"Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck-"
I grunted, the long stream of words being cut off as I yanked the rudder of the small boat I was sitting on, trying to steer myself away from the massive, towering creature in front of me. I had just set out from the island, not even half an hour ago, and I was already facing my first hurdle.
"I knew it wouldn't be that simple," I groaned, staring up at the huge eel-like Sea King that had just surfaced from the ocean in front of me. It was even bigger than the one I had fought before, and I had thought that was already huge.
But this thing? It was on a whole other level. The Sea King's body was a dark, nasty green color, and it was covered in thick, armor-like scales that looked like they could shrug off a cannonball without a scratch. Its head was bigger than my entire boat - many times bigger - and its eyes were two large, bright yellow slits, which promised me a rather unpleasant death as it glared down at me. As it emerged from the depths just a few seconds ago, it had let out a roar that made my ears ring and sent a wave of water crashing over my boat, which was now filled with more than a bit of water.
"That's a really big one," I muttered to myself, as my mind raced, thoughts flying through my head as I tried to figure out what to do.
Should I fight, or do I run? I figured that I could probably take on this Sea King, as I had one-shot the previous one, and I had grown a lot stronger since then. But the problem didn't come from whether I could defeat the Sea King, but in whether I could protect my boat in the process. I had just spent the last two months building this boat, and I was really not looking forward to having it get destroyed by another Sea King! This one seemed to be more serpentine-like and agile as well, which might make it harder to hit with a solid punch, and I didn't want to risk it dodging my attack and slamming its tail into my boat.
I glanced down at my boat, which was already rocking precariously from the waves the Sea King was constantly creating. The small vessel, which I had spent so much time and effort crafting, was already taking on water, and the Sea King hadn't even attacked yet. I knew that if it did, the boat would likely be shattered into splinters in an instant if it made contact. Hell, even just from the creature moving abruptly, the waves that followed might've been big enough to destroy my boat.
The Sea King let out another loud hiss as it shifted, which made the boat rock even more violently, and I knew I had to make a decision. The Sea King towered over my boat, then its body tensed as it shot downwards, and its mouth opened to try and eat my entire boat whole. I made my choice. My legs tensed, the muscles in my thighs bulging as I crouched down, my hand gripping the side of the boat to steady myself. Then, as I did my best to control the force in my legs, I launched myself into the air. The deck beneath my feet cracked from the force, but it didn't splinter or shatter, which was a testament to both how damn-well I had made the boat, as well as how little force I was using to move right now.
I rocketed upwards, looking like a blur as I launched at the massive creature. I soared over the Sea King's open maw, ignoring the way its rows upon rows of teeth glinted at me in the sunlight. Then, as I was in the apex of my jump, my arm cocked back, and my muscles tensed. My biceps bulged, and my triceps tightened as my forearm tensed, and I put all the force I could into my next movement.
I slammed my arm forward as I lunged above the Sea King's mouth, and my fist shot forward like a bullet as the air around me shot outward, and my fist pounded into the Sea King's forehead with all the strength I could muster. As it did, I heard a loud cracking sound, as the impact sent a shockwave through the air, which burst out behind the creature, and the Sea King's stiff body wobbled as pain coursed through it.
"SCREAHHHHH!" The Sea King let out a loud, pain-filled screech as my fist made contact, and as the scales covering its head curved inward, and then shattered from the blow. Its long, scale-covered body wobbled as I started to fall downward. I became a blur again as I fell thousands of feet in a few seconds and torpedoed into the water. I landed in a massive splash, my END protecting me from breaking any bones from the fall, and I quickly swam back to the surface of the water.
As I broke through, I looked forward, my lips curving into a small, proud grin. The Sea King's massive, thick frame was still wobbling as its neck snapped back and forth while its eyes spun. Finally, after nearly ten seconds of trying to remain conscious as it wobbled around like a headless chicken, its body gave out.
The body flopped backwards, making my ears ring again as the massive frame hit the water and sent explosions of water shooting in every direction. I reached up to shield my face from the rain of seawater that followed. As I did, I felt a sense of relief - that had been easier than I thought. I had managed to protect my boat while taking out the Sea King, so now, I could continue my journey away from the island!
However, as the rain of seawater started to die down, I felt a sense of dread wash over me. I looked around, searching for my boat, but I couldn't see it. I frowned, my eyes scanning the surface of the water as [Sharp Eyes] activated, but there was nothing. The waves were still choppy from the Sea King's movements, and the water was a murky mess of foam, but I should have been able to see it. Then, as the corpse of the Sea King wobbled in the waves and started to float to the surface, I noticed a speck of brown in the waves, and I let out a low groan.
"Fuck! That bastard fell on the boat!" I shouted out to no one, staring at the splintered plank of wood that came up with the Sea King, "Damn it!"
I stared blankly at the massive Sea King for a moment, then turned back to the floating planks around me, and then, finally, let out a sigh. I slowly swam forward, pressing my arms into the side of the massive Sea King, and started to push.
"Time to go build another damn boat..."
Unfortunately, leaving the island was much more difficult than I initially believed.
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"Alright! This one should work much better," I grinned widely, staring at the boat sitting on the shore in front of me.
It had been another week, and I had just finished what I hoped would be my final attempt at a boat. This one was bigger, much bigger, than the last one, and it was much sturdier too. The hull was made from the thickest trees I could find on the small island, which I had ripped from the ground with my bare hands, and the sides were reinforced with multiple layers of wood, while the deck was spacious and open.
It was large enough now to be able to hold more than just one person, compared to the previous one, which barely had enough room for me and my supplies, even if I was alone. The mast was also taller and thicker than the previous one, and the sail was made from a wider expanse of leaves, which I hoped would catch more wind and allow for faster travel. I had even carved out a small cabin below deck, which was barely more than a cramped, dark space with a makeshift bed, but it was better than sleeping on the open deck.
I didn't intend on sleeping in it much, but at least it was an option, as I didn't know how long it would be before I stumbled upon another island. The final, and most important, improvement was the addition of a few 'defensive' measures. I had spent a good chunk of the week carving a series of long, sharp wooden spikes that I had attached to the sides of the boat, and which now poked outwards like spears above the water. I wasn't sure if they would be able to do any real damage to a Sea King, but they would at least serve as a deterrent to any other pirates I ran into, and I hoped they would be able to discourage any casual attacks.
Along with that, I had also spent a good amount of time on a small but sturdy ram at the front of the boat, which was basically just a large, pointed piece of wood that extended from the bow. I also wasn't sure if it would be able to do any serious damage to a Sea King, but once I got away from this damned 'Sea King Hell,' I'd look more intimidating to any pirates or marines that spotted me.
Finally, after I had spent the last week working on it day and night, barely stopping to eat or sleep, my new boat was finished. It was the third finished product, and hopefully, it would be the last one I needed!
"Alright, now let's get out of here," I hummed, walking up behind the boat and shoving it forward. As I did, the boat shot forward in the water and passed the now two-high wall of Sea King flesh, as the second Sea King, known as a [Serpent Sea King], was also encircling the island. It had given me some more stats, a higher amount than the first Sea King had, as well as the [Quick Twitch] modification - which wasn't very self-explanatory, but overall, seemed to improve my 'quick twitch' muscles, which in turn helped me make more abrupt movements, such as dodging.
I ignored the two corpses as I vaulted into the boat, shuffling around the supplies I had regathered before I grabbed the long wooden paddle that I had carved out for the trip. I grabbed the paddle with both hands, my muscles tensing as I stuck it into the water, and then I gave a powerful push.
The boat shot forward, cutting through the water and rough waves with an ease that my previous boats could only dream of, and I was moving much faster than I had before. The wind whipped at my face as I moved, and I made a lot quicker progress than my previous boat had. I kept paddling, my powerful arms working in a smooth rhythm as I pushed the boat further and further away from the island, and I was moving faster than any motor boat could hope to.
The island grew smaller and smaller in the distance behind me, and the familiar shore and the two massive Sea King corpses slowly faded into the horizon, until they were just a small speck in the vast expanse of the ocean. As I glanced back at the island behind me, my lips curved up into a bit of a bittersweet grin. This time, I really was leaving. My home for the past two months was gone, and I was on to truly begin my life in the world of One Piece-
I blinked as a large, dark spot covered the water behind me, and then started moving very quickly towards me. Well, it looked like another Sea King was coming for me, but I was prepared this time! I'd kill it with one of the spears, and I wouldn't have to make another boat- Wait, why is it under my boat now? It's not seriously about to-
My thoughts were abruptly cut off as the water around my boat abruptly exploded upwards in a massive geyser of water, and the force of the eruption sent my boat flying into the air, flipping it over completely as I was sent flinging through the air as well. I tumbled head over heels, my vision spinning as I tried to get my bearings. I was in the air, defying gravity for just a few seconds, before I started to fall back towards the ocean, which was now a mess of waves and foam, as it grew even rougher than before.
I saw the massive, dark shape that had emerged from the water beneath me, and my eyes went wide. It was another Sea King, and this one did the impossible as it was bigger than the other two combined.
Who the hell thought a whale-Sea King was a good idea?!
It was a massive, whale-like creature, with thick aqua scales all over it, and eyes that differed from the other two Sea King - as instead of glaring down at me angrily, the whale looked bored! As if it was just swimming along, and I happened to be in its path, instead of the bastard launching my boat a thousand feet in the air!
However, its mouth wasn't all that different from the other two, as it was large enough to swallow my entire boat whole, and its teeth were like stalagmites. They were jagged and yellow, with each one being the size of my entire torso, and I was a bit torn as I looked down, as the whale looked like a mixture of a, well, whale, but also a Lovecraftian monster that could've eaten half the island I was just on in one bite.
So, this was what Aokiji meant by Sea King Hell. This was a big one? It certainly was fuckin' big!
And, unfortunately for me, it had no intentions of letting its meal get away. As if launching my boat into the air wasn't enough, the damned whale suddenly launched up after it - looking like the world's most majestic monster as its fat, blubbery body flopped through the air and soared thousands of feet upwards. Its mouth opened wide, and my entire world was engulfed in darkness as its jaw was far too wide to escape. In a singular instance, both myself and my boat were plunged into the mouth of a whale.
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
"Fuck Sea King Hell, damn it! Fuck this whole world!"
The whale's eyes went wide as an explosion of blood suddenly erupted from its front, around the mouth area, and a fist came jutting through one of the jagged, sharp teeth that filled its mouth. And, with that fist, I emerged.
And, let me tell you, when I emerged, I was pissed the absolute fuck off. I was coated in a mixture of blood, both mine and the Whale's, and saliva from the journey of punching through the whale's teeth - which had nearly broken my fist, even with my high STR and END, as those things were tough as hell! - and I felt a bit sick after being forced to stomach the horrible smell of being eaten by a whale.
I grabbed the front of the whale's massive face, stomping forward as I leaned out of the bloody hole in its mouth, and then turned around to look up at the monster's confused eyes. Then, I vaulted myself forward, my legs pushing off the wet, slick tongue of the Whale Sea King as I launched myself upward, and in one singular movement, landed on the whale's head.
The Whale Sea King let out a loud, confused groan as it felt the force on its head, not sure what to make of it as it flopped back into the water below. Unfortunately for him, he had just swallowed my new and improved boat, so I was going to kill this son of a bitch.
I tensed my legs before the Sea King could figure out what was going on, and my hand clenched around the blood-covered item in my left hand - a singular, smooth wooden spear, which had once been a defensive measure for my boat. I was honestly a bit impressed, as it seemed that the wood from the island must've been tougher than normal wood, as neither the boat nor the spears had been destroyed in the initial gyser of water. I'd grabbed this spear - which was tumbling around in the air near me - as I was hurtling into the dark mouth, and now, it was time to go spear fishing. Or, in this case, spear whaling.
As the Whale Sea King's body shifted under me while it tried to shake me off, I launched myself into the air once more, causing the flesh of the whale under me to be dented as I tensed my legs and jumped. I shot upwards like a rocket, the blood dripping off of me as I rose hundreds of feet in the air with the sole wooden spear still gripped tightly in my hands. As I reached the apex of my jump, I looked down at the whale below me, which was still trying to shake me off its head by shaking its entire body back and forth like a dog trying to get dry after a bath. The movement created massive waves in the ocean below, which were sent crashing in every direction as the water churned violently, and the wind howled as the displaced air rushed past me.
Then, I tilted my body forward, and I started to fall headfirst towards the whale. My body became a blur as I torpedoed downwards, the spear in my hands aimed directly at the whale's back, which was exposed to me as it tilted and flopped from side to side. The wind whistled past my ears, and the world around me became a blur of motion. I could see the whale's massive, scaly back growing closer and closer, and I decided this was the perfect time.
I gripped the spear tighter, my knuckles turning white as I poured all of my strength into my arm. The muscles in my biceps and triceps bulged, and my forearms tensed as I cocked the wooden spear back while I crashed down like a meteor. Then, I struck.
I slammed my arm forward, breaking through the air again as I launched the spear straight downward with as much force as I could muster. The air around the spear seemed to crack and warp from the sheer force of the throw, and a loud whistling sound echoed through the air as the spear soared downward.
Then, finally, the spear hit the whale's back with a loud explosion of force, which caused the sound to echo across the vast expanse of the ocean around us. The spear, which was just a simple piece of sharpened wood, impaled the whale's thick, aqua-colored scales with a crunch. The scales were tougher than they looked, and the spear only managed to get a few inches into the whale's back before it shattered into a million pieces from a combination of the force I had thrown it with and the scales themselves, but the job was already done.
The force of my throw didn't let the spear stop, or for the shards to be flung into the ocean around us - instead, they continued downward, the power of my throw overpowering the scales as they tried to stop them. What resulted was a large, bloody explosion as the spear first made contact, and then exploded into shards that buried themselves in the surrounding scales. And, although the scales were certainly tough and thick, the whale was far from unharmed.
It groaned in pain as blood coursed outward, its body shaking as it wiggled around and tried to shake off the shards that were piercing deep into its blubber, but this was only the beginning. I came crashing down next, only a split second behind the thrown spear, and I came down in the exact same location. I shifted my weight, yanking my torso back so my legs were facing the whale's back, and then stomped as I landed.
My foot crashed down on top of the shards, slamming into them as my thighs and calves tensed with strength. I stomped downward, and the combination of my strength and the momentum of the fall combined into the whale's already bloody back. A boom shot outwards from the force, and air went flying away as the shards that were only a few inches deep were suddenly shoved down deeper. The whale roared in pain, but I didn't let up as I yanked my leg up and then stomped back down in a new spot, which caused more shards to dig deeper into the whale's flesh.
"GRUHHH!" The whale roared out again, and then it started to thrash around like a wild animal - which it… kinda was? It was still a Sea King, even if it looked whale-like, so was it really an animal, or just a monster?
The massive beast flopped and wobbled as it tried to throw me off, its body twisting and turning, causing a tsunami of waves to be sent in every direction. The water churned, and the wind howled as the whale's massive tail crashed into the ocean, sending another massive explosion of water and foam into the air.
"I'm getting a bit tired of you bastards," I grunted, shifting my stance as the whale thrashed around under me. I raised my hand, tensing my arm as my biceps bulged, and then I punched downwards.
I slammed my fist into the whale's back, right on top of the large, bloody hole I had made with the spear and my stomps. The already-crumbled scales offered little resistance as my fist dug into the flesh, sinking into the whale's blubber with a wet squelch that made me wrinkle my nose. I pulled back my fist, and with it came a spray of blood and a large chunk of the whale's flesh. The whale roared again, its body convulsing as its movements became more and more erratic.
"If you didn't want to die, then you shouldn't have eaten my boat, you bastard," I grunted, raising my fist once more. I punched downwards again, and then again, and then again. My fists became a blur of motion as I rained down blows upon the whale's back, each one driving deeper into the creature's body as blood exploded into the air and covered my hands.
"GHRAAAAAAAAAA!" The whale let out one last, blood-curdling roar as its body shuddered. Then, with a final, shuddering gasp, the whale's massive body went limp. The thrashing stopped, the roars faded, and its body slumped into the chaotic waters around us.
I stood up on the dead whale's back, my chest heaving as I panted for breath and looked down at the dead Sea King. I was coated in a thick layer of blood, both from my hands and the whale's flesh, as my fists were a mess of raw, bloody flesh. The water around me was still churning, and I was sure the island was being pounded by tsunamis right now. But, as I looked down at the dead whale under me, a bit of satisfaction filled me. It hadn't put up much of a fight, but this Sea King had been fuckin' huge. If I could defeat him, then I didn't think there was any Sea King in the area that I couldn't take down.
...
"Damn it, he ate my boat!" I groaned, the satisfaction leaving me as I realized that, once again, I was going to have to build a new boat.
That was 3 Sea Kings now! Three damn monsters who had destroyed my boat and forced me to make a new one!
"Whatever," I sighed, walking forward as I got ready to get back in the water, and start the insane task of shoving this massive Sea King back to the island, which was just a shadow in the distance, "At least I'll get some more stats, right?"
In that moment, I thought that this would be the last Sea King from Sea King Hell that I'd consume before I left the area.
Unfortunately for me, I was very, very wrong.
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[A-Rank] [Poison Spitting Sea King] consumed!
+10 STR!
+70 AGI!
+10 END!
+5 HREG!
+25 INT!
+25 CHA!
+[Poison Secretion] modification!
For consuming a [A-Rank] [Poison Spitting Sea King] cooked with a [A-Rank] rating, you have gained buffs!
+20% AGI for one hour!
+15% STR for one hour!
+15% END for one hour!
+5% INT for one hour!
+5% CHA for one hour!
"Eh, not bad," I hummed, staring at the screen, and then casually tearing off another chunk of meat from the meat-bone in my hand. I glanced around the beach around me, taking in the sight of not just one, not two, and not even three, but seven large, towering, Sea King corpses.
It had been another two months since I encountered the Whale Sea King, who had given me a ton of END after I ate him, and I'd attempted to leave the island a few more times since then. Unfortunately, leaving the island was much harder than I imagined, but not for the reason I suspected.
I thought that fearing for my life against the Sea Kings, and actually needing to become strong enough to fend them off, would be the biggest roadblock. However, instead, the biggest problem came from my boats - or, more specifically, keeping my boats intact. After the slightly-defended boat that the Whale Sea King had destroyed, I had come back to the island and spent another two weeks improving my designs and creating an even larger and more durable ship. But, as anyone who took in the sight around me could probably guess from the seven corpses that now littered the shore and surrounded the island, that boat, and every single one that I had built after it, had been destroyed. Over and over and over again.
My first attempt at improving the boat was a bit of an overreaction, as I was pissed that the Whale Sea King had eaten the boat that I had spent so long making, so I went all-out in response. I spent two weeks straight, barely even stopping to fish, to create a damn fortress on the water. The hull was made from the thickest trees I could find once again, but this time, I had gone a step further. I had found a couple of pitch-black rocks on the island that were incredibly tough, and I had spent days pulverizing them into powder. Then, I had mixed the powder with the sticky sap from the trees, creating a dark, tar-like substance that I had used to coat the entire hull. I wasn't sure if it was some form of resin or if the powder from the black rock had some special properties, but the result was a hull that was almost as tough as steel. I had even reinforced it with multiple layers of wood again, and made the desk even longer and more spacious.
But the real masterpiece of this boat had been the defenses. I had once again carved a series of long, sharp wooden spikes that I had attached to the sides of the boat, but this time, I had gone another step forward. On top of the spears, I had spent a good chunk of the month tearing out a series of large, heavy rocks from the ground, which I had then hoisted up onto the deck. I had fashioned a simple, but effective, catapult from various pieces of wood - which was damn difficult because I didn't have a 'catapult building' proficiency to improve - which I could use to launch the rocks at any Sea Kings that dared to attack me. The boat was a beast, and I was confident that it could withstand anything the Sea Kings could throw at it. Or, so I thought.
I set out from the island, my confidence soaring higher than ever, but after I had only been sailing for about an hour, I encountered my next challenger: another long, serpent-like Sea King, with a body that was covered in a slick, oily substance that made anything I chucked at it just slide off. It was also incredibly fast, and it darted around my boat, its body weaving through the water with an agility that no damn Sea King that big should have.
I tried to fight it with my catapult, launching rocks at it as it circled me, but the creature was too fast. It dodged every rock I threw, its body slipping and sliding through the water with an ease that was frustrating to see, and I couldn't even manage to throw a spear at it, much less go into the water to try and chase it manually. In the end, it had wrapped around my fortress of a boat, squeezed it into a million splinters, and then died as I beat the hell out of it in retaliation - something that had taken a damn long time, as I'd been swimming around in the water as it dashed around me annoyingly. Luckily, I had the [Slick Swim] modification, which, combined with my high STR and AGI - and an anger to avenge my boat that ensured I didn't stop chasing the bastard down no matter how tired I got - had allowed me to take the creature down.
Speaking of STR and AGI, after being on the island for another two months and eating both a lot of Sea King's and normal fish, my stats had increased pretty handily. Now, my character sheet was pretty damn impressive.
[Fisherman] Arvel:
Level: 27 (4950/27000)
HP: 2670/2700
STR: 1975
AGI: 1750
END: 1550
INT: 370
CHA: 892
HREG: 700
Skills: [Cooking], [Shelter Building], [Boat Building] Modifications: [Sharpened Teeth], [Scaley Skin], [Fanged Tooth], [Slick Swim], [Fire Breath], [Sharp Eyes], [Quick Twitch], [Blubber Coat], [Slippery Skin], [Muscular Boost], [Hunter's Vision], [Indestructible Gut], [Poison Secretion]
My base stats had increased a fair bit, though slower than before, as I was prioritizing building the boats over trying to consume a ton of fish quickly. Beyond that, I had gained a few more modifications from taking down the Sea Kings, all of which were pretty self-explanatory.
[Blubber Coat] was from the Whale Sea King, and made my skin fluff outward, creating a fat-like shield that I assumed would negate some damage. [Slippery Skin] made my skin, well, slippery, and came from the slippery Sea King that had destroyed my fortress-like boat, while [Muscular Boost] came from the fourth Sea King, which was huge and had muscles literally bulging out of its scales. In turn, it just made my muscles bigger, which I assumed increased my STR by at least a bit.
After that was [Hunter's Vision], which came from a Sea King with constantly narrowed eyes, and really just let me focus in better and keep track of specific things in my vision. After that was [Indestructible Gut], which did... something, probably? I didn't really know, as I assumed it had something to do with being able to consume dangerous foods that I couldn't before, but I hadn't really tested it out yet. Finally, there was [Poison Secretion], which caused poison to leak out of my skin. I didn't know how strong that poison was, or what it did, but I certainly wouldn't complain about being able to harness such a substance.
But, aside from the increased stats and modifications, facing the Sea Kings that destroyed my numerous boats had also allowed me to gain something else - knowledge! And, not just from INT, which overall seemed to help me think more clearly and creatively as it increased. Instead, the Sea Kings had helped me realize that I was going about building this all wrong.
"I'm going too grand," I hummed, casually walking down the destroyed shore of the island - which had been ravaged by numerous Sea-King-induced tsunamis, "I need to think more practically."
So far, I'd been more focused on the fact that my [Boat Building] proficiency was increasing, and had been thinking about what I could make with it. About how I could make the ship grander and grander, increasing the size, sturdiness, and defenses. I was thinking of boats like the Thousand Sunny as references, which were towering structures that could chop through this rough sea and send fear into the hearts of those who saw it. I was thinking about how I could build a damn good boat, when in reality, I needed to think of a boat that could fit perfectly in this situation.
"I have just the blueprint in mind," I muttered, walking down the shore and towards my usual boat-building location, which was near a particularly large portion of trees - which was also rapidly decreasing with each destroyed boat. But those destroyed boats were in the past.
Now, I knew exactly what I needed.
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"Well, it's not like raising my INT made me suddenly capable of building an engine from scratch, so this is as good as it's gonna get," I said to myself as I stared down at the small structure in front of me, crossing my arms over my chest as I nodded proudly at my work.
My previously destroyed boat had gone even grander than the fourth one - towering dozens of feet into the air, and with a length and expanse that could fit dozens of people. It had catapults, spears, and tar all buffing up its defenses, and if any marine or pirate saw it coming, they would've thought it was the work of a high-tier Shipwright. They would've never imagined that it was the work of one man stranded on a tropical island.
But, now, my newest boat looked much, much, different. Gone was the towering structure, as it had been replaced by a small, simple, raft-like structure. The base was a simple, flat platform, made from a handful of thick, dark logs. It wasn't large or impressive, being about seven feet long and just as wide, but it was solid and stable. On top of the platform sat a single chair, which I had carved from a tree as well, and would act as my usual sitting place for the numerous days I was about to spend on the sea. Along with the chair, the only other permanent fixture on top of the boat was a small, bed-like area made from vines and tree leaves.
But the true masterpiece of this boat wasn't the platform, but instead the part I had poured all my increased INT into: the propulsion system. Or, more accurately, the single, long paddle that rested beside the rather plain seat.
There was no sail, no mast, and no rigging on the ship - after all, there was no room for such frivolities. This boat was built for one purpose, and one purpose only: speed.
And speed was exactly what the paddle would provide. The paddle itself looked pretty simple, but combined with the area where it sat, which had been one of the hardest things I had ever built, it took on a new purpose. It was carved from one of the same tough trees I used to make the boat, and it was long, being nearly ten feet from tip to grip, and the blade at the end was broad and flat, as it was shaped to catch the water with maximum efficiency. The entire paddle had been coated in the same tar-like substance as the hull, making it not only stronger but also more hydrodynamic, which allowed it to slice through the water with minimal resistance.
But the true ingenuity of the propulsion system came from the 'paddle-hole' - as I called it, which wasn't the most badass name, but was all I could really think of - which was a small, carved-out indent in the center of the raft, which sat right next to the chair. It was a very simple design, as it was really just a small, circular hole that was just big enough for the paddle to fit into. However, its function was anything but simple.
By placing the paddle in the hole, I could use it as a single-propeller. I would simply place the paddle in the hole and then use my STR and AGI to spin it at incredible speeds, which would then churn and push against the water under the boat to push it forward. This method of propulsion would allow me to move much faster than I could with a traditional paddle, and the hole provided a stable base for the paddle to rest in, which would prevent me from losing my balance or losing grip of the paddle. On top of that, I'd carefully shaped the hole in a way that allowed me to shift the trajectory of the paddle, and thus steer the boat freely.
It was a simple design, but it was also one that was perfectly suited for my current situation. A small, fast, and agile boat that I could use to dart through the rough seas of the New World. I didn't need a large, imposing ship - not yet, at least - as all I needed was a boat that could get me the hell out of this Sea King Hell, and I was pretty sure this was it.
"It's not the Thousand Sunny," I grinned lightly, "But I don't need the Thousand Sunny right now."
I'd come up with this idea after thinking about one of the Warlord's boats - that being Dracule Mihawk, the man who sailed around the Grandline on a simple, barely-considered-a-boat, raft-like structure.
Right now, something like his boat suited me much better than a large, towering structure. I didn't have a crew, or friends, or anyone at all traveling with me. Right now, it was just me, so I didn't need a boat with a lot of room. A simple chair and bed were enough for me, as I'd just spend most of my time fishing as I floated around for who-knows-how-long looking for an island. I didn't need a towering, defensive boat - no, I didn't need to defend against the Sea Kings. Instead, I could simply go past them and leave them in the dust of my propeller-like design.
Though I had thought this boat would've been much easier to create than it truly was, as after building towering, defensive structures, I thought a small, simple boat would be a cakewalk. I was very - very wrong. The simple platform and chair were easy, as I had built those before, and they were the same as the other boats on a much smaller scale. The real challenge came from the paddle, and the 'paddle-hole.'
I had gone through a ton of different designs for the hole, as at first, it was just a simple, circular indent in the center of the raft. Then, when I tested it, the design had caused the paddle to wobble a lot as I tried to spin it, and the position was so awkward that I felt like I was breaking my damn wrists. The force from spinning the paddle would cause the entire boat to shake, as the force wasn't distributed evenly, and the paddle would frequently fly out of the hole.
So, I had to improve it, and I spent days just carving and recarving the hole, adjusting its shape, and trying to find the perfect angle for the paddle to sit at. I tried making it deeper, then shallower, then wider, then narrower, and changed it in every damn way I could think of! I tried adding a small, curved groove at the bottom to help guide the paddle, and I even tried adding a small, wooden notch to help keep it in place. Finally, after a week of trial and error, I had found the perfect design.
Unfortunately, that was just the start, as the paddle was the real challenge. My strength was beyond supernatural at this point, and to rotate the paddle quickly enough to move the boat faster than a Sea King, I needed to use a lot of power. The first paddle I had carved, which was just a simple piece of wood, had shattered into a million pieces the moment I started to spin it. The second, which I had made from one of the tough, darker trees that I used for my boat, had lasted a bit longer, but it had still snapped after a few minutes of high-speed spinning. The third, which I had coated in the tar-like substance, had done a bit better but had still bent and warped under the strain before it finally broke.
In the end, I had to get creative. I had been sitting by the shore as I looked out at the ocean, my eyes scanning the waves for any sign of inspiration, and then I had seen it. A glint of light, reflecting off of something in the water near the shore, which turned out to be the exact thing I needed. It was a scale from one of the Sea Kings I had defeated, which was large and tough as hell. It had taken a long time, but with a lot of elbow grease, I had created the paddle from a mixture of wood and Sea King scales. Now, it could withstand my strength, no problem.
"This time, I'm getting out of this damn Sea King Hell," I grunted, reaching down as I grabbed the back of the small raft, and then hefted it up with one hand. I had already loaded it up, as even though I'd lost a lot of supplies through my constant failures, luckily the island still had a surplus of water and other supplies.
I had, of course, kept track of my fishing rod, which had become even sturdier as I progressed and leveled up, along with some food, fresh water, buckets to catch rain, the paddle, and various other supplies I would need for the journey. With everything gathered, I pushed forward and waded into the water. I set the boat down as the water reached my waist, the flat platform bobbing gently in the rough waves. I took a deep breath, then vaulted over the side and landed softly in the center of the small raft. The boat rocked slightly under my weight, but it held steady.
I made my way to the single chair, which was firmly attached to the platform, and I sat down. The simple seat was pretty damn comfortable, and I felt a sense of rightness, as if this was where I was meant to be. Honestly, I felt kind of badass as I stared at the waters ahead of me. I could definitely see why Mihawk enjoyed traveling like this.
I reached down, grabbing the paddle from the spot where it rested beside the chair. Then, I carefully placed the paddle into the specially designed hole to the side of me, and the handle fit snugly into my grip. I took another deep breath, the salty air filling my lungs as I braced myself, and then I began to rotate the paddle.
I started slowly, testing the design and getting a feel for the boat's movement. The paddle spun smoothly in the hole, the water churning behind the boat as it started to move forward. I increased the speed, my powerful arms working as my muscles tensed, and the speed of the boat increased as well. It tore through the waves, the world around me speeding by as the raft cut through the sea in front of me, not breaking or budging from the waves. Water splashed onto me as the boat moved forward, as my chair was close to the water and the small walls around the raft were very short, but I didn't care. In fact, I kind of enjoyed it, as the cold spray of the seawater on my skin felt refreshing and helped to cool me down as the exertion of spinning the paddle started to heat me up.
I took one last look back at the island, which was quickly becoming a small speck in the distance. The towering corpses of the Sea Kings, the ruined shore, the small forest, and my humble log cabin - which was pretty much in ruins at this point, as it'd been crashed into by numerous tsunamis - all faded into the horizon. A bittersweet feeling washed over me as I stared at the island, a place that had been my home for the past months.
I had been through a lot on that island, from surviving on my own for the first time, to meeting Aokiji, to surviving the Sea King attack, and even to building a boat that could get me out of here. I had grown stronger, both physically and mentally, and I had learned a lot about myself.
But it was also a place of isolation and a place of constant danger. The threat of Aokiji returning was made very real by the quest, and as much as I would miss the simplicity of my life there, I knew it was time to finally leave. It was time to start a new chapter of my life in the world of One Piece.
However, as I turned my head back to face the ocean ahead of me, my focus was immediately drawn to a massive shape that was bursting out from the water in front of me. The water burst upwards from my left, sending waves crashing into my boat as seawater rained down on me. I narrowed my eyes as I looked at the creature, which was another Sea King, and this one was a huge, crab-like creature, with a shell and claws that could probably snap my boat in half.
My body tensed, my grip on the paddle tightening as I stared at the creature, but I stayed calm. I knew what to do here, as this was exactly why I had built this boat. It was specifically for a situation like this.
The crab-like Sea King let out a loud screech as it lunged forward, its massive claw-like pincer snapping shut right at my boat, but making contact where I had been a split second earlier. As it lunged, I spun the paddle even faster, and its attack missed entirely. The water churned behind the boat as it shot forward like a bullet, and I zipped right past the crab. The waves from its lunge were sent spraying outwards wildly, but I was already dozens of feet away from it as I burst past the creature casually.
"One down," I grinned, feeling a surge of adrenaline as I continued to spin the paddle, the small raft cutting through the waves with an ease that I hadn't expected. It was working perfectly, and I was moving at a speed that even I was impressed by. The waves, which had been a constant threat before, were now just a minor inconvenience as I shot through them, the small raft bobbing and weaving, but never losing its momentum.
Over the next few hours, as I ventured deeper into the ocean and further from the island, more Sea Kings appeared. I didn't know if they could sense the boat or if they were just on watch for any boats in the area, but it seemed that my presence was drawing them out. A long, serpentine one that tried to wrap around my boat, but I dodged with a quick, sharp turn of the paddle, and left it in my dust. Next, a massive, floppy-fish one tried to swallow me whole, but I shot past as its jaw snapped shut on empty water. There was even another whale-like one, which was even bigger than the one I had fought before, but I zipped past as it launched out of the water and tried to flop its massive body down on my boat.
Each one would've been a serious threat, as they were monsters that could have easily destroyed my previous boats, but now, they just felt like an obstacle course. The speed and agility of my small boat allowed me to dodge their attacks with ease, leaving them behind in a streak of waves and foam. I was a blur as I left the creatures behind, and finally, after what felt like four or five hours straight of sailing forward, the waves cleared up a bit.
The water became less choppy, and while it was still chaotic - as this was the New World, after all - it felt much calmer than before. The Sea King attacks stopped entirely, and I felt satisfied as I relaxed a bit, enjoying the feeling of the sun on my skin. I glanced over my shoulder, but my home for the past nearly half a year was gone now. I couldn't see the silhouette of the island, but I didn't feel a sense of longing as I turned back to look at the sea in front of me. Even if I would miss the island, I knew that this wasn't the end of a journey.
No, instead, it was simply the beginning. My life on the small, isolated island had ended, but my life in the world of One Piece had just begun. And, as it did, I felt only excitement.
I didn't know what would happen from here on out. I didn't know if I'd sail endlessly alone on the seas, or if I'd run into an island quickly. I didn't know if I'd run into marines, pirates, or even a Yonko. All I knew was that I had an entire world ahead of me, and I would enjoy it to the fullest.
I set down the paddle as my boat drifted forward, reaching down and grabbing my fishing rod. I pulled it back and then chucked it over my shoulder into the sea to my side. I sat there, casually sitting in my chair, as I leaned back and began to fish.
At that moment, I didn't know where I would end up, nor what I would be called in the future. I didn't know that my name would go down in history in this world, nor that I would have an unmatched influence on the events that took place. I couldn't have known, because in that moment, I wasn't anyone special. As I stared out at the sea ahead, a fishing rod in my hand, I wasn't anything special yet. In that moment...
I was a simple Fisherman.
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AN: Thank you for reading! The next chapter will be posted in around 2 weeks!
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