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The warship cut through the waves at full speed, trailing a long rope behind it.
Kuzan's eyes gleamed with excitement as he watched the shadow hundreds of meters away. His admiration for the boy only grew.
He knew exactly how brutal and insane Garp's training could be—methods that ignored the limits of human endurance, tormenting people to the edge of death. Yet, those who survived were transformed into formidable fighters.
"Golden Lion's been restless again, huh?"
"And Roger's been off the radar for a while too."
Garp, however, didn't pay much attention to the boy he had just taken in. Instead, his gaze was fixed on the information Sky had recently delivered. A frown creased his brow. Even in the brief intel, he sensed something that bordered on instinct.
"The Aet Wal Sea…"
He murmured the name, his eyes hardening.
It was the year 1497 of the Sea Calendar, the peak era of the three legendary pirates. The entire world was obsessed with them, while other notorious pirates of the time still roamed the seas, spreading chaos wherever they went.
"Vice Admiral Garp, should we go after them?"
Kuzan asked, a grin spreading across his youthful face. In his younger days, he had been energetic and fiery, a stark contrast to the lazy demeanor he would adopt as an admiral.
"Of course!" Garp roared with laughter. "We're heading to the New World to rendezvous with Sengoku and Zephyr!"
But then he paused, his eyes shifting to the next piece of intel—a distress signal from an island not far from the Sabaody Archipelago.
"However…" His tone changed. "…this matter takes priority for now."
Without warning, the warship veered. Kyle was yanked violently behind it, thrown high into the air before crashing into the sea with a loud smack.
The sensation was exhilarating—and excruciating. It was like being dragged across the ground by a speeding car, only far worse. The impact of the waves battered his entire body, and he had to contend with countless fish beneath the surface.
Deadly, man-eating fish.
"Damn it! Did that dog even consider survival rates when designing this training?!"
Kyle cursed loudly. His question was rhetorical—the answer was painfully obvious as seawater surged into his mouth, stealing his breath.
Two hours into the training, he had already been eaten by piranhas, dead once again… only to resurrect moments later.
The bites were agonizing. Every strike felt like his body was being shredded into pieces. Each piranha, nearly a foot long with massive heads and razor-sharp teeth, could crush steel in its jaws. Kyle's hands clutched the rope as his limbs flailed, striking back with all his might.
It was under this relentless grind that he discovered something extraordinary: each death didn't just restore his wounds—it made him stronger. His strength, speed, and reflexes all increased with every resurrection.
In other words, he had a Saiyan-like talent. Dying and coming back made him more powerful.
The hours passed, and he battled the sea and the piranhas nonstop. His death count climbed, but so did his system points—quickly reaching 60 in a matter of moments.
That meant he had died ten times since Garp kicked him into the ocean. Ten deaths, and each one made him stronger. Exhaustion and agony were paid in full, but the rewards were sweet.
His body had already begun to change visibly. Muscles became more defined, chest and abs gaining sharp, explosive lines that screamed raw power.
"System points increase with death," he muttered to himself, analyzing his abilities. "The base stats of my body multiply proportionally. This effect becomes more pronounced as I get stronger. No cheating though—suicide doesn't count."
Nearly ten hours into the ordeal, Kyle had a clear understanding of his "golden finger." There might be more abilities yet to unlock, but what he had now was invaluable. Immortality meant survival, and death meant strength.
By the time his system points hit 65, his power had grown enough to face the crashing sea and attacking piranhas with confidence. Deliberately dying no longer added points, and enduring piranha attacks was still unbearably painful.
Kyle struck with precision, smashing the creatures to pieces, clearing the water around him. Then, gripping the rope with one hand, he leapt, landing barefoot on the ocean's surface with a shout—surfing the waves.
The contrast to his earlier struggle was staggering.
"Perfect! Kyle, you've adapted to this training!"
From the ship, Kuzan's exclamation rang out. He had noticed the change and couldn't hide his amazement.
Even Garp, napping on deck, shot upright as a snot bubble popped, his eyes wide with surprise.
"Already adapted?"
Having endured this training himself, he knew that the danger wasn't just the speed or the waves, but the fish. Many had died under his care once, earning him the scolding of Sengoku and Admiral Sky more than once.
"This kid… his talent exceeds my expectations!"
Garp tugged sharply on the rope. Instantly, Kyle, hundreds of meters behind the ship, was yanked through the air toward the deck.
He landed smoothly after a flip, water cascading from his body. Kuzan's gaze swept over him, taking in the transformation.
"He's… stronger?"
"Impossible…"
Shock and awe warred in his mind. How could anyone become this powerful in such a short time?
"Vice Admiral Garp!"
Kyle's voice was firm. "This is killing-level training. I drowned three times, got eaten twelve times by piranhas!"
The deaths were real, each one a nightmare he would rather not experience.
"Hah, I see that," Garp said with a grin. "But you're still alive, right? And stronger!"
He didn't care about the suffering—it only earned his respect.
"Looks like the training method I've been dreaming up… might finally get a test run!"
Kyle's expression hardened. That gleam in Garp's eye promised nothing good.
Whatever came next, it wasn't going to be easy.
"..."
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