One Piece: SSS-Rank Haki at Age Seventeen

"Tsk tsk—!"

The sound was drawn out lazily, casual and careless in the way only a young man could manage.

Yet even amid the swirling smoke and dust, it rang out clearly.

Facing an attack carrying the power to destroy everything in its path, Luffy didn't even blink.

His hands were tucked casually into his pockets, a faint smile still lingering at the corner of his mouth—as if the attack rushing toward him wasn't a devastating killing blow capable of tearing the sky apart.

Sanji's leather shoe, wrapped in blue lightning arcs and blazing flames, screamed through the air—

and slammed directly into Luffy's completely unguarded chest.

BOOM—!!!

A thunderous explosion engulfed the entire sea!

Lightning and fire erupted outward. The immense shockwave stirred a tidal surge several meters high, while distant clouds were torn apart by the terrifying force.

The impact was like an out-of-control nuclear blast exploding above the sea.

Blazing heat waves scorched the air, distorting vision as even space itself seemed to tremble under the overwhelming power.

Luffy's body flew backward like a kite with its string cut.

His straw hat shook violently in the rushing air currents but somehow stayed firmly on his head.

The clothes on his chest ignited instantly from the lightning and fire, then tore apart in the rushing wind as he was blasted away—revealing the solid muscles underneath.

His feet finally hit the ground, carving two deep trenches through the grass.

Luffy raised a hand and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

But instead of fading, the smile on his face grew even wider.

Excitement sparkled in his eyes as a satisfied laugh escaped his throat.

"Hah—! Now that had some power!"

The moment Luffy clenched his fist, the crisp crack of his knuckles collided with the violently compressed air.

BOOM!

A sound like an explosive detonation burst out as the surrounding airflow spiraled wildly, kicking up gravel and dust that formed a visible vortex around his feet.

Now that he had figured out Sanji's development path…

The next step was simple.

Push him to the limit.

The playful smile in Luffy's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by blazing seriousness and pure battle spirit.

His body shot forward.

Pebbles exploded outward as his figure blurred into a black streak.

The moment he broke the sound barrier, a long white shock trail stretched behind him in the air.

Sanji's pupils shrank violently.

That fist—wrapped in abyss-like black power—was rapidly expanding in his vision.

It was Armament Haki, condensed to its absolute peak.

Pitch black.

Oppressive.

So dense it felt as though it could swallow even light.

Too fast.

Way too fast.

The burst speed had already surpassed the limits of his Observation Haki.

Before his brain could even capture the full trajectory, the suffocating pressure of the incoming punch had already stolen his breath.

He didn't even have time to defend.

His muscles instinctively tensed—

but there wasn't even a sliver of resistance left.

BOOM!!

No fancy techniques.

Just a simple straight punch—

condensed with Luffy's full strength and Haki.

But the instant his fist struck Sanji's chest—

space itself rippled.

Like a stone thrown into a lake, waves of distortion spread outward, warping the surrounding scenery.

The dull impact caused the air itself to buzz violently.

Sanji couldn't even grunt.

Every bone in his body seemed to groan under the unbearable force.

The next moment, his body shot away like a cannonball.

White circular shockwaves burst repeatedly along his flight path, scars left behind as the air was forcibly torn apart.

Then—

BOOOOOOM!!!

With a roar that shook the entire island, Sanji smashed straight through a towering mountain.

Stone fragments, dust, and shattered vegetation exploded everywhere.

The once solid mountain was blasted open with a massive hole.

Sunlight streamed through the opening, casting a crooked beam of light onto the ground.

Deep inside the shattered rock wall—

Sanji's body was embedded in the stone.

Loose rocks continued to tumble down from the trembling mountain.

"Sorry about that, Sanji—!"

Luffy withdrew his fist, still faintly steaming with Armament Haki.

He raised his voice toward the mountain hole, deliberately dragging out the last syllable.

Pulling his straw hat down slightly to hide the excitement in his eyes, he forced himself to frown with exaggerated sadness.

"I had to give you serious pressure! Otherwise how are you supposed to grow faster?"

He even pressed a hand dramatically against his chest, speaking slowly in a heavy tone.

"As a captain… seeing my crewmate get hurt really makes my heart ache—!!"

But the moment he finished speaking, the corners of his mouth curled upward under the straw hat.

Even his shoulders started shaking slightly.

Because in reality—

Every pore in Luffy's body was screaming with relief.

It felt like a huge buildup of frustration had finally been released.

He couldn't help rolling his eyes internally.

Seriously, what kind of enemies have I been running into lately?!

The Five Elders—a bunch of sinister old monsters with vicious, tricky abilities.

The Three Admirals, with their lasers, ice, and magma—each attack lethal enough to demand absolute focus.

And then there was Kaido, that ridiculous monster with skin tougher than steel.

Punching him felt like hitting a metal wall.

Sure, Luffy hadn't suffered much and even punched back plenty—

but fighting opponents that strong meant pushing himself to the absolute limit every time.

It left a weird frustration building inside him.

But now?

He had finally found the perfect outlet.

Sanji had enormous potential, but he lacked that explosive growth that came from desperate situations.

Which made him the perfect stress-relief target.

Luffy grinned widely, showing a row of bright teeth.

His eyes sparkled with mischievous satisfaction.

Beating up weaker opponents doesn't give battle experience or improve Haki…

But man—

It feels so good!!

This carefree feeling of throwing a punch with full satisfaction—

was even better than eating his favorite meat.

"You bastard—!! Are you trying to kill me?!"

A furious roar exploded from the hole in the mountain.

The next moment—

A brilliant blue lightning arc tore through the dust with a piercing shriek.

Sanji shot out like an arrow.

His lightning-wrapped right leg carried terrifying force as it kicked directly toward Luffy's face.

CLANG!!

A metallic clash echoed loudly.

Luffy's eyes sharpened as his right hand instantly hardened with jet-black Armament Haki.

His fingers shot forward like iron claws—

grabbing Sanji's lightning-covered ankle mid-attack.

Electricity surged through his palm and into his body, bringing a numb burning sensation.

But Luffy held firm.

His arm didn't move an inch.

"See?!"

Luffy grinned widely, eyes sparkling with excitement.

"You've gotten stronger already!"

His Observation Haki had long been fully expanded.

Sanji's condition was completely clear to him.

His rapidly rising aura.

His Devil Fruit abilities becoming more condensed and refined.

His physical body pushing against its former limits.

And even his previously stagnant Observation Haki—

now loosening like a seed sprouting after spring rain.

Just as expected.

This method of extreme pressure worked.

Luffy felt delighted inside.

That beating he gave Sanji wasn't wasted at all.

This guy's potential really did need to be forced out.

"So what if I got stronger?!"

Sanji's eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging on his forehead as rage nearly overwhelmed him.

"If I didn't get stronger I'd already be lying on the ground!"

"You're beating me half to death!"

With that furious shout, Sanji's power surged again.

The blue lightning around him intensified violently.

His other leg whipped through the air toward Luffy's waist.

Caught "off guard," Luffy was struck by the powerful kick and sent flying backward.

Wind roared past his ears.

Mid-air, Luffy twisted his body smoothly, drawing a graceful arc before landing steadily on the ground.

Cracks spread across the stone beneath his feet.

"I wasn't trying to kill you."

He brushed dust off his clothes, speaking casually.

But a knowing glint flashed in his eyes.

As someone who had also awakened his lineage factor, he could clearly sense Sanji's physical limits.

This kind of body was the type that grew stronger the more it was pushed.

The closer it came to the brink, the more potential it unleashed.

And before truly breaking that limit—

its recovery speed was practically as outrageous as Marco the Phoenix.

That punch earlier had been calculated perfectly.

Right on the edge of Sanji's limit.

It looked brutal—

but in reality it was a massive power-up opportunity, helping Sanji break through the bottleneck he had been stuck in for so long.

And yet…

Luffy blinked while looking at the still furious Sanji, who looked ready to attack again at any moment.

He couldn't help muttering in his head:

I, Monkey D. Luffy, kindly help my crewmate break through his limits…

So why do I end up looking like the bad guy?!

This was even more frustrating than not getting any meat to eat!

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