Chapter 4: Strength Through Observation

Continuing from the previous text, Kaito Sakamoto explained to Admiral Karp how he had fallen from the sky, using his storytelling skills to win sympathy.

"When I was younger, I stumbled upon a mysterious fruit and, with the protection of my older brothers, managed to escape. However, after a battle, I found myself airborne for too long and eventually lost my strength, leading to my fall. Luckily, I encountered you, Admiral Karp."

"I have internal injuries, and if you notice the blood at the corner of my mouth, that's proof I've fought hard."

"I never intended to deceive you. I have nowhere else to go—I've lost all my… my companions…"

"I thought maybe acting foolish could allow me to stay here, so I ended up lying to you. I genuinely mean no harm!"

Tears streamed down Kaito's face as he recounted the painful memories of his eighteen years, evoking a sense of sincerity.

Surprisingly, the blood he coughed up when he received his weak ability proved to be a useful tool—life truly is unpredictable.

Karp's expression softened as he heard Kaito's story, and the pressure he had been exerting on him began to ease.

"Is that so?"

"What fruit did you eat to fly?"

"It's… the Paramecia-type Reproduction Fruit."

After a moment's hesitation, Kaito decided to tell the truth. Since fate had brought him and Karp together, he figured he would be staying here for a while—whether Karp liked it or not!

"The Reproduction Fruit?"

"Yes, it allows me to temporarily replicate the abilities of others."

"For example, if you, Admiral Karp, use the Marine Six Styles in front of me, I could briefly replicate those techniques."

Kaito explained earnestly, omitting some details. He could also replicate Devil Fruit powers, with the strength depending on the method of replication.

Moreover, if it were a skill-based technique like the Marine Six Styles, as long as he replicated it once, he would remember the feeling and could practice it to master the technique completely.

In simpler terms, once he replicated a skill, even after the replication time expired, he would have a foundational understanding without needing extensive practice.

"Hmm… that's quite a 'terrifying' fruit. With it, one could master techniques honed over countless years in an instant. For those who have trained so hard, that seems rather 'unfair!'"

"But that's the power of Devil Fruits," Karp replied flatly. After rising through the ranks of the Marines to his current position, a hero of the Navy, he had seen countless extraordinary things and was unfazed.

"Get some rest."

"You're too weak; you need to train harder."

"There's a water jug on the table."

Karp stood up and walked away, his words signifying his agreement for Kaito to stay.

Perhaps recognizing the potential of Kaito's ability, he planned to nurture him and Luffy as the next generation of Marine talent.

However, things rarely go as expected.

Kaito blinked, suppressing his excitement, and replied softly, "Thank you, Admiral Karp."

...

Time was passing.

It marched on unceasingly, and you could try to experiment with it, but good luck trying to make it stop!

Before long, a month had passed in the blink of an eye.

"Kaito! Is it ready yet?!"

Luffy sat cross-legged on the ground, his impatience palpable as he awaited the grilled meat.

After lying down for half a month, Kaito had just begun to recover enough to get up, but his legs were still severely injured, forcing him to use a wheelchair.

Once in the wheelchair, Luffy eagerly pushed him toward the village's restaurant kitchen.

Karp was skilled in martial arts, but cooking was clearly a challenge for him.

Their meals came either from hunting or from the restaurant.

Now that they knew Kaito could learn with just a glance, they had to take advantage of it!

Thus, Kaito had become the designated chef for the two of them.

"It'll be ready soon, just wait a moment! I need to sprinkle some cumin—ah, the aroma will be divine!"

As he sprinkled the cumin, it melted into the crisp surface of the meat, sending an enticing scent wafting through the air, making even Luffy drool.

Kaito skillfully drew out his bone knife, swiftly cutting through a piece of thigh meat before handing it to Luffy.

Luffy immediately grabbed it, disregarding whether it was hot, and took a big bite.

"Hot! Hot! Hot!"

He stuck out his reddened tongue like a puppy that had just been burned.

"Yum, this is delicious!"

Karp's senses were awakened by the enticing aroma, and he opened his eyes just as Kaito offered him another piece of thigh meat.

"Oh ho! Not bad, not bad!"

"Just by watching for a week, you've acquired this skill? That's some impressive fruit ability!" Karp exclaimed.

Kaito smiled back but couldn't help but silently critique the old man.

This was the eighth day of their intense training in the forest, primarily for Luffy, coinciding with the last day of Kaito's first month in the pirate world.

Karp's training for Luffy primarily focused on physical conditioning; he had yet to demonstrate any techniques like the Marine Six Styles. Kaito hadn't had a single opportunity to replicate them.

It was worth noting that Karp was purely a martial arts expert and hadn't eaten any fruit. If Kaito could replicate his combat skills and keep them, that would be a lifesaver!

However, after seven days of only replicating cooking skills, Kaito began to understand the nature of his Reproduction Fruit.

He could replicate just by looking, and if he didn't use the ability right away, he could store it for later. This way, he could observe powerful fighters in action, directly replicate their abilities and techniques, and become stronger simply by watching.

However, it seemed that by replicating abilities in this manner, he could only capture half their strength.