"One twenty-one, one twenty-two, one twenty-three…"
Hahh… Almost at the limit.
Though both his arms were trembling uncontrollably, Bellamy gritted his teeth and pushed onward. Doing push-ups while wearing Sea Prism Stone felt like trying to perform strenuous exercise after starving for three days and nights. This type of training was not only excruciatingly difficult but also incredibly draining.
Yet, this was precisely what Bellamy needed.
After three days of relentless gorging, Bellamy and his crew had each gained ten kilograms. They desperately needed intense exercise to regain their figures. Furthermore, the nutrient content in the flesh of that hundred-meter-plus Sea King was significantly richer than that of smaller ones. For the past few days, they had all been practically vibrating with overflowing vitality, their bodies brimming with stamina and energy that felt ready to burst. Bellamy even felt an itching sensation deep within his bones. Measuring his height this morning, he confirmed he had indeed grown slightly taller. He now stood around two meters tall, still considerably shorter than the four-to-five-meter average height common among the truly strong individuals in this world.
Drawing from past experience, Bellamy knew this enhanced physical state wouldn't last long. He had to seize this opportunity, while the state persisted, to further refine his combat techniques and training methods.
Thus, Sea Prism Stone became an excellent choice.
With Bellamy's current physical condition, simply reaching his body's limit required an extensive warm-up; conventional weight training had become largely ineffective. Sea Prism Stone, however, served as an outstanding training tool. For Devil Fruit users, its debilitating effects were hundreds of times more potent than ordinary seawater. The moment he touched Sea Prism Stone, Bellamy would enter a weakened state within the blink of an eye—the kind where he couldn't lift heavy objects, carry weight on his shoulders, and would be gasping for breath after minimal exertion.
For the strong, it felt like falling from heaven straight into hell. No one enjoyed feeling like that, Bellamy included. But ever since discovering that this weakened state actually helped his body rapidly process the explosive reserves of stamina and energy within him, Bellamy had unhesitatingly chosen to use Sea Prism Stone to supplement his training.
Just over a hundred push-ups, and his body had already reached its absolute limit. Normally, Bellamy would need to train intensely for at least five hours straight to even begin touching that threshold.
Although he couldn't fathom the exact relationship between Devil Fruits and Sea Prism Stone, now that he had discovered the peculiar benefits this antagonistic interaction could produce when pushing his body, how could he possibly ignore it?
"One twenty-four, one twenty-five…"
A sharp cracking sound started emanating from his arm bones. After the one hundred and twenty-sixth push-up, Bellamy's arms finally succumbed to the immense pressure. They buckled violently, sending his entire body crashing hard onto the deck. His face slammed against the wood, drawing blood from his nose, and the Sea Prism Stone handcuffs resting on his back immediately tumbled off.
The instant the Sea Prism Stone's restraint was removed, an incredibly potent surge of vital energy erupted from within Bellamy's body. This was the absolute best state for comprehending Life Return.
Ignoring the need to get up, Bellamy quickly shut his eyes, meticulously savoring the sensation of life force circulating within him. This feeling was extraordinarily rare; he had expended immense effort, time, and endured significant costs just to capture it fleetingly twice before. If he could experience this kind of insight about ten more times, Bellamy was absolutely confident he could completely master Life Return.
He failed to notice his current, extremely undignified posture, though his crewmates on deck certainly did. However, none seemed inclined to point it out. They had long grown accustomed to their captain's ways; if he ever started acting normal, that would probably feel unsettling.
Drake, lifting dumbbells nearby, even found himself muttering internally, Does that pose actually help with training? Should I try learning it too?
Having spent so much time together, the crew knew each other extremely well. There was Drake, perpetually stoic; Mia, sharp-tongued and sly; Muret, utterly devoted to her younger brother; and Ross, cheeky and often obnoxious. And, of course, their fierce captain, Bellamy. The five of them had already formed a tightly-knit group with strong unspoken understanding. Adding or losing anyone now would only disrupt the team dynamic. For a long time to come, the Bellamy Pirates would likely see no new members.
Three days and nights had passed since the Sea Shark left the vicinity of the Calm Belt. Their destination was the nearest island. They weren't heading there for supplies—the ship was still well-stocked with jerky. Instead, their purpose was to gather a large quantity of medicinal herbs, allowing the two ladies to brew up some more "Blood Bait."
"Blood Bait" was the name Bellamy had given to that crimson potion Mia had dumped into the sea—a vividly accurate descriptor. That day had actually presented an excellent opportunity for hunting Sea Kings. However, the potion's effective range, roughly ten nautical miles, had proven too extensive. The area around the Calm Belt was practically a Sea King nesting ground; a ten-mile radius could easily attract dozens of them. Bellamy only needed one. In fact, even one slightly larger Sea King provided more meat than they could possibly consume before it spoiled.
If they could somehow control the Blood Bait's effective range, shrinking it to within one nautical mile… one could only imagine how effortless Sea King hunting would become. Simply pour the refined potion into the sea, toss out some lure onto the surface, and then sit back and wait for Sea Kings to charge eagerly towards their demise.
Of course, for the time being, only Bellamy himself could serve as the lure. Anyone without Observation Haki acting as bait would purely be courting death. Not just anyone could get swallowed whole by a Sea King and then forcibly punch their way out. The terrifying size of those beasts translated into horrifying strength and resilience. The mere involuntary contractions of their internal muscles would be enough to crush someone like Ross into paste within minutes. Using Iron Body would be utterly useless against such an absolute disparity in power.
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