Xeno Fist really was something impressive.
After finishing the cargo check, Quinn, the merchant ship manager, counted out a stack of Beli and handed it to Ginro, praising him as he did:
"Three hundred pieces of cargo total. Ten workers, and you alone carried sixty-two pieces. That's the work of two men. Here—round it up for you. Five thousand Beli. Keep it safe.
You look unfamiliar. Just arrived in West Sicono Town?"
"Yes, thank you," Ginro replied as he accepted the money, wiping the thin layer of sweat from his forehead. "I'll be working at the docks for a while. If there's any work, just call me, Uncle Quinn."
"No problem," Quinn chuckled. "Young people who work hard won't stay poor long. Tomorrow morning, same time—another ship from Aomori. Metal goods and steel this time. Heavier loads, but better pay. One hundred and twenty Beli per sack. Don't forget."
"Got it."
Ginro glanced to the side. "There's a ship hiring over there. I'll head over."
"Not even going to rest for a bit—" Quinn began, but Ginro was already jogging away.
Quinn shook his head, turned, and boarded the ship, muttering to himself,
"So what exactly is Xeno Fist anyway?"
Xeno Fist was a representative traditional martial art—direct, grounded, and designed for real combat.
After training under a Xeno Fist master for a full year, Ginro was completely different from an ordinary person. If he didn't hold back, he was confident that three punches could take a life.
But this was the world of One Piece.
A world heavy enough to keep Ginro from getting carried away.
At the very least, he'd need several more years of training before he could gain a real foothold in the East Blue.
To train, he needed money—and nothing suited him better than carrying cargo at the docks.
The foundation built through martial arts allowed him to understand how to use strength properly and how to control stamina, letting him carry more cargo and earn more money.
More importantly, dock work assisted his training. Carrying cargo tempered the fundamentals of Xeno Fist while forging his body.
By the end of the day, Ginro had moved over three hundred loads, earning 23,800 Beli. Only after unloading the final ship did he stagger away from the docks and enter town.
"Steamed buns—hot steamed buns!"
"Sea beast meat—fresh sea beast meat!"
"Warm ocean milk—!"
The town at night was lively, shouts blending with rich food aromas that washed over Ginro.
He rubbed his stomach.
Breakfast at home felt distant after a year of infrastructure building. Lunch had been a cheap worker's box meal for two hundred Beli.
Dinner, though—something good.
Let me see what sea beast meat is all about.
Moments later, Ginro held two massive skewers of grilled meat, tearing into them with both hands.
The left was unknown sea beast meat, cut into chunks the size of a child's fist, crisp on the outside and tender inside.
The right was something like an octopus tentacle, weighing three or four pounds—fresh, chewy, and flavorful.
Delicious. Absolutely delicious.
The two skewers cost 2,100 Beli—expensive, but worth it.
As he ate and walked, children's laughter echoed around him, bargaining voices rising and falling. It felt like walking through a modern city street.
But instead of skyscrapers and traffic, the road was made of rough stone and wooden planks, winding ahead.
Buildings on both sides were wildly colorful—bright yellow walls, grass-green roofs, pink window frames, deep blue banners. Each looked like a child's drawing, chaotic yet bursting with life.
Ginro slowly grew accustomed to it.
The One Piece world… I'm here.
"One night—five thousand Beli."
"…How much?"
"Five thousand Beli per night."
Ginro nearly turned around and left.
Beli had purchasing power close to yen. Five thousand for a night in a small-town inn?
"That's expensive. Can't you go cheaper?"
"This whole street charges the same. If you find cheaper, I'll refund you. Stay longer if you want—thirty thousand Beli for a week."
"…Fine. One night. There's a bath, right? Show me the room."
If not for safety concerns—and wanting to wash up—Ginro would never have spent five thousand on lodging. He'd happily sleep anywhere.
Late at night, lying on the tatami that cost him five thousand Beli, Ginro opened his system plan.
[Extending infrastructure time by one year requires 100,000 Beli.]
[Funds: 16,600 Beli]
He'd even spent another hundred on water.
"Tomorrow I need to earn more. If I can save twenty thousand a day, I'll hit the next hundred thousand in four days."
At dawn the next morning, Ginro climbed out of bed and entered Three-Body Stance.
A year living with his master had ingrained discipline into him. Thirty minutes of stance training, followed by Eight Absolute Hands, Corrective Twenty-Four Methods, and Five Element Fists.
After completing the full routine, Ginro adjusted his breathing, surprise flickering across his face.
"Why does this feel… easier?"
Once he started carrying cargo, the feeling became even clearer.
"This isn't my imagination. I'm stronger."
Normally, this kind of improvement would take at least a month—but he'd only worked one day and slept one night.
Over the next two days, the difference became undeniable. Loads that once strained him now felt light. Where four sacks once weighed him down, he now felt capable of carrying five—or even six.
In just three days, his strength had increased by at least 20%, comparable to half a year of training at his master's home.
He didn't know the reason.
But it was a good thing.
That morning, his Cannon Fist tore through the air, the sound sharp and imposing.
[Funds: 71,300 Beli]
It was the fourth morning since arriving in the One Piece world—and he was close.
Push today, and I'll have enough.
At the docks, a captain spotted him immediately.
"Ian! Over here!"
"Ian" was Ginro's alias—easy to remember, and close to the pronunciation of his real name.
After three days, Ginro had already made a name for himself among the dockworkers through efficiency and reliability.
"Mud ash again? One hundred per sack?" Ginro jogged over.
"Yeah. Only one hundred twenty sacks today. You can handle it alone, right? I'll add ten Beli per sack—keeps the ship cleaner."
13,200. Ginro calculated instantly and grinned.
"No problem. Thanks, Captain!"
He grabbed two sixty-pound sacks in each hand and swung them onto his shoulders. Then his right foot hooked another sack, snapping upward and sending it spinning neatly onto the pile.
His spine barely bent.
That was Xeno Fist's Three-Body Stance—solid and precise.
"Five sacks per trip. Two minutes each. I'll finish within the hour."
The captain stared in disbelief. "Ever think about becoming a merchant ship guard? The Konome Islands are pretty safe—no pirate trouble."
"I'm considering it."
"An hour later—13,200 Beli."
Ginro didn't rest. He worked through the morning, loaded another ship, and unloaded two more in the afternoon.
Though none paid as well as the first, he still earned another 26,000 Beli. After food and water, his savings hit 110,000 Beli.
"Enough. After lodging, I can still eat well tonight."
Exhaustion finally crept in, and Ginro prepared to leave—
When two men suddenly blocked his path.
"You Ian?"
"We're from the Boar Gang," one said coldly. "The boss heard about a newcomer at the docks. Strong. Efficient. He wants you in. Pay 80,000 Beli as the joining fee, and come meet him."
Ginro smiled politely.
"Smart people don't waste time. Let's skip the middle steps."
He stepped forward—
Bam! Bam!
Two punches in less than 0.2 seconds.
Two dull impacts.
Two screams.
Two bodies collapsed, blood spraying from their noses.
Ginro turned and walked away.
(Let me know what you think of this novel in the comments!)
Every 10 powerstones I'll post 1 extra chapter!