At this point, Luffy's digestive ability had reached a new level—he could consume a mountain of food in mere minutes. Laughing heartily, he felt an unmistakable surge in his body's performance as he ate, a gradual yet steady improvement.
"Not bad!" he chuckled to himself. "This rate of progress is fantastic! I can feel my physical abilities ramping up with every bite."
He continued eating at full speed, not wasting a second, relying on his incredible digestive power. Soon, he had devoured the meat from over a hundred wild beasts, surprising even himself. Previously, he could barely eat half of that amount, but now, he had doubled his intake with ease.
Could this be a result of my Haki's recent power-ups? he wondered. Each incremental boost past 80 points seemed to yield a more pronounced change.
Luffy finished his feast by evening, leaning back with a contented sigh, feeling completely full—perhaps overly so. "Whew! That's my limit," he muttered, shaking his head with a satisfied smile. "Over a hundred beasts… thousands of pounds of food! Not bad at all." He could feel his body's base mobility and strength had increased significantly.
This training was paying off well, and he was inspired to continue. Closing his eyes, he activated his Haki, projecting his consciousness back to the cabin in a flash.
"Aimee!" Luffy called.
Inside the cabin, Aimee, who was busy practicing the Squat Dance, suddenly froze. "Huh?" She looked around, thinking she must have imagined the voice. No one was there, but she could have sworn she heard Lord Luffy.
"Aimee!" Luffy called again.
In reality, he was reaching into her mind from afar, using his Haki. While he couldn't fully possess powerful fighters at such a distance, he could easily communicate with someone like Aimee.
In her mind, she heard him clearly, "Aimee! It's me, your Lord Luffy!"
Aimee gasped. "Lord Luffy? Is… is that really you? Don't scare me like this! I can't see you anywhere."
Luffy chuckled. "Don't you remember? I can control birds, so of course I can speak to you like this from afar."
She nodded, understanding, though still amazed. Luffy's strength seemed boundless. She was beyond grateful that such a powerful man had chosen her as an ally—it felt like the greatest honor imaginable.
"Aimee!" Luffy's voice sounded again, "I need to tell you something."
Aimee nodded, listening intently.
"For the time being, I'm going to stay in the forest to train alone. So…" he continued, "you and the others should keep practicing the Squat Dance at home. Don't let up on your training."
Aimee was touched, though a bit saddened. "Lord Luffy! How long will you be gone? We'll miss you… we're afraid of losing you."
Luffy laughed warmly. "No need to worry. It won't be long, and I'll be back before you know it."
Understanding his words, Aimee blushed slightly, and Luffy felt a sense of satisfaction. "Aimee," he said, "tell the others to stay focused on their training. The Squat Dance is something I developed over many years—it's crucial for your growth, so don't waste this opportunity."
Aimee nodded firmly. "We won't, Lord Luffy. You said it's essential to our training, and we'll make sure to stay on track."
Luffy smiled in approval. "Good. I'll be checking in on you, so aim for a hundred percent."
In Luffy's system, each score was based on the number of repetitions per minute. To reach a hundred percent meant achieving a hundred squats per minute—a daunting task. Only the swordswoman had managed to reach sixty so far. Still, he believed that with dedication, they could all improve over time.
His standards were tough, but he had set them for a reason. If my strength increases during this training, he thought, then the frequency I need from them will also rise. He wanted them to be ready to keep up with him, to be able to fully experience every "high-energy" moment he had planned.
For now, his goal was simple: to keep pushing them to their limits while he pushed his own. There was no need for complex plans—the path ahead was straightforward and, above all, thrilling.
On another level, Luffy set this training regimen for the women out of a genuine desire to help them improve. He was serious about their progress, insisting that they stay disciplined and follow his guidance to the letter.
"Alright!" he said, waving his hand. "Time for me to go. You keep at it. Train hard, and make sure you hit that one-hundred-percent mark on the Squat Dance!"
With that, Luffy's consciousness withdrew from Aimee's mind. She nodded determinedly, convinced that Luffy's goals were both necessary and achievable. She wasted no time in sharing his instructions with the others, and all the women agreed wholeheartedly.
"Yes," they said, "Lord Luffy doesn't do anything without purpose. There's wisdom in his words, and maybe even a rare opportunity. We must make the most of this time and train harder!"
The swordswoman was the first to dive back into her exercises, setting the standard with her exceptional form and speed. The others watched in awe and admiration, knowing that if they wanted to catch Luffy's attention, they too would have to work this hard. Competition flared among them, with everyone striving to be the best.
"I'm catching up!" the archer declared, determined to match the swordswoman's impressive speed. Although the archer excelled in agility and stamina, her physical endurance had its limits compared to the swordswoman. But she didn't let that discourage her; instead, she pushed herself even harder, driven by a newfound sense of rivalry. Each of them poured all they had into their training, sparking an intense yet inspiring atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Luffy was anything but idle. He spent his days roasting meat and fueling his relentless energy with rapid digestion, which in turn boosted his mobility, stamina, and overall strength. He even sparred with gorillas and hunted wild beasts for endless barbecues. This straightforward yet fulfilling cycle brought him immense joy, and he felt his capabilities growing with each passing day.
"Not bad!" he muttered, nodding in satisfaction. By now, his agility had reached the level of someone with a three-billion-berri bounty. In other words, he was on par with, if not stronger than, the original Monkey D. Luffy from his previous world.
"That's right," he whispered to himself with a grin. "In terms of speed and stamina alone, I wouldn't lose to the Luffy from my past life." His words were honest and full of confidence.
He flexed his arm and, with a swift punch, struck the ground, sending cracks spreading across the earth. Dust billowed around him as he laughed heartily, exhilarated by his newfound strength. More significantly, his Conqueror's Haki had risen to a staggering eighty-six points.
[Conqueror's Haki Level: 86/100]
The progress was well worth it, even intimidating to him. The leap from eighty-four to eighty-six in Haki power felt immense, a near-quantum jump in strength.
With a sharp flick of his wrist, Luffy caused a flurry of green leaves to swirl around him. Suddenly, one leaf shot off with tremendous speed, slicing through a thick tree branch with a resounding crack.
The sheer power, the rush—it was indescribable. This was exactly what he wanted to achieve.
Transporting his awareness back to the cabin, Luffy observed the women training intensely. Each of them was pushing hard, putting their utmost into every squat, and he could sense their dedication. The swordswoman, in particular, had made remarkable strides, her form nearly flawless.
"Ninety percent," he noted with a grin. She was just a step away from the one-hundred mark he had set. While he knew the target was demanding, he'd set it high on purpose, knowing it would drive them to surpass their limits.
Ninety percent was more than enough for him. But seeing them push beyond what was required made him proud and filled him with energy for what was to come.
~----------------------------------------------------------
T/N:
Access 30 chapters in advance on my Patreon: p@treon.com/dreamer20 (Replace @ with 'a')