Chapter 3
In front of Jepack's eyes, two floating options appeared: "Yes" and "No." Below them was a small line of text: "New User Bonus: First recharge of any amount grants Tier-1 Conqueror's Haki. Limited time offer—3 days only."
Jepack nearly jumped for joy. Luckily, no one noticed—everyone's attention was on the sparring match between Guina and Zoro in the center of the dojo.
The corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably. He desperately wanted to cackle out loud.
Heh heh heh heh… I'm the chosen one! Guina and Nami as sisters, Robin-chan, the Empress, Shirahoshi, Princess Vivi of Alabasta… (drooling fantasy mode activated)… Whatever Pirate King Luffy, whatever Lord Im of the World Government—your daddy's here now! Just wait and bow before me!!!
Heh heh heh heh…
"Guina, you've got this!"
Cheers for Guina suddenly erupted from the crowd. Jepack pushed the system thoughts aside and focused on the match.
After all, he didn't have enough beri yet to qualify for the first-recharge Conqueror's Haki bonus. And even if he did get it, he probably still couldn't beat those two creepy closed-eye monsters from the Shimotsuki family. Low-key development is the true path.
"Zoro, you've got this!"
Seeing no one cheering for Zoro, Jepack shouted it out. Both fighters on the stage turned to him with different expressions.
Zoro flashed a confident grin. "Nice one, best buddy!"
Guina's gaze carried a hint of warning, a dash of disappointment, and a whole lot of barely-contained anger.
Jepack instantly understood—this little lady was seriously upset that he hadn't cheered for her.
"Begin!"
With Koushirou's command, Jepack silently prayed Zoro wouldn't get wrecked too badly.
He sparred with Guina every night, so he knew her strength well. Current Zoro against a slightly fired-up Guina? No chance.
The outcome was predictable. Zoro came off the stage bruised, swollen, and dejected—his head bumps almost as big as steamed buns sold on the street.
Guina only had a light sheen of sweat on her forehead. She clearly hadn't gone all out. When Jepack looked at her, her expression seemed to say: "Barely got my clothes dirty. I'm just that awesome."
"Zoro, your technique is lacking—you rely too much on brute force. You need to drill the basic 'slash' until you can block and attack instinctively."
"Guina, while your skill surpasses Zoro's, stamina remains your weakness. Winning today doesn't mean you'll keep winning. If you don't change that, he will eventually surpass you."
"That's all for today. From now on, the two of you will spar once every seven days."
"Yes, Master."
"Yes, Father."
Zoro's eyes burned with passion and confidence. Guina looked momentarily downcast, but her gaze quickly hardened with renewed determination.
That afternoon, Jepack began planning his next moves.
I don't have enough beri. How can I earn more within three days? I'm still short. Tonight I can ask Guina if she knows any ways to make money. If not, borrowing a little from her should be fine… I just need a good excuse.
Even after getting Tier-1 Conqueror's Haki, I'll still need to lay low. Those unflinching closed-eye guys are scary.
I'll also need to keep earning beri steadily. Just looking at the system's name tells me it's a money pit. I've been calling it "daddy" for days—no response. The interface is still frozen on "Yes/No," with only the countdown ticking.
He recalled money-making methods from the One Piece anime he'd watched in his previous life: bounty hunting, Baroque Works, Skypiea gold, Tezoro the Golden Emperor…
Evening arrived in a flash. Muscle memory guided him straight to the usual training spot with the currently-loli Guina.
She was already drilling basic forms—harder than ever. Koushirou's comment about her stamina had clearly struck a nerve.
When she saw Jepack, she stopped, eyes carrying a trace of lingering anger. "Let's start."
He picked up a wooden sword and faced her. Her strikes felt heavier than usual. Ten minutes in, he struggled to keep up and took a hit to the arm.
The sword clattered to the ground. She immediately grabbed his hand to check the injury.
"I'm fine—just a little red and swollen."
Seeing her worried and flustered, Jepack quickly reassured her.
"I'm sorry… I didn't hold back enough."
Her eyes reddened as she lowered her head and whispered.
Jepack reached out, gently patted her head, and grinned. "It's nothing. I'm not the same weakling anymore—I'm pretty tough now! Don't believe me? Feel these abs!"
"Hey, hey, hey—stop going lower! Any lower and we'll get a warning!"
At his words, her face flushed bright red. She muttered, "Stingy! You're the one who told me to touch!"
After that slightly flirty moment, neither felt like continuing practice. They found a grassy spot with a clear view and lay side by side.
"Do girls really have no chance of matching boys in stamina? No matter how hard I try, Father never praises me… Can I really become the world's greatest swordsman?"
She gazed at the stars, seeking an answer from him.
(End-of-chapter teaser in original: This mini-chapter isn't finished—click next page for more!)
"Of course not! Girls are only slightly behind boys in raw physical strength—that's it. Strength is just one factor in swordsmanship. So don't lose heart. Keep working hard, and one day you absolutely can become the greatest swordsman. Sure, we can't match Zoro's natural power, but your effort isn't wasted. You're constantly surpassing your past self. Every swing brings you closer to your dream. I believe in you—you'll make it."
He looked at her earnestly.
Her usual smile returned. "Thank you, Jepack. That made me feel a lot better—maybe half better."
"Only half? What about the other half? Spill it. Let the legendary 'Life Coach to Beautiful Girls' Jepack solve it for you!"
He declared confidently.
She shot him a playful, mischievous glance. "Really? Fine, I'll tell you. Why did you only cheer for that idiot Zoro today and not for me? It totally ruined my mood!"
"Well… that's because… I saw no one cheering for Zoro, so I shouted for him! I was totally about to yell 'Go Guina!' next. Yeah, exactly. No mistake."
He stammered. She burst into giggles. "Hee hee hee~ Looks like you're the real dummy!"
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?" Jepack sat up in confusion.
Guina didn't answer, just stared at the stars, lost in thought.
Suddenly, his get-rich-quick plan snapped back into focus.
Idiot! I almost got distracted by romance!
Cursing himself internally, he asked aloud, "Hey, do you know any ways to earn money around the village? I'm in urgent need of some beri."
"I don't know any jobs in the village. Do you really need money that badly? Didn't you just get paid today?"
"I'm still short. If you don't know any quick ways… could you maybe lend me a little? Super urgent—waiting online!!"