Despite the fact that the pair had been on their own ventures as of late, Noctis had made sure to keep in near constant communication with Devroux ever since their encounter with Adder and their subsequent wanted status. Of course, this included Noctis being approached by the Eighth Estate to take out a Hitman known as 'Scarface' for their bounties to be cleared. In that time, Devroux had managed to make somewhat of a name for himself in another field, smithing. Having chose the Minkman's shop as a rendezvous, the two men were to meet and exchange information on their developments and abilities. Most importantly, the still enigmatic skill known as Haki.

Entering into the shop, Noctis glanced down at the bat mink resting along the counter. "This place isn't exactly easy to find, ya know?" Noctis explained, resting the flattened top of his blade Kuroi along the ground gently before adjusting the duracloth wrap around his forearms. "Are you ready to get started? I can start out showing you hardening, or you can teach me observation, either works for me."

Of course, beyond Noctis new abilities as a gas human, teaching each other the form of haki they lacked was paramount. Especially considering that to both Noctis and Devroux, the form they had awakened was the form least useful to them currently. With Noctis' intangibility, the hardening factor of his Busoshoku Haki meant relatively little to him, while his companion had no such advantages.

Waiting to take his companion's lead, Noctis lifted his weapon from the floor, placing it into the sheathe on his back.

Noctis chuckled at the bat mink's response to his greeting, knowing very well that it would have pressed his buttons. "Don't worry, I'm not in a rush."

Listening intently to his ally, Noctis buried the knuckle of his index finger under his lower lip while supporting his chin with his thumb. Although the minkman's prelude to the lesson was rather long winded, Noctis didn't overly mind. He had become intimately aware of the feeling that using Busoshoku gave, as well as how it felt to receive a blow enhanced by it, in recent days. In addition to that, Noctis had been grasping at Kenbunshoku ever since the fight with Clovis Adder, trying to replicate the feeling he felt at the onset of the encounter, with varying success. Certainly, there was merit to Devroux's assumption, as he surely realized it as well.


"Of course. I've been struggling with self-teaching, so your viewpoint would be much appreciated. I feel so close to it already, but that 'feeling' always seems to slip out of my grasp. There's a good chance you could describe what it is exactly that I'm missing." Noctis responded, his demeanor far more serious and engaged then it had been previously. At the end of the day, Noctis was a man of results over presentation, and as much as he tried to alter his nature to accommodate the people around him, it was easy to see.

Thinking for a moment about the best way to proceed, Noctis spoke up. "I'll let you explain the feeling verbally first, and then I can try my hand at replicating it. If that fails, you might need to take a more... hands on approach."

Listening intently to Devroux's explanation, Noctis hearkened back to his previous encounters with the phenomena. Having all occurred during times of extreme duress, Noctis recalled the time-dilation he seemed to experience when he first faced off against Garrolt Taylor, the Kingpin. At that time, his body and mind acted on their own, and the longleg had always felt that the power Devroux described came of it's own accord, to compensate for what Noctis had lacked.

Then, the second moment the color of observation had managed to appear, the situation was far less dire, in the opening moments of the battle against Clovis Adder. The high number of guards left Noctis' senses overwhelmed, but they were still an obstacle that needed to be removed. It was during the first movements that Noctis experienced the sensation once more, and the first time he recognized it as more than a fluke or a one-off. Ever since that moment, Noctis had been trying to replicate the ability. Yet, in doing so, Noctis brought out a different ability, his willpower directed inward to act as an armor and equalizer, against the intangible Adder.

The third and most recent experience with Kenbunshoku came when Noctis squared off against Sakuma 'Scarface' Aquaflore, an opponent who's speed surpassed Noctis' own so significantly, that Noctis couldn't track him. This was the longleg's first attempt at actively using the ability in combat, and while he was able to bring it out, it was so momentary and fleeting that outside of that very specific scenario, it was unusable. Still, in that fight, Noctis had managed to spot smaller details that he himself hadn't been able to see, such as the fact that Aquaflore moved even faster than his own perceptions. It was with that observation that Noctis pulled out a relatively easy win, at least in comparison to the two previous fights.

The common thread each encounter with Kenbunshoku Haki, however, was in stark contrast to Devroux's own explanation. Every time Noctis had used Haki of any sort, either unintentionally or otherwise, it was never an experience beyond his own person. His willpower or spirit had always felt confined to his being specifically, as a form of enhancement. Yet to the mink in front of him, it was a tool to exert upon the world, outwardly. This out-of-body experience mentioned was what exemplified the differences between the two already very similar men. While Devroux sought to bring his will into the world, Noctis had always bottled it, as something fragile to be protected and sheltered. Perhaps that was why despite his best efforts, he ended up with what could be described as a shield, as opposed to the observation Devroux had.

"I... think I understand." Noctis said, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. He was familiar with drawing his will inward to use Busoshoku, and he had inadvertently used Kenbunshoku multiple times in the past. But now, with this revelation and instruction, perhaps now he could finally manifest it fully. Calming himself with regular breathing, Noctis felt his spirit surging to the surface, and while he usually forced it back down, to use for himself, he now felt at ease letting it out. Even with his eyes closed, he could 'see' the world around him, including himself, in a way that was as familiar to him as it was foreign.

Keeping his eyes shut, Noctis turned his head to Devroux. "If you'd be so kind as to attack me, I'd much appreciate it. Don't hold back."

As Noctis stood with a serene stillness, he could make out the mink's presence shifting in the darkness his closed eyes provided. It wasn't a developed or sharp form, but it was identifiable and clear in his mind's eye.

Soon enough, Devroux's form returned to rest a few feet away from where Noctis held his ground. Immediately, Noctis seemed to understand the 'intent' behind the figure's actions, to aim for the head. The moment the projectile fired, the conventionally blind longleg pivoted his head as the metal bit grazed past his temple, causing the cut to bleed. It was a narrow, imperfect dodge; Noctis' inexperience actively using Kenbunshoku clearly evident. Still, Noctis wasn't concerned or dejected as three more shots rocketed out from Devroux's presence.

Adjusting from his last mistake, Noctis didn't seek to actively anticipate the attacks which caused him to delay, instead letting his will and perception guide him fully. Just as the first bit was to make contact with his forehead, Noctis leaned out of it's trajectory.

The second projectile already in the air, it finally became a true test of the longleg's discipline. He could sense the attack, but he could not analyze it as he had done so often in the past, there was simply no time. Instead, his body stepped to the side, Noctis' torso readjusting from the earlier lean to allow the bit to sail to the side.

Noctis' comfort with the sensation of Kenbunshoku increasing at a steady clip, he moved forward towards the third and final shot, tilting his head out of harms way as he finally opened his eyes and closed the distance between the two men with his stride. Rubbing the bloody cut on the side of his head with his thumb, Noctis looked down at his bloodied digit before returning his gaze to the mink. "Not perfect, but not bad either I'd say. I think I got the sensation down, it's just a matter of training it."

Unbuckling his cape, Noctis placed Kuroi against the wall, letting his cloak hand over the pommel before returning to his position in front of Devroux. "Now, for your lesson."

"Now, as you described so kindly earlier, Kenbunshoku is very much an external experience, using your spirit as a means to bolster your perceptions of the world. However, Busoshoku is nearly the opposite in that regard. Rather than allowing your willpower to exert itself upon your surroundings, the act of armament requires you to suppress it, and brandish it as both sword and shield." Noctis started to explain, holding his hand out as the familiar sheen came across his skin, indicating that he had begun to use Busoshoku at a starter level. Compared to his earlier usage of Kenbunshoku, however, there was no stillness of spirit or will within him. In fact, his willpower couldn't be sensed at all outside of what emanated from his hand, his soul coming forth as a stifled scream rather than a calm expanse.

"Now, from what I know about you, this might come as more of a challenge then you think. Despite being a very intelligent and mental individual, Buso is an act of force and a physical exertion. I imagine it would be a struggle for those who have grand ambitions of exerting their will upon the world." Noctis continued, letting the sheen fade from his hand before putting it into his pocket. "You might be expecting something simple, like a test of endurance as you try to shield yourself from my blows. But that's only half of it. Busoshoku isn't just a shield, but a sword as well as I said. You might remember during the fight against Adder, the only reliable method of striking him was through your use of Electro. However, there were moments where I was able to strike him as if he were solid. It was during those exchanges that I seem to have used the power of Armament to bring his form into a state where I could strike it."

Keeping his hands in his pockets, Noctis rotated his neck before allowing his form to waver slightly, his body becoming fully gaseous without changing his appearance completely. In fact, the only indication he was intangible was the smaller streams of harmless gas flowing outward from his body. "So here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to let you try it out on your own, and then we're going to spar. Your goal is not only to strike me using Busoshoku instead of electro, but also to defend yourself against my Buso. Given that you're naturally more adept at the use of haki, should our armament collide, your newly acquired Buso should cancel mine out, at the least. However, you should already be well aware of what will happen should you take a Buso enhanced strike undefended..."

Thinking back to the encounter with Clovis Adder, both Noctis and Devroux knew how much a haki empowered attack could hurt, but learning haki required risk, and just as his friend had tested him, Noctis was prepared to return the favor. "After you."

Noctis stood firm as he studied Devroux's actions and demeanor as the mink seemed to think through what the longleg had told him. There was an air of discontent as Noctis' temporary pupil looked at his hand in deep focus for a moment before confidently thrusting the clawed digits into the gaseous form in front of him. Noctis could tell almost immediately that the strikes weren't up to snuff as they phased through his airy torso harmlessly, leaving him free to let his hands remain comfortably in his pockets.

"Hmm..." Noctis aloud, as he looked down unto his clearly frustrated friend. In truth, Noctis was just as perplexed as Devroux was. By all accounts, the longleg had anticipated his mink companion to pick up on Busoshoku with relative ease, considering how adept he was at Kenbunshoku as well as his own nature.

Thinking it through for a moment to himself, Noctis continued to evaluate his companion. "What circumstances did Dev lack that I had..?" There were a few key differences that sprung to mind, but none that immediately justified the occurrence or lack thereof. Perhaps there had been a misconception somewhere along the line in his lecture, either in the explanation itself or in it's understanding. Noctis would be the first to admit he was no teacher, but he had felt pretty comfortable in his description.

Thinking to the attempt Devroux had just made, it was obvious that he had a strong initial confidence. It was a possibility that the bat mink was too sure of himself, his own self-assurance acting as more detriment than aid. After all, the times when Noctis first used Buso was from a place nearly the opposite, having only manifested when his confidence had been brought to a new low, and in an act of desperation. The mechanism behind it's activation was definitely an internal one as opposed to Kenbunshoku, but the way Noctis had explained it may have been misleading.

"I think, you might be too strong willed, too in your own head for your own good. It might be stopping you from using Busoshoku; your own ego and spirit not allowing itself to be used as a strict tool..." Noctis explained, completely unsure if his rambling made any sense to his friend, and concerned he might take offense to it, as his leg began to build up energy as discreetly as it was hesitantly. "What I'm trying to say is, your will needs to be taken down a peg or two in relation to your mind and body. And it's not going to be pleasant."

Launching himself forward from a standstill with Nagare, a burst of air erupted forth, rattling the interior of the shop slightly. Moving just barely underneath his top speed, Noctis gave his companion just enough time to react to what was likely just a barely visible blur, his busoshoku hardened foot pivoting straight towards the mink's diaphragm. It was aimed deliberately at an area where taking a direct hit would be by no means fatal or severe, but it would certainly take all the air out of the bat's lungs and be painful to a near incapacitating degree if no attempt was made to mitigate it.

Pulling his hands out of his pockets, Noctis readied himself for Devroux's response. It was unfortunate that Noctis lacked the means to teach his friend in a less hands-on way, but the bat mink wasn't only more educated, but more headstrong as well. Despite this, Noctis couldn't help but feel a bit of excitement at the prospect of fighting against his ally. A grin growing on his face, Noctis piercing eyes let loose a mixture of both empathy and sadism, leaving him feeling just as conflicted as Devroux would in all likelihood. "I'm going to have to rattle your confidence a bit. So, just do your best."

"Good, good." Noctis quipped as he strode out of the shop to meet his ally who had been propelled straight through the window. "It's good to get mad, frustrated." He looked on as his companion sparked with electricity, bringing Noctis' grin to further prominence. "But you should know..."

Bringing himself into a stance to receive Devroux's counterattack, Noctis let air flow into his closed fist rapidly, letting it build up as the mink closed the gap in a swift motion. With his friend now aiming to harm, Noctis could let things escalate naturally, as the man's clawed hands now shut themselves tightly into a ball, letting loose a flurry of punches. Still, Noctis wasn't concerned with the idea that his companion would activate Buso to actually strike him true. After all, that was the goal. Letting the first few strikes pass through him, Noctis brought his fist down just as his companion followed through with another punch, passing through the longleg's abdomen harmlessly. However, instead of striking him, Noctis opened his hand just inches above the mink's wings, letting a small marble of compressed air out point blank with momentum. The instant the sphere left Noctis' hand, it would expand once to reach about a foot in diameter before expanding again on contact to cause a powerful shockwave 10 meters in diameter. "I'm no Adder."

The attack wasn't at it's peak potential for the amount of time Noctis had prepared it, but it was still powerful enough to force Devroux flat into the ground should he not counter it. However, this was just a simple retaliation to the mink's assault. Not wanting to let up the pressure, Noctis aimed the heel of his foot at the mink's right side, letting his right leg travel in a horizontal arc timed to make impact at either the moment of recovery.

The longleg was clued in to his friend's anger, and looked to exploit it much in the same way Clovis had done to him in the past. As calm and collected his friend attempted to be, it was only after compromising his own stability of self that Noctis felt Devroux would attain Busoshoku. It was a risk by no stretch of the imagination, but one that he was willing to take for his ally's benefit. Despite having the means to hit Noctis with electro, the gas man could only conclude his gamble a success if Devroux maintained the discipline and clarity required to refrain from using it while also being desperate enough to break through his own mental block.