章 5: Chapter 5: Training & Monke Part 2
=-Day 274-=
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#Quest#
Use the move: Flying Slash Attack 5/10
Reward: Pet Card
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I withheld a twitch as I glanced at the partially completed Quest. "It's been over a month already, and all I've managed is five damn Flying Slash Attacks!" I glared at the broken wooden sword, then tossed it into the growing pile of other shattered swords. I walked away undressing as I entered the waterfall for a quick cleanse. As I let the water cascade over me, I reflected on the month that had passed.
A week into my training, I had managed to execute one Flying Slash Attack. While all it did was generate a gust of wind, it was enough to allow the next phase of my training to begin. However, I hadn't realized something that would severely slow my progress: my growing strength. Every time I gripped and swung one of my wooden swords my strength would shatter them and it only dawned on me after I had destroyed forty swords that my strength was outpacing the tools I was using. I was losing control over my own force, and I needed something sturdier.
'The monkeys, or that mutt might have something.' I thought, letting myself float along the water's surface. I sighed at the thought. "That mutt's out of my league right now, but I might be able to sneak by the monkey and see if it has anything."
Alongside my sword training, I had also been working on improving my stealth. I mimicked the way panthers moved silently on all fours, the way rabbits used their powerful hind legs to turn on a dime by staying light yet heavy on my feet and I had been stretching to increase my flexibility, hoping to replicate the way snakes could coil around their prey. 'But whether it's enough to get past a giant monkey is another question.'
I climbed out of the water and jumped behind the waterfall, landing in the cave. I opened the door, ignoring the squeak of the wood against the stone floor, and wiped my feet on the mat. Stretching my arms overhead, I looked at the pile of rocks I had scavenged near an inactive volcano. "Pretty sure it's inactive, anyway."
Though I had a vague idea of how to build a forge to smelt ores, I wasn't keen on spending the time required. Even though I was surviving better than before my food needs were growing and I had been venturing further outside my hunting grounds for sustenance. It wasn't an immediate problem, but it was one I had to address eventually.
Sighing, I moved over to the clothes I had crafted. The pants made from the skin of giant frogs soaked in saltwater then blood, were dark brown and not the softest thing I'd worn, but they weren't bad. I wrapped a strip of the same frog skin around my forehead to keep my shoulder length hair out of my face.
Once dressed and ready, I decided to go through with my earlier plan. I was going to sneak past that giant fucking monkey and take whatever useful items it might have. 'It'll also be a good test of how much my training has paid off.'
~Scene Change~
I moved through the jungle- 'Some might call it a forest—focus Kai.' The speed I was running at would have left my past self awestruck and gasping for breath shocked that a human could move so quickly. My nose twitched in disgust as I neared the giant monkey's territory. The closer I got, the more I could smell it. 'How I didn't notice the first time is beyond me.'
I veered slightly, running toward a tree. I raised my right foot just as it connected with the trunk, pushing power into my toes and thighs while swinging my arms to propel myself upward. I shot up toward the nearest branch and once settled, started hopping from tree to tree.
'Kai, be in and out. No lingering to see if you can kill that fucker.'
I frowned and ignored my thoughts, focusing instead on the clearing ahead. I stopped just before it, lowering myself to the ground and peeking my head out. There he was the giant orangutan. He was sitting atop what appeared to be the remnants of an ancient ruin, watching the grovelling apes beneath him. I ignored him for now, scanning the area until my eyes landed on what I was looking for.
'Found it.'
A little to the giant orangutan's left, there was an iron door half covered by moss. 'I'll wait for nightfall. Better to move under the cover of darkness than in broad daylight.' With that thought, I backed away, leaped into a tree and waited.
=-=-=-=-=-=
I stifled a yawn as I glanced up at the sky, now black signalling that it was time to move. I dropped from the tree and saw light coming from the clearing. With a frown, I poked my head out eyes briefly widening at the sight. Torches and fires surrounded the clearing with monkeys of all sorts keeping watch or sleeping. 'And here I thought they were all filthy monkeys.'
Sighing at the added risk of getting caught, I slipped back into the forest moving fast around the clearing until I was close to the orangutan. I could hear him snoring. The scent of him made my stomach churn and I recoiled further into the shadows. 'I'll need to work on that.'
I narrowed my eyes at a few monkey guards near the door and without hesitation, rushed out of the cover of darkness. I stayed clear of the firelight reaching the guards faster than they could react. A quick palm to their chins sent them stumbling backward and out cold, I caught their bodies before they could hit the ground and placed them gently down. I scanned the area to ensure nothing had been alerted and only sighed in relief when no one stirred.
Turning back to the door, I walked up to it and placed my hand on the cold metal. It creaked open and I grinned. 'Neat.'
I slid through the narrow gap, closed the door behind me and waited for my eyes to adjust to the dim light. After a few moments, they did and I found myself at the top of a staircase. Slowly and quietly, I made my way down.
'Wonder what this place was.'
As I descended, I noticed faded drawings on the walls obscured by moss and cracked from years of neglect. I reached the bottom of the stairs and froze for a moment. Before me was another door locked and seemingly untouched by time. I gripped the lock and shattered it with ease, pushing the door open.
The room beyond was a storage area, most of its contents ruined by age or neglect. My gaze immediately landed on a sword hanging on the wall.
It was a simple four foot long iron sword, free of rust with only the cloth wrapping around the hilt worn thin and frayed. 'But apart from that, it's perfect.' I thought, grabbing it from the wall and testing its weight in my hands.
Shaking my head to focus, I looked around the room then noticed a partially faded mural covered by more moss. The image appeared to be of the island.
Frowning I walked over, ripped away the moss and froze at what I saw. My eyes drifted over the image and landed on the words beneath it. I squinted reading the faded script.
"Moving here was a mistake.
If somehow my descendants are still alive,
Build a boat and leave. If a ship arrives, leave with them.
We were told a lie; this is no island.
This is a Sea King that has lived long before my time.
I have found information that it will die and sink, taking everything on it by the year 1518.
Please live."
*Ding!*
^System Alert!^ [Host has found the name of the island! Quest: Don't die on ? Island. Has been updated.]
'Not the time, System—'
*Ding!*
^System Alert!^ [Before Turtle Island sinks: 1516/1518]
'Fuck.'
I frowned further, the new information gnawing at me but I decided I had spent enough time here. I would deal with it later. Shutting down the system panel, I moved swiftly up the stairs quietly opened the door at the top, and poked my head out. The apes I'd knocked out were still out cold, and the giant orangutan was still snoozing.
I stepped out and gently closed the door behind me. Just before I left, I glanced at the monkeys sleeping near the edges of the light. A grin spread across my face. 'I can't leave without gifting the fucker.'
With that thought, I moved silently through the clearing, my sword finding its mark in the necks of the sleeping monkeys that were the furthest away from light, one after another.
=-=-=-=-=
'Last ones.'
I carefully shifted the now dead monkeys so their blood couldn't be seen, then turned to the still unconscious guards. I drove the blade through their chests, each strike quiet but efficient. Finally, I looked at the giant orangutan again, a smirk tugging at my lips.
I picked up one of the monkeys and threw it at the orangutan.
It landed with a thud on the orangutan's massive face, and its eyes snapped open, locking onto me. I rested the blood dripping sword on my shoulder with a grin and waved at the beast.
"OOOOOHHH-RAAAHH!"
I hid a wince at the roar that followed, then turned and bolted just as the orangutan raised its giant, hairy arm and slammed the ground where I had just been standing. I heard another roar and glanced back. The orangutan was glaring at the monkeys that weren't moving, but then it looked toward my fleeting form.
I gave it a mock salute just before disappearing into the shadows of the trees. As I moved I ensured I was heading for the coast, just in case anything was following me. The ground quaked beneath me as something massive moved.
"HUMAN!"
I spun around just in time to see the orangutan's shadow fall over me. It was airborne, likely from a jump.
'Holy shit!'
I sprinted away, narrowly avoiding its landing as debris and wind surged outward from the shockwave.
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
I winced again as the roar echoed louder, shaking the trees. I barely had time to react as the orangutan's orange, hairy arm swung toward me. I blocked most of the impact with the iron sword, the force of the blow sending me crashing through trees and wildlife.
'Fuck, that might've been a bad idea.'
I quickly oriented myself, jamming the sword into the ground to slow my momentum. I looked up just in time to see the giant orangutan charging toward me, moving with terrifying speed for something its size.
'I've got to get out of here!'
The thought froze me for a moment, but then I gritted my teeth and ran straight at the giant monkey.
'I'll wound it first before leaving!'
The orangutan roared again as it raised both arms high. I planted my legs firmly in the ground and launched myself at its arm, running along it as it slammed into the earth. I met its beady eyes with a glare and it swiped at me with its other arm. I switched directions mid movement and dashed along that arm instead, climbing up toward its neck. Just as I reached it the beast jumped with me along the ride.
'F-fuck, I hate heights!'
We began descending and I was shaken loose from its body. In a moment of desperation, I moved the sword above my left shoulder, swinging with a roar. A compressed air blade shot forward, cutting across the orangutan's face and slowing my fall.
*Ding!*
[Quest…]
'Not fucking right now—'
I landed hard on my back, smashing into a boulder. Pain flared through my body and I knew something had broken.
"F-fuck."
I grunted, rolling onto my stomach and pushing myself to my knees. I heard the orangutan's roar grow louder, its anger intensifying.
'I wounded it, now it's time to fuck off out of here.'
Wincing at the pain in my back, I stumbled forward, but my feet found their rhythm. I strategically ran, ignoring the roar behind me as it abruptly stopped, replaced by a low growl of another animal that seemed to shake the island itself.
=-Day 290-=
"Last one!" I grunted as I swung the iron sword, releasing a concentrated air blade that sliced through the vines and sticks I'd set up to train my senses.
*Ding!*
[Quest: Perform Flying Slash Attack five times has been completed! Reward: Pet Card has been sent!]
I blinked. Then I twitched. Then I twitched some more. "You fucking use—"
Pop!
"Fuck!" I cursed loudly, jumping back at the sound. I looked down to see confetti drifting down, fading into the air and a black card with gold inlays resting on the ground.
'Did I actually get a reward from this useless system?' I thought, blinking in disbelief. With a sigh I picked up the card and walked over to a nearby tree, sitting down with my sword leaning against it. I stared at the card.
"So how the hell do I use this? Do I throw it at an animal I want and it becomes mine?"
*Ding!*
^System Response!^ [The Pet Card, when activated by ripping it in half will randomly select a creature that suits the host!]
"Oh…" I sighed, lowering my head. 'I thought I'd be able to tame that mutt.'
Dejected, I looked at the card and ripped it in half. Immediately, I heard the system's voice again.
*Ding!*
^System Alert!^ [Pet Card has been used! Please stand by as the System...Er͞r̿͟͞o̳̿͟͞r̳̿͟͞- The System has randomly chosen the pet for you!]
I blinked at that and as glitter began to swirl around a small black snake about five feet long and a bit thinner than my forearm. It stared up at me with white eyes.
*Ding!*
^System Alert!^ [Pet: Inventory Curse has been changed to suit One Piece. Enjoy!]
"The fuck am I supposed to use you for?"
=-Day 300-=
It turns out that while I didn't have much use for the mobile inventory, the snake's abilities were great for serving as an extra set of eyes.
Though I wished it would actually do something other than deep throat my iron sword and tighten its body depending on where something was. The "Curse" worked like Toji's version, able to swallow and store tools and shrink into a ball. I'd been practicing getting it to swallow and regurgitate items, but it was still a work in progress.
Unlike Toji's version though, mine had Haki. I wasn't completely sure I could teach it Observation Haki so it could give me signals of impending doom, but I was going to try. I'd been experimenting with it for a while now.
I also learned that the snake had great self preservation instincts and a strange form of loyalty. If it was ever away from me, it would desperately try to get back to me wrapping around my body, but it would shrink if it knew it was going to die.
So, my plan for training it involved putting the snake in a pit with a lid. The lid would be lifted and the snake would have to navigate a series of traps. And while I wasn't sure how much progress it had made its base instincts were improving, which was already boosting my survivability.
And that was how I spend close to the rest of the year, training both myself and the snake curse.
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