You can't take materials from the illusionary environment—but the skills you've trained in? Those never leave you.
It might be meaningless to temper the body in a genjutsu, but training chakra control? Invaluable.
Zoro frowned slightly, then leapt down and landed smoothly on the surface of the water.
Within the illusion world, he had battled countless shinobi swordsmen. In his downtime, he practiced tree climbing and water-walking techniques—basic chakra control exercises.
A whole month had passed like this, a perfect balance between combat and foundational training.
"I just had a brilliant idea. Let's give you both some real exercise."
Naruto smiled slyly, eyes flashing with mischief. It was the kind of look that heralded the beginning of torturous training.
"This ship's too cramped. There's no space to go all out," he continued, gesturing around, "but the sea? The sea is endless."
"Let's start with something light. Water walking drills, basic stamina training…"
He clapped his hands.
"Your task: tow the ship forward."
With a single hand seal, Naruto used Wood Release to summon two ropes from the ship, tossing them to Zoro and Luffy.
Still maintaining their footing on the water, both of them caught the ropes, confusion on their faces.
"This'll be a breeze," Zoro said, gripping the rope casually and starting to walk.
Towing a boat wasn't exactly difficult—especially with their level of strength. And it was true that it could improve stamina.
Zoro had clear goals and ambition. Whenever he had the chance, he trained. And Naruto's suggestion, while odd, still seemed like decent physical conditioning.
He didn't complain. He simply acted.
To Zoro, it even felt a little too easy.
With the wind aiding the ship's movement, the resistance was practically negligible. Honestly, he could probably pull the boat by himself—Luffy's help made it almost laughable.
Still, it was better than sitting idle. Might as well make use of the time.
One by one, the faces of swordsmen he'd fought in the illusion replayed in Zoro's mind. He'd been defeated, crushed even—but that was before he completed his training and understood his strength.
Now, he was ready for payback.
With sharpened blades and eyes that could pierce steel, he sought worthy opponents.
"Wrong way! You're going the wrong way again!"
Naruto's voice rang out in frustration.
As expected—Zoro's notoriously awful sense of direction had struck again. The man barely moved ten steps before drifting in the wrong direction.
It was hopeless.
Meanwhile, Luffy wasn't too bothered by the training plan. In fact, at first, he seemed thrilled. He took off running across the water, dragging the boat enthusiastically.
But it didn't last.
"I'm running out of chakra… If this keeps up, I'll sink like a rock," Luffy muttered, slowing down. The novelty had worn off.
With a grin, Naruto raised his hand. Without even touching Luffy, a stream of chakra flowed directly into his body.
"No problem. I'll refill your chakra anytime."
"Let's up the intensity, shall we?"
This training was far too easy. Time to make it more interesting.
Naruto formed a hand seal, and with an Earth Release jutsu, a massive boulder appeared out of thin air and dropped onto the ship.
The vessel shuddered, sinking lower from the added weight.
Zoro's expression shifted instantly. His arms tensed, veins bulging as he struggled against the drag.
"Now we're talking. I can feel it—after this, I'll be stronger."
"Konoha's White Fang… the Seven Ninja Swordsmen… All of you, just wait. I'll surpass you all."
"I'll become the world's greatest swordsman. Let's go!"
With a roar, Zoro pulled with all his might.
Luffy might've found it dull before, but Zoro's fiery determination ignited something in him too. With a grin, he joined in fully, matching his pace.
"Naruto, aren't you gonna train too?" Luffy called out, glancing over.
"Me? This kind of training is meaningless for me."
Naruto reclined lazily on the fox-shaped figurehead.
"Even when I'm meditating, I'm growing stronger. My training never stops."
He wasn't lying. His chakra control, perception, and understanding of Sage Mode and the Tailed Beast's power constantly evolved—even while at rest.
But he still kept a close eye on Zoro. The man's sense of direction could throw the entire boat off course in seconds. If Naruto wasn't careful, the ship could spin around entirely.
As for Luffy… he didn't require as much supervision. In truth, the gap between the two was evident even now.
Zoro's face had gone pale with exertion, dragging the heavy boat through the sea.
Luffy, though straining, was holding up much better.
It wasn't surprising—he was Garp's grandson, after all.
That hellish survival training he'd endured growing up wasn't just talk. The fact he'd made it to adulthood in one piece was nothing short of miraculous.
Then again, Naruto figured it might not just be Garp's influence. Perhaps… it was the Devil Fruit.
No, not just any Devil Fruit.
Everyone now knew the truth: the "Gomu Gomu no Mi" was actually the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika—a Mythical Zoan-type.
A fruit of legends.
And Zoan fruits, especially Mythical ones, greatly enhanced the user's physical strength.
Maybe that's what was letting Luffy keep pace.
Therefore, Luffy's powerful physique must be partially due to the enhancement granted by his Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit.
Thinking along those lines, a faint smile appeared on Naruto's lips.
His interest in Devil Fruits had only deepened.
In truth, he had already begun researching them—starting with the most accessible subject: Luffy himself.
Using his finely honed chakra perception abilities, Naruto observed Luffy's body on a near-microscopic level. Every subtle change in his cells, every pulse of energy—nothing escaped his notice.
From the beginning, Naruto had worked with no prior knowledge, building his understanding piece by piece.
But now… he had made real progress.
His natural talent for comprehension—what many in the shinobi world once called "battle genius"—had begun to crack open the mysteries of Devil Fruits.
He was close. Very close to fully understanding them.
Back when he first arrived in the pirate world, Naruto had sensed something strange—something profoundly different about this world compared to his own.
The natural energy here was everywhere.
And more importantly, it was invasive.
Unlike the shinobi world, where gathering natural energy required deep concentration and stillness, the natural energy of this world flowed into the human body on its own.
It was no wonder, then, that people here tended to possess such exceptional physical strength.
That also explained the nature of Haki—what this world called "domineering spirit."
Haki, he realized, was essentially the manifestation of this natural energy within the body. It was always there—sleeping, waiting. Most people didn't even notice it until it was awakened by extreme training or life-threatening circumstances.
This phenomenon was widespread. Everyone in this world possessed this "natural energy" in some form.
And Devil Fruits?
If he had to compare, Naruto believed they functioned like an artificial or specialized version of Sage Mode.
A Devil Fruit was like a seed.
Once consumed, it sprouted within the body—unlocking abilities far beyond the natural limits of ordinary beings.
But at its core, those abilities were still rooted in natural energy. They were simply another form of its expression—twisted, condensed, and evolved through the power of the Devil Fruit.
Naruto felt it.
He was getting close to the truth.
He could see the framework of this world, hidden beneath the surface. The way natural energy infused life. The subtle link between Haki and Sage Mode. The parallels between Devil Fruits and chakra-based transformations.
He wasn't just training anymore.
He was deciphering the rules of this world.
And soon… he'd master them.