Animals know instinctively what's truly dangerous.
At this moment, the big gray bear's heart all but stopped.
It remembered two months ago, when this scrawny brat had dared to trespass in its domain — and got his ass handed to him, fleeing battered and humiliated.
Now?
That same kid just punched a fucking dinosaur to death.
The bear's tiny predator mind could only whimper: Thank fuck the lizard showed up first… or it would've been me lying dead on the grass.
It didn't even dare move — just kept its massive bulk lowered, glaring at Jin, throat rumbling with a nervous growl.
Jin himself was barely standing: his muscles swollen, burning from forcing internal energy beyond his current level. Two explosive punches had drained his seven-year-old frame dry.
Breathing ragged, Jin wiped blood from his lip, hopped lightly down from the crushed dino skull, and strode over to retrieve his battered black blade.
He shot the bear a glance, voice turning cold as ice:
"I helped you kill that oversized lizard. And you look half-dead already, so listen up: I only came here for the Starshroud Grass. If you try to stop me…"
Jin's killing intent rolled out like a black tide, forged from a mercenary king's past life. He raised the sword, its edge glinting silver under the moonlight.
"…then I'll cut you down too. Simple as that, you fat bastard."
The bear froze. Beasts could sense death better than words.
Its massive shoulders trembled — then it dropped to all fours, snorting submission.
"Smart move," Jin sneered, though relief flickered in his violet eyes.
He stalked over to the glowing patch of herbs. Only four stalks left.
"Fucking hell… Last time there were at least forty. What'd you do, stuff yourself like a pig?"
He turned to glare at the bear, which just blinked its small eyes innocently — Who, me? — as if watching some funny human drama.
"Goddamn… Still, four stalks are better than none. One's enough to break into Dark Force; the rest will help later."
Jin crouched, digging them up carefully. He slipped them into a beast-hide pouch tied at his belt.
A weight lifted from his chest.
"With this, the breakthrough is within reach… Kikoru, see that? The path's opening."
He glanced back. The bear had clumsily scooped dirt over its bleeding wounds, slowing the blood flow.
"Clever bastard… not just muscle, huh? Even looks smaller now — guess it's burned off some of that crazy energy."
Exhaustion gnawed at Jin, but this clearing was the safest place around. The forest's two apex monsters had just been here; no lesser beast would dare approach for hours.
His violet gaze shifted to the dinosaur corpse.
"Fucking jackpot. That meat's a walking protein barrel… enough to fuel months of brutal training."
Jin licked dry lips, stomach growling at the thought.
One hour later…
Firelight flickered wildly. A makeshift spit crackled above the blaze, fat dripping, sizzling on burning wood.
"Shit, turning a whole dino leg over a fire's tougher than fighting it," Jin cursed, arms aching as he twisted the spit.
The aroma was maddening — thick, wild, bloody. His gut roared louder than a sea king.
Finally, the outer layer blackened and blistered. Jin hacked off a steaming slab, ignoring the heat, and bit in.
"Motherfucker… that's good," he mumbled, juices running down his chin.
A shadow shifted closer. The bear, battered and bleeding, lumbered forward hesitantly — head lowered, like a sulking kid caught stealing cookies.
Jin smirked.
"What, you think puppy eyes work on me? …Ah, hell, fine."
He hacked off fifty pounds of sizzling meat and tossed it over.
"Eat, you big oaf."
The bear didn't waste time pretending to be proud. It tore in, devouring meat in mouthfuls, blood spattering the grass.
They feasted together: one human, one beast, both scarred, both half monsters in their own way.
Moon climbed high.
The bear slumped asleep under the massive tree, belly bulging.
Jin leaned back, wiped sweat from his brow.
"He's submitted. Good. If I help this bastard become true king of the forest, he can sniff out more rare herbs… I'll need plenty for Dark Force training, then for alchemical baths to strengthen tendons and bone."
Ambition flashed in his eyes — hot and dark.
"No time to waste. Need to burn every ounce of that dino meat into muscle."
Three days later…
Under the same ancient tree, Jin stood in a rooted stance.
Five hours straight. Every limb ached, sweat soaking black cloth.
Muscles quivered; bones felt heavy as iron rods. But inside, energy flowed — thick and aggressive, the raw fuel of a coming breakthrough.
He exhaled hard, dropped to sit cross-legged, gulped water from a bamboo flask.
"Once I open the Dantian, I can circulate force instead of standing here like a statue… but until then, this is the best damn way to hammer the body into steel."
He knew standing training forged foundations; impatient shortcuts only built ruin.
After a short rest, Jin rose, breath steadying.
He began the Five Dragon Fist — every motion trained to perfection.
The art's signature, the Explosive Strike, turned air itself into a weapon: compressing it around the fist until, at the moment of impact, it erupted, multiplying force.
That technique had cracked a dinosaur's skull.
"But it's only the start," Jin reminded himself, fist slicing the air, sweat flying.
No banners, no crowds, no titles — just a boy's stubborn will and the darkness of East Blue.
This story is inspired from various fanfics i have read from around the world so if you find any similarities please dont mind . Thank you
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T/N :
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