# Chapter 33: Combat Grinding
The Awakening of Armament Haki caused Hades' combat power to skyrocket, and his own Strength also began to approach Shakky's.
Possessing a strong foundation and a naturally powerful Physique, the Quality of Hades' Armament Haki upon Awakening was not weak.
Relying on his powerful Physique and Stamina for support, their battles basically seemed evenly matched.
However, this was only temporary, a short-term burst of Strength. Further rapid improvement in Strength would become more difficult, requiring slow accumulation.
Accumulation of Physique, accumulation of Body Technique, accumulation of Combat Awareness.
Unless he could achieve a Breakthrough in Observation Haki or Armament Haki.
But this was impossible.
There are four application techniques for Armament Haki on The Great Sea: Hardening, Coating, Emission, and Internal Destruction.
The first two are fundamental and the simplest.
The latter two are more advanced, but require the Haki's intensity to reach a certain level. If one has Talent, they can easily master them.
If one has a Training Manual or similar, mastering advanced Techniques after long periods of training is not difficult either.
Techniques are ultimately just Techniques. For Hades, who had already mastered Haki Inch Punch, they weren't very difficult.
But whether it was Emission or Internal Destruction, both required powerful Armament Haki as a foundation.
The Quality of Haki was fundamental.
Without sufficient Quality, even if one mastered the Internal Destruction Technique, they couldn't break through the enemy's Haki Defense.
Hades wasn't in a hurry about this. With his Talent, all paths led to the same destination.
The Manual left by his father also contained explanations.
With his own training, the growth of his body, and continuous battles, the Quality of his Haki would naturally improve.
By then, he would be able to master both Emission and Internal Destruction accordingly. These Techniques were not difficult for him, who had mastered Baji Quan Inch Force.
Hades wasn't aiming too high or being overly eager; he knew what was most important.
After finishing his battle with Shakky and recovering his Stamina, Hades would then begin facing his mother, Nyx.
Nyx, as a Night-Night Fruit Ability User, was similar to a Shadow Mage and Assassin, but her melee combat ability was also not weak.
In the beginning, with the protection of his father Jaeger, her Strength improved slowly.
But over these six years, as Nyx carried out her revenge against the Marines, her Strength improved extremely rapidly through continuous battles, especially in the Development of her Devil Fruit Ability.
It could be said that during the years the Rocks Pirates developed steadily, Nyx was the most active Pirate and had the most conflicts with the Marines, bar none.
Facing Nyx, who was skilled in surprise attacks and large-scale attacks, the Marines suffered considerable losses, including a large number of officer-rank Marine officers.
However, at the Marine Vice Admiral level, both types of Haki had generally reached a certain level. As long as they could react in advance, it was somewhat difficult for Nyx to kill them easily.
In a one-on-one fight, Nyx would definitely not lose, but the Marines would never fight you one-on-one.
Although she was originally a Logia-type Devil Fruit Ability User, she was only an ordinary member of the Rocks Pirates.
Compared to a head-on confrontation of Strength with Shakky, battling his mother was undoubtedly extremely dangerous.
Nyx's Strength was much greater than Shakky's.
The power of the Night-Night Fruit allowed Nyx to continuously sneak through the shadows.
Her strange Ability, allowing her to appear at any unknown time, placed high demands on one's body's instincts, reaction speed, and Combat Awareness.
For this reason, Nyx specifically restricted Hades' bug-like Observation Haki.
By sensing emotions, Hades could accurately judge his mother's general direction and location, where she would attack him from, and prepare in advance.
He didn't get injured much fighting Shakky, ever since he Awakened Armament Haki.
But fighting his mother really made him bleed. Although she didn't use killing moves, she continuously brought pressure and threat upon Hades.
Hades was truly in a sorry state after no longer using Observation Haki, and his body even became somewhat stiff.
The experienced Nyx saw Hades' problem at a glance: he relied too much on Observation Haki.
After all, how could a woman favored by "Death God" Ye Ge be ordinary? She didn't just rely on her Logia-type Devil Fruit.
Before becoming a Pirate, Nyx was a well-educated, intelligent Noble girl, who was simply attracted by Jaeger and thus embarked on a rebellious path, becoming a Pirate.
And essentially, Jaeger was also a Noble.
Without Observation Haki, Hades also needed to adapt. His Injuries gradually increased; severe ones required Ananke's Ability to heal them, while minor ones could heal with his body's own Vitality.
It seemed somewhat cruel, but the effect was indeed very obvious.
Nyx needed to give Hades a strong Sense of Crisis so that he could progress rapidly. Nyx would naturally control the degree of this, ensuring it wouldn't pose a life threat to Hades.
Although Hades' Strength improved quickly, it had always been smooth sailing.
Nyx hoped Hades could grow up quickly, not just in Strength, but also in willpower.
This was the only way she could train him; it was also a mother's love for her child.
Nyx had absolute confidence in her son.
But what Hades would face in the future was not just getting a firm foothold within the Rocks Pirates.
He needed to go further and would sooner or later face the world's most top-tier terrifying Monsters.
All she could do was lay a solid foundation for Hades in these two years. After that, Hades would have to walk his own path, and she couldn't provide much help.
Ananke's training was relatively simple. She learned Body Technique by sparring with the Nine Snake Pirates' warriors, learned Observation Haki and Armament Haki, and performed daily Development of her Devil Fruit.
Her battles were far less intense than those of Hades and Titan.
She also didn't have the terrifying Physique and recovery ability that Hades and Titan possessed, allowing them to endure constant battering.
For different people, the training methods were different.
Individuals like Hades and Titan were very few in the entire Great Sea.
(end of chapter)