Ace felt a pleasant warmth radiating through his entire body. The food he had just eaten was being digested at an incredible pace… and the energy released from that digestion was being absorbed by every cell in his body with terrifying speed.
"So this is Total Absorption...?"
He instinctively clenched his fists, marveling at the strength now surging through them—far more than just moments ago.
He had only eaten, yet his body had already grown stronger. He was finally developing the kind of monstrous physique that defined so many in the world of pirates.
Having read the original manga, Ace knew full well: in this world, anyone dubbed a monster had one thing in common—superhuman digestive and absorptive abilities.
Endless amounts of food, processed and absorbed without waste—that's what forged those inhuman bodies.
But his technique, Total Absorption, didn't just digest food fast—it instantly converted it into raw physical power. It far surpassed the normal limits of even the strongest monsters he knew.
Ace couldn't help but feel pleased with himself for mastering such a skill.
And more importantly… he no longer had to live like a normal baby and drink milk.
He shuddered at the mere thought—Dadan feeding him milk.
That image alone made his whole body twitch.
"Hey, Boss… d-doesn't it look like this little brat got… bigger?"
Dogra, still crouched nearby, looked uncertain as he squinted at the baby in front of him.
"Y-yeah… it does seem that way," Dadan replied, blinking in disbelief.
Years of being a mountain bandit had trained Dadan's eyes well—Ace had clearly grown. Not by much, but enough to notice.
Still, how could she possibly accept that as reality?
She'd never raised a baby before, sure—but even the offspring of Sea Kings wouldn't grow after just one meal, right?!
"N-no wonder… He's Garp's grandson, after all! Of course he's not normal!"
Unlike Dadan, the other mountain bandits didn't find this strange at all. If anything, they nodded along as if everything made perfect sense.
After all, Garp wasn't just any man—he was a living legend. If bizarre things happened around someone like that, wasn't that normal?
"Um, could you put me down now?"
Ace looked up at Dadan and flashed her a polite smile.
"GAAH?!!"
Dadan's jaw dropped so hard it nearly unhinged itself. She stared at Ace like she'd seen a ghost.
"Y-you… You can talk?!"
She quickly set him down, still stammering in shock.
Garp had told her this kid wasn't even ten days old yet!
"I did stay in my mother's womb for twenty months. Isn't it reasonable I can talk already?"
Ace's tone was perfectly casual, his explanation utterly devoid of sincerity.
"Mm-hmm!"
The mountain bandits nodded in perfect agreement.
He was Garp's grandson! That made sense!
"…"
Dadan nodded too—then her eyes suddenly went wide as reality caught up with her.
Reasonable, my ass!
Since when did newborn babies come out talking?! Who taught him? HOW?!
"Hey, ojisan. I need a favor."
Ace turned to one of the more muscular bandits—if he remembered right, his name was Magra. He pointed politely.
"Me?"
Magra looked surprised, but seeing Ace's earnest expression, he hesitantly walked over.
"Can I punch you once? I think I got stronger and want to test it."
Ace's voice was respectful and sincere.
"…Huh?"
Magra blinked, stunned.
Still, Ace was being so polite, he couldn't say no. Laughing heartily, he waved it off.
"Go for it! Let 'er rip, kid!"
He patted his own abdomen confidently, thinking this was just a kid's harmless play.
Ace bowed deeply.
"Thank you for your help, Ojisan."
"Such a polite kid!"
The bandits around them were immediately charmed.
Even Magra smiled warmly. "Hit me as hard as you—GUAAH! URGH—BLARGH!!"
Before he could even finish his sentence, a crushing force slammed into his gut.
He barely had time to react before the punch sent him flying across the room, slamming into the wall with a thunderous crash.
"!!!"
Every bandit in the room, including Dadan, went wide-eyed—jaws hitting the floor.
What the hell did they just witness?!
A newborn baby just sent Magra, their strongest guy, flying with one punch?!
"…Good. That worked well."
Ace inspected his small fist with a satisfied nod.
He'd spent the time in the womb cultivating the Combat Hibernation Technique, and now, with the full effect of Total Absorption from that grilled meat…
Punching an average adult man through a wall was nothing.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't expect my punch to be that strong."
Ace walked over to the groaning Magra and helped him up, offering an apologetic smile.
"…N-no problem."
Magra forced out a weak grin.
Even if Ace hadn't been Garp's grandson… what kind of grown man would get mad at a baby for knocking him out?
"I just ate, and now my punches are stronger. Seems reasonable, right?"
Ace turned back to Dadan and the bandits, still smiling politely.
Even the ones who had been nodding along before were now twitching at the corners of their mouths.
"Reasonable, my ass!!"
What kind of monster is this kid?!
But no matter what Dadan or the bandits thought, Ace had now officially moved into Dadan's home… and wasn't planning to leave anytime soon.
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TL/N:
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