As Samael gave his permission to Nano about his training, a HUD display suddenly appeared in front of him. It was like the start of a game, where you would choose what kind of mode and difficulty you would play in. The difficulty was divided into four categories, categorized as Easy, Normal, Hard, and Hell Mode. Samael, wanting to change his behavior for the better, chose the Hell difficulty, as it was something he thought would be the most beneficial.
Samael was then brought to a VR world, where there was an opponent in front of him. It was like a character-based model, the kind often seen when a character is being programmed and designed. Then suddenly, an HUD was displayed in front of him once again.
[FIRST TARGET MARTIAL ARTS TO LEARN:
Krav Maga
Taekwondo
Karate
Muay Thai]
"What is this, Nano? I thought you would train me to become stronger and get used to pain. Why am I going to learn martial arts?" Samael then asked Nano, as it was something he did not expect.
[Nothing simulates growth better than actually doing martial arts sparring. I can also simulate nerve responses for every hit you receive, to make sure you get used to being struck. I will also amplify the pain based on how you respond to the training,] Nano explained—which made sense to Samael, so he did not question it further.
'Alright, I choose Muay Thai,' Samael then answered Nano, as he had read somewhere that Muay Thai was actually the most lethal martial art, using knees, elbows, punches, and kicks—something that could be useful in the One Piece world.
[Transferring basic knowledge of Muay Thai to the host.]
Nano then sent every basic technique it had regarding Muay Thai: every form and combination, making Samael feel like he had studied the art for years—though he still lacked practical experience.
[Initiating Combat Sequence. Sparring Partner: Apachai Hopachai.]
Nano then started, which made Samael freeze for a moment. He had heard the name Apachai Hopachai before, but couldn't remember clearly. Then, like in a game, a bell sound echoed as the sparring began.
Samael was cautious at first, having no experience, but confident in his strength. He thought he could simply block his opponent's attacks. But then, his sparring partner suddenly threw a shin kick toward his outer thigh—and when it landed, Samael felt like hell broke loose. He nearly fainted from the pain, something he wouldn't forget for a long time. He tried to dodge the next attack, but was struck by an elbow to his windpipe, forcing him to choke.
Every second of choking was felt by Samael—until he 'died' and woke up in his real body. He didn't know what had just happened, but it was something he had not expected to experience.
"What was that, Nano? Is that the training you said I would experience from now on?" Samael asked Nano for clarification.
[The host's fear of pain stems from fear of death. Now that the host has experienced one of the worst ways to die, it will help the brain adjust and protect itself less. This is something I must prevent. The host must overcome that fear alone, as it determines how the host will be able to use Haki—one of the most fundamental power systems in the One Piece world.]
Nano answered with no hint of regret, and its words made it clear that everything it was doing was for Samael's benefit. Then, despite not being ready, Samael was forced into the sparring match once again—but this time, it started immediately.
Samael kept getting beaten as time passed—hours of him running, trying to dodge, but always being caught by his opponent. He experienced more than one hundred spars where he only ran around. Until, in his 104th sparring match, instead of running, Samael counterattacked with a punch—but it was dodged by Apachai, who then kicked him in the torso and landed an axe kick on his head, killing him again.
[Congratulations to the host for managing to counterattack. Let's try to land a hit next time.]
Nano commented, mocking Samael a little. But still, in more than 100 spars, Samael had always been overwhelmed by his fear of getting hurt. This was the first time that fighting back even crossed his mind. This made Samael smile slightly. As simple as a counterattack was, he felt proud of his progress.
But what Samael didn't know was that Nano hadn't just altered his pain reception to amplify every hit by more than 100 times—it had also released hormones to intensify his fear responses by the same amount. This was why his fear of injury felt so overwhelming.
Then, Samael returned to the sparring center once again. This time, he didn't just counterattack again—he began using Muay Thai techniques instinctively. Still, he was no match for Apachai and kept getting overwhelmed.
This sparring continued until evening, and finally, Samael was put into recovery mode. While Samael was sparring in his mind, his physical body was also mimicking his movements in real-time, executing them against a virtual projection of Apachai.
----------------
While Samael was resting, the sea was also restless, as there was a war going on between the Blackbeard Pirates and the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates. The Whitebeard Pirates were seeking revenge for Blackbeard's betrayal. The Marines, meanwhile, were dealing with their own internal war, as news began to spread that Sengoku, the current Fleet Admiral, was going to abdicate his position. He had recommended Aokiji as his replacement, but the higher-ups wanted Akainu to become the next Fleet Admiral, causing a rift between the two admirals.
The Straw Hat Pirates, however, were all busy with their training, as there was still more than one year before they would reunite. It was a promise they had all made to themselves. Each of them wanted to become strong enough to support Luffy when they met again—because Luffy had always been there for them, and when he needed them the most, they hadn't been there for him.