"Are you sure about that?"
"Of course," she says firmly, holding her pose. "You need to hit me with everything you've got—no holding back. If you can't even scratch me, then you're not ready for Armament Haki." She flashes a challenging smile. "Go on, Max. Try to hit me."
He punches her in the good sitting here through a tree.Hancock's smile freezes as Max's fist connects with her abdomen with a loud *THUD*. She doubles over, gasping, and stumbles backwards into a nearby tree. "OW!" she yells, clutching her stomach. "You actually *hit* me!"
"You told me to." he responded."I know, but I didn't think you'd actually land a punch!" she snaps, rubbing her sore stomach. She looks up at Max with newfound respect—and a hint of annoyance. "Alright smartass, let's see how you like it."
Hancock's right arm turns a glossy black as she activates Armament Haki. She throws a straight punch at Max's gut, her fist moving faster than the eye can follow. The blow lands with a heavy *CRUNCH*, lifting Max off his feet and sending him flying back several yards before he crashes to the ground, groaning in pain.He gets up and heals himself.
Hancock watches in astonishment as Max gets back up on his feet, rubbing his stomach but showing no signs of lasting injury. She narrows her eyes, realizing that his healing abilities are just as impressive as his combat skills. "You healed that instantly," she says, her voice low and serious. "Yes."
"Max," she says slowly, walking towards him. "You have something I've never seen before. Perfect Observation Haki that lets you see thirty seconds into the future. Healing that makes you nearly immortal. And now... you want Armament Haki." She stops inches from him, her hand reaching out to touch his chest. "Ready for round two?"
"Yes, I am."Hancock's hand presses against Max's chest firmly. "Then let's see if you can take a real hit this time." Her arm turns black again, Armament Haki fully activated. She pulls back her fist, then punches forward with all her strength—a blow meant to shatter bones and internal organs alike.
Hancock's powerful punch sends Max stumbling back a few feet, his chest aching from the impact. Despite the force of the blow, he manages to stay on his feet, his healing factor already working to mend any internal damage. Hancock looks surprised but impressed by his durability. "Not bad," she says. "But can you keep up with my speed?"
"Oh, you better believe I can."A smirk plays on Hancock's lips at Max's confidence. Suddenly, she disappears in a blur of motion, Armament Haki coating her entire body as she moves faster than the eye can follow. She appears behind Max, delivering a rapid succession of punches—each one landing with bone-crushing force.
It takes a second before he feels it and slowly he starts adapting to it. She came around for another punch when he decided to do the same, activating his own armament Haki.
Max's fist turns a glossy black as Armament Haki crackles around it. He sidesteps Hancock's incoming punch—30 seconds of foresight giving him the perfect opening—and counters with his own black-coated fist. Their fists collide with a thunderous *BOOM*, sending shockwaves through the air. Hancock's eyes widen behind him. "You Did it," Hancock breathes, staring at Max's blackened fist. She hadn't even felt him activate Armament Haki—his mastery of Observation Haki must have allowed him to subconsciously learn its activation through pure exposure to her own usage. "Max... you just mastered Armament Haki in a single day."
"And I'll wager you can control it perfectly already," she mutters, impressed despite herself. Without warning, she launches another devastating punch—this time aiming directly at his face. Max blocks it effortlessly, his blackened forearm meeting her fist with equal force. The impact echoes like a gunshot.
Hancock's eyes burn with a fierce competitive spirit as she keeps attacking, her punches and kicks coming in rapid succession. Each blow is blocked or countered by Max's perfectly timed movements and Armament Haki-infused defenses. After several intense exchanges, she suddenly stops, panting heavily. "Enough."
"You've mastered Armament Haki," Hancock admits, catching her breath. "Better than anyone I've ever seen. Your body naturally adapts... your Haki is instinctual." She steps closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You know what this means, don't you?"
"Time to master Conqueror's haki."
"Exactly," Hancock says, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "You've already mastered Observation and Armament Haki in record time. The only Haki left is the rarest, most powerful—Conqueror's Haki." She places a hand on his chest. "But that will be the hardest to master," she continues. "Conqueror's Haki isn't just about strength or speed. It's about willpower, aura, and commanding presence. It's what true rulers possess." She leans in closer, her face inches from his.
"I know, but that's not gonna stop me."
"That's what I love about you, Max," Hancock says, a genuine smile spreading across her face. "Nothing stops you once you set your mind to something. You know what? I think you might actually pull this off." She punches his arm playfully.
"It's getting late why don't we go back inside?"
"Yes, the others are probably wondering where we disappeared to," Hancock says, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. As they walk back toward the base together, her shoulder brushes against his. She doesn't pull away. "Max... you're stronger than anyone I've ever trained," she admits quietly. "Not even Marshall D. Teach learned Haki this fast."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"You should," Hancock replies with a small laugh. "It is one." She pauses at the door to the base, turning to face him. "Get some rest tonight. Tomorrow we start working on Conqueror's Haki training."
The next morning, Max wakes up to the sound of Hancock's voice calling him from downstairs. He gets dressed quickly and heads down to find her waiting in the training room, already dressed in her usual Amazon attire. "Morning," she greets him with a nod.