One glance inside, and Luffy was stunned.
"Huh? What's going on?" he muttered in shock.
He realized that the food in his stomach was being digested at an incredible speed. And it wasn't the result of any rubber-based trait—it was something much more complex.
"What on earth is that?" he wondered. Normally, the old Luffy's quick digestion was thanks to his rubber abilities. But now, with his powers gone, it shouldn't be possible to break down and absorb food so quickly.
"Am I seeing this wrong?" Luffy questioned. But he quickly dismissed the thought. His Haki-based sense couldn't make such a mistake.
Determined to understand, he focused intently. Moments later, his eyes widened in astonishment as he finally discovered the reason behind this strange phenomenon.
The rapid digestion and absorption happening in his stomach were, surprisingly, powered by his Conqueror's Haki.
That's right. His Conqueror's Haki was driving the food in his stomach to break down at an insane speed, transforming proteins and nutrients from the meat into pure energy to nourish his body. The whole thing was mind-blowing.
"This is incredible!" Luffy marveled. Usually, powers like Haki didn't have any effect on food digestion or energy absorption. But right now, his stomach was devouring food at a rate that was beyond belief.
Eyes closed, Luffy explored this newfound ability, his mastery of Conqueror's Haki growing. In minutes, he fully grasped the secret. When he reopened his eyes, they gleamed with excitement.
"Hahahahaha!" he laughed, thrilled. "I'm amazing! This Conqueror's Haki of mine is unbelievable!"
With exhilaration, he acknowledged the truth: his Haki was speeding up his digestion and channeling that energy to his limbs and entire body, boosting his physical strength in real time. It was miraculous.
"Yeah!" he muttered, savoring the sensation. He could feel his physical foundation strengthening at an insane rate, like charging up a battery.
As the Haki worked, even his eating pace couldn't keep up with the energy conversion.
"Am I doing this unconsciously?" Luffy wondered. He hadn't even tried to focus his Haki on digestion, yet it was already operating at full force.
"What if I purposefully controlled it?" Luffy thought, curious. Without wasting time, he sped up the Haki flow through sheer will.
In an instant, chunks of meat were visibly transformed, devoured almost before his eyes.
Luffy couldn't contain his excitement. This phenomenon was unheard of, something he'd never dreamed possible. And yet here it was.
Not wasting any time, he continued eating, even as part of his mind concentrated on controlling the Haki energy flow. Despite eating nonstop, he felt no hint of fullness, as if his stomach were a bottomless pit.
Soon, he'd nearly devoured the entire pair of beasts.
"Is that it?" he sighed, disappointed. All the meat had been digested so quickly, he was almost done.
"That was amazing!" he beamed. "Not only can this help me quickly regain my former strength and build up my core energy, but it also means I can enjoy endless amounts of delicious food!" He laughed with satisfaction.
On one hand, Luffy could now use his Haki to level up his physical abilities, which was a huge deal. He knew he'd face many formidable foes in the future—Doflamingo, Kaido, Big Mom, the Marines, Blackbeard. These weren't opponents he could take lightly.
In the past, Luffy had been wary, knowing that training alone was a tough journey. But now, his system's Haki power gave him a shortcut, a way to face his fears head-on. This new discovery of Haki's ability to convert food into strength brought a deep sense of peace and joy. Even as an ordinary guy, he felt unstoppable.
This newfound confidence transformed him. His hesitance and doubts began to fade, replaced by a decisive and overwhelming sense of determination.
"Hahahahaha! I'm awesome! I'm unstoppable! I'm invincible!" he bellowed with laughter, filled with confidence.
"Bring them all on," he thought, one by one recalling the names of his enemies—Doflamingo, Kaido, Big Mom, whoever. None of them mattered.
Luffy was having the time of his life. However, he knew that these were just the rushes of confidence, and once he calmed down, he still had real challenges ahead.
"I have no choice!" Luffy shouted. "I'm going to train like crazy!"
Suddenly—
"Huh?" Luffy froze.
The last piece of roasted meat in front of him… was gone.
~----------------------------------------------------------
T/N:
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