One piece: Without a system, I have to survive!

The wind rustled through the jungle trees, carrying the scent of damp earth and salt from the distant sea.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead, my muscles aching from hours of training.

For weeks, I had endured brutal drills—dodging attacks, strengthening my body, and sharpening my reflexes.

But nothing could have prepared me for what my teacher said next.

"Training is over," he announced.

I blinked in confusion. Over?

He smirked. "Now it's time for a real fight."

The Unexpected Opponent

I expected him to be my opponent.

But instead—

He stepped aside, revealing a figure emerging from the jungle.

A massive man with bulging muscles and a face covered in scars.

He carried a rusted cutlass, his grin revealing yellowed teeth.

"A new recruit, huh?" the man sneered. "He looks weak."

I clenched my fists.

Who the hell is this guy?

My teacher crossed his arms. "He's a pirate. I caught him sneaking around our training grounds."

A pirate? Here?

The man rolled his shoulders. "You said I could go free if I beat the brat, right?"

My teacher smirked. "That's the deal. If he loses, he dies. If he wins… well, we'll see."

My breath caught in my throat.

Wait—what?!

The Fight Begins

Before I could even process what was happening—

The pirate charged.

Fast.

Too fast for a man his size.

His cutlass gleamed as he swung straight at me.

I barely dodged, the blade whistling past my ear.

Shit. This wasn't training anymore.

If I messed up—

I would die.

A Desperate Struggle

The pirate kept coming, relentless.

Every attack was wild but powerful.

I couldn't block. I couldn't counter.

All I could do was dodge.

But my body moved on instinct, just like my training.

I slipped past his swings, ducking and weaving, forcing him to waste energy.

His grin faded. "Tch. Stop running and fight!"

I exhaled sharply.

I had no weapon.

No devil fruit.

No system to save me.

But I had my fists.

Finding the Opening

I remembered my training.

Don't attack blindly.

Wait. Observe. Strike only when the moment is right.

The pirate swung again—

I sidestepped, just barely avoiding the blade.

And then—

I saw it.

An opening.

For the first time, he had overcommitted to his attack.

His balance was off.

Now!

I clenched my fist—

And threw my strongest punch.

CRACK!

My knuckles slammed into his jaw.

The impact rattled my arm, but I felt his teeth crack under the force.

He stumbled back, dazed.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then—

He collapsed.

Victory… But At What Cost?

My chest heaved. My hands trembled.

I had won.

But the realization hit me like a punch to the gut—

I could have died.

This world wasn't a game.

There were no second chances.

I looked at my teacher, expecting some kind of praise.

Instead, he just grinned.

"Not bad," he said. "You're finally starting to understand."

I swallowed hard.

This was only the beginning.

If I wanted to survive in this world—

I had to get much, much stronger.