Chapter 7: White hair?

______________________________________________________________________

__________________________________

[ Time Skip ~ 5 months later. ]

In the middle of an open field, a young boy with black hair, shirtless, was performing pushups. Beads of sweat glistened on his skin, and the grass beneath him shared in his sweat.

" 70... 75... 80... 85... 90...95... "

Having surpassed his mark of 80 pushups, he finally collapsed onto his back, utterly exhausted.

" Huff... being able to break your previous limit feels nice, " Ray said with a small smile as he caught his breath.

For the past few months, Ray had dedicated himself solely to muscle training. However, when he read the "Proper Training Methods," he found it lacking in what he truly wanted. Instead, he decided to adopt a workout regimen inspired by an anime character, Saitama. Although he that even completing 100 push ups was a challenge, he had been diligently working to reach that goal over the past few months.

Nonetheless, Ray couldn't deny the significant boost in strength he had experienced. While the "Proper Training Methods" might have fallen short of his expectations, it did offer some valuable tips.

Using his medical knowledge he had got from reading medical books, Ray discovered an even more effective method of training. With his understanding of muscle anatomy and the physiological principles governing muscle groups, he made a high-intensity workout regimen.

After a few minutes of rest, his breathing gradually returned to normal, and Ray rose to his feet. He couldn't help but look down at his arms, noticing their slender appearance. They seemed almost frail, lacking any signs of developed muscle that he wanted.

Ray sighed deeply, ' After a few months, I realized something. This world is different. It's a place where regular, normal exercise won't make a dent. Unless you're lifting boulders on your back or battling sea beasts 24/7, you won't get stronger. I might still be a kid, but that's just an excuse. '  he thought to himself.

  ' Look at Sentomaru, for example. He was just a child when he killed several One Piece level bears by himself. ' Ray clenched his fist.

Glancing over at the grass beside him, Ray noticed a toy sword, and he picked it up. It was a simple plastic sword, the best he could manage for now since he couldn't afford a better one like a wooden sword.

Ray let out a sigh of frustration. Money was a concern for him, He needed weights to help him in his training, but his current financial situation made that a difficult. He had tried asking Olga to buy them for him, but she had said, (( " Huh? Why would I buy a 3-year-old weights? It'll hinder your growth. Stop bothering me about it. Maybe when you get a job, you'll buy it yourself." ))

Ray asked Clover the same question, and he received a similar response. He asked everyone he knew, and it was the same answer.

But, there was a glimmer of hope when Ray asked Clover if he could start working in the library. Clover replied, (( " No way, a snot nose brat like you will just mess everything up. Maybe when you're older, I'll let you. " ))

Ray raised his arm high over his head, the muscles in his arm bulging, and swung it down in a powerful, controlled motion. As he did, droplets of sweat were flung off his glistening skin, glinting in the sunlight.

" Huff! Huff! " His breaths came out in sharp bursts as he continued his overhead swings. Hours passed by, and the sun climbed higher in the sky.

Finally, with his muscles fatigued and his body drenched in sweat, he decided to stop. It was now the scorching midday.

' That should be enough for today, ' Ray thought, catching his breath. ' I'm going to head back to the tree to see if I can read a few chapters before going back home. '

Carefully placing his toy sword behind a boulder, he used his shirt to wipe off the sweat that clung to his skin. Afterward, he put on a spare shirt he had with him to make sure he wouldn't carry the stench of his workout to the tree.

With a sense of accomplishment, Ray started making his way toward the tree where he could relax for a while before heading home.

. . . . .

Inside the tree, Ray was wandering among the aisles, his hands filled with large stacks of books that obstructed his view.

" Shit, I can barely see... " he muttered to himself, trying to peek out from behind the pile of books. However, his thoughts were abruptly interrupted as he caught a glimpse of a white, smug figure out of the corner of his eye.

Before he could react or make sense of what he had happened...

Thud!

Something collided into him, causing all the books in his hands to drop to the ground, and he fell with them.

" Watch where you're going! " he muttered, clutching his forehead as he glanced down at the books on the floor.

" I'm sooo sorry, are you alright? " A voice came from above him. Ray slowly raised his head, his eyes widening in surprise as he gazed upon a woman with short white hair and blue eyes.

The woman was dressed in a black shirt, a white scientist's coat, and black pants. She also wore a pair of glasses on her face.

" Ye-Yeah, I'm fine... " Ray replied to the lady. He began to crawl on the floor, trying to pick up the books that fell.

The woman's expression softened further as she got down on her knees and joined Ray, helping him pick up the scattered books.

" I'm sorry again... my name's Olvia... what's yours? " Olvia said to Ray as they gathered the books.

Ray responded, " My name is Ray, " in a nonchalant tone. However, Olvia was clearly shocked by his answer. She stood there for a moment, a concerned expression on her face.

" If you don't mind me asking, what is your full name..." she asked, her eyes shadowed by her bangs.

Ray smiled inwardly, though his outward demeanor remained stoic. He then said, " My name is Ray Santos Junior. Olga said I was named after my dad... "

Olvia lifted her head, her eyes glistening with tears, and her hands trembling. " I'm sorry about your parents, " she said in a shaken voice, expressing her sympathy for his loss.

Ray raised an eyebrow at Olvia's emotional response. " Did you know them or something? " he asked.

" Yeah, they were like my mother and father, " Olvia replied, her voice quivering. " Since I was an orphan, they took care of me as if I was one of their own... " She held tightly onto her coat.

Nico continued, her voice filled with regret, " I'm sorry, I should've come to your birthday, but I just couldn't muster up the courage to see you, even now. "

Ray smiled, " Well, it doesn't matter; it's in the past, right? Nothing you can do to change that. As an archaeologist, you should know that... " he replied

Olvia eyes widen, " Your right... your smart for a kid you now that... " Nico then chuckled wiping her tears away.

" Anyways, you mind helping me? Since you knocked me over, carry some of these books for me, please... " Ray requested, but instead of handing her a few books, he gave Olvia the entire stack.

" Oof! I didn't even say yes, but fine... " Olvia replied, her voice slightly strained as she struggled to lift the stack of books. While doing so, she couldn't help but think, ' To be able to lift this much at his age- '

" Hey! Stop stalling! I asked you to put the books over there!... " Ray said with his hands on his hips and a puffed-up face.

Olvia couldn't help but smile at Ray's childlike behavior. ' But he's still a kid, ' she thought. For some reason, in that moment, Olvia felt something stir deep within her heart, something she had lost a long time ago. She couldn't quite pinpoint what it was, but she knew it had to do with this boy.

-

Olvia carefully placed the books on the table and raised a skeptical eyebrow. " So, why do you need all these books? " she asked.

Ray chuckled at her question and responded with a hint of cockiness, " To read them, of course... "

Olvia's mouth fell open, " At your age, you're already reading these types of books? " she replied, her surprise bright on her face. Although taken aback, she couldn't help but smile inwardly.

" I don't know, but something inside me is pulling me towards attaining more knowledge, " Ray replied nonchalantly.

Olvia began to chuckle to herself, thinking, ' He's just like them... in every way. '

" You're just like your parents, you know that... " Olvia said with a smile on her face.

Ray's face wrinkled. " Blegh! Why do people keep telling me that? I'm myself, and no one else! " he said,while pointing his thumb at his chest.

Olvia responded by gently placing her hand on top of Ray's head. " Sorry, little one, but you are..." she began, her voice softening as she started to ruffle through Ray's hair.

" Oh! Since I missed your birthday, I didn't give you a gift, did I? " Olvia asked, stopping her hair-ruffling and adjusting her glasses.

Ray thought for a moment, then looked up at Olvia. " So, what do you want? " she asked.

A smile broke across Ray's face as he replied, " I want a few weights and a wooden sword. "

Olvia looked at Ray with a deadpan expression. " Are you sure you want that? You don't want a toy or something like that? " she asked, a bead of sweat rolling down her cheek as she seemed slightly surprised by his wish.

Ray shook his head. " No, I want to be like my idol, Sora! Please, you missed three of my birthdays, you have to do this for me! " His eyes sparkled.

Olvia sighed but couldn't help but smile. "...Fine, but it won't come for free," she agreed.

Ray raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair. " So, what are the conditions? " he asked.

Olvia leaned in, a mischievous smile on her face, her glasses catching the light in a way that concealed her eyes. " I want you to pass the Archaeology test with a perfect score, " she said.

Ray's enthusiasm waned as he replied, " But I can't right now. You have to be 7 to take the test... " A bead of sweat trickled down his cheek.

" Yes, by then your body should be able to handle lifting weights, " she said, crossing her arms with a smug smirk.

Ray let out a sigh and then stood up from his chair, extending his hand. " A deal it is... " he agreed, a wide grin on his face.

Olvia reached out and shook Ray's hand firmly. " If you fail, I get to give you a good spanking! " she said, adding force to her handshake.

Ray simply smiled " Hmm, okay..." Then, to Olvia's surprise, he clenched her hand even harder.

A wearily smile appeared on her face, then she whispered beneath her breath, " Why are you so strong.... "

Ray ears twitched when he heard this, but he pretended as if he didn't, " You say something? " Ray said, with a confused look on his face, but inside he had on a cocky smile.

Olvia then coughed, " Ahemm, nothing... " Olvia said as she tried to play off as if she said nothing.

Ray then said, " By the way, I've never seen you here before? have you always been here? " Ray raised brow as he looked at Olvia.

Her face then became serious, " No, I was just working on a project of mine... " Olvia said her eyes darkened by her bangs.

Ray tilted his head to side as if he didn't know a thing, " Ooh, whats it about? " Ray asked as if he was curious. He clearly knew, that she was in the basement studying the Poneglyphs.

Robin face then wrinkled up, " ITS NOTHING! " she shouted, but then she covered her mouth as if she didn't mean't to scream. As she screamed she got a few glances pointed at her, but after a while they all stopped looking and continued doing what they were doing before.

Ray then took a step back, " Shesh, I was just curious you know. " Ray said, raising his hand up as if he was scared.

Olvia then snapped out of her phase, " Sorry, I don't know what happened. " Olvia said as she started to scratch the back of her head.

Ray then put his hands down back to his side, then he asked, " So, if you don't mind me asking this question, why exactly did you come up here? "

Olvia then sighed, then she began to look around, " Thank you, I finally remembered. I'm looking for Clover, he told me to meet him here. " Olvia said.

Ray then raised a brow, then he said, " But, he left two days ago... He said he was leaving the island for a bit... "

That's when Olvia realized, ' That old geezer set me up.... ' though she just sighed and smiled it off.

" I think he might've tricked you... " he said nonchalantly, out of nowhere he pulled out a pack of rice crackers and started munching on it.

Olvia only sighed, " Yep, I just realized that.... " she said as her eyes slowly started to move to the corner of her eye.

Ray who still continued to eat his rice crackers, then asked, " So, what are you going to do now? " Ray said, while tilting his head to the side.

Olvia then took a seat, " I think I'll just read.... this book should do. " Olvia said, as she picked up one of the books from the stack.

Then she raised a brow, " Medicine 101... " Olvia said as she looked confusingly at Ray.

  " I was planning on reading that, but fine... " Ray leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs on the table and grabbed a book. Opening the book, he started to read it through.

Olvia was about to say something, but she decided not to distract him. Opening up the book as well and started to read it, lost in her own thoughts.

. . . . .

-

Watching them from behind book shelf, was a green haired old man, with a donut in his hands.

" Bingo... " He said, as he then brought up the donut to his face and bit down on it, ' So good... what did they call these donuts again? oh yeah, Ace donuts. '