NOVEL NEXT Chapter 27: Training
"A simple form of training."
How could Luffy not love it? After all... he's always been a bit of a nobody.
When it came to training, he could never compare to the Luffy of his past life. If it weren't for the system helping him, he might have already given up on the whole idea of training altogether.
Right now, though, Luffy felt like training was the easiest thing in the world.
"Luffy!" said the girl with the big, playful eyes, looking curiously at him, "Why are you so excited?"
Luffy paused, then grinned.
"I was just thinking about how I can help all of you start your training," he said. "The sooner we begin, the better."
With that, he suddenly gave her a playful swat on her backside.
"Ouch!" she squealed, more startled than hurt. Oddly enough, she wasn't mad, just staring up at him in a daze, her expression utterly adorable.
"Hm!" Luffy nodded approvingly, then said, "So, all of you want to train, huh? Well then, let me check your basic talent."
All of them perked up, excitement lighting their faces. If training under Luffy meant gaining strength, they'd be even more capable of assisting the Empress in the future.
Soon, they all followed him outside, and Luffy took a seat on a nearby log, looking thoughtfully at them before motioning to the playful girl.
"You!" he said, pointing, "Come sit on my lap."
Stunned, she stared back at him, her expression flustered.
"Your… lap?" she echoed, cheeks reddening.
Luffy nodded. "What, having second thoughts? Ready to give up your training slot already?"
Hearing this, she quickly rushed forward, saying, "Like this?"
She perched herself gingerly on his knee, her movements cautious.
Luffy shook his head, sighing, "You're a real dummy. That's my knee, not my lap. Move closer."
She blinked, then scooted inward. Luffy considered it a moment before correcting her, "Nope, not close enough. About twelve inches more."
Twelve inches?! That would put her right in his lap! But looking at Luffy's firm, no-nonsense expression, she decided he must be serious. After all, the Empress had made it clear: Luffy was to be trusted completely. So, she took a deep breath and did as he said, snuggling in closer.
"Yes," Luffy said, studying her thoughtfully, "Your innate talent's not bad at all."
Her face lit up with excitement. "Really?! So I can train now, right, Luffy?"
Luffy nodded with a grin, and she happily asked how soon she could start.
"It's late," Luffy said. "Let's wait till morning."
Honestly, he was a little tired; he'd already pushed his stamina earlier.
She pouted slightly but seemed satisfied, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
The other five beauties soon lined up for their own turn to be tested, each eager to prove herself. Luffy went down the line, giving each a nod of approval.
"Nice!" Luffy finally said. "You're all good to go."
Then he decided to rank them—not based on talent, though, but by their charm. First was the big-wavy haired beauty(Luna), second the Orange-haired one(Ava), third the girl in the pink dress(Lizzy), fourth the playful girl(Emily), fifth the one in overalls(Amelia), and sixth the one in green shorts(Lori). If Aimee were in the mix, she'd probably rank fourth.
But either way, Luffy was thrilled. Each one was an absolute stunner, capable of putting even top beauties from his past life to shame. He couldn't stop grinning.
"Hm?" Suddenly, something changed in him. After seeing so many beautiful women in one go, his exhausted energy... actually began to return a bit.
"Alright!" he declared, looking at the girl in the green shorts. "You. You're training with me tonight."
Caught off guard, she stammered, "Luffy! What do you mean?"
He rephrased, saying, "I meant, tonight... I'll have the time to help you train. Do you want to start?"
Her face lit up with joy as she clasped her hands together. "Yes, yes! Thank you, Luffy! I'll make sure I train so hard!"
The others, however, weren't quite as thrilled.
"That's not fair, Luffy!" Emily pouted, "You tested me first, so you should train me first."
The others nodded in agreement. "Yeah! That's so unfair!"
Luffy raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Alright, alright! You'll all have your chance later. Just be patient; we'll take it slow."
That seemed to settle things, and soon he led them back inside. Inside, Aimee was still sound asleep. He shifted her gently to make room.
"Alright," he said, looking at Lori with a calm smile, "Let's begin your training."
She looked up at him, a bit unsure of what he meant by "training," her expression showing she was lost.
Luffy stepped closer, and she took a step back, her voice small as she stammered, "W-What are you trying to do, Luffy?"
For a moment, a shadow of hesitation crossed her face, even though he was undeniably attractive. But still... she found herself resisting.
Seeing this, Luffy muttered to himself, "Wait… this doesn't make sense. Aimee was fine with it. Why's she (Lori) so resistant?"
He thought hard for a moment, realizing what was missing. Earlier, he had subconsciously used his Conqueror's Haki, which seemed to have had a slight influence on Aimee, making her more agreeable. Without realizing it, his aura had softened her perception of him, heightening his appeal. Even though he hadn't intended it, the effect had been significant.
Grasping this, he concentrated, unleashing a controlled pulse of Conqueror's Haki.
A faint ripple of energy enveloped Lori.
Instantly, her expression went blank.
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T/N:
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