Chapter 4
Victor lay on a thick tree trunk, staring down at the yawning abyss below. "What a bizarre lifeform," he murmured in quiet awe.
After a long while, the Stomach Baron's giant maw slowly closed—feeding complete.
Victor exhaled in relief and immediately resumed his feast.
His body was covered in wounds from the earlier battle, but each bite accelerated healing. Within minutes, he was whole again.
The fight with the Sea King had brought massive gains—especially the awakening of Armament Haki. He focused and tried activating it again. Black coating shimmered faintly over his hands.
A wild grin spread across his face. Observation Haki had improved too, sharper and more reliable. But the biggest leap was in raw physical strength—his entire body felt awakened, growing stronger by the hour.
Energized, Victor prepared to continue training.
Armament Haki was still inconsistent—flickering in and out, likely because it was newly awakened. So he doubled down on practice.
The Stomach Baron remained dangerous: giant insects and some Sea Kings were still beyond him. But after over a year here, he'd adapted. These threats became perfect training partners—sharpening Observation Haki through constant evasion. With Armament Haki online, he could at least tank hits without dying.
Getting hit remained the fastest way to harden Armament Haki anyway.
He trained both Haki types simultaneously. Armament Haki drained stamina quickly, so when exhausted, he stopped to eat and rest. Eating was, without question, the quickest recovery method.
Months passed until both Observation Haki and Armament Haki reached mid-level proficiency.
Then, one day, a ship appeared on the horizon.
Victor spotted the sail and nearly exploded with joy. "A ship! A real ship! Finally—other humans!"
He muttered excitedly to himself. "No pirate flag… not pirates. Even better."
He sprinted toward the approaching vessel to confirm.
On the deck, Heracles stood with a monocular telescope, scanning the Boin Archipelago. He froze when he saw a bare-chested boy on the Stomach Baron waving enthusiastically.
"Huh? A human on the Stomach Baron? Everyone, look—there's definitely someone up there."
The crew gathered, peering through their own scopes.
"We researched this place. Surviving on the Stomach Baron isn't easy. Maybe a lucky castaway?"
"Could be an exploration team or pirates hiding out?"
"Doesn't look the part. No other ships nearby, and the kid doesn't scream 'threat'."
Heracles made the call. "Approach and dock. We'll find out ourselves."
Victor saw them heading straight for the Stomach Baron and jumped with excitement. "Finally—someone to talk to. No more talking to myself!"
The nearby carnivorous plants recoiled at his bouncing energy—they'd learned to fear him long ago.
Victor rarely killed the island's creatures outright—just gave them a solid beating unless he was in a bad mood.
As the ship docked, Victor ran to meet them.
"Hey! Welcome to the Boin Archipelago!"
He waved cheerfully.
"Hello there, kid," Heracles replied with a warm smile, echoed by the crew.
Heracles eyed Victor's wild, shirtless appearance—grass skirt and all—and chuckled inwardly but said nothing mocking.
"Someone fetch our guest a couple of outfits."
A crewman hurried off and returned with clothes.
Victor accepted them gratefully. "Thank you so much! I've been stuck in grass skirts forever. Real clothes—finally!"
He'd grown used to it over two years, but normal attire still felt like luxury.
At twelve years old, he already stood 1.9 meters tall—and still growing, thanks to endless nutrition.
"I'm Victor. Just call me Victor. Thanks again for the clothes, sir."
Heracles nodded. "Victor, huh? You can call me Heracles. I'm a biologist—here to study the plants."
Victor blinked in recognition. "Heracles? You look younger than I expected."
He quickly added a warning: "Be careful, though. The Stomach Baron is full of carnivorous plants and giant insects. One slip and you'll get eaten."
Heracles smiled. "We know. That's why we're here—to study them. But thanks for the heads-up."
The crew began unloading supplies, scouting for a good campsite. Some ventured out to explore.
Victor used Observation Haki to sense their positions and shook his head inwardly. Do these guys really understand what they're dealing with?
Whatever—he had priorities. "I'm gonna go wash up and change. See you later."
Heracles nodded. "See you."
The expedition team had studied the Stomach Baron thoroughly and trusted their skills—and Heracles had his own strength. They planned a long-term stay.
Victor ignored them for now. He found a natural hot spring, sank in, and sighed in bliss.
"Ahh… nothing beats a hot spring. No matter how many times, it's pure heaven."
He soaked while munching on snacks, face full of contentment.
After two years of nonstop eating and training, he was intimately familiar with the entire Stomach Baron—except the depths of its maw.
He guessed his current strength matched the lower end of a Vice Admiral in the Navy. No way to confirm, but the thought made him smile.