Believe It or Not, When I Go Bald, I'll Punch Your Chest with My Little Fists

"My poor child~" Xue Fazi took the unconscious Bred from Mosquito Girl's arms, her face full of heartache. Familiar with the routine, she placed him on the bed and used the prepared water and towel to clean the grime from him. Worried, she said, "It's been a whole week already. Every day, Bred pushes himself until he's utterly exhausted and covered in injuries. This has gone beyond working hard—it's outright self-abuse! Laskey? Laskey!"

Folding up his newspaper, Laskey met his wife's anxious, faintly irritated gaze and said helplessly, "I can't persuade him, Xue Fazi. You know Bred is a child with a mind of his own."

"You!" Xue Fazi fumed and turned her back to him in silence.

Letting out a long breath, Laskey sighed. "Sis, the accident involving my sister and brother-in-law affected Bred far more deeply than I imagined. It didn't just push Bred—who inherited his parents' excellent genes and matured early—toward emotional maturity at a rapid pace. The cruel reality even made him panic and feel afraid. But he isn't lost. Once he believes he's no longer weak, I think he'll stop."

As expected of an elite agent, Laskey had roughly and accurately judged Bred's state of mind through observation.

No one wanted to train until they collapsed from shock every day, enduring pain that sliced through their muscles like blades, limbs that felt broken, and internal organs that seemed to be burning. Who wouldn't rather hide in an air-conditioned room during the sweltering summer, eating watermelon and cold drinks while comfortably indulging in a few hobbies?

Bred liked comfort too, but he understood the world's dangers even better. So, subconsciously, he endlessly magnified the unease in his heart, hypnotizing himself over and over: If I don't risk my life now, I could die at any moment in the future. He forcibly drove himself onward.

"He's only six!" Xue Fazi carefully tended to Bred, feeding him salt water one spoonful at a time. "His body will collapse sooner or later!"

But Laskey said seriously, "Never underestimate human potential, and especially never underestimate Bred's willpower, Xue Fazi."

"And don't underestimate how a housewife worries every day about her family's safety and well-being either, you bastard!" Xue Fazi puffed up her cheeks, tucked Bred's blanket around him, rolled up her sleeves, and headed for the kitchen.

Laskey bared his teeth in an awkward grin and obediently pretended to be invisible.

"Hissss~~~"

A pained cry.

"Bred, you're awake!" Mosquito Girl suddenly came alive. Literally alive—just a moment ago, she had looked like a gloomy statue.

Bred stared at the ceiling. "At Auntie's house again?"

"If I took you home, I still wouldn't know how to take care of you properly. I'm sorry, Bred," Mosquito Girl said awkwardly.

"It's fine." Bred struggled into a sitting position. When his eyes met Laskey's, he politely dipped his head in greeting. "Sorry to trouble you, Uncle Laskey."

Laskey smiled. "No need to be so polite, Bred. Aside from Xue Fazi, you're my only family left."

"Can I ask a question?" Bred said.

Laskey held out a hand. "What are you confused about?"

"Power. I want to know what kinds of power exist in this world, and what they are," Bred said solemnly.

"Isn't that a little too early for you?" Laskey hesitated.

"I just want to understand, nothing else. As for actual methods of cultivating those powers, I'm guessing Cipher Pol Agent Academy won't hesitate to teach them."

"All right." Laskey moved his chair closer to Bred. "Power is a very broad and complicated subject. Um... for a moment, I've forgotten where to begin."

Bred considered it. "What kind of power are you good at?"

"Haki, the Six Powers, and firearms proficiency." Laskey slapped his forehead. "Got it! Everyone in the world possesses latent energy. It's something people are born with, but most don't know it exists, much less how to use it. They live out their lives in ignorance. Only a small number know it exists and understand how to awaken and use it through systematic training."

Bred listened attentively.

"The most common ways of using the body's energy fall into three categories: Haki, Nen, and chakra. There are also methods like hand-to-hand martial arts and swordsmanship. Fundamentally, they all lead to much the same destination." Laskey said, "Beyond powers that can be obtained through one's own effort, there are also Devil Fruits, Imperial Arms, scientific technology, unknown creations, and all sorts of other things."

"That's it?" Bred had been looking forward to it for so long, but Laskey had already finished his explanation.

Laskey smiled. "Didn't you say you only wanted a basic understanding?"

"..."

Laskey spoke earnestly and seriously. "Cast aside those distracting thoughts, Bred! Whether it's methods of using bodily energy or powers humans can obtain through their own efforts, they all require a good body to support them."

"Okay." Bred agreed readily.

He agreed readily enough, but the next day after school, when Bred continued running around the back mountain of Cipher Pol Agent Academy, he tied a strip of cloth over his eyes.

"Bang!"

"Thud!"

"Aahhh~~~"

"..."

"Hey! You're bleeding, Bred!" Tornado was practically speechless. "What the hell are you doing?"

Bred worked hard to adapt to the weightless disorientation of being unable to see, along with the fear of the unknown ahead of him. He answered concisely, "Trying to cultivate Observation Haki."

"Huh?!" Tornado was extremely irritated, folding her arms. "You've been acting weird these past few days. You're no fun at all, and you won't even talk to me!"

Bred crashed headfirst into a pine trunk again and fell over with a sigh. "I'm not you, Tornado! You're an exceptional genius, born with terrifying strength—enough to protect yourself and your sister. I'm different. I have to stake my life to gain power..."

"That's why you insist on doing a hundred sit-ups, a hundred push-ups, a hundred squats, and running ten kilometers?" Tornado curled her lip, cutting Bred off. "Boring."

Bred: "..."

Just wait until I go bald. I'll punch you in the chest until it explodes.

Bred did not mind going bald if it meant becoming stronger.

The next second—

Bred clearly felt as though he were bathing in a warm current, as if something had enveloped him.

Though Tornado's words were sharp, she wrapped Bred in an inexplicable protective layer. With a haughty snort, she said, "Go fall to your death, you big idiot!"

"Thank you," Bred said sincerely.

Tornado turned her head away, her face bright red as she stammered awkwardly, "W-W-Who wants your stupid thanks!"

"But there's no need," Bred added.

Tornado: "..."

"Pain helps me grow. You don't need to worry about me, my friend." Bred flashed a brilliant smile.

That early morning, the dawn shone down like holy light. Standing amid the blooming wildflowers, Bred was indescribably beautiful, like something out of a painting.

"So... I can be influenced by someone too? Feel happiness from the bottom of my heart?" Tornado murmured blankly, "Bred~"