CHAPTER 10 — The Boy Who Tried to Get Strong
The next morning, Ren stood on the hilltop where he and Luffy had been "training" two days ago. Unlike Luffy's chaotic exercises, this time he had a serious plan.
Well… something resembling a plan.
He set his feet apart, stretched, and inhaled deeply.
"Okay," he whispered to himself. "Today… we start."
He wanted strength. Not to fight monsters. Not to be a hero.
But to stop freezing.
To stop feeling helpless.
To protect the life he was slowly building.
Ren clenched his fists.
"I can do this."
Then he immediately tripped on a small rock.
THUD.
Ren groaned. "This is a terrible start."
---
Ren's First Attempt at Push-Ups
Push-up position.
Back straight.
Arms firm.
Ren lowered himself—
SHAKE
SHAKE
TREMBLE
"Why is this so hard—?"
THUMP.
He fell face-first into the grass.
Ren coughed out dirt. "Okay. One… is fine. I'll do one today."
He tried again, arms wobbling like noodles.
Kiro arrived just in time to witness the struggle.
"Ren?"
Ren froze in plank position. "Kiro."
"You look like a dying crab."
Ren collapsed fully. "I feel like one."
Kiro sat in the grass, grinning. "What are you doing anyway?"
"Training."
Kiro snorted. "Is that what we're calling this?"
Ren glared half-heartedly. "I'm trying."
"I know," Kiro said. "It's cute."
Ren buried his face again. "Please don't call it that."
---
Ren's First Attempt at Running
Ren stood up, shaking the dirt out of his hair.
"Running," he declared.
Kiro tilted his head. "How far?"
Ren looked at the hill path. "Down to the big tree. Then back."
"That's… ambitious."
Ren started running.
His legs moved fine—until he realized the slope was much steeper than it looked.
"Wait—wait—WAIT—!"
He picked up speed.
Too much speed.
"NO STOP STOP—!"
Kiro watched calmly from above.
WOOSH
THUD.
BONK.
Ren rolled into a bush, legs sticking out.
Kiro clapped slowly. "Impressive form, Ren."
Ren's voice muffled through leaves. "I hate gravity."
"You picked the wrong world for that."
---
Luffy Joins the Chaos
As Ren pulled himself out of the bush, twigs in his hair, another voice echoed:
"REEEEEN! ARE YOU DEAD?!"
Ren sighed deeply. "Why is this my life now?"
Luffy arrived at full speed, tripping over the same root Ren had tripped on yesterday.
Makino's words echoed in Ren's mind:
"He never learns."
Luffy skidded to a stop and beamed. "What're you doing?"
Ren dusted himself off. "Training."
Luffy punched the air. "GREAT! I'll train you!"
"No—"
"Yes!"
"No, Luffy, please—"
Luffy picked up a stick. "Let's fight!"
Ren panicked. "NO FIGHTING. ONLY EXERCISE."
"Ohhhhh." Luffy scratched his head. "What's exercise?"
Kiro answered dryly. "Pain. Controlled pain."
Ren groaned. "I regret everything."
---
Sit-Ups: Ren's First Small Victory
Ren lay on his back.
"Sit-ups," he said. "Simple. Safe."
Luffy sat on his feet—literally.
Kiro counted.
Ren lifted himself.
Once.
Twice.
By the fifth sit-up, his abs burned like fire.
"I— hate— this—"
Luffy blinked. "Why are you shaking? Do you have worms?"
Ren stopped mid-sit-up. "Luffy… where did you learn that?"
"From the goats!"
Kiro groaned. "Please don't compare Ren to goats."
Ren lay flat on the grass again, wheezing.
But…
Something felt different.
He wasn't as exhausted as expected.
His recovery was faster than normal.
His body felt slightly lighter.
Ren sat up slowly, thinking.
"…This world really is different."
Kiro nodded. "People here get strong in weird ways."
Luffy punched a boulder. "YEAH!"
CRACK.
Ren and Kiro both stared.
Ren whispered, horrified, "He just cracked a rock."
Kiro shrugged. "He does that."
Luffy grinned. "I'm awesome!"
Ren stared at his own hands.
If children here could reach that level…
Maybe he could too.
Slowly.
Naturally.
One step at a time.
---
Makino's Concern (Again)
Makino arrived carrying a basket of snacks.
"Boys?" she called.
Ren sat up quickly. "Makino?"
She approached, looked him up and down, and sighed.
"You're covered in dirt."
Ren nodded. "Yes."
"And leaves."
"Yes."
"And shame."
"…Possibly."
Makino ruffled his hair gently. "Well, at least you're trying."
Luffy puffed his chest. "REN TRAINED LIKE A WORM!"
Ren glared. "STOP SAYING WORM."
Makino giggled behind her hand. "You three. Honestly."
She handed Ren a rice ball. "Eat. Then rest. Training is good, hurting yourself is not."
Ren took it gratefully.
"…Thank you."
Makino smiled warmly. "You're doing great."
Ren's chest warmed.
---
Ren's Quiet Realization
After Makino left, Ren sat on the grass alone for a moment.
The breeze was cool.
The sea sparkled below.
Children's laughter drifted from the village.
Ren lifted his arm and made a fist.
He wasn't strong.
But he wasn't weak the same way he used to be.
Something in his body felt… adaptable.
More elastic.
More responsive.
He whispered:
"I can grow here. I know I can."
Not through shortcuts.
Not through systems.
Not through miracles.
But through effort.
Through living.
Through belonging.
He wasn't alone anymore.
And that made all the difference.
---
A Promise to Himself
Kiro walked past with firewood.
"You done dying?"
Ren stood up, dusting himself off. "For today."
Luffy sprinted by screaming, "TRAIN MORE!!" before running straight into a tree.
BONK.
Ren sighed. "Tomorrow… maybe."
Kiro snorted. "You'll survive."
Ren smiled faintly.
"…I think I will."
He looked toward Makino's bar—full of warmth.
Toward the village—full of life.
Toward the hilltop—full of possibility.
And Ren made a quiet promise:
"I'll become stronger… the right way."
Slowly.
Gently.
With the people he cared about.
---
End of Chapter 10
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