Roger could understand Ryuji's mindset, to a degree.
He didn't know the full story behind this young man, but with an ability like his? Wanting to use it for exploration, growth, or even entertainnt was only natural.
Just hearing about it, Roger could already imagine countless fascinating uses.Dueling ancient heroes.Drinking with legendary figures of history.Even using it to ask for guidance and strength—it was all within reach.
Ryuji could live a legendary life without even setting foot outside.He could experience unimaginable adventures from the comfort of his cabin.
Roger was genuinely envious.Ryuji had access to stories and journeys beyond anything Roger had ever dread of.
But…
"He takes power far too lightly."
Roger stared at Ryuji, who was thrashing awkwardly in the sea as he tried to swim, his limbs splashing water everywhere.
Roger shook his head.
He didn't know what Ryuji had gone through, but the kid clearly had no real concept of what gaining true strength required.
He treated power like it was sothing to be casually obtained, like it could be picked off a tree.He had no true grasp of what it ant to earn strength—through suffering, through risk, through blood.
Roger's power wasn't inherited. It was forged through endless battles, by throwing himself into death's arms ti and again. His skills, his instincts, everything ca from brutal, uncompromising survival.
But Ryuji—He bore only faint signs of training.
Even in how he moved, how he carried himself—there was no sign that combat was his second nature.
And worst of all, he treated being taught by the Pirate King like it was sothing that ca naturally.
Even though, well… maybe it did.
Still—The power in Ryuji's hands…
Roger could feel it. Sothing terrifying. Sothing world-altering.But the boy didn't wield it with purpose. He didn't push. He didn't burn.
If this kid beca a pirate, Roger mused, he'd probably end up as just an average fighter.
"Hey, brat!" Roger called out, planting a foot on the bow of the ship. "If you really want to be taught by , then you'd better prove you're worthy. Sure, I admit it—your ability could shake the world. But do you even have the strength to wield it?"
His voice bood across the sea, cutting through the quiet of the Calm Belt.
"Kids? Family? Not interested," Roger added. "A real man just needs won, at, the ocean, and booze. I'll keep this ship safe. But your life? That's on you. How long we stay stuck here in the Calm Belt—that's also on you."
Ryuji wanted to scream. Did this guy seriously expect him to tow a ship like this with raw manpower!?
"Hey! Dammit, Roger! Do you really think I can move this ship by myself?!"
"That's your problem," Roger replied coolly. "You asked for my training. And my training… is this."
His eyes beca sharp.
"You know how to use Life Return, don't you?" Roger said suddenly. "Don't know how you learned it without properly training your body first, but if you've stepped onto the path of mastering your body, then move. You think just floating there will change anything? Whether it's ships or people—nothing moves without effort!"
Roger's expression turned serious.If he said he'd train this kid, he ant it.To the Pirate King, keeping one's word wasn't just honor—it was legacy.
"To beco stronger—there's no room for delay!"
"Dammit…" Ryuji gritted his teeth.
If he could command water like the techniques described in those scrolls that Azula gave him, he could've surged forward like a torpedo.
If he could command fire precisely—create a jet-like burst without burning himself or the boat—it would've worked.
If his body were stronger—like the beasts of this world—he could've dragged the ship without a second thought.
But those were all ifs.
He kept putting things off. Training in Arad World, seeking perfect resources, finding painless thods to grow stronger—it all made sense. But when you give yourself too many excuses, laziness creeps in.
Roger was a stubborn bastard, sure, but his words rang true.
Strength doesn't wait.
Ryuji had been growing—studying languages, analyzing scrolls, sharpening skills during downti.
But compared to the monsters of these worlds?He was still soft. Too soft.
He trained until it felt "enough."Because he always had ti. He always had second chances.He could afford to slack off.
Even if he spent his days doing nothing but chasing won, he'd still live a comfortable life.
But he didn't want to just be with girls.
He wanted to deserve them.He wanted to slash mountains like the greatest swordsn.Use shadow clones like shinobi.Maybe even throw hands with Son Goku one day.
But none of those dreams were urgent.They were just… ideas.
"It's like I never planned to get stronger in the first place," he muttered.
Still—he tied the rope around his waist and plunged back into the water.
The mont he looked down and saw the dozens of Sea Kings beneath him—massive beasts, each eye bigger than their boat—his chest tightened with fear.
He had seen zombie hordes.He was no stranger to gore or danger.But these weren't mindless corpses.
These were ancient, living gods of the deep.
Even so, he clenched his jaw and forced his body into motion, channeling everything he had into his strokes.
But the boat barely budged.
No waves. No wind. And yet the weight of the ship was imnse.Even using every drop of his strength, he could only drag it forward inches at a ti.
Roger watched, blinking in disbelief.
It had been years since he'd seen anyone this physically weak.
After a full hour of doggy paddling, Ryuji had only moved the boat a few dozen ters.Roger finally stood up, shouting in frustration.
"Where the hell is your Life Return now?! You call that giving your all?! You're only using what your body lets you use! What about the strength you're hiding!? Unleash it! Are you being cautious?! You think those Sea Kings won't rip you apart just because you tread lightly?!"
With a snarl, Roger unsheathed his blade and slashed into the sea—right next to Ryuji.
The water exploded.
In that instant, Ryuji felt it.The edge of death. The roar of instinct. The visceral, suffocating danger.
His entire body reacted, blood pumping like molten fire.
He was trying. He'd even activated his Blood Qi Art to force more out of his body.
But—
Dragging a ship solo?
That was straight-up insane.
The most horrifying part wasn't the Sea Kings themselves.
It was how clear the waters were in the Calm Belt.
He could see everything.
Even from the surface, the sea was so pristine that he could make out creatures swimming over a hundred ters below—dozens of Sea Kings gliding silently through the depths.
Each one looked like a living mountain.
And then Roger smirked.
"Looks like you still need a little motivation."
A sudden chill ran down Ryuji's spine.He looked up—then down—and realized sothing was wrong.
Roger's blade ca down with a sharp clang.The water trembled.
And then, beneath him, sothing stirred.
The once-calm Sea Kings—all of them—suddenly lifted their heads.
Mouths the size of houses opened wide.Hundreds of massive eyes locked onto him.
Ryuji's stomach dropped.
If it weren't for his zombie-world experience, he was sure he would've pissed himself.
Just imagine it.
Floating helplessly at sea, staring down into a yawning abyss of monstrous mouths—any one of which could swallow you whole in a second.
"ROGER, YOU MOTHERFUCKER—!!!"
Ryuji scread as terror gripped him. All sense of caution snapped like a twig.
His blood-qi technique roared to life on its own, forcefully accelerating his body's circulation.He didn't care about bursting blood vessels anymore—he only focused on keeping his heart and brain alive.
Panic was a hell of a motivator.
The ship finally began to move. In a frantic blur of doggy paddling and blood-powered desperation, he dragged it forward.
Above, the skies darkened. As the Sea Kings stirred and rose toward the surface, rain poured down in sheets.
"That's it! Boy! Speed up! Otherwise the sea kings will catch up with us!"
Roger stood at the bow, laughing like a madman.
He slashed his sword at one particularly hostile Sea King, forcing it back with a wave of intimidation.The rest scattered, but the sheer motion of their retreat created violent waves that nearly knocked Ryuji under the ship multiple tis.
He gasped for breath, still swimming. Still fighting.
And then—instinct took over.
He tapped into a skill he never intended to train deeply: Water Control.
From the deck, Roger's Observation Haki picked up on the shift.
"The water around him is... changing?"
He narrowed his eyes.Control over water and blood?No wonder this kid wanted his help.
"Tch... no kidding he ca to . With those abilities, he really could tear the sea in half," Roger muttered, taking a swig from his flask. "Wouldn't be surprised if half the world tried to capture him the second they found out."
He smiled as he watched Ryuji dart between the waves.
"The ocean really is sothing magical."
Despite his musings, Roger still held his trembling wife, who clung to him nervously.
Robin, anwhile, was frozen at the helm—her face pale from the sheer scale of what was happening.
How did they end up in the Calm Belt so fast!?
Ryuji swam till afternoon, until finally—
His body gave out.
Robin fished him from the sea. He collapsed on the deck, soaked and trembling.
Roger crouched down beside him like a smug delinquent.
"Tch tch… So this is what a guy with that kind of power looks like?"
Face dripping with seawater, Ryuji spat a mouthful straight into Roger's face.
Roger just laughed harder, then shoved a giant pirate-style at bone into his mouth.
And then—
KICKED HIM BACK INTO THE OCEAN.
"Use Life Return! Push your limits! Your body hasn't hit the edge—your mind has! Oi! Sea Kings—ti for round two!"
Ryuji didn't know if Roger was right…But sohow, he could still move.
And so, again, under the threat of towering monsters from the deep, he swam.
Until—He blacked out.
Robin hauled him back onboard.
Roger tapped his unconscious body and frowned.
"This kid's body… really is weak," he muttered.
He felt Ryuji's arms, legs, ribs—his muscle density wasn't even close to adult standards.
"Malnourished as a kid, maybe?"
Then Roger glanced at the fresh Sea King at he'd collected.
"Well… if he knows Life Return..."
Ryuji awoke to the horrifying sight of Roger's grinning face again.
"Yo! Ti for dinner!"
Roger shoved a huge slab of fat into Ryuji's mouth without warning.
Ryuji gagged.
And then Roger shoved in another chunk.
He couldn't even breathe.
Roger sneered, "What's wrong? Don't you know how to use Life Return? Why are you holding back?"
Ryuji nearly exploded with rage, but he knew the only way out was through.
He activated Life Return—stretching his throat, enhancing his digestion, pushing his tabolism to the max.
Roger, that bastard, hadn't even cut the at into digestible sizes—just small enough to force down.
Without full-body internal control, a normal person would have died eating this way.
This wasn't teaching. This was torture.
Just as Ryuji tried to widen his throat again, Roger smacked his hand.
"Stop that! You're not ready to swallow bone yet! You'll choke and die! You haven't mastered control!"
Ryuji froze in shock—he almost had.He morized the feeling instantly.
Then—Roger princess-carried him.
And, with zero remorse, chucked him back into the sea.
"Keep going! Use your body to its fullest! A human body has incredible potential!"
Roger even tipped his hat like a gentleman before turning back to the deck, roaring with laughter.
Ryuji couldn't even swear anymore.
He activated Life Return to simultaneously digest food and keep swimming—desperately trying to avoid another Sea King summoning.
But—
Three hours later, his body gave up again.
He fainted for the second ti.
Robin pulled him back again, this ti with a faint look of pity.She had seen a lot of training in her life…
But this?
This was less training and more of a death march.
Why was Ryuji even listening to Roger?Why follow such brutal orders?Even as he cursed Roger… he still followed through.Without complaint.
Robin couldn't understand it.
Roger noticed her troubled expression.
"What's wrong? Too cruel for your taste?"
He grinned beneath his hat.
"But the kid hasn't said a word of complaint, has he?"
Robin nodded. That was true.
He complained at Roger—but never once about the training itself.
"That's why I agreed to train him," Roger said. "He's a bit slow, but he gets it. Not everyone who begs for training deserves it. The ones who want the reward without the cost—I won't even look at them."
He tapped Ryuji's unconscious chest gently.
"But this kid—he knows the cost. He may not be a man of the sea yet, but…"
Roger smiled softly.
"He's on his way."
His words were eloquent—almost poetic.Nothing like the crude pirate king people knew from stories.
Robin hesitated—then asked the question everyone wanted to know.
"What is the One Piece? What does the True History say?"
Roger raised an eyebrow.
"Well, well… you're quite the curious one, aren't you?"
Robin chuckled softly.
"Because I know you won't tell . Just like that man—he clearly wants to sleep with , but insists on waiting until I want it too. To you, the One Piece definitely exists, but if it's not obtained by one's own hands, then it's aningless, right? That's why you'd never tell . Am I right, Pirate King?"
"Well, well… you do understand n, don't you, little lady. You're absolutely right. As for what the One Piece really is, you'll only find out once you claim it for yourself. But I can tell you one thing."
Roger grinned mischievously.
"The One Piece does exist."
"Tch."
Robin clicked her tongue in annoyance, but Roger just laughed heartily. Then, as he watched Ryuji being hauled back up from the sea, he turned and left.
But for Ryuji… this was only the beginning of a nightmare.
Every single day when he woke up, the first thing he saw was Roger's damn ugly face—either swimming beside him or lounging on deck, stuffing his face with food and then going back to sleep.
And during the entire ti sailing through the Calm Belt…He didn't get to touch a single boob. Not once!
It was hellish training, no doubt—but the results were phenonal.
Ryuji had surpassed his own limits.
Maybe it was the food of this world, or maybe his body had fully adapted to the physiology of this world's humans. But as he pushed himself beyond the limit again and again, his body began to change in strange ways.
The crooked teeth from his childhood began to loosen—new teeth were growing in to replace them.
When using the Blood Qi techniques, his capillaries no longer burst as easily. The speed that would've caused internal bleeding three months ago was now sothing he could perform effortlessly.
He could now lift a massive boulder ten ters long and ten ters wide with one hand. Though he'd still need rest afterward, he could hold it for nearly half an hour. And when pulling the ship through the ocean—he could now go all day without collapsing.
And when he went all out, a single kick could shatter that sa massive stone.
His once-heavy sword now felt light as a feather in his grip.
His entire physical state had surpassed even what he had achieved in the "7 Days to Die" world!
Only his stamina and regeneration hadn't caught up yet—because that world was, frankly, broken as hell.
When he finally dragged the ship out of the Calm Belt and collapsed atop a jagged rock, gasping for breath, he looked toward Roger—drinking rum casually on deck—and felt… relieved.
During these three months, he hadn't thought about won. Not once. He hadn't thought about the Arad world either.
All he did, day after day, was eat, sleep, and think about how to beco faster, stronger—how to lessen the self-inflicted damage of his Blood Qi techniques.
How to better digest his food.How to heal his aching insides.And how to harmonize with the sea.
And maybe because he had spent almost every mont subrged in water…His water bending abilities had reached an entirely new level.
He couldn't call it absolute mastery, but the feel of water—the flow, the movent—it had almost beco instinctual.
The Calm Belt, with its strange stillness, beca the perfect training ground. Even the slightest motion would ripple through the sea, and he could sense it. He could feel his influence on the water, how it responded to him.
To a Water bender from the Avatar world, this would've been a sacred place—a holy site!
He no longer needed to perform special stances to control water. It responded to his will alone.
After all, those forms were really just ntal cues. And for soone who had lived in water for three months? He didn't need those cues anymore.
Add to that the constant danger of sea kings lurking nearby, and his progress wasn't just fast—it was almost miraculous.
But he also knew sothing else: Not everyone could train like this.
First of all, he had no hidden injuries—a rarity for soone from earth.Thanks to the conceptual healing drugs he had used, his body was completely free of damage.
On top of that, he had likely already acquired the physiology of soone native to the One Piece world.
All he lacked was the matching strength. But after eating countless sea king ats and being ruthlessly trained under Roger's watch…
Through techniques like "Life Return" that pushed his body to the limit, then healed it…
His physical stats had exploded.
"…You're really sothing," Roger said, a little impressed, watching Ryuji pant on the rock. "Your growth is astonishing."
Roger couldn't help but think of Kaido and Big Mom.
Ryuji's body felt like a hidden treasure—so weak in the beginning, yet after just three months, already strong enough to serve as a trainee on his old ship.
Give him a decade or so of this?
He'd be another rising supernova.
But of course, he had started too late. Right now…
"At best, you're around a Marine HQ colonel," Roger comnted. "If a real fight broke out, you'd be crawling after an hour. So don't get cocky. You're still weak—rember that."
But looking at the tattered clothes and the unwavering fire in Ryuji's eyes, Roger chuckled and tossed him a bottle of rum.
"Still… you've graduated, kid!"
As Ryuji caught the bottle, Roger burst into laughter.
He never planned to teach him anything.
After all—The path to strength doesn't co from teachers.It cos from sheer will.
Ryuji took the rum, but then asked quietly,
"…How long did it take ?"
He wanted to know—how long had he dragged that ship through the Calm Belt?
"Three months. Why?"
Ryuji froze.
"I went three months… without touching a single woman?! That's unacceptable!"
This is so Terrible!
~~~~~~~~
Bonus chapter every 200 Power Stones.
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