Ch 9: Aftermath

Chapter 9: Aftermath

Although he had his doubts, Ayaan did not give up on training.

He soon discovered that after eating the Baku Baku no Mi, his physical condition had undergone drastic changes. While his outward strength and speed didn't seem to improve much, the yang nature of the chakra in his body had increased several times over.

The growth of Yang chakra naturally enhanced his healing ability. Likewise, if his physical vitality improved significantly, it would also increase the output of Yang chakra.

To test this theory, Ayaan temporarily set aside his chakra training and focused solely on physical exercise.

Originally, with the body of a ten-year-old child—even one from the Naruto world, which boasts far greater physical potential than Earth—he could only match the strength of an average adult when not using chakra.

But now, after a workout, he clearly felt stronger. No matter how much he exerted himself on the first day, a good night's sleep would leave him full of energy and ready to train again without any side effects. His body had definitely changed.

As he continued to push his physical limits, his natural strength gradually began to show itself.

After punching ten thousand times, the next set of ten thousand became easier. After running tens of thousands of meters, the next run felt lighter. As long as he continued to train, remained consistent, and had enough fuel, he could grow stronger without limit.

Of course, his appetite increased as well.

The food in the world of One Piece was unlike that of the Naruto world. It was not only delicious and nutritious but also carried a power similar to Yang chakra.

Even before his body was transformed by the Baku Baku no Mi, Ayaan had noticed the special benefits of this world's food. He was confident that, by incorporating these meals into his diet, he could at least double his chakra reserves by adulthood.

But after the fruit enhanced his body to be more like that of people from the One Piece world, Ayaan truly realized that this food only unlocked its full potential when paired with the appropriate physiology.

The key reason? People in this world simply had bigger appetites.

Now, after every intense workout, his appetite increased tenfold—and was still growing.

At the same time, his digestive efficiency became incredible. Where he previously absorbed maybe 20% of the nutrients in a meal, he could now extract over 90% from nearly everything he ate.

The Baku Baku no Mi certainly played a role in this, but his improved physique was also a huge factor.

"Maybe it's because Devil Fruits are essentially fragments of the rules that govern this world. After eating one, your body starts adapting to the One Piece universe?"

That was Ayaan's best guess. In any case, it was definitely a good thing.

He also discovered that the Baku Baku no Mi allowed him to absorb and store vast amounts of nutrients. He could eat food several times his own body weight, then exercise in one massive burst and see a huge boost in strength.

Of course, during one particular "dry rice experiment," Ayaan completely overwhelmed three chefs, leaving them collapsed on the kitchen floor from exhaustion. If he hadn't paid them double, the restaurant probably would've blacklisted him.

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A week later, when Ayaan returned to the clinic, he found Jack and Ruth packing their bags.

"What's going on, Dr. Jack?" he asked, puzzled by the scene.

Jack glanced over and sighed. "You're just in time, apprentice. Pack your things—we're leaving."

"Master, are you crazy? The clinic is doing fine. Why are we leaving?"

Jack didn't answer immediately, but Ruth exploded: "It's because of that idiot king and his insane new law targeting doctors! We can't stay in this godforsaken place anymore!"

"I swear, I'd love to pour boiling 'beep' into that dog-beeped brain of his so his beepity-beep-beep—!"

Ruth let loose a storm of curses that probably scorched Wapol's ancestors across eighteen generations. It took her quite a while to calm down.

Ayaan scratched his head. Then it hit him: Oh, right! The old king's dead, and the new one is that moron. How could I forget?

Frowning, he said, "Master, I'm afraid I can't leave with you."

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Jack frowned. Then, after a quick glance at Ayaan, he added curiously, "Now that you mention it, I haven't seen you in a few days… You've grown taller."

Although it had only been a short time, Ayaan's physical strength had nearly doubled thanks to his intense training. Of course he'd grown. If Jack saw him shirtless, he'd likely be stunned to see such a young boy with a sleek, muscular physique.

"I'm not talking nonsense," Ayaan said. "And I think you two should wait a few more days before leaving. I believe things are going to change very soon."

Ruth paused, clearly concerned. Jack looked a bit alarmed. "Don't do anything reckless, little apprentice."

Though they'd only known Ayaan for a few months, Jack and Ruth could tell there was more to him than met the eye. As experienced doctors, they could easily spot the subtle signs: the calluses on his knuckles, the tension in his muscle structure, the faint scarring—Ayaan wasn't just some average kid.

In their minds, he was probably an escaped child soldier, maybe even from some dark and secret organization.

Ironically, they weren't too far off. If something like Konoha existed in modern society—or in the One Piece world—it would absolutely be considered a black ops organization. Any group that sends children to war is basically a glorified assassin's guild.

Seeing their worried expressions, Ayaan felt warm inside, but he also couldn't help feeling a little amused. "Don't worry. It's not as hard as you think. The Drum Kingdom is just a small, ordinary country."

With that, Jack and Ruth exchanged a glance—but before either of them could respond, Ayaan's figure flickered and disappeared right in front of their eyes, leaving them speechless.

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