After the introductions, Jack turned to Ian with eager eyes. "So, how was it? Big Brother Ian, you must have been amazing!"
"It's hard to describe," Ian said with a shake of his head.
Active would be an understatement for what happened on the battlefield.
As soon as Jack returned, he was faced with a new challenge.
Jack tilted his head in confusion.
"What do you mean?" he asked, puzzled.
"Jack! You're just in time!" Yamato exclaimed with a grin. "Let's play a game together!"
Jack's expression turned sour instantly. "Again? Do you want me to play Kozuki Oden again?"
"That's right!" Yamato replied enthusiastically, rolling up his sleeves to reveal his short, chubby arms. "Evil Kozuki Oden is no match for Lord Yamato!"
Jack couldn't help but grumble. "Why do I always have to be Kozuki Oden? Sometimes I want to play the righteous pirate who defeats the evil Kozuki Oden."
"Cut the nonsense!" Yamato's eyes widened in challenge. "Do you want a beating?"
"No, I wouldn't dare," Jack said quickly, shaking his head in defeat. "I'll just play along."
Ian watched the exchange with amusement.
It wasn't just Teacher Kaido who had changed; Yamato was also starting to pick up some traits from her father.
As for why the villains in their game were always Kozuki Oden, Ian could only guess it was for the sake of convenience.
The children's playful banter continued until dinner time.
After dining at the restaurant and having a bit more fun with Yamato and Jack, it was finally time to rest.
Ian's quarters on Onigashima were located on the second top floor of the main building. Yamato, King, and Queen were on the floor below, while the top floor was reserved for Teacher Kaido.
From the arrangement of the rooms, it was clear that Ian held a significant position within the Beast Pirates.
Although he was still young, his status was already on par with Mr. Kaido's biological daughter and the two prominent figures.
He was destined to become the third major authority of the Beast Pirates, and everyone was aware of it.
The night passed in silence.
The next day, Ian woke up early as usual.
By five in the morning, he was already out of bed, yawning and quickly freshening up before heading downstairs to the square outside the main building.
As soon as he stepped outside, a small figure in the square waved at him.
Yamato, hands on her hips and beaming with pride, declared, "I'm up earlier today!"
"That's impressive," Ian said, a hint of envy in his voice. "You got to see Onigashima at four o'clock in the morning."
Yamato, I think I'll start calling you 'Prison Da' from now on.
"Let's start today's workout!" Yamato said, her small fists clenched in determination.
Ian nodded. "Alright, let's begin with the warm-up."
Waking up early wasn't for a playdate with a five-year-old; it was time for their morning workout.
The warm-up involved Ian and Yamato each carrying a heavy barbell and jogging around the square for half an hour. Ian's barbell was larger, while Yamato's was smaller, though still quite challenging.
Yamato wasn't an ordinary child; she had inherited her father's bloodline, making her a prodigy despite her young age.
With the warm-up complete, the real workout began.
All those fitness tutorials he had saved and neglected in his past life were finally coming in handy: weighted push-ups, weighted sit-ups, weighted crunches, weighted high leg raises, and weighted shuttle runs.
The two children pushed themselves hard in the square, with Ian especially focused on exercising every muscle in his body. While he wasn't usually serious, he never slacked off when it came to exercise.
Their rigorous training had been a long-standing habit, starting with their challenges to Mr. Kaido.
As they exercised passionately, two tall figures on the terrace of the top floor of the main building watched them quietly.
"Mha! The kid who usually slacks off, yet he never skips a workout," remarked one of the Beast Pirates' All-Star, Queen the Plague, his rotund figure reflecting his interest.
The man standing beside him said coldly, "Ian just doesn't like taking risks or engaging in fights, but he understands very well that strength is crucial."
"Power may not be everything, but in this world, those without power can easily lose everything."
Ian, of course, was unaware of what these two were discussing. He simply continued with his own workout, focused and silent.
In this world, the weak truly have no control over their own fate. Ian doesn't seek out trouble, but he knows that when trouble comes knocking, he must have the strength to fight back.
The morning workout lasted until eight o'clock, after which Ian and Yamato, both exhausted, made their way slowly to the restaurant for breakfast.
After their meal, it was time for study.
The Beast Pirates are largely uneducated, with even Mr. Kaido only possessing basic literacy skills, which makes Queen somewhat more cultured in comparison.
Ian felt that he couldn't afford to follow in the footsteps of these older pirates; he needed to grasp fundamental natural sciences, history, and humanities.
On Onigashima, there are no dedicated teachers, so Ian had to find books to read on his own.
Every morning was dedicated to his studies.
Yamato had little interest in this. During this time, she usually read comic books, though she didn't understand much of the text and mostly enjoyed the illustrations.
In the afternoon, Ian typically practiced his abilities or engaged in combat training.
"Brats! Get up here!"
Teacher Kaido's small class was about to start.
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