"One day, I'll become strong enough that… even you, stupid system, won't be able to control me!"
His eyes burned with unwavering determination.
—
Second floor of the tavern.
Shanks stood by the window, watching Luffy's figure head toward the hills behind the village, his gaze deep and thoughtful.
"That kid… what exactly did he go through yesterday?"
he murmured.
"His aura changed overnight."
"It's still faint, but that feeling…"
"It's like he's just gone through a life-and-death battle."
Beside him, Benn Beckman took a drag from his cigarette and said calmly,
"He's definitely different. His posture when he walks, his breathing rhythm, even his eyes… it's like he's a different person."
Shanks stroked his chin.
"Interesting."
"Next time we meet, I'll have to test him properly."
Beckman glanced at him.
"He's only seventeen."
"So what?"
Shanks grinned.
"Roger was about that age when he first set sail."
He lifted his cup and drained it in one gulp.
"This sea has never lacked geniuses."
"But someone who can transform overnight like that…"
"It's my first time seeing it."
—
Hills behind Foosha Village.
Luffy stood in a clearing, facing ten snarling wild wolves.
He took a deep breath and assumed a fighting stance.
"Come on."
"Let's see… how much yesterday's training actually helped."
The wolves growled low and lunged at him.
Luffy's eyes sharpened.
Then he moved.
He was more than twice as fast as yesterday!
"Gum-Gum—"
His fist shot forward like a cannonball.
"Pistol!"
Bang!
The first wolf was sent flying instantly!
Luffy froze for a split second.
He stared at his fist, then at the wolf sprawled on the ground.
"I… got stronger?"
It was only a tiny bit.
But it was real.
Luffy lifted his head and looked at the remaining nine wolves. A grin slowly spread across his face.
"Again!"
He charged at them instead.
Under the sunlight, the boy's figure darted through the forest.
The sound of fists colliding with fur and bone startled flocks of birds into flight.
A new day.
New training.
A new beginning.
What Luffy didn't know was that from this moment on, the trajectory of his life had completely veered off its original course.
The road to becoming king—forced by a system into relentless grinding—
Had officially begun.
—
Luffy stood in the clearing behind the mountain, breathing lightly.
Nine wolves lay scattered across the ground. Some were unconscious; others struggled weakly to rise before collapsing again.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow over him.
He looked down at his fists.
There were a few shallow claw marks on the knuckles, beads of blood seeping out—but nothing deep.
If it were yesterday, facing ten wolves would have meant a long, grueling fight. He might even have been seriously injured.
But now…
Luffy clenched his fists, feeling the strength flowing through his muscles.
He was still weak.
But he was undeniably stronger than yesterday.
[Combat training complete.]
[Wild beasts defeated (10/10).]
[Reward: Electric resistance training time reduced by 5 minutes today.]
The system's cold voice echoed in his mind.