One Piece: Absolute Domination; Reborn as Luffy

Chapter 25: Playful and Cute

"Gulp!~"

"Gulp!~"

"Gulp!~"

Luffy tore into the roasted meat with wild abandon, feeling his wounds heal at an astonishing rate. The sensation was incredible, leaving him feeling almost euphoric.

Beside him, Aimee watched quietly, captivated by the adorable yet rugged energy radiating from Luffy. In that moment, she found herself falling for the man in front of her.

"He...," Aimee murmured softly, "They say certain men possess an irresistible charm. I think Luffy has that same allure."

Aimee had heard rumors about men, their magnetism, and what it meant to have one's heart stolen. Coming from a place without men, the women in her homeland often filled their conversations with stories of adventure and romantic tales. The most courageous, legendary names were whispered in awe—men like the Pirate King Roger, Whitebeard, Sengoku, and Garp. She'd grown up hearing these stories, dreaming of the day she might meet a man who lived up to the heroism and charm of those tales. But she knew these stories were just that, tales. Reality would likely never measure up.

But now, she finally understood what they meant. Watching Luffy—this young, simple, and kind-hearted guy with a kind of charisma she couldn't quite explain—she knew she had met a man who embodied all those dreams.

While Aimee was lost in admiration, Luffy remained oblivious, eating hungrily, savoring each bite.

"It's not enough!" Luffy shouted, throwing another log on the fire. The flames crackled even higher as more birds and even mammals ran directly toward him from the nearby woods.

Unconsciously, Luffy's mastery over his Conqueror's Haki grew sharper and more efficient.

"Hm?" Suddenly, Luffy noticed that his Conqueror's Haki level had inched upward.

[Conqueror's Haki Level: 67/100!]

"67!" Luffy's eyes widened with surprise. Despite his previous attempts, he'd struggled to increase his Haki level, yet now it had surged by a full point. All he was doing was...eating.

"Maybe it's from all the controlling," he mused, nodding to himself. With the relentless exertion of his Haki, Luffy's control over the animals had sharpened, and his power had risen along with it.

This training method was as fun as it was effective. Back when he'd been pushing himself, improvement had been painstakingly slow. But now, by relaxing, the power came naturally.

"I'm a lazy guy," Luffy declared, grinning. "This training style... this is it! I love it!"

All day, Luffy roasted everything that came his way, devouring nearly every bird and animal within the area. By the time he finally looked up, the sun had dipped low, and the forest around him had fallen silent, empty of any movement.

"Ahahaha!" He wiped his mouth, satisfied. Every ounce of fatigue, every injury, had been erased. Even the pain in his chest had completely vanished. Luffy tugged his shirt aside to check his chest and, sure enough, there was no sign of a wound.

"Ahaha!" Luffy laughed, marveling at the fact that he'd practically eaten his injuries away. He'd even grown stronger; his Haki level had increased, though only slightly since that initial point.

"Guess I used up my first burst of luck," he muttered. He knew that this system of training could become immune to repeated methods. But the healing he felt now was unmatched; he'd never felt so completely revitalized.

"Feels like a dream!" He stretched, letting out a groan of pleasure as he felt his muscles loosen and his limbs energize.

"Hm?" Luffy looked down, noticing he was taller than Aimee now. He chuckled, remembering that earlier they'd been about the same height, but now he stood a good four inches above her.

Luffy laughed, pleased with his growth. His height was now pushing six feet, and for Luffy, height mattered—especially in this wild world of giants. He looked at Aimee, noticing that she had observed the change as well.

"Luffy!" she gasped. "You... you're taller! Weren't we the same height just this morning?"

Aimee's awe and admiration were unmistakable. Her wide eyes and flushed cheeks betrayed the growing affection she held for him, something that only deepened with every laugh that escaped Luffy's lips.

"Ahaha! Aimee, you look even more beautiful in this light," Luffy said, meaning it. The twilight glow cast a soft haze over her, highlighting the sparkle in her eyes and the delicate flush of her cheeks. She was stunning.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still.

"Ah..." Aimee's cheeks reddened even more, her expression flustered and endearing.

A spark of emotion ignited in Luffy's chest, a warmth that spread like a wildfire. Without thinking, he reached out, scooping her up in his arms and carrying her toward the cabin. Aimee, seemingly too shocked to speak, let herself relax in his arms, her mind spinning.

"Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!"

The sounds from the cabin echoed through the woods, filling the forest air with soft gasps and muffled cries.

"Is someone... crying?" a voice murmured, a slight hint of worry in the tone.

At that moment, a group of strikingly beautiful women emerged from the trees. Their flowing locks, elegant features, and powerful presences made them impossible to ignore. They were each a vision, stunning in their own way, and standing together, they looked like a procession of queens. Pushing a cart filled with food and supplies, the women approached cautiously, unsure of what to make of the noises coming from the cabin.

The woman in green shorts, with a curious smile, tilted her head. "Is someone... crying in there?"

Another woman, her dark hair cascading like a waterfall over her shoulders, shook her head. "No, no. That doesn't sound like sadness to me. It sounds like... happiness."

The woman in green shorts gave her friend a skeptical look. "No way. That yelling's been echoing for ages. How can that be happy?"

The other woman shrugged, her lips quirking into a knowing smile. "Trust me, I know women's emotions better than anyone. That's the sound of pure joy."

The two exchanged amused glances, while another woman with striking orange hair stepped forward, silencing them with a firm gesture.

"All right, enough with the guessing. Whether it's laughter or tears, it must be someone we know," she said with a grin. "It has to be Aimee—who else could it be?"

The women shared a few knowing looks, their soft laughter filling the evening air. In this desolate island, there were few options; aside from their friend Aimee, only Luffy and Rayleigh lived here.

"Ah, it must be her," murmured the woman in the orange hair, smiling. Aimee was the youngest among them, a bright and curious soul, endearing to everyone who knew her.

"What's she doing in there?"

"Why is she making those sounds?"

"And... those emotions in her voice..."

"It's so... complex," commented a girl in overalls, looking puzzled.

Indeed, Aimee's voice carried a storm of shifting emotions—neither simple pain nor joy. It was something that words alone couldn't capture.

The girls were stumped. But whatever was going on, Aimee was their friend, and they felt compelled to investigate.

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T/N:
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