Pop!
Tom's snot bubble burst.
Zhang Da Ye and Tom woke up simultaneously, rubbing their eyes and stretching lazily.
Checking the time, he realized he had slept for over two hours. He felt noticeably lighter.
"Let's go, Tom. Let's take a walk and see about charging the energy," he said.
Tom yawned and obediently perched on Zhang Da Ye's shoulder.
"Oh? Are you Da Ye?" Molly looked surprised as she saw him step out.
"Yes, that's me. Is there a problem?"
"Wait a second," she said, handing him a small mirror. "You look completely different."
"Huh?" Zhang Da Ye stared at his reflection, touching his cheeks in disbelief.
After the bath, his face had looked sunken and malnourished. How did it fully recover after a nap?
"I… have no idea," he muttered. He'd only seen this in anime—characters starving to skin and bones, then recovering after a meal.
And Tom had done the same—could it be that he now had the same ability? Life restoration?
"Well, it's good that you've recovered. Any discomfort?" Molly asked, quickly accepting the unusual phenomenon. The seas were full of oddities; this young man might be extraordinary.
"No, I feel great. I want to go out for a walk," Zhang Da Ye replied.
"Alright, but remember a few things," Molly said, serious now.
"What?"
She held up a finger. "First, Goodman should have told you: the Sabaody Archipelago has 79 islands, each with numbered trees on the main trunks. Bridges connect the islands. Near our home is fine, but do not go to islands 1 through 29."
"Why not?"
"Those islands are lawless, avoided by both the Navy and the World Government. They're full of ruthless pirates—very dangerous."
Zhang Da Ye nodded. He had heard of the lawless zones before—human auctions and Shakky's extortion bar were in that area. His frail frame would either get him killed or sold.
She raised a second finger. "Island 44 is where ordinary ships enter the archipelago. Pirates often sneak in there. Newly arrived pirates tend to lay low, but we should still avoid it."
"Got it," he said. He didn't want to meet any pirates right now.
She raised a third finger. "Finally, sometimes Celestial Dragons might come here on a whim. If you encounter them, either hide quickly or kneel with others—blend in as much as possible. Remember that."
"I'll stick nearby," he said. Celestial Dragons were troublesome; better to avoid them.
Zhang Da Ye stepped out of Goodman's house, calculating whether he should save money before leaving. The Sabaody Archipelago didn't feel safe.
Leaving meant taking a merchant or passenger ship, which risked robbery. Even the calm East Blue had pirates like Arlong and Kuro causing trouble. The Golden Lion might be plotting in some corner.
One day, an island could explode while he was singing over hotpot at home.
"So, I need to get stronger. And I need to study this magic circle derived from my pathetic phone—see if it charges through my movement," he thought, opening the screen to check time and energy.
"15:07, energy 72%. Let's start jogging!"
He ran along the street. Passersby glanced curiously or ignored him; like Goodman, they couldn't see the glow on his hand.
So far, only Tom could see it—maybe only summoned beings could.
After running, energy rose to 73%. He stopped, checked the time: 15:08.
"One minute of jogging gave 2%? Might be inaccurate. Try again."
He ran again, starting precisely at 15:10. By 15:21, energy reached 83%. He was tired but manageable.
"So about ten minutes of jogging increases 10%. Last time was probably just timing error," he calculated.
"Once it hits 90%, I can summon. Keep running!" Zhang Da Ye felt motivated.
Tom balanced him, running from left to right shoulder.
About twenty minutes later, Zhang Da Ye felt some soreness in his calves, but not like before when a few laps would leave him panting.
"Stamina seems better, but that's not the main point," he said excitedly. Energy reached 91%. Time to summon.
Finding a quiet alley, he opened the screen and activated the magical circle.
[Energy sufficient. Start summoning?]
[Yes (30s)] | [No]
Impatient, he chose Yes.
Nothing flashy happened. Energy instantly dropped by 80%, then a window appeared:
[Congratulations, you have obtained: Tom's Stylish Cigar x3, Tom's Magical Milk x1]
[Stored in inventory]
Zhang Da Ye stared in disbelief. What is this? 80% energy for this? And why require 90% to start if only 80% is used? Battery protection?
Opening the inventory, he saw two icons: a cigar (3 pieces) and a blue metal bowl containing two-thirds of milk, bubbling.
[Tom's Stylish Cigar: The first puff forms smoke rings in any shape you want.]
[Tom's Magical Milk: Originally designed as a poison, it grants immense strength for a short time when consumed.]
Zhang Da Ye: !!!