The sun hadn't even risen properly when—
"OI, SPYYY."
Something hit my head.
"Wake up. It's your training time. As you asked."
I groaned and pulled the pillow over my ears.
"Nahhh…"
The next thing I knew—
The cell door opened.
Gray grabbed me by the collar and dragged me out like a wolf mom carrying her child by the neck.
And then—
THUD.
He threw me straight onto the ground.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOINGGGH?!" I shouted. "At least let me sleep properly!"
Gray stood over me.
"Duke Nekomamushi replied to your request," he said coldly. "You only get three more days here."
I froze.
"On the fourth day," he continued, "A festival will be held."
I sat up slowly.
"We won't risk you escaping that day."
"…So train."
I stared at him.
"…You're hiding something," I said.
"No."
I narrowed my eyes.
"…It's the full moon on the fourth day, isn't it?"
Gray stiffened.
"If I escape during the full moon," I continued, "And you lose control—Sulongs—there's a chance you could destroy your own country."
"That's why you want me gone early."
Silence.
Then—
Gray's eyes widened.
"How do you know that?!"
I panicked internally.
"UHHHH."
"BRUHH STOP TALKING."
"WHY DO YOU TALK LIKE YOU KNOW THINGS??"
"Uh—yesterday," I said quickly. "I heard two ladies talking about the full moon."
Gray frowned.
"I was with you the whole time."
My brain short-circuited.
"UHH."
"THINK ASH THINK."
"Y—yeah!" I said. "When we were eating! You were shouting at a guard!"
Gray stared at me for a long second.
"…That is the reason."
He turned away.
"So now we train."
He reached behind him and threw something at me.
I caught it.
A pipe.
Metal. Old. Heavy.
"…This is your weapon?" he asked. "Don't you think it's unusual?"
I grinned instantly.
"THANK YOUUU GRAYYY!"
He blinked.
"No," I said excitedly. "It's perfect. I always fought with a pipe."
" The night before, I'd asked the system why I didn't have Ace's tattoo. It said Ace's original body was too damaged—his organs burned beyond repair. This body is a repaired version. New organs. My soul. My consciousness. It adapts fast. Weapons included. Bruhh… you could've just given me a new body.
System said: be happy."
Gray cracked his knuckles.
"Training starts now."
And from that moment—
He showed zero mercy.
---
Day One
"RUN."
"What?"
"RUN."
He made me run around Zou.
Once. Twice. Three times.
By the fifth round, my lungs were on fire.
"BRUHH—ZOU IS A WALKING ELEPHANT—WHY IS IT THIS BIG?!"
"Faster."
Then—
He attacked me.
No warning.
Claws coated in Electro.
I barely blocked with the pipe.
The shock ran through my arms.
"HEY—FIRST DAY—CHILL—"
Slash.
I rolled.
Missed by inches.
"He's actually trying to kill me."
"This is not training."
"This is revenge for shopping."
By night, I collapsed.
Gray didn't even look tired.
---
Day Two
I woke up before Gray this time.
Which was weird.
My whole body hurt—arms, legs, back, even muscles I didn't know existed.
I tried to sit up.
Bad idea.
"UGHHH—"
I fell back flat.
"Why does my body feel like it got hit by a Sea King?"
"Oh right."
"It did."
The cell door opened.
Gray walked in, completely normal. No scratches. No tired face.
I hated him instantly.
"Get up," he said.
"I am up," I replied. "Mentally."
He threw the pipe at my chest.
"Block better today."
I caught it—barely.
The moment my fingers wrapped around the metal, something felt… different.
The weight didn't feel awkward anymore.
"…Huh?"
" It feels lighter."
"Not lighter."
"Familiar."
We went outside.
Cold morning air. Mist between the trees. The forest was quiet.
Too quiet.
Gray stood in front of me.
"Yesterday, you survived," he said. "Today, you learn."
Before I could ask—
He vanished.
Not moved.
Vanished.
A sharp pain exploded across my side.
I flew backward and crashed into a tree.
Electro.
My body convulsed.
"WHAT THE HELL—?!"
"You're looking with your eyes," Gray said calmly from behind me. "Look with instinct."
He attacked again.
Claws. Fast. Precise.
I raised the pipe without thinking.
CLANG.
The impact numbed my hands.
"…I blocked?"
"I BLOCKED."
No time to celebrate.
Another strike.
I rolled. Barely avoided it.
My heart was racing.
"BRUHH STOP TELEPORTING—"
He appeared in front of me and kicked me straight into the ground.
"Get up."
I coughed.
Dirt in my mouth. Metal taste.
"Stand up."
"If you lie down, you lose to a demon."
I forced myself up.
Gray came again.
This time— I didn't wait.
I swung first.
The pipe whistled through the air.
He dodged easily, but—
He raised an eyebrow.
"You attacked," he said.
"Yeah," I panted. "Crazy idea, I know."
The fight continued.
Over. And over.
Every time I hesitated, I got shocked.
Every time I overthought, I got slammed.
Eventually—
I stopped thinking.
My body started moving on its own.
Block. Twist. Step back. Swing.
The pipe hit his claw.
Not hard.
But enough.
Gray paused.
Just for a second.
"…Did I hit him?"
"Oh."
"OH."
He attacked harder.
Electro surged through his claws.
The ground cracked where he landed.
I was thrown into the air.
I landed badly.
Pain shot through my leg.
I screamed.
Gray stood over me.
"You're weak," he said. "But you don't freeze."
He turned away.
"Again."
By noon, my clothes were torn. My hands were bleeding. My arms were numb.
I couldn't feel my fingers properly anymore.
We stopped only to eat.
I collapsed on the ground, staring at the sky.
"Why am I still alive?"
"Why do I want to keep going?"
Gray ate quietly.
After a moment, he spoke.
"Most humans beg by now."
I laughed weakly.
"I'm not normal," I said. "I already died once , I mean u all three me so I barely survived you know."
He looked at me.
Really looked.
Training resumed.
This time— He didn't announce attacks.
Branches snapped. Wind shifted.
I learned to listen.
Every rustle. Every breath.
When I blocked without seeing him—
Something clicked.
Not eyes.
Not ears.
Feeling.
By sunset, my body moved slower— but smoother.
When Gray attacked one last time—
I didn't fall.
I slid back.
Standing.
He stared at me.
"…You're adapting," he said.
I dropped to my knees right after.
"DON'T SAY IT LIKE THAT," I groaned. "IT MAKES IT SOUND COOL."
Gray turned away.
"Rest," he said. "Tomorrow will be worse."
As he walked off, I lay on the ground, breathing heavily.
"If this is only Day Two…
What the hell is Day Three?"
---
Day Three
Something felt off.
Gray was quiet.
Too quiet.
He said only one thing:
"Rest during the day."
"…Huh?"
"No running. No fighting."
I ate. Slept. Rested.
But my chest felt heavy.
"Why do I feel like this?"
"This is bad."
"This is very bad."
As the sun set—
Gray stood up.
"Training resumes," he said. "At night."
"…Night?"
He walked toward Duke Nekomamushi place.
After a long discussion—
He returned.
Permission granted.
Gray looked straight at me.
"For tonight," he said calmly, "I'm allowed to hunt you."
My blood ran cold.
"You must survive until morning."
I gripped the pipe.
"…You're serious."
Gray's eyes glowed faintly.
"This is your final training."
I swallowed.
"BRUHHHHHHHHHH."
The forest ahead was dark.
The moon was rising.
And I realized—
This wasn't training anymore.
This was survival.
"..bruhhhh!"