The warship sped across the ocean, dragging a long rope behind it.
Kuzan watched the figure hundreds of meters away with excited eyes, his admiration for the boy growing stronger.
He knew very well just how insane and brutal Garp's training truly was. It completely ignored human limits, a devil-level method capable of tormenting someone to death.
But those who endured it would ultimately become formidable fighters.
"That Golden Lion guy has been restless again lately."
"And Roger has disappeared for a while now."
At this moment, Garp wasn't paying attention to the boy he had just recruited. Instead, he was reading intelligence reports recently sent to him by Kong.
His brows furrowed as he sensed something instinctive hidden within the brief information.
"Edd War Sea…"
He muttered the name quietly, his gaze turning serious.
The year was Sea Circle Calendar 1497, the peak era of the three legendary pirates. The entire world was in turmoil because of them. At the same time, many great pirates who would later become legends were already active across the seas.
"Vice Admiral Garp, should we head there?" Kuzan asked with a grin.
The young Kuzan radiated passion and energy, completely different from the lazy demeanor he would display after becoming an Admiral.
"Of course!"
Garp laughed loudly.
"We're heading to the New World to rendezvous with Sengoku and that guy Zephyr!"
"But—"
After a slight pause, he looked at another report describing a distress signal sent from an island not far from the Sabaody Archipelago.
"This matter is more urgent for now."
Without notice, the warship changed course.
Behind it, Alex was violently flung high into the air before crashing back into the sea with a loud splash.
The sensation was intensely stimulating—like being dragged across land by a speeding vehicle, except the pain was far worse.
Because aside from the violent impact of colliding with rushing waves, which left his entire body aching, he also had to deal with countless fish in the sea.
Even worse, these fish were man-eaters.
"Damn it! Did that old bastard even consider the survival rate of this training?!"
Alex cursed loudly.
The answer came almost instantly as seawater rushed into his mouth, preventing him from speaking further.
Two hours into training, he was buried inside the jaws of carnivorous fish and died once again.
But he revived almost immediately.
The bites of the man-eating fish were unimaginably painful. His entire body was torn apart mercilessly, like being sliced by thousands of blades. The heart-rending agony forced Alex to fight desperately against them.
Each fish was roughly a foot long, with oversized heads and razor-sharp teeth. Their bite force was astonishing—even capable of crushing steel.
One hand gripped the rope tightly while his other hand and both legs fought back with all his strength.
Amid this life-and-death tempering, Alex soon discovered another characteristic of his ability.
Every time he died, all injuries were completely restored, and his strength, reaction speed, and velocity increased to varying degrees.
In other words, he possessed talent similar to a Saiyan—after dying and reviving, his combat power increased.
From then on, Alex not only battled the ocean but also fought continuously against the carnivorous fish.
The death rate was astonishing. In only a short period, his system points once again reached 60.
This meant that since Garp kicked him into the sea, he had already died ten times.
But those ten deaths brought enormous improvement.
After every moment of exhaustion and unbearable pain came sweet rewards. He was growing stronger and stronger.
Visible physical changes had already begun to appear. His muscles became more defined, his chest fuller, distinct lines forming across his abdomen—one glance was enough to sense the explosive power contained within his body.
"Death increases system points and also enhances overall physical strength based on the current body's foundation at a certain multiplier."
"This enhancement becomes more obvious as strength increases."
"And exploiting loopholes doesn't work. Suicide does not grant system points."
Nearly ten hours had passed. Through repeated death and suffering, Alex had come to understand his cheat ability more deeply and formed preliminary conclusions.
There might still be undiscovered functions, but even now, it was already incredibly powerful.
Immortality ensured he stood undefeated, while death itself made him stronger.
Gradually, when his system points reached 65, his strength had been enhanced to a new level. Facing the raging sea and the relentless attacks of carnivorous fish, he could now respond calmly.
Deliberately dying brought no additional points, and allowing himself to be bitten carried unbearable pain.
Alex struck fiercely, swinging his fists and smashing the attacking creatures apart, driving them away completely.
Then, in the middle of the ocean, holding the rope with one hand, he leapt lightly into the air, barefoot upon the sea's surface, letting out a long shout as he began surfing across the waves.
The scene stood in stark contrast to his earlier helpless struggle.
"Amazing, Alex! You've already adapted to this training!"
On the warship, Kuzan noticed the change and shouted in astonishment.
Garp, who had been asleep on deck with a snot bubble inflating from his nose, suddenly had it burst. He opened his eyes abruptly, surprise flashing across his face.
"He adapted this quickly?"
Having personally undergone such training before, Garp knew well that the ship's speed and the ocean's impact were only part of the challenge—the true danger came from the creatures lurking beneath the sea.
In the past, he had accidentally trained someone to death because of this, earning harsh scoldings from Sengoku and Fleet Admiral Kong.
"This kid's talent exceeds even my expectations," Garp thought.
He grabbed the rope with his right hand and pulled sharply.
Hundreds of meters behind the ship, Alex was instantly yanked into the air and rapidly drawn toward the warship.
As he reached the stern, he flipped gracefully and landed firmly on deck, seawater splashing around him.
Kuzan eagerly examined him and immediately sensed the difference.
"He seems stronger?"
"How is that possible?"
Shock and disbelief rose within him.
How could someone undergo such a dramatic transformation in such a short time?
"Vice Admiral Garp!"
"This training is basically attempted murder. I drowned three times and was eaten by carnivorous fish—I died twelve times!"
Alex raised his head and spoke in a deep voice.
Even if he was immortal, the pain of death lingered like a nightmare no one would willingly endure.
"Hah, I saw it."
"But you're still alive, aren't you?"
"And stronger!"
Garp grinned widely.
He showed no concern for Alex's suffering. Instead, admiration in his eyes only deepened.
"Looks like the training plan I've always wanted to try—the one I've only imagined until now—can finally be tested!"
Alex's expression immediately changed.
He saw the excitement flickering in Garp's eyes.
And he could already predict—
That imagined training plan was definitely not going to be anything good.
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