His days were a structured dance between the mundane and the miraculous. He'd wake with the dawn, the first rays of sun warming his face, and immediately begin his hidden breathing method, drawing in the pervasive life force of the world. Then came the usual bandit chores – gathering firewood, hauling water (an easy task for his now immensely dense frame), or helping prepare meals, which he still enjoyed cooking, savoring the primal flavors. After that, it was off to his secluded training spots, either deep in the forest or, more often, submerged in the crushing embrace of the ocean.
The period between his fourth and tenth birthdays was a blur of constant, diligent cultivation. His progress was astonishing, a testament to his ancient cultivation foundation and the unique resources of this world.
Physique Cultivation: The Marrow Cleansing Breakthrough
After reaching the Peak of the Qi and Blood Realm at four years old, the next challenge for his physique was the Marrow Cleansing Realm. This stage demanded an even deeper level of refinement, cleansing the very marrow within his bones and transforming it into a spiritual reservoir. The powerful encounter with the Sea King at age four, and the subsequent consumption of its concentrated flesh, had provided an unparalleled catalyst.
He continued his practice of the "Turtle Breathing Tempering Technique" at increasing depths in the ocean. The pressure, which would shatter a normal human, became his constant forge. Each descent was a brutal trial, the immense weight forcing his blood and 'sea spirit' deeper into his bones, purifying his marrow. The raw 'life force' from the various Sea Kings he meticulously hunted—not through direct combat, but through strategic, opportunistic harvesting of injured or vulnerable specimens, often using his growing spiritual control to distract or disorient them—became his primary fuel. He became a connoisseur of Sea King flesh, discerning the subtle energy signatures of different species and their varying benefits to his rapidly transforming body.
At roughly six years old, after two grueling years of constant deep-sea tempering and high-energy consumption, he felt a profound, internal tremor. It wasn't a sudden pop, but a sweeping wave of transformation. His bones hummed with an almost ethereal density, and his marrow felt incredibly vibrant, pulsing with a liquid spiritual energy. He had successfully broken through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm.
By the time he was eight years old, he had steadily progressed through the initial stages of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, reaching its 6th stage. His body was now incredibly resilient, capable of withstanding impacts that would pulverize steel. He could deflect bullets with his bare skin if he tensed his muscles. His strength was already beyond most Vice Admirals, a source of quiet satisfaction. His internal infrastructure was solidifying, becoming the perfect vessel for his immense power.
Spiritual Cultivation: Peak Qi Gathering
Concurrently, his spiritual cultivation advanced with remarkable ease. After reaching the 4th Stage of Qi Gathering Realm at four years old, the subsequent stages unfolded without significant bottlenecks. His daily deep breathing, combined with the profound spiritual essence absorbed from the 'sea spirit' during his physical tempering, provided a continuous, rich influx of energy.
By his tenth birthday, he had reached the Peak of the Qi Gathering Realm. His spiritual core, while still small compared to his former boundless spiritual sea, was now incredibly dense and stable, a vibrant, humming sun within his nascent body. He could draw in and manipulate ambient energy with startling efficiency, his rudimentary water spell evolving into more controlled, precise bursts. This prepared him for the most critical step in spiritual cultivation: Foundation Establishment, where his spiritual core would truly solidify and anchor itself, transforming into a true internal power source.
The Awakening of Haki: Ryuo
The most intriguing development, however, was the burgeoning of Haki. He had theorized about it at age four, about entwining the world's 'innate spiritual energy' (which he now simply called 'will') with his cultivated core to awaken what was called Armament Haki.
He began subtly experimenting. While practicing his physical tempering, he would focus his attention, not just on the external pressure, but on the raw, intrinsic 'will' that permeated his own body. He discovered that by condensing this 'will' and flowing it alongside his cultivated spiritual essence, he could harden his limbs. It was a gradual process, but the results were undeniable.
By age seven, he could consciously harden his fists and shins, making them capable of impacting objects with steel-like force. This was the basic application of Armament Haki. But he didn't stop there. He pushed further, constantly trying to refine the flow, to extend the 'will' beyond his skin.
At nine years old, during a particularly intense underwater cultivation session, where the extreme pressure pushed his 'will' to its absolute limit, something new clicked. He extended his condensed 'will' beyond his physical body, projecting it as an invisible, potent armor that could strike without direct contact. It was subtle, just a fraction of an inch, but it was there. This was the essence of Ryuo, the advanced form of Armament Haki that allowed for internal destruction. He could feel it, a resonance of his projected will striking deep into the 'life force' of the objects around him, rather than just their surface.
He was genuinely surprised by how quickly he grasped this. Many in this world spent decades, even a lifetime, attempting to master Ryuo. For him, it was a natural progression, an intuitive understanding born from his vast experience with energy manipulation and his uniquely refined physique. This is just like externalizing my spiritual qi for a protective barrier or an attacking art! he thought, a sense of immense satisfaction washing over him. This world's Haki is a simpler expression of fundamental cultivation principles, but it's potent. And with my true cultivation, I can probably push it further than anyone here.
His senses, already incredibly enhanced by his spiritual cultivation, allowed him to perceive the world in a way no ordinary person could. He could feel subtle shifts in intent, the minute vibrations in the air, the faint 'life force' of distant creatures. This was not the fully developed future sight that some advanced Observation Haki users possessed, but his basic senses were incredibly acute. He knew that his cultivated spiritual perception was already far beyond the baseline of Observation Haki.
With my spiritual enhancement, I can definitely max out Observation Haki compared to anyone else, he considered. It's just a matter of focusing my spiritual sense and internalizing the 'metal qi' principles I observed. Future sight is simply a deeper, more refined form of perceiving temporal causality through heightened 'Observation.' It's a matter of advanced spiritual calculus, and I have the foundation for it. He believed he could push it to an unparalleled degree, a true foresight that blended his ancient knowledge of causality with this world's unique energetic pathways.
His days now involved a delicate balance of deep-sea physique tempering, spiritual energy absorption, discreet hunting, and the increasingly sophisticated practice of Ryuo, extending his invisible armor, testing its reach and penetrative power against the sturdy trees of the mountain. He often found himself grinning, a genuine, boyish grin, when he split a rock with an invisible force, or felt the satisfying internal ripple of a successful spiritual absorption.
Dadan, as ever, was oblivious. "What's that kid always mumbling about?" she'd grumble, seeing Ace occasionally make a focused, almost meditative expression. "And why does he always disappear for so long?" She'd just shrug it off, attributing it to the oddity of Garp. "Probably just chasing wild boars again. Good, more meat for us."
Ace would laugh, a clear, unrestrained sound that echoed through the forest. He was thriving. He was getting stronger, faster, smarter. He wasn't just surviving; he was conquering. The path to the Dao of Saint Realm was still long, but with every passing day, with every drop of 'sea spirit' and every ounce of 'nutrient meat', with every flicker of his nascent Haki, he felt closer to reclaiming his ultimate power, to truly standing at the apex of this world he had so meticulously crafted. And he was just getting started.