making everyone present feel as if the air had turned to lead. They couldn't breathe.
"Luffy, I have another lesson to teach you: Willpower alone cannot overcome absolute power!"
No sooner had he spoken than his figure suddenly vanished from everyone's sight.
Where did he go?
As soon as Luffy had that thought, a jet-black fist appeared in his vision, rapidly growing larger.
Bang!
The fist slammed into his head. Luffy fell straight to the deck, eyes rolling back, losing consciousness instantly.
"What?!"
Zoro's expression changed drastically.
He hadn't even seen what happened, and Luffy had already been knocked out cold!
However, before he could react, almost the instant Luffy hit the ground, a black fist also appeared in his vision.
Fortunately, he had long developed powerful animalistic instincts. Although his brain hadn't reacted yet, he instinctively raised his arms, crossing his two swords to block in front of him.
"I must block it!"
Zoro gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his arms from the intense effort.
However, the moment he made contact with that black fist, his whole body trembled violently. He felt an overwhelming force transfer from his swords to his arms—like being hit by a collapsing mountain.
His defense was torn apart with destructive force, and the black fist struck him hard in the face.
With a thud, Zoro followed in Luffy's footsteps, collapsing on the deck.
"You bastard!"
Sanji, reacting to the chaos, braced his hands on the ground and launched a spinning kick high towards Apollo's face. "Collier...!"
Apollo didn't even look. He extended a hand, easily catching the kick mid-air. He chuckled, "I knew you were jealous of my handsome face and wanted to ruin it. I won't give you that chance."
Apollo delivered a simple horizontal kick—swift as lightning, heavy as a mountain.
Thud.
Sanji clutched his stomach and crumpled, his face contorted in pain. Although he didn't pass out like the previous two, he couldn't get back up, retching dryly.
Apollo clapped his hands and leisurely returned to his seat.
"Alright. Proof complete."
Nami and Usopp were somewhat surprised, but not overly so. They both had some understanding of Apollo's strength. Although they hadn't expected it to end in seconds, they had anticipated he would win.
Ms. Wednesday (Vivi), however, was terrified. She quietly shuffled further away from Apollo, trembling.
Apollo turned to look at Vivi and chuckled. "Don't be afraid. I mean you no harm."
Vivi forced a stiff smile. "T-Thank you."
Mr. 9 swallowed hard and instinctively mumbled, "Then... then what about me?"
This, of course, didn't escape Apollo's ears. He said gently, "Don't worry. If you don't provoke me, you won't die either."
Mr. 9 opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water.
"Ow! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!"
Luffy suddenly jumped up, clutching the massive bump on his head, tears streaming down his face.
Usopp asked in confusion, "Hurts? How is that possible! Aren't you a rubber man? Blunt attacks shouldn't work!"
Luffy grimaced. "But it really hurts! It felt like grandpa's fist!"
"Because of this."
Apollo raised his palm. In front of everyone's eyes, his fair hand suddenly turned pitch black, with a metallic sheen.
Everyone's attention was drawn to it, including the awakened Zoro and the wheezing Sanji. Even Vivi and Mr. 9, two unrelated individuals, secretly glanced over.
Apollo explained, "This is called Armament Haki. It's the main thing you three will be learning next."
"This power can be infused into the body, like wearing an invisible suit of armor, increasing both defense and offense."
"It can also be infused into weapons, increasing attack power and weapon hardness, protecting the blade from chipping. We call this 'Black Blade' training."
"Most importantly: Armament Haki can bypass Devil Fruit defenses."
"This includes Logia users. Using Armament Haki allows you to grasp their fluid bodies and hit their true form."
"Luffy, if you knew Armament Haki, you wouldn't have been so helpless when fighting that Smoke Man in Loguetown. My fist hurt you because Haki nullified your rubber defense."
"Haki is the foundation for becoming a true powerhouse in the New World! Almost all top-tier fighters possess it."
Luffy's eyes sparkled, the pain forgotten. "So amazing! I want to learn! I want to learn!"
Zoro and Sanji also showed intense interest.
Especially Zoro.
He noticed that Apollo had said Haki was the foundation. That meant Mihawk, as the World's Greatest Swordsman, definitely knew Haki. Yet, when they fought at the Baratie, Mihawk hadn't used it at all. He had used a toy knife and raw skill.
Zoro once again felt the chasm-like gap between them and was filled with a craving for power.
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