The next day, it was decided that Captain Brogy would instruct Leo in the warrior technique, Baku.
All the female crew members, including Nami, found seats behind Leo, eager to witness the power of the Giant Warrior technique for themselves.
"Leo, you can do it!!" Kaya cheered, cupping her hands around her mouth. The other women quickly followed her example, creating a chorus of encouragement.
"If you're ready, we can begin now," Brogy said, looking down at Leo.
Leo nodded.
"Leo, I will demonstrate first. Watch closely."
As captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates, both Brogy and Dorry could execute Baku individually. When they combined their power, the technique's might was even greater.
Brogy raised his massive sword, his focus locked onto a hundred-meter-tall mountain in the distance. He took a deep breath, and a powerful aura erupted from his colossal frame. Leo watched intently, memorizing every minute movement.
"Baku!!!"
With a thunderous roar, Brogy swung his sword. A massive shockwave, several meters thick, tore through the air. Where it passed, a gale-force wind howled, and the very atmosphere seemed to scream. The shockwave crossed hundreds of meters in an instant, striking the mountain and reducing it to a cascade of tumbling boulders. The ground shook violently. The force of Baku continued unabated, shooting towards the horizon until it vanished from sight.
A collective gasp came from the women behind Leo.
"This... this is Baku?!" Tashigi stammered, her jaw slack. "It's incredible!" To destroy a mountain with a single strike? She was determined to have Leo teach her this technique later.
"The power is indeed impressive," Leo commented, a satisfied smile on his face as he observed the collapsed mountain.
"Leo, the key to this move..." Brogy then proceeded to meticulously explain the stances, movements, and method of channeling power required to perform Baku.
To Brogy's surprise, he discovered Leo was already a master swordsman. That made things much simpler. Baku, in essence, required mastering specific movements and the correct way to focus one's strength. With Leo's foundation, it was a matter of piecing it all together.
In less than an hour, Leo had grasped all the technical aspects. His physique was more than sufficient, and his understanding of the sword was profound. It all fell into place naturally.
"Leo, your comprehension is excellent," Brogy said. "But the true test is whether you can successfully execute it."
"Dorry agrees," the other giant rumbled.
"Then I'll give it a try," Leo said, taking a deep breath. He accepted the Wado Ichimonji that Tashigi offered him.
In that moment, every muscle in Leo's body tensed and coordinated. His gaze sharpened as he slowly raised the sacred sword.
"This..." Brogy and Dorry stared, recognizing the familiar preparatory stance. "Could he really...?"
"BAKU!!!"
With a powerful shout, Leo swung the Wado Ichimonji towards the dense forest. A gigantic energy shockwave erupted from the blade, roaring forth. Hundred-meter-tall ancient trees were shattered like brittle tofu, offering no resistance. The ground was plowed open, leaving a deep trench over ten meters deep in its wake.
"The Captain is so strong!!" Tashigi was flabbergasted. The other women wore similarly stunned expressions. He had learned the Giants' proudest technique in under an hour? It was like he was cheating!
'As expected of Leo,' Nami thought, watching the devastating result. The power of Leo's first Baku was in no way inferior to Brogy's.
Vivi didn't speak, but the happy smile on her face was unmistakable. Her intuition had been right. Leo was this powerful; he could definitely defeat Crocodile.
"Feels pretty good," Leo said, examining the massive trench with a nod of satisfaction. With more practice, his Baku would only grow stronger.
Brogy and Dorry looked at each other, wry smiles on their faces.
"Kababababa... Leo, you learn too fast. Many Giant warriors cannot even master this technique."
"Gagyagya-gya... My friend, we have nothing left to teach you."
The two giants felt a little wounded. They were considered prodigies, and it had taken them months to learn Baku. For Leo, a human and a master swordsman, to grasp it in an hour was frankly discouraging.
Leo returned the Wado Ichimonji to Tashigi and turned to the two Giant captains. "Brogy, Dorry, thank you for your instruction. I have urgent business and must depart immediately."
Brogy grinned widely. "We will miss you all."
Dorry nodded in agreement.
Leo laughed. "It won't be long. I will bring Kashi and Oimo back to you. We will meet again." He waved farewell. "Until then!"
After giving the giants the remainder of the ship's alcohol, Leo led the women back to the Going Merry. The ship ascended into the sky, setting a direct course for Alabasta. Leo had no interest in stopping at Drum Kingdom along the way. There were no notable beauties there, and with Kaya on board, they had no need for another doctor. Unknowingly, this also meant the Baroque Works agent Mr. 2, who had been sent to Drum Kingdom, had inadvertently been spared.
During the following days en route to Alabasta, Leo divided his time between his daily training and leisurely teasing the women, his life comfortable and without the slightest trace of urgency about facing Crocodile.
One day, as Leo exited his room, he found Vivi waiting outside, her demeanor unusually hesitant.
"What's wrong, Vivi?" Leo asked, puzzled. Was she worried about facing Crocodile? There was truly no need.
Vivi pulled him into a secluded corner, feigning anger. "Leo, don't you like me?!"
Leo was taken aback. What had gotten into Vivi today?
"Vivi, why would you say that?"
Vivi peeked around to ensure they were alone, then looked down, shyly twisting her fingers together. "Every night... I can hear sounds from the other sisters' rooms. Out of curiosity, I... I asked them about it." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Even... even Miss Valentine and Golden Week have already..."
She blushed deeply, unable to continue.
Leo understood, a knowing smirk appearing on his face. "So? What about it?"
Vivi suddenly transformed into a feisty little lioness, planting her hands on her hips and thrusting her chest out slightly. "Is there something wrong with me?! Am I not pretty enough? Or is my figure not good enough?!"
"Uh..." Leo scratched his cheek awkwardly, impressed by her boldness. Was this the same shy princess he knew?
He had originally planned to broach this subject after resolving the crisis in Alabaster, not wanting to distract her. He guessed that Vivi, now confident in his ability to defeat Crocodile and with Alabasta so close, felt the timing was right and had taken the initiative.
"Vivi, I know your heart is with Alabasta right now. We can wait until..."
"Leo, it's fine," Vivi interrupted, shaking her head. "I'm ready."
Later, in the quiet of his room, Leo gave the mental command. "Claim reward."
[Physique-Enhancing Essence!]
A subtle, profound energy flowed from him, a side effect of his newly acquired "Iron Balloon" talent. The system's annotation was clear: this energy could gradually improve the physical constitution of his partners, eventually allowing them to share a version of his own formidable durability.
It was a passive, beneficial effect that strengthened over time and with... repeated exposure. The rate of improvement varied from person to person.
'Not a bad reward for them,' Leo thought, satisfied. A powerful physique was a universal benefit, especially for combat-focused women like Nami and Tashigi. With the "Iron Balloon" talent, Nami would no longer be limited by her physical strength in developing her Weather-Weather Fruit powers. The same went for Tashigi, whom he planned to teach Baku later—a technique she could never hope to use without a monstrously strong body.
'It seems I'll need to pay special attention to Nami and Tashigi for a while,' Leo mused, a sly glint in his eye.
Seizing the moment, he used Instant Transmission to appear in Nami's room.
Nami, who had been resting, instantly opened her eyes, a crackle of lightning dancing around her knuckles. Her Haki had improved noticeably thanks to the training manual. Sensing it was Leo, she relaxed but pouted. "It's so late. What are you doing?"
Still half-asleep, she muttered a complaint before fully waking up. "Wait, weren't you with Vivi tonight? Is it over already?"
"Mm," Leo nodded. "I missed you, so I came to find you."
"Tch." Nami rolled her eyes.
"But..." she continued, her gaze drifting downward pointedly, "you've been spending all your time with Miss Valentine and Golden Week these past few days. Looking for something new, huh?" She pursed her lips in a show of dissatisfaction. "You haven't come to see me for days."
Leo felt a twinge of guilt, but there were only twenty-four hours in a day. Between necessary daily routines and his own training, his time was limited. He had to make choices...
'If only the system would reward me with a Hyperbolic Time Chamber,' he thought wistfully.
"Hey, are you just going to stand there?" Nami prompted, snapping him out of his thoughts.
Leo took the hint, and another "training session" for Nami began.
The next morning, when Leo emerged, the women had already finished breakfast and were gathered around the table, chatting and laughing. The moment he appeared, all eyes turned to him.
Leo felt a prickle of unease under their collective gaze. What had he done now? Was it the noise from last night? They should be used to it by now.
Taking his seat at the head of the table, he said, "If you have something to say, just say it. Don't look at me so strangely."
The women all glanced at Nami, who gave a slight nod.
Tashigi was the one who spoke up, mustering her courage. "Captain, Nami said that after... after having some of that last night, she felt different. Stronger. It's subtle, but she's sure."
Nami confirmed with another nod. As the strongest fighter on the crew after Leo, her perception was unquestionable. If she said it was true, then it was.
'It works that fast?' Leo thought, surprised.
"Leo," Nami said, a rare shyness in her tone, "since when did... that... have such an effect?"
The looks in the other women's eyes intensified, gleaming with a strange light. Leo shuddered. They looked like a pack of hungry wolves that had just spotted a lone lamb.
"Leo," Vivi said, grabbing his arm and shaking it, "we want to improve our physiques, too!"
The other women stared at him with identical, longing expressions, their stance clear: they wouldn't rest until they'd tried it. Who wouldn't want to enhance their physique so simply? Besides, it wasn't as if they were strangers to the method.
"Leo," Kaya added sweetly, delivering the final blow to his hopes for a peaceful day, "I can use my healing powers to help you recover."
Leo's heart sank. Even the gentle Kaya had been corrupted by the others.
It was time to reestablish order in his "harem."
"All of you, follow me!!" he declared, standing up and striding towards the largest room on the Going Merry.
After a moment of shared, bashful glances, the women followed him, a line of eager anticipation.
The Going Merry sailed on through the sky, its passage startling flocks of birds. Inside, Leo gained a newfound appreciation for the Heal-Heal Fruit's powers. In that moment, he decided it was the most incredible reward he had ever received, bar none.
He thoroughly "disciplined" the women for their rebellious behavior. Through this shared... corrective session, the bonds between the women grew stronger, especially for Miss Valentine and Golden Week, who had once been their enemies.
"Captain," Miss Valentine said later, a mischievous glint in her eye, "Baroque Works still has the Vice President and that Zala girl. Are you interested?"
"Miss Valentine, you still don't get it, do you?" Nojiko interjected before Leo could answer. "I don't know those two, but if they're beautiful, they're probably already on the Captain's list."
The other women nodded in agreement. It seemed Leo had a talent for attracting beautiful women wherever he went. Their own experiences were proof enough.
"I've got it!" Vivi suddenly exclaimed. "Leo, you sought all of us out on purpose, didn't you?!"
Looking around at the circle of women—all of whom had now partaken of the "physique-enhancing" method—Vivi had a belated realization.
Leo reached out and gently booped her nose. "Congratulations, you figured it out."
But then his expression turned serious. "However, taking down Crocodile is also part of my plan." He looked towards the horizon. "We reach Alabasta tomorrow. Let's end this."
"Mm, I believe in you, Leo," Vivi said, snuggling contentedly against his chest, her gaze distant. The day she had waited for so long—the day to crush Crocodile's conspiracy and save her kingdom—was finally at hand.
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T/N :
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