บท 7: Chapter 7: Finishing the quest! (rewritten)
31st December 1507
Mt. Colubo, Dawn Island.
The last day of the year had a certain weight to it. The air was crisp and sharp, the kind that bit your skin even beneath layers of 'warm' clothes. During the hours before sunrise, it was especially relentless, not letting go until one retreated back inside their homes.
Most people would hide under a small hill of fluffy pelts or in front of a cosy fireplace, yet I was out and about before the first hint of dawn dared to climb over the dark horizon. My eyes were covered by a blue cloth, my body was aching and creaking from abuse and a large lump of snot hung frozen beneath my nose. Still, none of those 'inconveniences' could keep me from waking up extra early to finish today's run through the forest.
The reason? Because today was crucial!
[Synchronization Boost (Quest): Run 10km per day while blindfolded, for the next 365 days in a row]
[Completion Status: 364/365 (incomplete)]
After today, my quest would be completed! Twelve long months had passed since I started this regimen, not missing a single day, even after Ace stopped tagging along. Ever since that incident in town where he nearly killed someone in a fight, Ace had withdrawn into himself, choosing to venture to more towns on his own over our once-shared training. I didn't blame him—he was fighting his own battles, just as I was fighting mine.
But for me, this wasn't just about the quest anymore. Something within me had been stirring for a long time now, and it grew stronger each day. It was like a sixth sense, a kind of awareness that painted my surroundings directly into my mind. At first, it was vague and confusing, but over time, it grew clearer. Now, I felt that it was on the brink of awakening into something extraordinary.
So, I kept running, pushing through the forest at a speed that once seemed impossible. Trees blurred past me, their shapes and positions etched into my mind even though my eyes were blindfolded. No obstacle could surprise me anymore—no hidden root to trip over, no steep drop to tumble down.
Or so I thought.
Just as I neared the end of my run, three unexpected things happened in quick succession.
First, every hair on my body stood on end as my survival instincts went into overdrive. An overwhelming sense of danger surged, more intense than anything I had ever felt before.
Second, I heard a terrifying roar.
One of the beasts we usually avoided at all costs leaped out of the shadows to ambush me from my left. A massive tiger, which shouldn't be roaming so far from its usual hunting grounds, was now after my bun. With it's claws out and maw wide open, the danger kitten was only a few centimetres away from grabbing a bite out of the most delicious snack it would have ever tasted.
But in that moment of imminent death, something within me snapped into place. My new sense fully awakened, allowing me to perceive the world even with my eyes closed and ears shut. Everything just painted itself into my mind with vivid clarity. I could sense each individual whisker on the tiger's snout, the ripple of its muscles as it lunged at me, the cold malice in its eyes.
That's what probably saved me as I managed to duck just in time, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow. The danger kitten missed me by mere centimetres, but it was quick, too quick, and probably too hungry to let me escape that easily.
'If you can't beat it… run like hell!' The thought flashed through my mind as I turned to flee.
Surprise number 3 appeared literally 3 steps later. A familiar light screen popped up. I could see it even while blindfolded, it's text stating:
[Quest completed: Run 10km per day while blindfolded, for the next 365 days in a row]
[Condition for boosting template synchronization fulfilled: Awaken observation haki on your own]
[Boost: 5% of the template's maximum combat power can now be added to the blessed individual's]
"Do it! Do it! Do it NOW!" I screeched till my voice cracked. Being mauled to death by an oversized cat was not on today's agenda. And sure as hell what followed next was hellish pain.
It only lasted a couple of seconds, but once the pain fully subsided, I was left with an overwhelming sense of power. All instincts that kept warning me just moments ago, simultaneously shut up.
"ROAR!!!"
The danger kitten lunged at me again, its jaws snapping shut around my arm. But instead of teeth sinking into flesh I felt… nothing. Such huge fangs now couldn't even pierce one layer of my skin.
"Damn kitty…" I growled in fury. Fear and panic slowly receded and made way for anger and resentment to settle in. Animals are mostly acting on instincts so faulting them for their behaviour is unreasonable. Too bad that this tiger just met one of the most unreasonable humans in existence.
Animal cruelty? Like I give a shit!
"Go to hell you walking carpet!" With a single, powerful punch, I sent the beast flying. Its body smashed into numerous trees, snapping them like twigs, before disappearing into the distance. Broken teeth and droplets of blood plastered the ground on its way but I really couldn't care less about it.
Instead, my legs carried me to a tree stump on which I could finally sit.
"I just received a part of Roger's strength…" Having ridden myself of that four-legged pain in the ass allowed for realization to finally dawn upon me.
"Only 5% equals this much strength… Just how would it feel to unlock 10, 20 or 30?"
I clenched my fists, feeling the new strength coursing through my muscles. It was like my body had been reforged, stronger and tougher than ever before. My senses were sharper, my reflexes quicker—every aspect of me had been enhanced. And all of it felt… right. Like this was how I was always meant to be. There was so much about this still left to understand.
For the next hour I kept running through the forest, testing my abilities. The once treacherous terrain was now nothing but a playground. I weaved through the trees with ease, each step perfectly balanced, each movement precise. The new sense I had awakened—my Observation Haki—painted the world around me in incredible detail. I could feel the life pulsing in every single creature within my range, from the smallest insect to the largest animal.
At one point, I found myself standing at the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea. The waves crashed against the rocks far below, sending up sprays of saltwater that caught the first light of dawn. I took a deep breath, the salty air filling my lungs, and felt a deep connection to everything around me. This was freedom. This was power. This was what it meant to be alive. Wasn't it?
'No… something seems to be missing. As the euphoria of the moment began to fade, a new thought crept into my mind: 'Ace.'
What would he think of this? He had been struggling so much with his own demons, questioning his very existence, while I had been steadily growing stronger. 'Could it perhaps motivate him to train as a distraction from his depressing thoughts. Or will this alienate me from my brother?'
I shook my head, pushing those thoughts aside. Ace was my twin and we were in this together, no matter what.
'Tomorrow, on our birthday, I will talk to him again.' With that decision made, I turned back toward the hideout.
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