One piece: Without a system, I have to survive!

The air inside the cove was thick with salt and tension. The only sound was the distant crash of waves against the jagged cliffs.

Darion "White Shark" Vex stood before us, his shark-toothed grin never wavering. "Welcome to the Shark's Trial. If you want my fleet, you'll have to prove you deserve it."

Behind him, his crew erupted in laughter. Their expressions were a mix of amusement and bloodlust, as if they had seen this scenario play out many times before.

Smoker crossed his arms. "Just tell us what we need to do."

Vex's eyes gleamed. "Survive."

Into the Depths

Without another word, the ground beneath us gave way.

A hidden trapdoor dropped open, and before we could react, we were free-falling into the darkness below. My stomach lurched as I plunged downward, the roaring laughter of Vex's crew echoing above us.

We hit the water hard. The cold shock hit me like a punch, knocking the air from my lungs. As I fought my way to the surface, my eyes adjusted to the dim light filtering through cracks in the rocky ceiling.

We were in an underground cavern. The walls were slick with algae, the water churning around us. Then I saw them—massive shadows moving beneath the surface.

"Great," Selene muttered as she surfaced beside me. "Let me guess—sharks?"

Tatsuo's expression was grim. "Not just any sharks."

Something rushed past my leg. A dark fin cut through the water before vanishing back into the depths.

These weren't ordinary sharks. They were massive—easily twice the size of any I had ever seen. Their eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, and their bodies moved with an unnatural speed.

I recognized them instantly.

"Sea Kingsharks," I whispered.

Smoker let out a low curse. "They're using Sea King blood to enhance them. This is bad."

Vex's voice echoed from above. "The only way out is through that tunnel." He pointed to a dark opening at the far end of the cavern. "But the sharks are hungry. Better start swimming."

More laughter erupted from the crew above.

I clenched my fists. "Damn it."

The trial had begun.

The First Attack

Before I could react, one of the sharks lunged. A massive maw full of serrated teeth came straight for me. I barely had time to twist my body, kicking off its snout to push myself away.

The water churned violently as another shark went for Tatsuo. He dodged at the last second, drawing his blade. Even underwater, his movements were precise. With a swift slash, he cut deep into the shark's side, blood billowing out into the water.

Shira was already in action, using her agility to weave through the water, dodging the predators with ease. Selene, meanwhile, had her daggers drawn, slicing through any shark that got too close.

Smoker exhaled a thick cloud of smoke even underwater, using it as cover. "We don't have time to fight them all. Move!"

We began swimming toward the tunnel, but the sharks were relentless. They were faster, stronger, and they had the advantage of knowing this cavern better than we did.

One of them came straight for me. This time, I had no way to dodge. My muscles tensed.

And then—BOOM!

A powerful shockwave ripped through the water, sending the sharks reeling. Tatsuo had unleashed an explosive burst of Haki, stunning the creatures long enough for us to push forward.

"GO!" he shouted.

I didn't hesitate. We swam as fast as we could toward the tunnel.

The Final Stretch

The entrance was just a few meters away when one final shark blocked our path. Its body was larger than the others, its scars marking years of battles. Its cold, predatory eyes locked onto us.

It lunged.

Without thinking, I reached for my weapon. But before I could strike, the water around me shifted.

Smoker materialized beside the shark in an instant, his body turning into mist. His fist, hardened with Armament Haki, slammed into the shark's skull with enough force to crack bone.

The creature convulsed before going limp, sinking into the abyss.

"We're almost there!" Selene shouted.

With one final push, we made it into the tunnel. The moment we entered, a powerful current surged forward, pulling us deeper into the passage.

For a brief moment, everything was chaos.

And then, suddenly, we were above water again.

I gasped for air as we surfaced inside a second cavern. The walls were lined with torches, casting eerie shadows across the stone.

Vex was waiting for us, arms crossed. His crew stood behind him, watching with interest.

"You survived," he said, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "I'm impressed."

I climbed onto the rocky shore, breathing heavily. "So, does that mean we pass?"

Vex's grin widened. "Not quite. That was just the first test."

I groaned. "Of course it was."

Vex turned, walking toward a set of large iron doors at the back of the cavern. "The real challenge starts now."

And with that, the doors swung open.

The second trial had begun.