Haki/Kenbunshoku

MainKenbunshokuBusoshokuHaoshoku

**Kenbunshoku Haki** is a form of Haki that allows the user to sense the presence of others, even if they are concealed from view or too far to see normally. In Skypiea, Kenbunshoku is known as **Mantra** (**心綱** *Mantora*, literally meaning "Mind Rope").

## ***Overview***

The following is an overview of Kenbunshoku Haki:

* The usage of this type of Haki grants its user the ability to access a kind of extrasensory perception, granting the user several helpful abilities. These abilities are great assets in most ocassions, especially in combat.
* Kenbunshoku Haki, unlike the other types of Haki, has hardly any visible indication when being used in the manga (like the blackening effect of hardening for Busoshoku or the ripple effect for Haoshoku), aside from their enhanced dodge rate.
* According to Charlotte Katakuri, Kenbunshoku Haki works best if the user is in a calm state.

## ***Drawbacks***

This type of Haki is also known to falter if the user loses their concentration. It is revealed that like Busoshoku Haki, Kenbunshoku Haki can be depleted if used too much.

## ***Basic Techniques***

The following are the basic techniques associated with the use of Kenbunshoku.

### **Presence Sensing**

The most common usage of this Haki allows the user to sense the presence of others. Rayleigh states that to fully master this ability would allow the user to see others, even if they are concealed from view or too far to see naturally.

This type of Haki allows the user to see another person through the aura, be it behind buildings, strategically hidden, or camouflaged. Given this, Kenbunshoku Haki, depending on the level, can discover who is hidden but still present.

When viewed this way, the user cannot actually see the person or animal with any physical characteristics, but rather recognizes the target(s) by their "aura", which is a mental image of a colored silhouette of them on a dark background.

In the unique circumstance of being swallowed by a larger creature and still being alive, the Mantra user will only be able to sense the larger energy signature.

### **Strength Sensing**

This application of Haki allows the user to measure the strength of the people whose presence they sense. This usage of Haki is useful in finding "powerful auras". Through Strength Sensing, the user can easily locate powerful allies and avoid powerful enemies.

### **Emotion Sensing**

This variation of Kenbunshoku allows the user to sense and empathize with the emotions and nature of others. However, this ability is not flawless. People with high control over their emotions can somewhat counter this technique.

When someone awakens this ability uncousciosly, they hear somehow in their head the thoughts of others in near-death situations, as shown with Coby and Aisa. This can be nearly traumatic in a context of several people dying as they will constantly hear voices in their head without control.

### **Intent Sensing**

By using this ability, the user can sense the intention of someone, allowing the user predict the actions of others.

This application of Haki is highly helpful in combat, as the user can predict the attacks of their opponent and counter them. The more killing intent the enemy has, the easier their attacks are to predict, although, more skilled users can predict moves whether there is murderous intent or not.

As this ability needs the intent of others to work, unconscious actions cannot be predicted with this technique. Another way to counter this ability is by being so fast, the user cannot react in time, even if the Haki user can predict their opponents actions.

## ***Advanced Techniques***

### **Future Vision**

If trained enough, users of advanced Kenbunshoku Hakican see a short period into the future. Instead of just sensing what would happen by intuition, the user of this advanced level of Kenbunshoku Haki can literally see a precise mental image of what will happen in the immediate future. Contrary to basic Haki, there is no need of sensing emotions or intention to use this technique.

The user needs to properly focus in order to use this ability, contrary to basic Kenbunshoku Haki. If the user is not concentrating enough, this power may be unable to see the future. Only another user of Kenbunshoku Haki with a proficient level or a distraction can counter this ability.

In addition, this Haki has been proven to be an effective countermeasure against Busoshoku Haki for Devil Fruit users whose powers grant shapeshifting abilities, such as Logia's or Special Paramecia's. With Kenbunshoku Haki, they can foresee their opponents' attacks and quickly change the shape of their bodies to avoid contact.

Future Vision also has its limitations. Charlotte Katakuri was able to see Sanji dodging another person's gunshot and tried to intervene immediately by attacking Sanji himself. However, he was unable to see the outcome of his own intervention of this event in time, resulting in Sanji surprising him when he dodged his attack as well.

In addition, the user can only interpret the future through their own senses. Katakuri foresaw his sister Pudding crying on the altar, but because he was too far away from her in his vision to hear what had happened, he had no way to know what was about to cause this.