Although Ulti lost the battle, she earned Luo Xia's respect.
This girl's head was truly as hard as iron.
Even when bloodied and battered, she never retreated.
Right until the end, she insisted on clashing heads.
"Alright, your turn next." Luo Xia turned to Yamato.
"Huh?" Yamato was stunned. When realization dawned, she wanted to slap herself.
Why had she been so idle, standing there watching the show?
Was it really that interesting to watch Luo Xia and Ulti compete over who had the harder head?
Actually... it really was quite entertaining!
"You've had several hours to rest, so your stamina should be mostly recovered. From now until dawn, there'll be no more breaks," Luo Xia said.
"Noooooo~" The girl let out a despairing, helpless wail.
Even with ten thousand reluctances in her heart, training was still mandatory.
The entire night, the thunderous sounds from the back coast of Oni Island never ceased.
The next morning.
"Ah... AHHHH!"
Panicked shouts erupted from the Beast Pirates' grunts.
Hundreds of bodies lay strewn across the back coastal area.
Aside from the initial Page One and Ulti, several hundred more had been drawn by the commotion of the battle throughout the night.
At first, Luo Xia considered using them for additional training, but they proved too weak to provide any meaningful challenge.
In the end, Luo Xia focused entirely on Yamato, while "kindly" putting all the Beast Pirate grunts to sleep.
"W-what... what in the world happened?"
"Why is everyone knocked out?"
"Even Ulti-sama and Page One-sama were defeated!"
"Is there an intruder? Quick, report to Kaido-sama!"
The Beast Pirate grunts shouted in panic.
...
...
At that moment.
In Yamato's secret cave hideout on Oni Island's back mountain.
Luo Xia tossed the exhausted girl onto the straw-covered bed.
Casually conjuring a flame, he began grilling fish for breakfast.
After a night of intense training, Luo Xia's gains were substantial. His Armor Dragon Slayer Magic proficiency had increased by three percentage points, reaching 13%.
At this rate, three points a day would mean thirty in ten days, three hundred in a month... enough to max out the proficiency gauge.
Of course, this was the ideal scenario—reality wouldn't be so straightforward.
Dragon Slayer Magic proficiency increases fastest at the beginning, slowing down progressively.
It had taken Luo Xia nine full years to raise his Fire Dragon Slayer Magic to 80%.
After reaching 80, his progress completely stalled. No matter what he tried for an entire year, he couldn't reach 81.
He suspected some kind of limitation existed, possibly related to Dragon Force—a power he still hadn't figured out how to awaken.
Beyond the Armor Dragon Slayer Magic improvement, Luo Xia had also gathered useful intel.
For instance, the current year was 1516 on the Sea Circle Calendar, four years before the story's canonical beginning.
Yamato was only 22 now, while Ulti and Page One hadn't even joined the Tobi Roppo yet, having only recently eaten their Devil Fruits.
This explained many things—like why Yamato's Thunder Bagua felt so weak. She hadn't yet mastered Conqueror's Haki Infusion.
If it were Yamato from six years later, who could face Kaido head-on and even split his head open, she might be able to make him feel a slight sting.
"Mm... no more... Luo Xia, really, no more..."
In her sleep, Yamato murmured, her delicate body trembling occasionally, her pretty face flushed with discomfort.
Anyone who didn't know better might think she was having some wonderfully spring-like dream.
Luo Xia scratched his head and decided to give the girl, who had worked hard all night, a break. After all, you couldn't just keep shearing the same sheep relentlessly.
Though the Beast Pirates had plenty of weaklings, there were still a few Executives among them.
But before that, Luo Xia, who was also exhausted from the night's activities, decided to take a rest—perhaps by soaking in an open-air hot spring.
Huh? No open-air hot spring on Oni Island?
No problem! If there wasn't one, he'd just make one himself!
Luo Xia left Yamato's cave hideout and dug a half-meter-deep pit in the snow. He then piled it high with snow, unleashed a Fire Dragon's Roar, and watched as the snow melted and then boiled. A simple open-air hot spring was born.
"Ahh~ so comfortable~"
...
...
Meanwhile.
While Luo Xia was blissfully relaxing in his makeshift hot spring...
The Beast Pirates' headquarters was in complete chaos.
"Ow ow ow, it hurts so much~"
Drip... drip...
Large teardrops rolled down the fair cheeks of the young girl.
"I said my head hurts! Can't you hear me, Pagey?"
Not receiving any comfort from her younger brother, Ulti couldn't help but stomp on Page One's arm with her high heels.
"Ow ow ow! Stop! Stop it already, you idiot sister! You think you're the only one in pain? My whole body feels like it's falling apart!"
Page One yelped repeatedly.
"Seriously, that guy's a total monster... What the hell is his body even made of?"
"Exactly! This is the first time I've ever met someone so ridiculously tough."
Ulti grumbled while continuing to kick her brother in frustration.
"Alright, alright, Ulti-chan, hold still. Let me apply some medicine for you."
Black Maria, towering like a petite giantess, spoke gently as she tended to the bruise on Ulti's forehead.
In Kaido of the Beasts' private quarters...
"Kaido-sama, just who is that man you brought back?"
King the Conflagration, the second-in-command of the Beasts Pirates, asked solemnly.
"Wororororo, so you went to watch last night too?" Kaido replied.
"Yeah!"
King nodded.
He had already been somewhat curious about the newcomer Kaido had brought back.
With such a huge commotion at the back coast, it was impossible for a powerhouse like him not to notice.
While Luo Xia was sparring with Yamato and the others, King had been observing the entire scene from the sky.
"That guy's a native monster I found on a secluded beast island. Even I had to put in some effort to finally subdue him. King, what if I told you that even you might not be a match for that brat? Would you believe me?" Kaido asked.
King remained silent, though a hint of defiance flickered deep in his eyes.
After a long pause...
"His strength is indeed exceptional. But the question is—can he be trusted?" King voiced his concern. His instincts told him Luo Xia wasn't the type to stay obedient.
"Wororororo, no need to worry. He's just a naive native kid who's never seen the world. He's never tasted the good things—money, power, women... Once he experiences the benefits of being here, do you really think we can't win him over?"
Gulp...
Gulp...
As he spoke, Kaido of the Beasts downed his drink heartily.
"Hic~ Let me sleep a little longer. Don't wake me unless it's important."
Noon at Oni Island's Skull Hall.
"Lord Jack has returned from Kuri~"
The clamor of pirates rose throughout the hall.
"What the hell happened here? Who did this to you all?"
The Beasts Pirates' newly appointed Calamity, Drought Calamity Jack, stared wide-eyed at the crowd of battered men sprawled across the hall, bloodshot veins visible in his eyes.
"Lord Jack, it was that new recruit the Governor Kaido brought back yesterday!"
"That newcomer fights like a damn monster, and he's a complete troublemaker!"
"Even Lady Ulti got taken down by him!"
The bandaged pirates took turns complaining.
"Lord Jack, if you encounter him, be careful. That guy's seriously strong."
One pirate offered well-meaning advice, only to receive a furious glare from Drought Calamity Jack.
"Who the hell do you think I am? Bring that bastard to me!"
"Were you looking for me?"