#just to watch overconfident pricks fall to pieces like waves against a mountain

[mamamittens]

I think one of the many weird things I'm a slut for (found family, overly competent retiree comes out for one last ride, secret op psychic powers, ECT) I really enjoy "willpower" based power systems.

Like, Bleach has a sort of "spiritual pressure" thing that's sorta willpower related that's low-key hilarious when you realize it literally means that at a certain point 'small fry' can't even exist in your vicinity with it unleashed let alone try you. Then there's Katekyo Hitman Reborn with "dying will flames" that's a weird mix of pseudo personality type power and inherited that the fandom--to this day istg--has so much fucking fun with. Never get tired of seeing that played with by the way it's wack as shit.

So naturally, when I see "Haki" in One Piece I go apeshit. Really bite into it with my teeth and shake my head like a dog when folks toy with the ideas it has. What does having conquerors haki really mean. How far can you control it? Can you communicate with haki? Can you manipulate it to essentially disappear from even nonsensitive people's pov? Can you selectively use armor haki for specific limbs? Turn nails into knives or shield an unborn child? Can observation haki vary between users? Do some see the 'future' while others get a pseudo synthesia experience where they see too much of their surroundings all at once? Can you still lie with this haki active?

When something as nebulous as "willpower" becomes a valid force in the narrative, is there any real limit?

Is it possible to have an average, weak character become a force to reckon because they want it bad enough within this system? Not because they were born to stand but because they need it. They still understand what it means to be so pathetic they have to rip into every opportunity to live with their teeth or die. So it gives them an edge others can't have anymore, because they're so far removed from that kind of desperation.

Does it really take a powerhouse to stand up to a conqueror and say "No."? Or just someone sick and tired of being defined by how little their body can take?

"Even if it kills me, I refuse to bow."

Make me.

Idk, I just think it would be really fucking neat to see. Someone that, sure, they can't take on most of the strongest forces out there (if that). But if it comes to a battle of wills it's just a prime example of "an immovable object meets an unstoppable force".

Or hell, even someone that just doesn't fucking care if you're a conqueror, they want nothing to do with your wack ass. That would also be really fucking funny. A comedic take to this whole rambling the I've been going on about forever to the point I'm not sure if it makes sense anymore.