Life on Ring Island (Part 1)

Luo Han chose a fish similar to an Earth tuna, weighing around a hundred jin.

Then Luo Han carried the fish back to the home he shared with Grandma Mo on the ninth and highest level. Since it was close to the top of Ring Island, Luo Han had loved going up there ever since he was little.

After discovering Green Cliff, the only part of Ring Island that jutted outward, he had loved going there to look at the distant scenery. Perhaps it was nostalgia for his previous life. Over time, he gradually got used to going there every day.

When he reached the cave entrance of their home, Grandma Mo had already started the fire.

"Little Han, you're back! Hurry inside!" Grandma Mo's face lit up when she saw Luo Han return.

"Grandma, wait a moment. Once I finish preparing this plump fish, we can start cooking it." Luo Han hurriedly set down the fish and spoke to Grandma Mo.

Then he began cleaning the fish. Before long, Luo Han had finished preparing it and sliced it into pieces.

By then, the water Grandma Mo had set over the fire had come to a boil.

Luo Han began putting the fish into the Stone Pot, then added some Sea Salt and a special spice unique to the island. After that, it was ready to eat.

"Alright! It's ready, Grandma!" Luo Han said, picking up a stone bowl and handing it to Grandma Mo.

"Good. Little Han, you need to eat more! After eating the Scale Fruit, your appetite has grown, so you need to eat plenty." Grandma Mo stroked Luo Han's head as she accepted the stone bowl from him.

Steam rose from the white Stone Pot, and the fragrance of fish filled the entire Stone Hut. It was a warm, peaceful scene.

"Mm! Grandma, try this piece of meat! It's really delicious!" Luo Han picked up a piece of fish for her.

Grandma Mo smiled. "Mm! Grandma will give you a piece too!"

Time passed over an ordinary family meal. After they finished eating and Luo Han cleaned up, he said to Grandma Mo, "Grandma, I'm done cleaning up. I'm going to play with Little Fatty."

"Be careful, and remember to come back early to sleep!" With that, she bent down and began preparing to pickle the fish left over from dinner.

Luo Han nodded. "Mm-hm, got it."

Then he left.

Before long, Luo Han and Little Fatty arrived at the top of Ring Island. The island was covered in all sorts of grasses and plants, and the spices grew there as well. It looked like a green hat, sweat...

The island's summit was beautiful at night. Soft moonlight spilled across the grass, paired with a brilliant starry sky. At that moment, Luo Han felt as though he could embrace the entire universe.

Only in the One Piece World could one enjoy such beauty.

"Cole, have you ever thought about the future?" Sitting on the grass at Green Cliff, Luo Han asked absentmindedly as Little Fatty lay beside him.

"The future? I want to eat lots and lots of meat, hehe..." Cole said with a grin, a blade of grass in his mouth.

"Cole, do you want to go out to sea?"

"Like the pirates the old people talk about?"

"Mm! Something like that."

"But Dad says there are lots of huge monsters outside the island. They eat people, so we can't go out to sea."

"I heard huge monster meat is delicious. I wonder if that's true...?" Luo Han said with a smile as he looked at Cole.

"Really?!! Then when are we going out to sea..." Looking at the drool dripping from Cole's mouth along with bits of grass, what could Luo Han say? He could only say that the law of deliciousness was impossible to escape anywhere.

"I'm going out to sea, Cole. If you want to go when the time comes, we'll head out together." Luo Han stood up and looked at the stars, his voice resolute.

"Now, let's begin our daily training!"

As he spoke, he pulled Cole up and began sparring with him—in other words, "fighting..."

The islanders had practiced a set of Military Fist since childhood. In Luo Han's eyes, it was simply a sequence of boxing moves, much like the Military Fist he had learned in university in his previous life.

Luo Han and Cole had practiced since they were five years old. Even now, they had not achieved much with it, but Luo Han still dragged Cole out to train every night.

As they practiced, Luo Han suddenly noticed something was off. Why did this chubby Cole seem faster? His strength had grown too.

During their usual sparring, I was always the one playing Little Fatty around. Why could Cole not only keep up with my speed today, but even move a little faster than me? He was already stronger than me, and now he's even stronger.

"Cole! Why did you suddenly get stronger today?" Luo Han stopped and asked the chubby boy.

"I don't know either! It should be the Scale Fruit's transformation and enhancement! Didn't Brother Rhine say that training improves the transformation effect?" Cole stopped as well, speaking excitedly.

"That doesn't make sense. I ate one too, so why don't I feel as..." Luo Han understood what was happening. So it was because he had eaten a Devil Fruit rather than a Scale Fruit, and his body had not received any transformation or enhancement.

It was truly hard to put into words!!!

"Forget it, Cole. You keep practicing for now! I'll train by myself."

Luo Han waved his hand, walked to the side, and sat down, carefully considering the road ahead.

In that case, his path to becoming stronger would have to be delayed. Fortunately, he would still have another chance to eat a Scale Fruit. For the next four years, he would focus on developing the Mind Fruit!

Meanwhile, Cole excitedly practiced Military Fist nearby, and it had already begun to carry a certain momentum. It seemed this set of Military Fist would only begin to display its true power after eating a Scale Fruit.

Luo Han also needed to think carefully about how to develop the Mind Fruit next.

Examining himself, his current physique had not been developed by the Scale Fruit, so he could only be considered an ordinary person. But his mental strength should have improved. After all, he had awakened Observation Haki after eating the Mind Fruit.

What he lacked now was strength. How could he increase it? There was no point thinking about his body! Before obtaining the next Scale Fruit, no matter how much he practiced Military Fist, his strength would not increase much.

He could only look to the Mind Fruit's abilities. What mental abilities could manifest as strength?

I've got it! Even among countless superpowers, there was one cool ability that made people envious: Psychokinesis. The ability to repel everything with a wave of the hand. With a glare, an unstoppable force could strike an enemy's body. It had once been the superpower countless people dreamed of as children.

It was decided. He would develop Psychokinesis.

Next, he needed to refine the conceptual framework of Psychokinesis, then communicate through the Mind Fruit's power to manifest it.

With a goal in mind, Luo Han cast aside his earlier frustration over not receiving the Scale Fruit's transformation and enhancement and focused on developing his ability.

After practicing for roughly three shichen, Luo Han called Cole and headed back with him. After agreeing at his doorstep that they would continue training at Green Cliff tomorrow night, Luo Han went home.

Mm! Chubby Cole's home was right next to Luo Han's. That was also why Cole and Luo Han often played together!

When he returned home and opened the door, the fish-oil lamp was still lit. Grandma Mo sat on a stone stool, tending to her salted fish and turning it over piece by piece.

Luo Han walked over with a smile. "Grandma, are you finished? Do you need my help?"

"Little Han, you're back. No need to help! Grandma has already finished. Go rest quickly! Grandma is going to rest too! Hehe..." Grandma Mo smiled when she saw Luo Han and said she was going to rest as well, but her body did not move.

Luo Han did not insist and walked into the inner cave where he slept. He knew this was Grandma Mo's love for him, so Luo Han never refused her care.

But in everyday life, he would also help Grandma Mo more.