[STATUS] —
Lv 5
Strength: 12
Agility: 30 (spent +15)
Vitality: 11
Intelligence: 11
Preception: 11
Luck: 11
Unspent Points: 0
Skills
Tracking — Lv 1 — Proficiency 5% — Helps you hunt and track targets; improves sense of surroundings (also keeps you from getting lost like Zoro).
Physical Resistance — Lv 3 — Proficiency 70% — Increases pain tolerance and reduces incoming damage.
Swordsmanship — Lv 1 — Proficiency 0% — Beginning to treat the sword as an extension of yourself.
Dash — Lv 2 — Proficiency 10% — Short burst forward. Costs stamina; overuse in this small body causes a 5-minute lockup where you can't move.
I was Level 5 now. These little fuckers were strong. If I had to guess, their stats had to be in the high 30s to 40s. Luffy was probably in the high 20s for now. Even with 30 AGI, I was learning the hard truth: raw speed isn't a win button—technique and timing still slap you down.
"System, show me all my stats."
[STATUS CHECKED]
I felt a surge of power just looking at the panel. My muscles had torn and rebuilt overnight at a crazy rate. Tomorrow I wouldn't fall behind. Let's goooo.
Today was training day. We were having a tournament.
We ran a 20-bout round robin—each pair fought twenty times.
"Okay, first fight: Luffy vs. Ace."
"Gum-Gum Pistol!" Luffy shot forward, but the punch skipped off the ground and rubber-rebounded into his own face, a dull thwack that made my teeth ache just watching it. I couldn't help a chuckle. Ace stepped in and dropkicked him in the face.
"Stop playing around, you idiot!!!" Ace yelled.
"Now, Sabo vs. Sora."
We were only using our fists and legs. I used Dash—one burst to close, feet skimming dirt—feinted left, then snapped a right hook across Sabo's cheek. Knuckles stung; I almost turned the tide—
—but he vaulted clean over my follow-up, palms on my shoulder, and slammed my head into the packed earth. Grit crackled in my molars.
"Ouch."
"You've gotten stronger, Sora. Maybe in ten years you could catch up," Sabo said, breathing easy.
"It would be a hundred years for me," Ace added with a smirk.
"Nah—maybe a hundred for Luffy, but I'll catch up in a year or two."
"Oyeee, Sora, you're weaker than me. How can you say that? My punches are like pistols."
"I bet they are, Luffy."
"Really? You think so, Sora?"
"Don't lie to him, Sora. His head might get big—like his big appetite," Ace said.
"Oyee, nothing bigger than my appetite, sheshe."
We all started laughing.
Next was Ace vs. Sabo. They were dead even until Sabo overcommitted on a right hook and whiffed.
"I win today, SABO!" Ace cracked him with a counter right and dropped him.
By the end, we'd finished the round robin. I took 15 of 20 off Luffy—half of them from him knocking himself silly with bad Gum-Gum angles.
[DING] [SKILL] Hand-to-Hand Combat learned — Lv 1 (Proficiency 0%)
That put a smile on my face. If I had to get beat up by kids, at least I got a skill out of it.
"Growllllllllllll!"
Lunch alarm—and Luffy's stomach.
"Let's get food," Ace said.
We sat on a thick tree branch, looking down at the crocodiles like hungry hyenas. Bark dug into my calves; the river smell was cold and muddy.
"Okay, let's get our food," Ace said.
"I love crocodile meat," Luffy said.
"Luffy, make sure you don't get eaten this time," Sabo said.
"I think he probably will, haha."
"Okay, Luffy and Sora, wait here—since you guys can't swim and would slow us down."
Luffy launched off the branch. "Crocodile meat!!!"
"Ohh—wait!" I called, as Sabo and Ace dove after him.
Shit, I might jump too, haha.
We'd repeat this process almost every day.
[DING] Level 8 reached.Lv 8: 0/5600 → Lv 9
Leveling was getting hard. EXP to next level kept doubling. Weak prey gave the same numbers as before; stronger prey gave more.
[SYSTEM TIP] Bonus EXP when using trained skills: weapon kills +25%; +10% per 20% proficiency with that skill.
Over the next stretch—yeah, a light time skip—we trained, brawled, and took our hits. In this small ten-year-old body, every slam left bruises; every bruise made Physical Resistance tick up. That's how I'm catching up to monsters like these three who are already stronger than most grown men.
My Swordsmanship was now Lv 5, having given me 480 EXP so far. I could cut a small tree clean in half. Progress was slowing, but Lv 10 felt close enough to touch. I believed it in my heart: the Lv 10 Monarch Skill would be a game changer—hopefully.
After training for a while, we decided to go to the Goa Kingdom. We stacked on each other to about seven feet, wrapped in crocodile skin, crept through Gray Terminal unseen, and slipped past the Great Gate into Edge Town.
We ended up fighting some gangsters.
Then into the Goa Kingdom, where the streets were white and spotless—the "most beautiful city in East Blue." Nobles eyed us with disgust. We ignored them. We wanted ramen.
We found Fine Dining Echiro and, thanks to Sabo's medallion, got the VIP room. He didn't tell Ace or Luffy how he had it, but I knew—he was a noble.
We ate like starving hyenas. Maybe the best ramen of my life. Room service was great—until Luffy stretched his arm out the door to snag a bowl from the waitress's hands, forcing us to jump from the fourth-floor window to a tented awning.
This is fun, I thought, but I knew it wouldn't last.
As we ran, Sabo's dad spotted us. Sabo said ignore him and kept moving.
"Tell us, Sabo—what are you hiding?" Ace yelled.
"I am not hiding anything."
"Oh, you're not?" Luffy said, almost believing him.
"Yes, you, Sabo—tell us. We can't have secrets between us," Ace said. "Tell us!"
"Like I said, I'm not hiding any—" Ace grabbed him by the neck and cinched a choke.
"Tell us, you bastard, or I'll beat you!"
Luffy piled on while I watched and chuckled.
"Okay, I'll tell you."
Sabo told us the truth—he was a noble, not an orphan, both parents alive. He apologized for lying about his past. He didn't want to marry some ugly noble girl, study forever, and take culture classes on loop.
"I was all by myself even with parents," Sabo said. "Nobles look down on Gray Terminal, but it's better than High Town, where your life is arranged from birth."
"I see," Ace said.
"Ace, Luffy, Sora—we're going to sea one day. Let's leave this country and live freely. I want to see the world and write a book about it. Let's become stronger and be pirates," Sabo said, smiling.
We all grinned.
"You don't have to tell me. I'm gonna do it anyway. I'm gonna be a pirate and become infamous. It'll be the proof of my life. Even if the world rejects or despises me, I'll become a great pirate and show them what I can do. I won't run or lose to anyone. Hated or feared—my name will be known all over!!" Ace shouted to the sky.
Then Luffy ran forward and yelled his real dream, making us laugh.
"You're a funny one, Luffy," Sabo said.
"I was wondering what he was gonna say," Ace said.
"I believe in you, Luffy—haha. You know what? My goal is to help you achieve that one day," I said proudly. "I want a world where kids grow up without a path forced on them. I want all kids freeee."
"I can't wait to see how you two turn out," Sabo said, chuckling.
"But wait—we can all be pirates, but there's only one captain."
"Ohh, you're right, Sabo. Okay—be my navigator," Ace said. "You guys can ride on my ship. And Sora already said he's gonna help."
"No thanks!"
"AYE, I SAID I'LL HELP WITH YOUR DREAM, BUT I WANT TO BE CAPTAIN TOO."
"HUHHHHHHH! I said come aboard, so come aboard!" Luffy whined.
"Nah. That'll never happen—never."
"What the—well, okay then."
"HAHA, MAN, YOU'RE FUNNY, LUFFY."
"HAHAA."