Chapter 32: Sparring with Shakky
The Nine Snake Pirates sailed north. Along the way, they naturally couldn't avoid killing and plundering; this was their way of survival. Although Hades and the others didn't participate, they witnessed the cruelty of the Kuja Tribe.
It must be said that the crew members of the Nine Snake Pirates were all hand-picked warriors. They basically didn't encounter any enemies along the way. If they were in the First Half of the Grand Line, the Nine Snake Pirates, with everyone capable of using Armament Haki, could essentially sweep through it.
Of course, there were also a few members of the Nine Snake Pirates on board who had good personalities and were easy to talk to. His fantasy hadn't been shattered; hadn't he already prepared himself mentally? Besides, he wasn't exactly a good person himself. He had previously lived in the Kronos Kingdom, and only now was he truly beginning to integrate into this World.
Life on the Pirate Ship was very fulfilling. Hades and Titan both started getting busy. From the second day onwards, Hades and Titan successively began receiving special training from Nyx and Boa Shaki. There was only one thing they could do: fight, and fight constantly.
"Little Hades! Let big sister see how strong you are!" Shakky had a smile on her face. Before Hades could even reply, her figure flashed, and she quickly rushed in front of Hades.
Her long leg swept horizontally through the air. A whooshing sound rang out as it struck towards Hades's head. Instinctively, Hades raised his arm to block. He only felt a massive force. Hades's arm bulged slightly, erupting with powerful Strength, not at all weaker than Shakky's.
Facing this situation, Shakky's expression remained unchanged. She stepped on Hades's shoulder, using that force to break away from Hades's hand that was trying to grab her.
She flew backward seven or eight meters, flipped in the air, and then landed steadily on the ground. The moment she landed, Shakky was seen bending slightly. The next moment, her entire body shot towards Hades like an arrow released from a bowstring. The speed she burst out with this time was even more astonishing.
At the same time, a dazzling black light flashed on Shakky's foot. Shakky's explosive power was astonishing. Hades crossed his arms to block in front of him.
However, this kick changed direction mid-flight, passing below Hades's hands and fiercely kicking him in the abdomen. By the time Hades reacted, it was too late.
His entire body was sent flying back dozens of meters. Just as he was about to fly off the Pirate Ship, he was caught by a fishing net that the Nine Snake Pirates had prepared beforehand. The quality of the net was very sturdy and was not damaged by this.
Hades's main opponent was still Shakky. Shakky's Strength was powerful. At a young age, she was proficient in two types of Haki and even possessed Conqueror's Haki. Hades was not Shakky's match, especially when Shakky used Armament Haki. Every blow that landed on him caused Hades immense pain.
Hades had strong innate advantages, but Shakky was already nineteen years old. The seven-year gap separated the two like a chasm. Just based on combat experience, Hades was also weaker than Shakky. Hades suffered quite a bit in the fights.
The resilience brought by his powerful Physique and his recovery ability were also astonishing. By eating the meat of Sea Beasts and Sea Kings, he could quickly replenish his body. If he were injured, Ananke could also use her Ability to heal him, but there wasn't much need.
However, Hades did not use his Devil Fruit Ability or Body Technique because he needed enough pressure to stimulate the Awakening of his Armament Haki.
And on the second day, the situation began to change. While constantly enduring Shakky's Haki-infused attacks, Hades's Armament Haki Awakened, and he fully mastered it not long after.
"That's amazing! Little Hades!"
After a fight ended, Shakky took a breath and looked at Hades with some astonishment.
She had thought she was quite a Genius, but only after meeting Hades did she understand what a true Monster was. Moreover, Hades hadn't used the Body Technique he displayed during his usual training when fighting her; he fought her purely based on his excellent instincts.
His actual progress in Physique wasn't obvious; it was more in Body Technique and the improvement of his combat Ability. His terrifying combat awareness allowed him to adapt to her fighting rhythm in a short time. The Awakening of his Armament Haki made her advantage disappear. He possessed such powerful Observation Haki at such a young age.
If Shakky knew that Hades's Observation Haki was naturally Awakened, she would probably be even more shocked.
In one day, he Awakened Armament Haki. On the second day, he skillfully mastered the Technique of Haki Hardening. On the tenth day, he mastered the Technique of Haki Imbuement. Such learning Ability was simply terrifying. Especially after Awakening Armament Haki, Hades's Strength had been continuously improving.
Or perhaps, Hades himself possessed extremely powerful control over Strength, which was the result of his continuous training over the years. Through constant fighting, his control over Haki improved, and the quality of his Haki also increased accordingly.
As Hades's opponent, Shakky could feel Hades's progress every day, realizing what kind of Monster her sister's child truly was.
She had only heard about him before, but now she specifically caught up on Intelligence regarding the Grim Reaper "Jaeger," and couldn't help but feel terrified. Hades's progress also put pressure on Shakky. She didn't want to be surpassed by Hades so easily. It seemed she had been slacking off these past few days.
(end of chapter)