Stronger

Vash, during his time on this island, had been experimenting with his newly gained power of 'kiloton kiloton fruit'. The information he got from the devil's fruit stated that it has three tiers of weight manipulation; first tier:1kg to 10000kg; second tier: 10000 kg to 1000000 kg, and the third tier is 1kiloton and higher. How much higher? Currently, Vash doesn't know the limit unless he achieves awakening. It was due to limitation of his bodily strength that he could only access the first tier ability, even then, increasing his weight up to 10000 kg ruptured some of the blood vessels due to enormous strain on the body and failed to properly activate it due to lack of stamina.

'So this ability is fueled by my stamina. And also, I can no longer feel the physical limits on my body, it's like I can grow stronger infinitely.', Thought Vash. Making up his mind to become powerful, he had gone back to basic physical exercises, Vash knows that it would require a lot of time and effort to attain peak physical fitness. So he hopes to at least build up enough stamina to freely use the ability.

Vash was donning white colored gi with tight fitting pants which are usually worn by most of the Earth's Martial artists, except the gi was sleeveless showing his incredibly well-muscled arms.He also wore a pair of gauntlets in his arms and legs. Each of his armored hand held two incredibly long bamboo stems from one end which had stones attached to the other ends.

He lifted both bamboo stems at 45 degree elevation and put them down slowly, and repeated the routine until his arms became numb. Being an incredibly awesome Martial artist, Vash knows many ways of training. Lifting weights while reducing leverage can be incredibly hard, and it doesn't even require sophisticated training machines. Vash trained all of his muscles with same method. He routinely exercised every morning and meditated in quiet place. In the noon, he hunted leftover exotic animals on the island for his meals. In the evening, he practiced his weight changing abilities to get better hang on it. Vash had also not forgotten practicing his punching and kicking techniques in between his training session.

It was due to lack of equipment in this jungle that had forced him to employ unusual means, and even if he had normal training equipments that he had used in previous world, he thought that those wouldn't be of use anymore as his strength had soared after he ate the powerful fruit. He would have to do countless reps to increase his strength by small amount.

'At least the workout is effective in further strengthening my body, but seriously this ability defies logic and gives no shit to the rules of physics. But it also has weakness of water, I almost drowned myself at the beach, Now I can't even properly wash my body.' Vash thought to himself.

And so he trained non stop like this for three months straight.

Some distance away from the island a pirate ship was speedily sailing towards it. The galleon ship had white sails and Black flag, sporting skulls with crossbones on it.

The people on it were ferocious looking with hint of panic in their faces. A tall man wearing golden armor was standing at the figurehead of the ship.

"Captain, there's an island ahead of us. It looks inhabitated. What are your orders?" said a person with emaciated look.

The supposed Captain narrowed his eyes looking at the island and said, "Prepare the ship for docking and ready the anchors. All of you Listen up, we have to stock up our supplies or we'll die starving. Leave nothing alive there."

"Aye aye Captain." replied the crewmen as they got busy attending their jobs.

The ship swiftly reached the island, the pirate crew furled the sails and threw the anchor at the bottom of the beach.

The crew with their Captain got down from the ship.

The figure wearing golden armor was tall man with purple hair, he had long sideburns and thin lips. He was a notorious pirate in East blue, goes by the name Don Krieg. He had a bounty of 17 million berries on his head, and he was wanted by Marines dead or alive.

Behind him was Krieg pirates' vice Captain Gin, he looked thin and dirty as if he'd been stranded in the sea for months, and had forgotten what is called personal hygiene.

"Captain, It's all Hawk eye Mihawk's fault that we are in this situation, he only spared a single ship, all our comrades died except for us." said Gin in gloomy tone.

Hearing the words of his vice captain, Don Krieg's face contorted in anger and he started cussing in loud voice." Hawk eye Mihawk, I'll get you for this." After venting his frustration by shouting, he said to Gin, " Right now we have to secure food and fresh water. Gin, take half of them with you and go search the island."

After that, the crew scattered in groups of five in search for any living thing that might become their food, and one such group fortunately or unfortunately stumbled upon the training spot of Vash.

Vash was meditating under a water fall, so when he heard the commotion of pirates, he slowly opened his eyes and he looked at them with scrutinizing gaze. But on the inside, he was happy seeing people 'cause they surely have means to leave the island.

The pirates also saw Vash, and pointed their guns in his direction and stared at him in vigilance. "Billy, am I seeing things? There's a naked person under the waterfall." said a random pirate. "Jelly, I'm also seeing the same thing, But first let's loot him.", said Billy, the pirate. "But how would we loot a naked person?" Said the third pirate. And when the group of five idiots were nonchalantly discussing their plan to rob him, Vash stood up and flicked his finger in fast motion, killing four of them with compressed air bullets and knocked the last one out with a karate chop at the neck. Vash's action had been so quick that the pirates had been unable to react.

Vash wore his costume and gauntlets, and came upon the scene of pirates laying in their own blood. "Are you guys robbers? You should have chosen your target carefully.", said Vash, and started dragging the knocked out pirate by collar. He came to the spot where normal people would find difficult to reach, and slapped the unconscious pirate, waking him up in the process.

The pirate woke up with searing pain in his face and struggled frantically in confusion. Vash slapped the pirate again to make him stop struggling. "So what are you robbers doing here at a place like this with no people? Are you here to rob trees? or are you planning to make this island your hideout?" said Vash in a deep voice.

The pirate in question seemed out of it, like his brain had short circuited and he stared at Vash with foolish face. The pirate probably wasn't reconciled with his current reality of being captured. It was always him who captures and mugs people not the other way around.

Vash hearing no response, again rained him with slaps so much so that the captured pirate couldn't even see anymore because his whole face swelled to an unnatural degree.

"Stop, I said stop slapping me. I'll tell you everything", screamed the pirate in pained voice. Vash seeing that the pirate became responsive stopped raining punishment.

"For your information, your four comrade are already in their way to heaven, and if you don't spill the beans, I'm gonna do the same to you.", said Vash in threatening manner.

Hearing the grime tone in Vash's voice, the red swollen face of pirate became purple. But remembering that he was crew of the infamous pirate Don Krieg, he mustered his courage and started shouting hysterically.

"You're so dead!! you hear me, and I'm a member of the Krieg pirates, don't compare me to a lowly robber, our captain Don Krieg is strongest man in the world, if you kill me my pirate buddies won't let you leave this place alive, they are everywhere in this island."

"Oh... so you are a pirate not a robber, well there is not much of a difference though, but if you don't answer my questions, what I'll do to you next will make you regret ever being born." said Vash menacingly.

"First question, what is this planet called?", asked Vash in mild tone.

"What's a planet?", asked back pirate with confusion written all over his swollen face.

Vash was dumbfounded by the pirate's question. 'Ah, I forgot he is a pirate and probably haven't had basic education.', thought Vash.

"No questions, only answers.", said Vash as he slapped the pirate once more. He was starting to enjoy hitting this stupid pirate.

"Second question, where is the nearest island with people on it?", again asked Vash.

"I don't know, but what I do know is that this island is on grandline, we stumbled upon it when we were chased by the warlord of the seas, Hawk eye Mihawk." replied the Krieg pirate grunt in painful voice.

"If your captain is the strongest, then why were you escaping from this so called warlord? oh.. let me guess he must be a self proclaimed braggart telling everyone he's strongest but he's actually weak. Am I right?", said Vash with amused tone.

The pirate was speechless at the statement of Vash. He couldn't admit it, nor deny it.

After half an hour of interrogation, Vash had gotten all the general affairs of the current world, and he relieved the unfortunate pirate from his life and sent him on his way to heaven to join his friends.

"Hawk eye Mihawk, Warlord of the sea, let me see what you got.", said Vash and walked off in the direction of Krieg pirate ship.