With a thump my ass landed on the dusty ground while my lungs tried to fill themselves with enough oxygen so that I wouldn't collapse completely from exhaustion.
Even though I had trained like a maniac before today, continuously pushing myself further and further beyond what I was capable of, the training under Lockhard had been on a level I hadn't experienced so far.
Heaving for air like a nymphomaniac after an especially long gangbang, with my whole body pretty much having taken on the composition of one gigantic bruise, all I wanted to do now is fall into my soft bed and sleep the day away.
Unfortunately, I knew that wouldn't be happening anytime soon. After all, I still had the talk with Lockhard ahead of me, something I really wasn't looking forwards to.
Equally as tired and bruised Bruno sat besides me, groaning like every bone inside his body had been broken, which may as well have happened considering we both could barely stand up anymore.
"Alright, of you go Bruno. I'll see you tomorrow morning, sharp at 7:00 a.m." Lockhard said to the boy laying besides me in the dust after which he pulled Bruno upwards and onto his feet where I thought for a second Bruno would collapse back onto the ground by how he swayed from side to side on wobbling legs.
With a small, nearly gentle looking, shove Lockhard sent Bruno of into the direction of the building we all were staying in and afterwards sat himself down opposite of me. Once he sat with his legs folded under him his dark brown eyes came to rest on me, though contrary to this morning they had none of the sharpness to them.
"So, you've eaten a devilfruit. What can it do?" Lockhard asked me, stumping me for a second at his words. What the hell?
"…What?" I managed to say, eloquently and totally not surprised.
"Oh, come of it boy. I've seen more people use devilfruits than I can remember and more than you could probably imagine exist. Did you honestly believe you could butter me up with some smart-ass excuse for how your body felt as hard as steel when I hit you this morning?" Lockhard said while his eyes expressed just how impressed he was by my attempts to hide something like my devilfruit powers from him.
"…was at least worth a try, no?" I replied with a sarcastic half grin plastered on my face at his comment. No point in denying the truth any longer. Though, what exactly I tell him my powers can do may just safe me the day if I play my hand correctly…
"HAH! At least you have the backbone to admit when you fucked up. So, what exactly can you do with your powers?" Lockhard's bellowing laughter nearly made me jump into the air from its volume alone, and I probably would have had my body not been in such a fucked-up condition.
"Well, it's nothing too impressive. I can harden my body to a degree it is as tough as metal while still flexible as if it wasn't anything but a normal body. I haven't found out any further applications yet." I replied back while keeping my face as normal as I could. I had the hope that I could omit some things about my abilities while also giving Lockhard some half-truths so he would leave me alone. To put it in simpler words, I was more or less lying by saying the truth, even if it was only partially true.
Obviously, Lockhard remained suspicious but in the end the man had no real way to find out if I spoke the truth this time and his experiences vouched for my words to a degree.
Thus, I was glad that in the end Lockhard dropped the matter and asked no further questions. For now at least. No doubt he would report his findings though, something I really wasn't all that happy about. But what could I do? The cat was out of the bag by now.
"Alright. Let me know when you find out more about your abilities." Lockhard said at last and made to stand up when something came to the forefront of my mind. Something that had been bothering me ever since this morning and I wanted answers.
"Ehm, instructor? I have a question if you don't mind." I asked, trying to be as diplomatic as possible with the hope to needle some knowledge out of the man who turned back with one eyebrow raised in question.
Thus, after receiving the prompt to continue I rapidly formulated a simple sounding question in my mind. Simple enough for him at least.
"My ability to harden my body is pretty much a passive ability by now, so you could say it is an automatic shield of sorts. Hence, I was wondering how you managed to still injure me through it? The force of punches and cuts usually goes through but never leaves any injuries behind."
The silence following after my question at first made me believe the man wouldn't answer me, at all, and simply turn around and leave, but to my surprise Lockhard actually gave me an answer after a while.
"Normally I would tell you that you are way to young to learn about such things but the knowledge wouldn't hurt I suppose. Not like you could apply it anyway…" Lockhard replied, causing my brows to crease a little at his words. What was that supposed to mean?
"Devilfruits are, for the majority of the people, a power that in some cases can never be beaten. You for example believed until this morning that, simply because you had a shield around your body to shield you from injuries, you were practically invincible. That couldn't be further from the truth.
Once you reach a certain threshold in your experience and combat capabilities you learn to bypass any ability that a devilfruit may present you with. Through nothing but your will. This ability is called Haki. I will leave it at that. What you should take from my words though is the knowledge that, just because you've eaten a devilfruit, you are NOT invincible." Lockhard told me, after which he turned around and disappeared inside the house to grab himself some dinner or something.
Meanwhile, I was still sitting there in the dust, with my body in pain all over, and contemplated Lockhard's cryptic words. What in the ever-loving fuck had I just been told by the man?!