After finishing the entire pot of meat, no matter how hard Luffy tried to control the bird to indirectly coax the doctor into cooking more, she flatly refused. After all…
From her perspective, it looked like Luffy had eaten more than enough already. Eating any more would be over the top. So…
She ignored his hints and peacefully settled down with her book, unfazed even as the bird relentlessly pestered her. In the end…
Luffy could only give up, but he was still grateful. After that hearty meal, he felt his recovery was noticeably speeding up.
"Hm?" Luffy noted that his Conqueror's Haki hadn't increased—it was still the same as before. But he wasn't too surprised. After all…
If growth were that simple, he'd have already reached his peak. Such a thing was practically impossible. Mastery was difficult, and sudden leaps were even rarer. Furthermore…
He realized that once he grasped something, repeated attempts to "regain insight" wouldn't be effective. This training method wasn't as straightforward as he'd initially imagined. Of course…
Compared to leveling up through defeating enemies, this system was pretty ideal. Luffy was very satisfied—it was exactly the kind of challenge he loved.
During this peaceful time, he continued his gradual recovery and training, growing more accustomed to the doctor's presence. Before he knew it, a few weeks had passed.
Throughout this period, Rayleigh would occasionally visit, testing if Luffy's powers had returned. However…
Rayleigh became increasingly disappointed. Initially, he thought the issue was temporary, but as time went on, there were still no signs of Luffy's powers re-emerging. Rayleigh was forced to conclude…
Luffy's Devil Fruit powers might have disappeared for good.
"Ahh!" Rayleigh sighed heavily, a worried expression clouding his face. Across the line on the Den Den Mushi, Shanks seemed similarly troubled. The two often discussed Luffy's situation, both deeply invested in his fate.
"Is it truly over?" Rayleigh sighed. Meanwhile, on the other side of the ocean, Shanks' expression was anything but steady.
"Damn it!" Shanks cursed, more furious than he'd ever been. "Why did his power just vanish like that? It makes no sense!" His voice trembled with frustration.
"In this world… something like this shouldn't even be possible." He muttered to himself, "Luffy… what on earth happened to you? Were you abandoned by Nika, or is there something else at play?"
He pondered, yet no amount of thinking brought him closer to an answer. He had no experience dealing with something like this, and he'd never even considered that such a thing could happen.
"Did I make the wrong gamble?" he murmured. But…
The only answer to Shanks' turmoil was the crashing sound of waves.
…
At that moment, Luffy's eyes opened. His injuries had healed enough for him to move, though…
His steps were still unsteady. But…
He could walk, and that was a great relief. Luffy felt a surge of happiness. He owed it all to the doctor. If not for the extra meals she'd provided…
He might not have even managed to open his eyes right now.
Luffy slowly made his way outside, wobbling slightly as he went. He strolled over to a swing.
"Whoosh!" He gave it a hearty push.
"Ah!" came a startled cry—the doctor had been sitting on the swing, and his sudden shove had frightened her. But then…
She realized it was Luffy and instantly broke into a delighted grin.
"Hee-hee!" she laughed. "It's you, Luffy."
Just then, a flock of birds swept down from the distance, settling around them—more than a dozen in total.
"Squeak, squeak, squeak!" They chirped together, their sounds brimming with a lively, almost human-like charm.
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T/N:
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