Lori stood there, looking dazed, like she'd been hit with a wave of pure confusion. Her gaze was blank, almost endearing, which made Luffy feel like she had a whole new charm to her. Then, suddenly, Luffy had an idea. Slowly, he reached into a drawer and pulled out something—glasses. They were the ones Aimee used to wear when she was working on medicinal concoctions for him, her focus sharpened with the lenses perched on her nose. But, if he were honest, Aimee looked better without them; her natural elegance shone more without any accessories in the way.
But for Lori? Luffy realized glasses might suit her perfectly. There was a hint of innocence about her that the glasses would amplify even more. As he carefully placed them on Lori's face, he couldn't help but marvel at the transformation. Her cuteness factor shot up, maybe even enough to bump her up a spot in his ranking of his favorite faces.
"Yes," Luffy murmured to himself with a nod of approval, "with these on, you might just move up a rank."
Lori blinked, then stared at him with wonder. "Luffy, you're so handsome! Your energy, your presence… you're like the brightest light I've ever seen!"
Luffy chuckled knowingly. He had an idea of what was going on now; he'd suspected it with Aimee, and Lori's reaction confirmed it. It wasn't his appearance alone but rather the powerful allure of his Conqueror's Haki at work. Since his Conqueror's Haki had leveled up to 66, he'd been unintentionally giving off an aura that made those around him more… impressionable. It wasn't anything extreme, but the influence was there.
The realization made him laugh again, feeling the rush of confidence surge through him as he kept his Haki active, observing how it subtly affected Lori's demeanor.
"Ah, Luffy!" Lori exclaimed, wide-eyed. "You… you're glowing! It's like your entire being is radiant. I can't look away!"
This admiration wasn't purely hers, Luffy reminded himself; it was his Haki's influence on her perception. If she were stronger, like someone with a bounty comparable to Hancock's, this effect wouldn't be so noticeable. But for someone of Lori's level, his Haki held significant sway.
"Alright," he announced, shifting into a more serious tone, "we're starting our training now, got it?"
Lori nodded instantly. At that moment, she felt like Luffy's every word was absolute truth, wisdom straight from the source, something she had to follow without question. With a contented smile, Luffy led her through the motions, confident in his guidance.
Meanwhile, outside the wooden cabin, the other five women stood waiting. They didn't want to wander off; curiosity anchored them to the spot. The sounds from inside intrigued them, especially as Luffy's instructions became more intense.
Luna blinked, eyes sparkling with curiosity. "I think Luffy's finally started the training," she whispered, her eyes fixed on the cabin's flickering lights.
Ava noticed something peculiar. "Isn't the window open?"
A silent exchange passed between them before they tiptoed to the window, peeking inside. The scene before them was like nothing they'd ever seen. Luffy's unconventional approach left them mystified, yet Lori seemed to be in her element, clearly enjoying herself.
"So, that's what the training's like?" one of the girls muttered, shaking her head with a mix of wonder and amusement. "It's strange but… Lori looks like she's having the time of her life."
They weren't aware that the open window was Luffy's idea. He knew they'd be watching, and the thought of having an audience only fueled him further. Every now and then, he'd glance back to make sure they were still there, which seemed to boost his energy even more.
Luffy couldn't contain his amusement, completely energized by the thrill of the moment. In a way, Lori's experience surpassed even Aimee's, her enthusiasm and surprise blending into an unfiltered joy that filled the cabin.
The night passed without a moment's rest. By dawn, Luffy was as energetic as ever. Despite his recent increase in power, his stats remained at a solid 70, but he wasn't discouraged; it wasn't always easy to make progress by repeating familiar exercises. But still, he knew it had been a night well-spent.
With Aimee and Lori both asleep beside him, Luffy looked at the bed with a satisfied nod. He wrapped the bedsheets around the two women, then tossed them over his shoulder and marched to the shore.
"These sheets are all stained… sea water's the only thing that can wash that out." With a shake of his head, he tossed them into the waves.
"Grrrrr~" His stomach growled loudly, and he chuckled as he remembered the exertion of the night. Feeling the grumbling hunger deep within, he activated his Haki again, and within moments, a group of fish began swimming toward him. They leaped right onto the shore as if compelled, flapping helplessly in the sand.
"Hmmm… maybe I'm going a bit too far," he murmured, feeling a twinge of sympathy for the sea creatures now caught in his Haki. "After all, who am I?" He grinned, answering his own question, "I'm Monkey D. Luffy—the lead guy in this whole pirate adventure!"
But then, thinking about his recent choices, he sighed. "Yet here I am, toying with the sea creatures, even charming beautiful girls without a second thought." Shaking his head, he laughed at his own reflection. "But you know what? That was the old Luffy. This Luffy? This Luffy is 2.0, the new version! I'm the one writing the story now, and I can take it wherever I want."
As the laughter filled his chest, the fish continued to jump ashore, and soon, there was a whole pile.
"This is great! Who's hungry? I am!" With that, he set up a fire, and soon the rich aroma of roasted fish filled the air as he dug in, fully restoring his energy with each delicious bite.
Just then, a sudden shift caught his attention. He turned around, instinctively reaching for his weapon, only to see a figure standing tall in the distance.
"Rayleigh-senpai!"
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T/N:
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