Walking once more down the familiar tree-lined path, with the training grounds visible in the distance, Nao Natsuya opened his system's shop menu as he strolled.
[You have selected: Intermediate Kami-e Skill Scroll and Martial Arts Training Booster Card (7 days). Total cost: 1,200 points. Proceed with the exchange?]
Without hesitation, he selected "Yes."
A confirmation message popped up. The Intermediate Kami-e was now mastered, while the Booster Card had been placed into his inventory, awaiting manual activation.
"So, skill-based items can't be stored, but the others can be kept in the inventory until I'm ready to use them."
Having figured out the difference, Nao turned his attention to the basic attributes list. Each stat had a familiar "+" sign next to it, just like the RPG games he'd played in his previous life.
Intelligence and Charm were far too costly for now, completely out of reach.
That left Strength, Agility, and Stamina. But which one should he invest in?
After some hesitation, Nao made up his mind and spent the 4,000 points he'd earned from Bellemere on two points of Stamina.
The reason was simple. At this stage, where his focus was on training, a significant boost to Stamina would maximize his stamina and allow for more efficient extra practice.
Combined with the Martial Arts Training Booster Card he'd just obtained, it was a perfect fit.
Plus, the physical improvements from boosting Stamina were subtle. Unlike Strength or Agility, which could draw unwanted attention if they suddenly surged overnight, Stamina increases would be harder for others to notice.
As he watched his Stamina stat jump from "9" to "11," Nao barely had time to feel the sting of spending points before he sensed a surge of vitality coursing through his body. It was as if a hot stream of energy flowed through his organs and veins.
"Hmm?"
He rolled his shoulders, feeling that the exhaustion from a day of grueling training had noticeably lifted. It almost seemed like he could keep training through the night without collapsing.
"At least 50% stronger than before…"
Feeling the surge of strength within, Nao couldn't help but grin. His spirits instantly lifted.
After all, he'd always possessed a naturally resilient body. Even among the elite recruits at Headquarters, his Stamina alone was in the top tier. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to finish his daily training and then continue with solo extra sessions every night.
Now, with two more points added, he felt confident that no one in the entire camp of over two hundred elite recruits could match his Stamina.
"If I keep focusing on Stamina, I might even turn into an unkillable monster tougher than Luffy... I could stand in front of Kaido, shout 'I'll become the King of the Marines!', and even after he slams me with a Thunder Bagua and then another hit, I'd still be up and kicking…"
Nao chuckled at the thought of Kaido's dumbfounded face.
Of course, it was just a wild daydream. He knew that focusing solely on Stamina would soon cost him exponentially more points. He'd need to balance it out with Strength and Agility down the line.
Before he realized it, Nao had reached the end of the tree-lined path. Without lingering, he opened his inventory, activated the Martial Arts Training Booster Card, and strode confidently into the training grounds.
The night sky was gloomy, with heavy clouds obscuring the stars. Fortunately, several streetlamps cast enough light around the area to keep it from being completely dark.
Inside the training grounds, a few determined figures were already hard at work—this was about all that remained of those in the elite camp willing to push themselves with extra training.
After all, the regular regimen set by Zephyr-sensei was already brutally demanding. By sunset, most recruits were too exhausted to continue, let alone sacrifice their rest for more training.
Nao picked a quiet corner, draped his jacket over the wall, took a deep breath, and began with warm-up laps around the outermost ring of the grounds.
One lap around the Headquarters' elite training grounds was about 2,000 meters. For an average Marine soldier, running 30 or 40 laps would be equivalent to half a day's worth of training, and they'd be left gasping for air, barely able to move.
Nao, however, ran a full 100 laps—and that was just his warm-up before the real extra training began.
About an hour and a half later, his laps completed, Nao, drenched in sweat, took only a short break and drank some water before moving on to strength training.
His first challenge: 5,000 one-arm push-ups.
Every 1,000 reps, he shifted his focus and technique to ensure both arms, core, and abdominal muscles were all thoroughly worked. Through the relentless tearing and rebuilding of muscle fibers, he felt that familiar mix of pain and satisfaction that came with each incremental improvement.
"Four thousand six hundred and one... four thousand six hundred and two…"
Sweat pooled beneath him, soaking the ground, while Nao's entire body was taut like a drawn bow. He counted under his breath between ragged exhales.
The recent boost in Stamina made a world of difference.
Before tonight, even when at his physical peak, Nao would be gasping for air by the end of his push-up sets, his body screaming with exhaustion and soreness. Any more and he'd collapse.
But now, despite already having expended most of his strength through the day's intense training, he was still going strong, controlling his breathing with ease.
"Seems the Stamina boost isn't just about raw stamina."
Excitement coursed through him as he focused on the shifting ground beneath his fists. "In that case, let's see where my current limit really is."
Though determined, the inevitable pain and strain of nearing his limit set in once he crossed 5,000 reps. Gritting his teeth, he pushed through the final sets with everything he had, refusing to give up.
Pain, after all, has three stages: feeling it, enduring it, and understanding it.
But Nao had long since transcended them all. He was already at the final stage—embracing it.
"Six thousand nine hundred thirty-five... six thousand nine hundred thirty-six…"
When he finally neared the 7,000 mark, his muscles could endure no more. His right arm buckled, and he collapsed onto the ground.
"Ahhh... that feels good."
Though his whole body was limp and trembling, leaving him unable to stand, a satisfied smile spread across Nao's face.
Lying on his back like a starfish, he gazed up at the deep, inky sky.
Though there was no notification from the system, he could clearly feel the effect of the Booster Card. His training gains were almost visibly doubled.
If he dedicated the coming week solely to martial arts training, he figured he could accomplish the equivalent of over two months' worth of progress.
The physical bottleneck that had once held him back seemed to be loosening. Through sheer willpower and practice, he could finally push past it.
After a long rest, Nao finally propped himself up from the ground.
Flexing his aching wrists, he was just contemplating how to test his new Intermediate Kami-e technique when, under the dim streetlight, a slender figure hesitated before approaching him.