The village of Cocoyasi became unusually lively following Kapu's arrival.
All the villagers were buzzing about the conversation they had just witnessed between Garp and Shen Yuan.
But it wasn't just the townspeople enjoying the moment—
At the Bell-mère household, Shen Yuan was in the yard lifting stones, training his body.
"Brother Shen Yuan, aren't you tired?" Nami asked with innocent curiosity.
"Tired? Of course I'm tired."
"Then why are you still training so hard? Why?"
Shen Yuan was about to say "for my skill tree," but he caught himself. His mind blanked—so he made something up.
"How else am I supposed to protect you if I'm not strong enough?"
That line startled even him.
To a child who had lost parental love so early, those words had immense weight.
"…Really?"
Shen Yuan didn't notice the subtle shift in Nami's expression. In his mind, a quiet notification chimed:
> [Stamina +0.01]
[Stamina +0.01]
[Vitality +0.01]
[Due to consistent physical training, EXP +0.1]
"Kids! Time for dinner!" Bell-mère's voice called cheerfully.
She set a plate of fresh orange pie on the table, accompanied by a golden-roasted chicken that released a mouthwatering aroma.
Shen Yuan, sweaty from training, didn't sit down right away. He went to wash up and took the opportunity to check his system panel.
---
> Name: Shen Yuan
Age: 12
Affiliation: Cocoyasi Village
Stamina: 0.3 / 100
Agility: 0 / 100
Speed: 0 / 100
Strength: 0.28 / 100
---
"Eating meat on my first day here? Not bad," Shen Yuan joked as he dried his hair, eyeing the table of food.
"That's all thanks to you!" Bell-mère laughed.
"Brother Shen Yuan, you're so cool!" Nami said excitedly.
Now cleaned up, Shen Yuan's handsome features made Bell-mère's heart skip a beat.
She quickly shook the thought away and called everyone over to eat.
Nami munched happily on her orange pie, sneaking glances at the mysterious "big brother" who had suddenly entered her life. Shen Yuan's earlier words were still echoing in her heart.
"Brother Shen Yuan, you're from Foosha Village, right? Since you drifted here across the sea… you must've seen the outside world?"
Nami's eyes lit up with wonder.
Even Nojiko raised her head, full of eager curiosity.
"Hmm…" Shen Yuan racked his brains and used memories from his previous life to craft stories for them.
When the tale reached its exciting parts, Nami clung to his arm, stars in her eyes.
"Well, that's about it. Let's eat up. After this, Nami-chan, you're training with me."
"Really? Yay!" Nami cheered, scarfing down the last of her orange pie in two bites.
Shen Yuan wasn't far behind—he devoured more than half of the roast chicken and polished off a good share of the pie as well.
After the meal, Shen Yuan took Nami outside to train.
Bell-mère, still sitting at the table, sighed in satisfaction.
Despite her time in the navy, her own world knowledge didn't compare to Shen Yuan's stories.
The Great Dams, sky-piercing Buddha statues, sacred mountains, and majestic rivers…
She smiled. This boy was calm, kind, and mysterious. She couldn't help but look forward to the man he might become.
Days passed. Nami and Shen Yuan kept training together outdoors, and soon even Nojiko joined in. The trio quickly became close friends.
After some time, Shen Yuan's system notified him of an advancement.
Without hesitation, he unlocked a new skill:
> [Basic Skill Tree: Physical Awakening Path – Unlocked!]
Acquired: Physical Reinforcement Lv.1
(+5% Stamina efficiency, +1 flat Stamina gain cap)
He could feel a slight boost in his strength. It wasn't much, but enough to take on small-time pirates if needed.
Just as that thought crossed his mind—
"Run! Pirates! Pirates are here!!"
A villager screamed from the entrance of the village. The people working nearby froze, their tools falling to the ground. Panic spread.
"You worthless peasants! Hand over your valuables or die!"
A band of pirates sneered and jeered, weapons drawn. Villagers fled in terror.
Shen Yuan dashed toward the entrance without hesitation.
Ahead, a ragtag crew of pirates stood grinning. Behind them, a ship bobbed ominously offshore.
Its flag fluttered in the sea breeze—a crossed pair of curved swords with a horned skull emblem at the center.
"I'm the second-in-command of the Twin Blades Pirates! If you know what's good for you, hand it all over!"
Shen Yuan didn't reply.
He rushed forward, grabbed a nearby pirate by the collar, and slammed a fist into his face!
The pirate hit the ground with a thud, clutching his broken nose.
Shen Yuan picked up the pirate's fallen dagger and hesitated.
This was it—the line that couldn't be uncrossed.
This was a world governed by power, where the strong lived and the weak died.
If you don't eat the small fish, you'll be swallowed whole by bigger ones.
His grip tightened.
Just then, another pirate lunged with a blade, roaring.
BANG!
A gunshot rang out—the attacker fell to the ground.
Bell-mère stood behind Shen Yuan, rifle in hand, smoke curling from the barrel.
"Don't be stupid, kid," she said calmly.
Shen Yuan snapped into focus.
With no more hesitation, he plunged the dagger into the pirate's neck.
> [You killed an ordinary pirate. +20 EXP.]
Blood spattered across his face. But Shen Yuan didn't flinch.
Another pirate charged. Shen Yuan parried with his dagger, then slammed his foot into the man's groin.
Before the enemy could scream, Shen Yuan buried the blade in his chest.
> [You killed an ordinary pirate. +20 EXP.]
More pirates advanced, only to freeze.
A child… was butchering their crew.
Shocked at first, they soon erupted in fury and charged together.
"Little runt! I'll snap your arm off myself!"
Shen Yuan's brows furrowed.
A hint of nausea from the kill tried to rise—but was drowned by the absurdity of what he just heard.
"How are you pirates with that kind of brainpower? You'll get sunk the second you leave port!"
He dodged strike after strike, evading the worst of the attacks. Still, he sustained a few slashes across his arms and side.
Gritting his teeth, he slashed one pirate across the waist.
> [You killed an ordinary pirate. +20 EXP.]
Bell-mère covered him from behind, picking off enemies with her rifle.
She trusted Shen Yuan's ability without question.
"Puff!" Another pirate dropped dead.
The rest hesitated. Their bloodlust faltered.
Then—
"What's the matter? Navy got you spooked?"
A voice cut through the chaos.
A tall man approached, wearing a red windbreaker and a wide-brimmed hat. Twin machetes hung at his hips.
He fixed his predatory eyes on Shen Yuan. His tongue flicked out unnaturally, snake-like.
"Big bro! That kid killed a bunch of us!"
The man scowled. "Then he dies. I'll flay the brat right here."
Shen Yuan, breathing heavily, tossed aside his bent dagger.
"This thing's trash. Might as well be a damn bread knife."
He picked up a sturdier short sword from a fallen pirate and locked eyes with the twin-blade captain.
A fierce battle was about to erupt.