Just then, the rain that had been brewing finally began to pour down in earnest.
"Ah! It's raining!"
"Quick, let's find Luffy! That guy definitely doesn't know to take shelter!"
The two of them put aside the subtle atmosphere from earlier, quickly shielding their heads with their hands as they ran in the direction where Luffy might be training. Knowing Luffy's personality, he'd probably get soaked to the skin without even thinking to run back to the cave.
Luffy was indeed training right now.
The location was a relatively open clearing in the forest, not far from the banquet area.
Before him stood a massive golden stele, three times his height. It had been forged first using the Shandia tribe's compression and refining technique for Luffy to use in training.
Currently, they couldn't find any training equipment on the ship hard enough to withstand the force of Luffy's punches.
This ultra-high-density golden steel plate was unimaginably hard—perfectly suitable. What Luffy liked was its indestructible nature, no matter how much he pounded it.
After the feast, he had slept for less than two hours before his internal clock and plan woke him up, bringing him here.
One could only say there was a reason he had grown so strong.
Even if this so-called "Pirate King Training Plan" was somewhat mandatory, he had followed it with astonishing willpower and turned it into a personal habit.
Luffy stood before the golden stele, bare-chested, assumed his stance, took a deep breath, tightened all his muscles, clenched his fist, and threw a ferocious punch!
Thump!
A dull sound, like the striking of a massive drum, echoed through the silent forest. The moment his fist made contact with the gold, the recoil sent a tremor through the surrounding air.
"Really hard," Luffy muttered.
This punch carried terrifying force. With his physical body alone, he could easily shatter rock. Yet a punch like this left absolutely no mark on this specially refined golden slab!
He had deliberately not used Haki or his Gum-Gum Fruit abilities. He was purely using his raw physical body to strike, tempering his most fundamental physical strength.
When he was little, Luffy vaguely remembered his grandfather Garp mentioning similar, almost masochistic training methods.
Garp said he had trained that way for several years, using no abilities. When you could finally leave a mark, even shatter specially made training equipment, the growth in physical quality would be terrifying.
As a child, Luffy had pounded hard reef rocks.
After he smashed them, he was considered to have graduated.
Garp had said during that visit that he'd bring back some decommissioned, broken Navy warships for Luffy to punch next time... but before Garp could return with the warships, Luffy had already set sail.
But now, through a twist of fate, Luffy had rediscovered this most primitive and effective method of physical tempering.
During his self-directed training time, he could do anything, and this kind of basic stamina and impact resistance training was exactly what he needed now.
His combat experience and techniques, accumulated through countless life-or-death battles and dream training, were already rich. What he currently lacked was the most fundamental physical foundation and the accumulation of Haki.
"A true top-tier strongman has no weaknesses. Physique, willpower, technique—none can be neglected."
"If you want to become an outstanding Marine soldier, then do as I do. Don't rely on abilities; only then will you see real results."
"The only thing that will never betray a person, at any time, is their own body."
Luffy still remembered the serious expression on Garp's face when he said those things.
Garp's training method was to punch mountains, kick Sea Kings, and use his bare fists to smash massive, steel-plated warships.
Using his physical body alone!
Garp had also mentioned that there was another Marine monster by his side who trained the same way.
Luffy guessed that guy was probably some Marine Admiral or the like.
After all, he had personally experienced his grandfather's devilish training. Aside from fellow monsters, who else would be willing to train with the old man?
Luffy was now using almost every part of his body in a storm-like assault on the golden slab.
Rapid-fire punches, forehead strikes, elbow blows, kicks, and knee strikes... any usable body part was put to work.
Each strike carried the maximum force his current physical body could muster.
The ground around him trembled slightly, the air hummed.
How on earth did Grandpa come up with such a masochistic method?
Luffy couldn't help but curse between strikes.
Visibly, his body rapidly turned red and hot all over. In some places, his skin even began to split, covered in fine, bloody lines.
If he kept this up, his body would definitely suffer significant damage.
But this kind of training was about tempering the flesh like metal, spirit included.
[Physical energy compressed and exercised. Your physical strength has increased. Armament Haki proficiency +1]
[Mental energy severely depleted. Your willpower has increased. Observation Haki proficiency +1]
So you get a richer harvest by being cruel to yourself?
Thump!
Luffy slammed another fierce punch into the golden slab. Drops of bright red blood instantly splattered from the back of his hand, the skin split and flesh torn.
He paid it no mind, not even frowning, as he raised the injured fist once more.
[Stamina Level V2]
[Passive Talent: Life Return]
The moment his fist rose, the small wounds on it began to writhe and heal at a visible rate.
This is what it takes to become the Pirate King!
There wasn't a flicker of doubt in Luffy's eyes, only a firm, resolute light.
So absorbed was he that he lost track of time. The rain that had built up in the sky finally poured down in a deluge, instantly drenching him.
Immediately after, he saw two familiar, somewhat embarrassed figures running through the curtain of rain towards him. It was Nami and Vivi.
Luffy paused, stopping his movements. Letting the rain wash over his body, he couldn't help but ask, "What are you two doing here instead of sleeping?"
The situation seemed a bit awkward.
Luffy looked perfectly fine. His energy was, as expected, a bit too abundant.
Nami had intended to seize the initiative, but the words died in her throat. What could she say?
They had come because they were worried about Luffy, but how should she phrase that?
Nami took a half-step back, subtly placing Vivi in front. Then Vivi also took a step back.
Nami looked away. Vivi instinctively lowered her head, staring intently at her already-soaked shoes as if flowers were blooming on them.
Luffy was torn between laughter and exasperation.
He clearly wasn't the clueless rubber idiot he used to be.
Looking at the two drenched girls, their thin clothes clinging tightly to their bodies, outlining their graceful curves, even hinting at the outline of their undergarments...
He quickly understood. These two were worried about him.
A pang of guilt and warmth rose in his heart.
"Let's head back to the ship first."
***
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