Chapter 10: Chapter 10: A Blade, A Question, and a Worldview Shattered
"A guest of the Donquixote Family... hmm."
Vice Admiral Tsuru narrowed her eyes. Her gaze lingered on the one who had thrown the battlefield into chaos just moments ago—Bravoc.
He stood calmly amid the Marines and Warlords, as if he belonged there more than any of them.
Not a flicker of tension showed on his face.
And in the blink of an eye—
Swish.
Bravoc reappeared right in front of Dracule Mihawk.
"Yo," he greeted with a lazy grin. "Mind if I take a look at that blade of yours?"
He gestured toward the massive black sword strapped to Mihawk's back.
Mihawk's golden eyes narrowed. For a moment, silence fell between them.
Then, without a word, Mihawk slowly drew Yoru—the famed Black Blade—and held it out.
Bravoc accepted it casually, as if handed a stick of bamboo rather than one of the most legendary weapons in the world.
He gave it a few slow swings.
"Now this... this is a fine blade," he muttered, clearly impressed. "I've heard that black blades are forged when Armament Haki is infused into them over time. Is that true? Or was it just... always black?"
Mihawk took the sword back, one hand steady, though his mind flickered in curiosity.
"Half-true," Mihawk said. "Armament Haki can change a weapon over time. When a unique kind of Haki merges with the blade, it sometimes... inherits the wielder's will. Becomes cursed, in a sense."
He looked down at Yoru.
"But Haki itself has no color. It doesn't make a blade black."
"Huh?" Bravoc tilted his head, genuinely confused. "But... isn't Armament Haki supposed to be black? Like in the anime? And Conqueror's Haki—wasn't that all black and red?"
He frowned.
...Wait. Did I screw up my memories when I reincarnated...?
Mihawk's brow lifted ever so slightly.
He doesn't know this...?For someone with such overwhelming power, his ignorance about the basics was baffling.
Still, Mihawk gave a brief demonstration.
He raised Yoru—and then, with a fluid motion—
Fsssshh.
The blade shimmered faintly.
It wasn't black. Not really.
Only the subtlest ripple of distortion marked the Haki's presence—like heatwaves dancing across polished metal.
"Armament Haki is invisible," Mihawk said quietly. "An armor of willpower. Not something to be seen... but felt."
Bravoc blinked. Then—
"Ooohhhh."
His eyes sparkled with realization.
So it was anime visual effects all along!
Of course! The manga had mentioned this at some point. The animators just colored it black for dramatic effect—to help the viewers follow the action. But in reality? True Haki was subtle. Invisible. Real.
Bravoc leaned in, pressing a finger gently against the edge of the Haki-coated Yoru.
"Don't—!" Mihawk's mouth opened—
But it was too late.
Bravoc poked the sword like he was pressing jelly.
Nothing happened. No blood. No cut. No flash.
Mihawk's heart stuttered.
That's... not possible.
Yoru, laced with his peak-level Armament Haki, could slice through steel, stone, even mountains. Just the aura around it could shear flesh.
Yet this man—without activating any visible Haki of his own—was unharmed.
There was only one conclusion.
Bravoc's base body was stronger than Mihawk's blade.
"…What the hell are you?" Mihawk muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
Bravoc didn't answer. His mind had wandered elsewhere.
This sensation... it's familiar.
It reminded him of something.
Ki.
The energy of warriors in his previous life—Dragon Ball's world.
The longer he thought, the more the connections aligned.
Armament Haki... was like Ki. Not just in effect, but in origin. It came from within. It enhanced the body. It could be used to attack, to defend.
But there were differences.
Ki had science. Techniques. Forms. Manipulation.Haki was... primal. Instinctive. Ancient.
It's like comparing martial arts to wild brawling.
Even weaker fighters in Dragon Ball, like Krillin or Tien, could use Ki in terrifyingly creative ways.
Destructo Discs. Tri-Beam. Solar Flares.Energy shaping. Telepathy. Flight.
And here?
Most One Piece fighters barely scratched the surface of Haki.
Why?
Because this world had a shortcut.
Devil Fruits.
One bite, and you gained a superpower. Fire. Ice. Gravity. Darkness.
Why bother mastering Haki, when a fruit could make you a monster overnight?
Bravoc exhaled slowly.
That's not my path.
He had trained Ki for a lifetime. Pushed his body beyond limits. Blew up moons by mistake.
And now, standing here, he realized something powerful:
Haki and Ki weren't different. They were two sides of the same coin.
Which led him to one question—
Could I use this world's Haki... to refine my Ki control?
Sure, his power was vast. Far beyond the limits of most in this world.
But his control... yeah, that still needed work.
He thought back to last week.
He'd tried to grill fish over an open fire.
Instead, he'd vaporized the entire school with a stray breath.
Rest in peace, barbecue dreams.
If Haki could teach him finesse...
Then maybe, just maybe—
He could unlock something new.
Something this world had never seen.