The Second Week in the Monster Mountain Range
Now that Luffy could hunt monsters and eat his fill, his physical strength and Haki reserves had noticeably increased.
He was a bottomless pit of energy, refueling his body with high-protein monster meat after every brawl.
Sanji had mastered Geppo to a new level, now able to walk on air for three full minutes without landing.
Zoro's sword slash grew increasingly potent; he could now slice through the hardened shells of 'Small Fry Monsters' without even needing to coat his blades in Haki.
Usopp, inspired by Sango's teachings, crafted more hidden weapons using monster carcasses as materials.
The claws and fangs he harvested were of exceptionally high quality, far surpassing ordinary steel.
....
The Third Week
Chopper became more proficient in using Haki.
After transforming with a Rumble Ball, he could maintain his powerful Monster Point for half an hour, eliminating the need for additional consumption during battles.
Robin's Hana Hana no Mi ability improved drastically.
She went from producing a maximum of 2,000 arm clones to 4,000, doubling her battlefield control.
Nami, meanwhile, learned to create thunderclouds inside her Clima-Tact, significantly reducing the charge time for her lightning-based skills.
Every day, the crew dedicated over three hours to sparring.
Zoro fought Sanji; Nami practiced evasion against Robin; Usopp tested his traps on Chopper.
As for Luffy, he fought daily against the massive monster 'mini-bosses' that roamed the deeper woods.
He won some, he lost some.
When injured, he would feast heartily, receive treatment from Chopper and bounce back stronger the next day.
....
The Fourth Week
Luffy successfully executed two Gear Third attacks infused with Armament Haki.
Within a 10-kilometer radius, no mini-boss could stand against him.
The Tiger Demon that hadn't died in their first encounter had essentially become the Straw Hat Pirates' pet.
It now guarded the cave entrance daily like a terrified door god.
Zoro often practiced his "Three Sword Style: Tora Gari" on the poor beast.
The power of his skills grew formidable; when he executed the technique, one could distinctly sense the majesty of a forest king radiating from him.
Unconsciously, Zoro felt a powerful ability awakening within him.
Sanji became more skilled with Geppo and Soru.
As his physique strengthened, he noticed his muscle density increasing at an alarming rate.
A terrifying thought crossed his mind.
'If this is what it takes to rescue Ray, I can accept it. But if I truly become a muscle-bound monster like that moss-head, I must have Ray cut me down.'
Robin and Nami's physical constitutions also grew tougher.
Both were determined to master basic Armament Haki coating within the remaining time.
Similarly, Usopp's Observation Haki grew daily, but he knew that for an elite sniper to survive in the New World, mastering Armament Haki was essential.
As for Chopper, besides his combat improvements, he discovered many strange herbs in this mystical land.
Some were medicinal, while others possessed bizarre abilities, almost like plant yokai.
He gave all those strange seeds to Usopp for the weapons master to study.
…
The Monthly Review
Today was the final day of the first month.
Organized by Luffy, the Straw Hat Pirates sat cross-legged inside the cave for their monthly review meeting.
Their original clothes were tattered beyond repair; now they wore garments cobbled together from leaves and animal hides, looking like a tribe of wild warriors.
Luffy began with a brief address.
"Ahem! Our crew has accomplished many great things this month. As for what exactly... uh... let Nami report, since I don't really get it."
And just like that, the boss logged off, picking up a freshly roasted bear demon paw and digging in.
Secretary Nami stepped into the center of the circle.
She was dressed in a tiger fur vest and a snakeskin bodycon skirt, wearing wooden-soled wolfskin high heels she'd fashioned herself.
"Awooo~~ Nami-swan is so beautiful, whee-whee~" Sanji whistled, playing the role of atmosphere booster perfectly.
"Sanji, quiet down," Nami said, though she smiled. "Over this past month, each of us has made significant progress. First, let's give ourselves a round of applause! But..."
Her expression turned serious.
She went on to summarize the strategy she had developed with Robin and Usopp.
"Our goal is to defeat Sesshomaru. So, everyone's improvement must focus on countering him specifically. Ray previously assigned us a task: to memorize 'The Detailed Explanation of Haki.' This book contains the solution."
She pointed to a diagram drawn in the dirt.
"Our biggest challenge is hitting him. We failed to break through the Demonic Power surrounding his body. Among the variations of Armament Haki, there is one technique we need: 'Flowing Cherry' (Ryou)! Unlike simple coating, this Haki flows outside the body, capable of damaging the enemy without direct contact."
She looked at the monster trio.
"At minimum, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji must learn this. You three are the frontline. You must be able to engage him."
"Everyone else needs to master basic coating to enhance attack power," Nami continued. "I'm a special case—lightning doesn't mix easily with Haki, so I'll focus on increasing voltage. Usopp, you need to develop vicious hidden weapons to disrupt his rhythm."
She looked at Robin and Chopper. "It would be best if you two could also learn Ryuo. If not, your primary task is protecting the backline—me and Usopp."
As they continued talking, the summary meeting gradually turned into a full-blown raid strategy session.
It was like a guild sitting together, discussing how to take down the final boss.
...
Meanwhile...
The day after the meeting, Ray led Rin, Jaken, A-Un, and Chouchou toward a certain mountain village.
During the first three weeks, Ray had actually stayed close to the Straw Hats.
He had planned to use his Sesshomaru persona to beat them up periodically, fearing they would slack off without pressure.
But he never had to.
By the end of the third week, every member was still training with fanatical intensity, throwing themselves into life-or-death combat daily.
Under such strain, adding more pressure might break them.
Watching them from afar, Ray's lonely heart surged with warmth.
'They were truly giving their all to save me.'
One night, Chouchou had involuntarily reminded him, "Master, you're bound to face their complaints later. Maybe everyone will get angry and ignore you."
Ray had snorted coldly, appearing unconcerned.
But in reality, a seed of anxiety had taken root.
He was afraid of losing such a unique group of companions.
"Huh. It's all for their survival later on," Ray muttered to himself.
Chouchou said no more.
He knew the difficulties awaiting them back in their own world.
...
Ray arrived before a village, gazing at a giant demon head resting on the ground.
He fell into thought. The teeth of this demon still carried the aura of Tessaiga.
'It seems this was Naraku's incarnation, Goshinki—the one who bit through Tessaiga.'
To trigger the next stage of Tenseiga's trial, Ray picked up Goshinki's head.
"Rin, stay in the woods and don't wander off. A-Un, Chouchou, protect Rin well."
"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama." "Understood, Master." "Moo!"
Ray grabbed Jaken and flew toward a certain forge from his memories.
As he traveled, he recalled the powerful demonic energy he had sensed earlier.
'This should be Inuyasha's demon transformation. My current feelings are full of confusion, puzzlement... and a slight sense of relief? Heh, Sesshomaru, you've truly changed after all. Or perhaps this is the real you?'
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