Chapter 17: Growth

Though he mainly did it for himself and his future ambitions, Caenis's promise of additional 'rewards' was a powerful motivator to promote Thomas's growth. They didn't do it every day, but so long as he did his best during the week, Caenis would spend the weekends in Thomas's room.

While Thomas would have liked to claim he spent the entire weekend having sex, the truth was markedly more wholesome. Chiron had insisted he take time to rest and recuperate both his body and mind, so he spent most of the day listening to Beethoven's music, playing cards, dice, and a few other games, or simply sleeping. He would have the opportunity to get his dick wet once the Sun went down, but before that, he just relaxed and got to know the people who would be spending the next five, ten, or however many years at his side.

After hearing everyone's wish, Thomas realized that none of the Heroic Spirits he summoned had any desire to simply pack up and leave once they obtained the Grail. Rather, much like himself, they each seemed to be searching for a 'greater purpose' of sorts. None of them showed any interest in simply 'disappearing' once their journey ended, so, while their paths might diverge at some point, Thomas was no longer worried about being left 'alone.'

Upon realizing that Drake's words were simply a reminder to ensure he didn't get ahead of himself, much of the 'resentment' Thomas had been harboring toward the pink-haired Pirate Queen faded. He was still a little butthurt that she had slept with Chiron, but after unleashing nearly three years of pent-up urges with Caenis, Thomas no longer cared as much. It would be a lie if he said he didn't have expectations for the future, but, at least for the time being, he was satisfied just having a woman of Caenis's caliber warming his bed 2-3 times a week.

While his fellow Otaku would doubtlessly criticize him, Thomas was happy just having the opportunity to isekai into one of his favorite worlds and be given a chance to become stronger. He had lived more in the past month and a half than his previous thirty-five years of existence combined. Even if Zelretch had demanded his literal dick and balls in a mason jar, Thomas would have accepted the man's offer. The life of a superhuman eunuch was far more compelling than the inescapable cycle of monotony he had succumbed to in his previous world.

Fortunately, Zelretch hadn't asked for his dick and balls, so while he was more than happy sharing his bed with Caenis, Thomas hadn't given up on creating at least a tiny harem. The bronze-skinned horse girl had made it 'very' clear their relationship would never move beyond a purely physical one, so, as much as he enjoyed spending time with Caenis, Thomas knew they would never be a couple. She literally punched him in the face when he tried kissing her, so, unless someone else claimed their hearts before him, he at least wanted to try wooing Nami, Yamato, and potentially even Robin...

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[Five Months Later]

As the weakness of Thomas's Devil Fruit functioned as a sort of 'price' for his power, Asclepius was not able to remove it without risking his ability to use Mana. In other words, he 'could' remove it, but doing so meant losing his Devil Fruit powers completely.

To compensate for Thomas's inability to swim and function within the sea, the last part of his basic training involved underwater meditation in a tank filled with seawater. One Piece already had the concept of 'coating' ships and people with a unique resin that allowed them to sail, breath, and fight underwater. With Magecraft, Thomas achieved a similar result by creating a dense membrane of Magical Energy encasing his body like a suit of armor, allowing him to breathe while also acting as a barrier against the sea.

After Asclepius had researched and analyzed the flora and fauna native to the island, Thomas was informed in no uncertain terms that it would be impossible for him to use Haki. Traces of Haki could be found in all living creatures in the world of One Piece, but, as Thomas didn't originate from the animesque world, he possessed absolutely no affinity for it. Instead, he would need to rely on his Mana and Magical Energy to achieve similar results.

Fortunately, as powerful and unique as Haki was within the world of One Piece, Magic was the crystalization of miracles, a borderline omnipotent power that permitted the user to accomplish anything so long as they had adequate comprehension or enough Mana to 'brute force' it.

As a 'Mana Human' that had eaten the Mana-Mana-no-Mi, Thomas was in a rather unique position as his Magical Energy was linked with his physical and mental development. So long as he had the stamina to support it, he could produce a functionally infinite supply of Magical Energy. What made this borderline ridiculous was the fact that he could utilize said energy to bolster his physical and mental development, enhance his body, and even replenish his stamina.

So long as Thomas could remain calm and focused, he could continually refine his body and mind using Reinforcement Magic. It was almost like he was cultivating, as the longer he spent training and meditating, the more powerful he became. Furthermore, as Reinforcement Magic influenced his very 'existence,' Thomas was gradually becoming the person he imagined within his mind.

Though he had stopped growing in his previous world long ago, Thomas's height had increased to 6'9''(205.7cm) after six and a half months within the world of One Piece. More noticeably, his facial features had gradually become more rugged and handsome. His previously unkempt brown hair now flowed freely from his scalp like a wild mane, and he was able to grow a neat, Tony Stark-esque goatee. Beyond that, his physique had improved tremendously, garnering him broad shoulders, a six-pack, muscular arms, thick, sturdy legs, and a still-growing, 26cm cock.

While Caenis had never outright complimented him, Thomas was proud to declare he was no longer a 'quick shot.' He was nowhere near the level of a hentai doujin protagonist, but he could persist for a solid twenty minutes before blowing his load. More importantly, he could keep going after that, generally discharging 3-4 loads before his balls were drained completely.

As a result of his increasing 'prowess,' Caenis began spending more time in Thomas's room. She also mellowed out quite a bit, even letting him use her thighs as a pillow a few times. They still hadn't kissed, not even once, but Thomas wasn't that attached to the exchange of saliva. He was happy just being able to get the proud woman to orgasm over and over again as 'his' room gradually became 'their' room...

*tok* *tok* *tok*

Disrupting Thomas's concentration, though not enough to get him to dispel the faint blue membrane around his body, Caenis knocked on the glass of his tank. When he climbed out, she gave him a quick once-over, arms crossed and body slightly facing away from him as she said, "Lunch is ready. Come on, let's go."

Without waiting for Thomas's response, Caenius turned around to lead the way. Before following after her, Thomas's eyes deviated toward her large and voluminous ass cheeks. He had become 'very' familiar with the two mounds of flesh, but he never got tired of seeing them no matter how many times they entered his vision...

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In the middle of lunch, Drake interrupted an ongoing conversation to say, "It's officially been six months since you commenced training. How much longer do you plan to tarry on this single island...?"

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As he had actually been waiting for such a question, Thomas didn't hesitate to reply, "I'm ready to set out if everyone else is. Do we have a destination in mind?"

Narrowing her eye slightly, Drake retorted, "Isn't that supposed to be up to you to decide? Or did you want to start hunting other Pirate groups at random...?"

Though he wanted to wait until Luffy's first Bounty was posted before saving Nami's village, Thomas replied, "Then let's set sail for East Blue. If we encounter any Pirate crews along the way, we'll take them out and try to collect their Bounties. If any happen to be under 20,000,000 Bellies, let me deal with them personally. I could use a warm-up before dealing with Arlong."

Adopting a cheeky smile, Drake mused, "Look at you, acting all confident. It's hard to imagine you were just a flabby sack of potatoes a few months ago."

Rolling his eyes, Thomas retorted, "My goal is to stand at the pinnacle of this world. How am I supposed to trade blows with someone like Kaido or face the blade of Mihawk if I lack a spine?"

Narrowing her eyes even further, Drake was half-tempted to invite Thomas to her quarters and see just how much of a spine he possessed. Instead, she declared, "Then we'll set sail immediately after lunch. That means all hands on deck, excluding the usual shut-ins."

Though she was the Captain of the little pirate crew, Drake knew there wasn't a lot she could do to get Asclepius to obey her. Beethoven was a lot easier to deal with, but she spent most of her day in a daze, focused exclusively on the production of her music. Drake would like to have her up on the deck to christen their journey with a song, but classical music wasn't the most suited to setting sail. She also doubted anyone on board was familiar with the shanties of her period, so they would need to work on that during their time at sea.

Having said her piece, Drake stood up from her chair and made her way up to the deck to get a feel for the wind. The South Blue had very few storms and was pretty much always sunny. That day was no exception, so she was looking forward to weighing anchor and setting off...

In the wake of Drake's departure, Benienma quickly cleaned up her plate and glass while Chiron stated, "I still think it's a bit early, but I support your decision to set sail. Just be sure to continue your practice and never submit to complacency."

Raising his brows, Thomas remarked, "You're speaking as though we're about to split up. And don't worry. I know better than anyone how far I am from the strongest powerhouses of this world. Until I can level mountains or crack continental ice sheets with my punches, I'm not slowing down in my training..."

Though it would make him an enemy of the Happo Navy, Thomas had told Drake about Don Chinjao's massive treasure horde beneath the Jewel Ice Sheet. Once they reached the second half of the Grand Line, they would send Astolfo searching for its location in the West Blue. The moment she found it, they would fly over on the Hind and claim the legendary treasure horde for themselves. The Happo Navy sure as hell wasn't using it, and it was all treasure stolen from others. With that being the case, Don Chinjao and his family had no real claim to it, much less a right to complain about having it stolen from them.

Nodding his head in approval, Chiron said, "You've reached a point where your growth is entirely dependent on yourself. However, if you require my advice or would like to learn a new skill, I will always be present to render my assistance. Your current path has no limits, but branching out can help to alleviate the feeling of monotony that long-time training can inspire. As rewarding as training can be, it can't supplant a proper hobby."

Raising his brows, Thomas asked, "Any suggestions?" before adding, "My hobbies back in my original world included gaming, watching anime, and reading manga. I used to enjoy illustration and played the saxophone for a few years, but I'd like to do something more 'active' now that I'm focused on becoming strong."

Adopting a smile, Chiron stated, "If we weren't onboard a vessel, I would suggest forging. It would aid your mastery of Projection Magic greatly. As that isn't really an option, I would suggest carpentry and shipbuilding. You and Caenis get along fairly well, and her services aren't really required to maintain the Hind. She could instruct you how to construct and maintain smaller crafts."

Hearing Chiron volunteer her name, Caenis's expression morphed into an irked look as she said, "I never agreed to that. Besides, if he ever needs a ship, I'll just construct him one myself. It's not like I'm going anywhere, at least not any time soon."

Nodding his head, Chiron shifted his attention to Benienma as he stated, "Then perhaps our resident chef will be willing to teach you how to cook? It's one of the more useful skills a person can possess."

As Benienma's eyes practically lit up, Thomas replied, "That's actually not a bad idea. How about it, Beni...?"

Without hesitation, the petite sparrow girl spiritedly replied, "Benienma would be honored to teach Master how to cook, dechi...!"

Though Benienma was relatively famous within the FGO Community as a fairly strict teacher, Thomas adopted a smile as he said, "Great. I'll do my best not to disappoint you."

With the feathers of her peculiar apron becoming visibly fluffy and ruffled, Benienma was all smiles as she imagined teaching Thomas how to cook. Cooking and hospitality were her passions, so, even if he were terrible at it, she would continue teaching him until he was at least competent enough not to embarrass himself...

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(A/N: For those who are curious about the MC's appearance, he will eventually look like Thomas Andre from Solo Leveling.)

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