"Boom… boom boom…"
Dust burst into the air as Lucien's right foot slammed into the ground repeatedly, the sharp crack of air being split echoing through the small courtyard. But nine and a half steps—that was still his limit.
When the ache in his right foot became unbearable, Lucien switched to his left, continuing his relentless morning training in Soru.
"Still a little short, just a little more."
His pale face dripped with sweat. Shirtless, his lean muscles glistened under the sunlight, each movement revealing his sculpted six-pack and solid physique. Compared to when he first arrived in this world, he was now a completely different man—stronger, faster, and sharper.
Another month had passed since he obtained the adamantine Nichirin blades. Two months had gone by since he'd been stranded in the world of Attack on Titan. Including the half-month he had spent in the One Piece world, Lucien still hadn't completely mastered Soru.
At first, he had been confident that a month of training would be enough. Now, even after two months of grueling, high-intensity practice, he was still stuck at that frustrating half-step.
"Damn it."
Lucien's mind was consumed with a single thought—Soru, Soru, Soru! His focus was absolute, like a man possessed.
Then—
Whoosh!
Without warning, Lucien vanished from his spot. A heavy thud followed, and before he realized it, he was plastered against the stone wall several meters away before sliding down to the ground in a daze.
A fist-sized rock fell loose from above and bounced off his head.
"Hiss…"
Lucien sucked in a sharp breath, clutching his head and rolling on the ground in pain, alternating between his face, his chest, and his temples. His expression twitched uncontrollably from the stinging impact.
After a few long moments, the pain eased, replaced by shock—and then pure joy.
"What was that just now…?"
He looked up and saw a large, shallow dent in the wall shaped unmistakably like a human silhouette. Then his gaze drifted to his original training spot—at least five meters away.
"I did it… I actually did it!"
His heart raced. Lucien clenched his fists, eyes gleaming with excitement. He tried to repeat the motion immediately—but nothing happened. Nine and a half steps again. No breakthrough.
He didn't give up. For over half an hour, he kept trying, over and over again, but the technique refused to activate a second time.
"What's going on? It clearly worked just now…"
The euphoria faded into irritation. His feet were swelling, reddening, twitching from overuse. If he pushed further, he might cripple himself.
Lucien sat down cross-legged and began recalling the moment of success. The rhythm, the movement, the perfect synchronization between muscle and intent—there was something there, but like mist, it slipped through his grasp whenever he tried to focus on it.
"The closer I get, the calmer I need to be," he muttered. "Victory's within reach."
He took a long breath and shifted position, balancing himself upside down on his fingers. While his legs rested, his upper body continued to train. He alternated between hands, his muscles straining with each movement.
Despite the exhaustion, Lucien's heart raced with excitement. He couldn't stop replaying that fleeting success in his mind. His pulse pounded with adrenaline—he was so close.
Two hours later, when his legs stopped throbbing, he resumed training. But even as dusk fell, there was still no breakthrough.
His stomach rumbled, pulling him back to reality. Lucien sighed, summoning the system interface with a thought. The bloody life countdown appeared again, glowing faintly: [1 Month, 5 Days Remaining].
Tonight, he would roll his second monthly Dice. Maybe, this time, fortune would favor him.
---
Midnight
The Dice spun wildly on the glowing screen, tumbling across six squares before stopping. A brief flash of light—then the reward appeared.
[Item Acquired: One Box of Pull-Ups]
[Description: Soft, breathable, leak-proof pull-ups for peaceful sleep. Antibacterial lining. Elastic waistband. 3D leak guards.]
Lucien blinked. "…A diaper?"
He stared in disbelief, then let out a long sigh.
"Really, system? You think I wet the bed or something?"
Still, after everything he'd drawn so far, this hardly surprised him. He was getting used to disappointment. But for now, Soru mattered more than anything else.
He'd even postponed his plan to join the Training Corps and learn the Vertical Maneuvering Equipment. Until Soru was perfected, nothing else came first.
---
The Next Morning
Lucien rose before dawn. The air was damp and cool, a faint mist curling through the courtyard.
He stretched his arms, took a deep breath, and began again. Nine and a half steps. Still not enough.
He gritted his teeth and kept going. Sweat poured down his body. Again and again, he stomped the ground, refusing to give up.
Then suddenly—
Whoosh!
He vanished again. A heartbeat later, he crashed face-first into a patch of overgrown weeds several meters away.
Lucien spat out grass and burst into laughter. "It worked! I did it again!"
He had succeeded once more. The rate of success was low, and his body control was still poor, but he had broken through that invisible barrier.
Fueled by excitement, Lucien kept training until his legs trembled and his feet swelled. Even when he couldn't stand anymore, he flipped into a handstand to keep his upper body working.
His endurance and strength had already far surpassed normal human limits.
That day, he succeeded twice—once in the morning, once in the afternoon. The next day, seven times. Then eighteen. Thirty. Each success refined his control and boosted his confidence.
Finally, on the sixth day—
"Soru!"
His figure blurred. In the blink of an eye, Lucien appeared five meters away. He stumbled slightly but caught himself with a clean backflip, landing in a low stance.
Six days. It had taken six long days of relentless practice after his first success. Two months and six days in this world—and Soru was finally his.
His balance wasn't perfect yet, and the distance capped at five meters, but that didn't matter.
Lucien threw his head back and laughed, the sound raw and victorious. "Finally!"
He didn't know how many times he'd fallen, how many times he'd bled, or how much sweat he had shed. But now—he'd conquered it.
---
The Seventh Day. The Eighth Day.
In the small courtyard, a blur of motion flashed through the air.
"Soru!"
Lucien's body flickered like lightning, appearing and disappearing faster than the eye could follow. To anyone watching, it would look as though he was teleporting.
He stopped at last, collapsing onto the ground with a satisfied grin. His chest rose and fell heavily as he stared up at the darkening sky, every inch of him drenched in sweat.
"Next," he said softly, "is Geppo."
He stretched one arm toward the heavens as if he could grasp the stars. His eyes were sharp, burning with determination.
"With Soru mastered, it's only a matter of time. Five days—no, I'll do it in less than that."
Confidence surged through him.
____
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