Mieko watched with his own eyes as several wild spotted leopards gnawed Enel's flesh down until there was nothing left but a pile of broken bones. If he hadn't already tempered his mind into iron, he would've puked on the spot.
After giving the area a quick cleanup… Mieko gained the power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. His courage and skill both climbed to a new level. He moved lightly through the woods, vaulting over one towering tree after another, heading straight into the depths of the forest.
Since he'd decided to go into seclusion here for a few months of training, the first priority was finding a place to stay—hidden, and safe.
"AAAWOO—!"
Suddenly, a wild wolf with eyes red as flame burst out. It howled and, with lightning speed, lunged at Mieko the instant he landed.
"Zzt—!"
Mieko flicked his fingertip. A bolt of lightning shot out like a spark from a flint, instantly piercing straight through the wolf's skull. Red-and-white brain matter sprayed everywhere, leaving a small charred hole on the wolf's forehead, several centimeters off-center.
Mieko grabbed the wolf—still not completely dead, its body twitching faintly. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he kept walking deeper into the forest, muttering to himself, "Heh… looks like lunch is handled."
This wolf weighed over a hundred pounds, maybe two. Add in Enel's iron staff—dozens of pounds more—and Mieko still held them as if they weighed nothing, calm-faced and breathing evenly.
That wasn't unrelated to the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, sure—but more than anything, it was because Mieko's body was abnormal to begin with. After all, he'd only just swallowed the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. The boost to his physical functions was still limited, nowhere near a Zoan-type fruit that could multiply someone's strength outright.
"Mm. Wide open, good visibility, and thick brush all around as a natural barrier… this is it!"
Before long, Mieko picked a clearing surrounded by dense shrubs, with plenty of space inside.
Thud!
He casually tossed the wolf's corpse onto the white Island Cloud ground. The still-wet blood instantly stained the clean surface into mottled red patches.
"Next, all I need is a water source, and everything's perfect!"
…
After finding water, Mieko quickly did a rough butchering of the wolf, then lit a campfire and roasted the whole thing over the flames.
Crackle… sizzle…
Soon, an irresistible aroma spread through the air. Golden beads of oil dripped nonstop from the meat into the fire below, making a satisfying sound. The already-strong flames instantly flared even harder, popping and snapping loudly.
"Better wait a bit. I'll go back to that shabby little shack by the beach and grab seasonings and other necessities. Oh—also the Lamp Shell… Enel hasn't been dead long. No one should notice anything weird yet."
Not long after, Mieko tore off a wolf leg roasted golden and crisp, fragrant enough to make anyone drool, and started eating in huge bites.
After stuffing himself, he glanced at the remaining chunk of meat—less than half left—and only then realized his appetite seemed to have more than doubled.
A wolf weighing over a hundred pounds, and he'd eaten most of it… yet he was only about eighty percent full. The change was honestly absurd.
"Using a Devil Fruit ability burns stamina. Bigger appetite means more energy taken in from food. As I get stronger, I'll probably need more and more food… I remember that Straw Hat Luffy guy—he can swallow massive portions of meat in one go. That insane digestion really is something…"
Thinking of Luffy's ridiculous appetite, Mieko immediately felt at ease. A sudden increase in appetite wasn't a bad thing.
He tossed Enel's iron staff onto the clearing and headed back alone to the little hut by the beach. He quickly packed up what he'd need next and brought it all into the forest.
Mieko did everything carefully. And since he'd only been on this small island for a few days, he didn't draw anyone's attention—nor anyone's suspicion.
After spending most of the day, he finally finished building a simple little wooden cabin in the clearing before night fell. It was rough, but it was livable.
…
Three months later.
In the forest, where beast roars rose and fell without end, there was a clearing wrapped by dense shrubs—forming a natural barrier.
"Eight hundred eleven, eight hundred twelve, eight hundred thirteen…"
Beside that crude, simple wooden cabin, a small figure stood bare-chested, defined muscles drawn tight. He was doing push-ups at breakneck speed on the white Island Cloud ground, training like he'd gone mad.
With every rise and fall, the time between movements stayed almost perfectly even.
Only a few meters away, several thick wooden posts—each as stout as an adult's waist—stood proudly upright, wrapped in several loops of rough rope.
"One thousand nine hundred ninety-one, one thousand nine hundred ninety-two, one thousand nine hundred ninety-three…" Mieko's counting echoed through the air along with his harsh breathing. His face was flushed red from the intensity. Fine beads of sweat gathered into streams, sliding down his forehead—sometimes even seeping into his eyes—yet he didn't react at all, continuing the push-ups without the slightest pause.
"Two thousand!" With a low shout, Mieko announced a number that was hard to believe.
Two thousand push-ups—not two hundred—and done continuously at an astonishing pace, without a single break. Even elite soldiers of the Royal Army would rarely manage something like that. Yet it had been accomplished by a boy who looked no older than fourteen… truly unbelievable.
Over these past three-plus months, Mieko's appetite had exploded. Combined with full nutrition, his height shot up fast—he'd reached 170 centimeters now, standing out sharply among kids his age.
He had a handsome, hard-edged face: bright eyes and strong brows, a nose bridge not especially tall but perfectly proportioned, thin lips pressed tight with stubborn resolve. His bronzed skin, sharply defined eight-pack, and smooth, powerful muscle lines made people instinctively take a second look—an undeniably good-looking young man.
In just a little over three months, the surge in appetite also noticeably strengthened his digestion. With abundant energy intake and a terrifying training load, his vitality and presence underwent a complete transformation.
"Next up—two thousand sit-ups!" After finishing two thousand push-ups, Mieko didn't rest for even a second. He hooked his feet under a nearby wooden frame and, drenched in sweat, threw himself into the next training segment…
Morning: physical techniques. Afternoon: ability development. Night: deep into the forest to fight ferocious beasts. This was the training plan Mieko had designed specifically for himself.
He understood clearly: no matter how powerful his Devil Fruit development became, he could never slack off on physical training—not even a little. Mieko held to that belief the whole time and carried it out without wavering. On the road of physical training, from start to finish, I never once allowed myself even the slightest slack.
(End of Chapter)
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