The sun beat down on the Amazon Lily clearing, where the air hummed with the chirping of cicadas and the distant crash of waves. Massive trees cast dappled shadows on the dusty ground, where Luffy, shirtless, pounded a thick trunk with his fists, each strike shaking the bark. Rayleigh, leaning against a rock, adjusted his glasses, a smirk playing on his lips. Korran, seated on a stump a few meters away, watched with arms crossed, his jaw tight. Perona floated nearby, her ghosts lazily swirling around her, her eyes glinting with mischief.
"Hey, Straw Hat!" Perona called, hands on her hips. "Heehee! You look like a monkey swinging for bananas!"
Luffy stopped short, wiping sweat from his brow with his forearm. "Huh?" he growled, squinting at her. "Who're you to talk like that, Pinky?" He smacked his fist into his palm, a fierce grin spreading across his face. "Come try it if you're so smart!"
Perona giggled.
Rayleigh raised a hand, his amused gaze sliding to Perona. "Easy, kid. Let him focus." He turned to Luffy, adjusting his glasses. "Your Observation Haki's getting better, but you're still swinging like a wild animal. Control, kid. Focus on the trunk, not the taunts."
Luffy grunted, crossing his arms. "Yeah, yeah, I got it, old man!" He spun back to the trunk, fists clenched, and struck again, harder, the bark cracking under the impact. "Like that?"
Korran, still on his stump, raised an eyebrow. "That's your training?" he said, his hoarse voice laced with disdain. "Smashing a tree like a kid throwing a tantrum?"
Luffy froze, slowly turning his head toward Korran. "What'd you say, goon?" His eyes narrowed, a predatory grin stretching his lips. "Got a problem with how I train?"
Korran stood, uncrossing his arms, muscles flexing under his weathered skin. "I'm just saying you look like an amateur." He jabbed a thumb at himself. "If I were you, I'd put more heart into it."
Luffy burst out laughing, throwing his head back. "Haha! You're funny!" He bent his knees, ready to pounce. "Come on, then! Show me how you put heart into it, tough guy!"
Rayleigh sighed, rubbing his beard. "Luffy, focus." He shot Korran a look, his glasses glinting in the sun. "And you, kid, if you're here to observe, observe. Not to throw jabs."
Korran shrugged, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I'm observing. And what I see is a kid swinging without thinking." He leaned against a tree, arms crossing again. "The Captain told me to watch. I'm watching."
Perona giggled, floating closer to Korran. "Heehee! You're jealous, aren't you?" She pointed a finger at him, her ghosts swirling. "You wish you could hit like Luffy, but you're only good for rowing!"
Korran shot her a dark look. "Shut it, princess, or I'll pin you to the ground with your own ghosts."
Perona burst into laughter, her pigtails bouncing. "Heehee! Try it, tough guy!"
Rayleigh tapped his foot, the air pulsing faintly with a wave of Haki. "Enough!" His voice cracked like a whip, silencing Perona and Korran. Luffy grunted but resumed pounding the trunk, his fists leaving deeper marks.
"Luffy," Rayleigh said, his voice calmer, "feel the trunk before you strike. Close your eyes. Let your Haki guide you."
Luffy squinted, hesitant, then shut his eyes. He took a deep breath, fists hovering. A silence settled, broken only by the rustle of leaves. Then he struck. The trunk shuddered, a clean crack splitting its side.
Rayleigh nodded, a approving smile on his lips. "Not bad. Again."
Korran, still leaning against his tree, narrowed his eyes. "What's that about?" he muttered, fingers tapping his arm. "He just closed his eyes and hit harder."
Perona floated toward him, a smug grin on her face. "Heehee! You're clueless, aren't you?" She pointed a ghost at Luffy. "That's Haki, idiot! Not just smashing like a brute!"
Korran grunted. "I know Haki." He clenched his fists. "I'm just saying it looks… sloppy."
Rayleigh, overhearing, turned his head toward Korran. "Sloppy, huh?" He stepped closer, glasses glinting. "Come here, kid."
Korran raised an eyebrow but walked forward, boots crunching on the ground. "What?" he growled, arms still crossed.
Rayleigh pointed to a trunk next to Luffy's. "Hit it." His voice was calm, but his gaze piercing. "Show me what you've got."
Luffy paused, wiping his brow, a curious grin on his face. "Yeah, go for it, goon!" he called, smacking his fist into his palm. "Show us what you got!"
Korran gritted his teeth, grunted, then stepped up to the trunk. He rolled his shoulders, muscles tensing, and swung with all his strength. The trunk vibrated, bark chips flying, but no crack appeared.
Rayleigh adjusted his glasses, one eyebrow raised. "Not bad for a first hit." He crossed his arms. "But it's all brute force. No finesse."
Luffy burst out laughing, pointing at Korran. "Haha! You hit like an ox!" He struck his own trunk, making it shudder. "This is how it's done!"
Korran clenched his fists, his cheeks flushing slightly. "Say that again, Straw Hat," he growled, stepping toward Luffy.
Rayleigh raised a hand, his Haki pulsing again. "Stop." He fixed Korran with a look. "You want to learn something? Close your eyes. Feel the trunk."
Korran blinked, hesitant. "Feel the trunk?" he repeated, his hoarse voice thick with suspicion. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Perona giggled, floating above him. "Heehee! Scared to try, huh?" She spun a ghost around his head. "Go on, do it, tough guy!"
Korran shot her a murderous glare, then shut his eyes, grunting. He raised a fist, hesitated, then swung. The trunk shuddered, but the impact was weaker, messy. He opened his eyes, cheeks redder. "This is stupid," he muttered, looking away.
Rayleigh chuckled, rubbing his beard. "You're too eager, kid." He stepped closer, resting a hand on Korran's shoulder. "Haki's not just strength. It's listening. Anticipating." He nodded toward Luffy, who was striking again, eyes closed, each hit more precise. "He's starting to get it."
Luffy cracked one eye open, a smirk on his face. "Hey, goon!" he called. "You're not half bad, but you've got a long way to go!" He hit the trunk, another crack appearing. "Catch up if you can!"
Korran gritted his teeth, fists trembling. "You're too cocky, Straw Hat," he growled. He turned to the trunk, closed his eyes, and swung again. This time, the impact was sharper, the bark cracking slightly.
Rayleigh nodded, a approving smile on his lips. "Better." He turned to Luffy. "You, keep going. And stop provoking."
Luffy grunted but obeyed, his fists resuming their rhythm. Perona, still floating, burst into laughter. "Heehee! You're both pathetic!" she crowed, her ghosts swirling around her. "I could do better without even touching the tree!"
Korran shot her a dark look. "Ever tried shutting up, princess?"
Perona giggled, covering her mouth. "Heehee! You're just jealous because I'm cooler than you!"
TO BE CONTINUED...
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