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

The pirate lay motionless on the jungle floor, his chest rising and falling weakly.

I had won.

But instead of feeling proud—I felt numb.

My knuckles still throbbed from the impact of that final punch. The scent of blood lingered in the air.

I had fought for my life.

And I survived.

But what scared me most…

Was how natural it felt.

A Warrior's Path

My teacher stepped forward, nudging the unconscious pirate with his foot.

"Still breathing," he muttered. "Lucky bastard."

Then he turned to me.

"How do you feel?"

I exhaled, steadying myself.

"…Stronger."

He smirked. "Good answer."

But deep down, I wasn't sure if I liked this feeling.

The thrill of battle. The rush of adrenaline. The instinct to crush my enemy.

Was I getting stronger? Or was I becoming something else?

No Time to Rest

"Don't get too comfortable," my teacher said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

He pointed toward the treetops.

I followed his gaze—

And my stomach dropped.

A lookout post.

Hidden between the thick branches was a flag.

A familiar black flag with a skull and crossbones.

My heart pounded.

The pirate I fought wasn't alone.

And now, his crew knew exactly where we were.

The Real Fight Begins

A low, distant rumble echoed through the jungle.

Footsteps.

Many footsteps.

A cold sweat broke across my back.

"We need to move," I said.

My teacher smirked.

"Why run?" he asked. "Now's your chance to test yourself against real opponents."

I swallowed hard.

One pirate had almost killed me.

A whole crew?

This wasn't a test anymore.

This was war.

And whether I was ready or not…

It was coming.