The One Piece World, year 1512 of the Sea Circle Calendar.
East Blue, Cocoyasi Village.
Having just returned from chaos space, Yang Cheng felt the considerable increase in his body's strength, and excitement spread across his face.
He now had the dark power wielded by Devimon Yang Cheng, along with Sludge Monster Yang Cheng's ability to regenerate.
This gave him, only thirteen years old, much greater confidence in the One Piece World.
He wouldn't claim he could challenge the strongest figures on the seas, but he should at least be able to do as he pleased throughout the Four Blues.
Ever since he had transmigrated into this world and Bellemere had brought him back to Cocoyasi Village, Yang Cheng had kept training almost every day for nearly eight years.
Mastering the Six Powers required a superhuman physique.
Although people in the One Piece World generally had absurd physical constitutions, even after all those years of training day and night...
Yang Cheng had only mastered Shave, Kami-e, and Tempest Kick of the Six Powers.
In fact, he had only recently mastered Kami-e and Tempest Kick, after sharing the power of the Yang Chengs from other worlds and improving his physique.
As for Iron Body, Finger Pistol, and Geppo, he was still working them out.
It was precisely because he had experienced firsthand how difficult it was to train in the Six Powers that Yang Cheng understood just how absurd the so-called genius Rob Lucci was.
At the same age of thirteen, Rob Lucci had already mastered all six techniques and wiped out a five-hundred-man pirate crew single-handedly.
"Yang Cheng, come look at the new map I drew! Bellemere and Nojiko both said I had a talent for it."
While Yang Cheng was sorting through his recent gains, an orange-haired girl suddenly leaped onto his back.
He had been training his Observation Haki lately, and when he sensed someone lunging at him, he almost reacted on instinct.
But when he caught the faint scent of oranges in the air, his clenched fists immediately relaxed.
"Did you steal from the bookstore again? Watch out, Genzo might come knocking, and then Bellemere will give you another scolding."
The orange-haired girl had thrown herself onto Yang Cheng's back and hooked both arms around his neck, hanging off him. At his words, she puffed out her cheeks. "I didn't! I just borrowed them to read for a while.
"If nobody buys the books in the bookstore, they're just sitting there anyway.
"As long as I put them back when I'm finished, it isn't stealing. It's just borrowing."
Hearing the girl's twisted logic, Yang Cheng couldn't help smiling wryly.
Sure enough, this was the Nami he knew...
"If everyone in Cocoyasi Village thought like you, Uncle Yuri's bookstore would probably go out of business.
"I'll give you ten thousand Beli. Take it and pay Uncle Yuri back. You can keep the rest to buy new clothes.
"Didn't you say you didn't like always wearing Nojiko's hand-me-downs?"
The moment Nami saw the Beli note Yang Cheng held out to her, a brilliant smile lit up her face.
Although she had yet to experience the tragedy of her childhood, her "Cat Burglar" personality was already taking shape.
She was still young, but her money-loving nature was already there.
After retiring from the navy, Bellemere had raised the three of them, and money had never been plentiful.
Yang Cheng, however, had his own source of income. To train his body and push his limits...
Yang Cheng often went fishing in the sea or hunted animals in the island's mountain forests.
Bellemere had sternly forbidden him from taking such risks many times, telling him that doing something like that as a child was far too reckless.
Yet whenever Bellemere warned him, Yang Cheng would agree and admit his mistake, only to carry on doing exactly as before afterward.
After all, as Yang Cheng saw it, this world was dangerous to begin with. If something could help him improve, he wouldn't pass up a single opportunity to get stronger.
Besides, Garp had thrown Luffy and Ace into the deep mountain forests when they were only eight.
How could anyone grow stronger without taking a few risks, living comfortably all the time?
Yang Cheng usually sold whatever he caught, so despite being only a half-grown boy, he had quite a bit of money on hand.
As for why he didn't use that money to help Bellemere with the household expenses...
He went hunting behind her back. Wouldn't handing her the money amount to confessing without being asked?
"Keep spoiling her like that, and sooner or later you'll lead her astray."
Nami had just received the ten-thousand-Beli note and was happily wondering how to spend it when a girl with blue-purple hair walked over from the side and reproached Yang Cheng.
The girl wore a light, short-sleeved top and a red headband in her hair. She was about as tall as Yang Cheng was now, and her slender figure had begun to develop.
Although Yang Cheng, Nami, and Nojiko were all orphans Bellemere had adopted in the Ikot Kingdom, they were different ages.
When Bellemere adopted them, Nami was still a baby in swaddling clothes, while Nojiko was four and Yang Cheng was three.
In other words, Nami was now ten, Yang Cheng was thirteen, and Nojiko was already fourteen.
Nami paid Nojiko's reproach no mind. She even waved the ten-thousand-Beli note in her hand before hiding behind Yang Cheng and sticking her tongue out at Nojiko.
Because she was the youngest, Nami had always been the mischievous troublemaker in the family.
As the eldest sister, Nojiko was naturally more sensible, so the little rascal had received plenty of scoldings from her. That was also why Nami preferred spending time with Yang Cheng rather than Nojiko.
"Actually, I don't think that's such a bad thing. In a world like this, being too honest and well-behaved isn't necessarily good.
"I'd rather Nami be a little shrewd and crafty. At least that way, she won't get taken advantage of later.
"As long as she doesn't do anything truly wicked, I can accept a little willfulness or unruliness, even some petty pilfering. After all, she's my adorable little sister."
Yang Cheng's words made Nami even smugger. But just as Nojiko, unable to stand it any longer, was about to smack her, the little rascal hurriedly took to her heels.
Watching Nami run off with a brilliant grin, Nojiko finally let out a helpless sigh, then turned to Yang Cheng. "If Bellemere finds out you're teaching Nami like this, she'll be furious."
Yang Cheng brushed off Nojiko's words and said:
"Wasn't Bellemere famous around the village for being a troublemaker herself?
"As long as she's kind at heart, isn't that enough? Or do you think Nami will grow up to be a real villain, Nojiko?"
Yang Cheng's words left Nojiko unable to argue, because she knew that although Nami was very mischievous, she had always been kindhearted.
She might have been timid, but she could also be remarkably dependable when it mattered.
(Slacker's diary: I finally signed a contract. I'd originally sworn to write ten thousand characters every day from now on, give up lust and laziness, and stop being a slacker.
"But those damn group members kept sending sexy pictures to tempt me, saying that since I'd signed a contract, I ought to reward myself.
"I thought they had a very good point. After all, working hard tomorrow would be just as good, so...)
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