My Journey In One Piece!

=-Day 700-=

Today was the day I was going to kill the mutt and find out what it was guarding.

"Assuming it is actually guarding something." I scratched my chin before shrugging as I walked towards the ruins where the giant mutt was. It didn't really matter whether it was guarding something or not. I knew, like the giant monkey it would trigger the System once I killed it.

'It's foolish to do this without a backup plan or any traps though.' I thought, frowning as I used my sword to move some foliage out of the way. "I can't always rely on traps to solve my problems, and I want this to be special. That's why Mobile Inventory will stay out of the beginning of the fight."

No other words came to mind and I sighed, slumping my shoulders as I walked. "I really need to meet other people." I rolled my shoulders back and moved my hair out of my face as I arrived at the entrance to the ruins. Walking past it, I entered what seemed to have once been a city of sorts. The sound of rustling fur and the smell of dried blood filled the air.

"Seems like you've seen better days." I commented, turning around and jumping away just as the giant wolf slammed its body where I once stood. It growled at me and I noticed it still had the sword I'd pierced through its eye all those months ago.

'Aim for the-'

I blitzed forward, catching the wolf off guard momentarily as I appeared in front of it. I sent an air slash towards its mouth, but it dodged and tried to swipe at me with its giant paws. I dove under its massive body, planting my feet as I released another air blade towards its underside, managing to create a shallow cut before retreating from beneath the wolf as it swung its tail at me.

"You seem slower." I commented, twirling the sword in my right hand. The wolf growled in response before roaring and blitzing towards me. I smiled as I could track it much better than I could in the past.

'Aim for-'

I ignored my thoughts as I charged at the wolf. I blocked its swiping paw before riding along with the blow, I grabbed its paw and flipped it over my shoulder sending it crashing through and toppling a building.

"That's for last time, fucker."

I jumped back as my instincts screamed at me, and I felt Mobile Inventory who was currently lodged in my throat squirm.

"Wha-"

Before I could react, something hard smashed into the left side of my skull, sending me crashing through buildings. I only stopped when one collapsed onto me.

'F-fuck...' I groaned as I pushed rubble off me. Shaking my head, I realized I couldn't see out of my left eye and the pain in my head almost made me collapse.

'Need Mobile Inventory now?' I groaned at my thoughts and reached two fingers into my throat, pulling out a black scaly ball that quickly grew before Mobile Inventory took on its snake form and wrapped around me. Reaching into its mouth, I pulled out another iron sword just as I heard something approaching.

"That's unfair as fuck..." I mumbled, staring in disbelief. The wolf which used to be about fifteen feet tall was now around seventeen feet, its fur completely gone and replaced with rippling muscle-covered skin.

'Grotesque.'

I felt sweat bead on my forehead and my ears rang as the freak of nature roared before charging towards me. I gritted my teeth and did the same, this time using Soru.

'First Step'

To the untrained eye, it would have looked like I teleported in front of the naked wolf, my sword poised to thrust at its neck—Mobile Inventory tightened around my front.

'Second Step'

I blitzed faster than before, arriving at the wolf's left just as its giant maw opened, crashing down where I had just stood destroying the ground and causing a miniature shockwave.

'Seems like its speed has been exchanged for more power.' I nodded at the thought before feeling the air displace. I jumped just as the wolf's tail crashed where I had been, landing on it and running along the tail toward its back. Before I could make it the wolf roared again—Mobile Inventory tightened around my back. I turned just as the wolf blitzed out of my sight and appeared again.

'I retract my earlier statement.' I withheld a snort as I reached into Mobile Inventory's mouth and grabbed a second sword. The wolf's open maw enclosed around me before snapping shut. I braced the swords against my forearms, attempting to block its sharp teeth.

"Holy fuck!" I cursed as the pressure felt like a mountain on top of my body, and I struggled to prevent the teeth from crushing me.

"Any ideas, brain?!" I snorted before looking down the throat of the wolf. I could feel Mobile Inventory tightening around my entire torso as it realized the probably suicidal idea I'd just thought of.

'If it can't be cut on the outside, cut it on the inside.'

I took a deep breath, ignoring the rancid rotten air from the wolf's mouth, and let myself slide down its throat as its mouth fully shut.

=-=-=-=-=

'Gross.' I thought as I landed in a mush of acid and food. I looked around at the organ I was currently in. 'Time to get to work.'

I reached into Mobile Inventory's mouth once more to grab another iron sword, having dropped the other swords somewhere inside the wolf's stomach.

'There isn't a good place to get a footing.' I frowned before shrugging, raising the sword over my left shoulder. Stomping my right foot down into the moving organ, I slashed downward releasing an air blade that cut through the acid and sliced through the stomach. I listened, bracing myself as the wolf roared in pain. I felt my surroundings shrink as it contracted its muscles and I smiled as its heart beat faster.

'I'll aim there!' I thought, repeating the action and slashing in the direction I believed its heart would be.

I was forced to drop the sword and brace myself as the wolf started thrashing around. I looked at the part where I had slashed and frowned. Reaching for it, I began prying it apart with my hands, ignoring the fluids barreling into the stomach and the wolf howling from the pain.

'A... l-little more!' I gritted my teeth as I ripped apart the stomach wound, feeling my foot touch one of the swords. Kicking it up to my hand, I planted both feet firmly and slashed through the wolf's insides, then rolled out of its body.

Mobile Inventory tensed around my left side as I moved from my spot and turned around. The wolf's insides were hanging out of the exit I had created, and it was foaming at the mouth.

"I'll put you out of your misery."

With those words, the wolf roared in anguish.

'First Step'

I arrived in front of it in the blink of an eye, my sword raised towards its throat once more.

'Second Step'

I blitzed forward faster, running my sword along its legs, causing it to topple.

'Third Step'

I was in the air, twirling to build momentum just as the wolf raised its head toward me with a fierce glare.

"Flying Slash Attack!" I yelled as I released the momentum in one swing, which unleashed an air slash larger than anything I had done before. I watched as it struggled for a brief moment to cut through the wolf's neck, and I worried it wouldn't go through.

'Come on.'

However, luck was on my side. The struggle lasted only a moment before the attack cleanly sliced through its neck, cutting through the ground and destroying the old pavement beneath.

I landed on the ground, feeling the adrenaline fade replaced by a sensation I couldn't exactly describe. It wasn't joy at defeating the beast that marked a milestone for me, nor was it sadness at losing the wolf.

"Ah, I'm disappointed in the way it ended." I had thought in the back of my mind that I would win by the skin of my teeth, that I wouldn't make it out of the fight without at least losing a leg or an arm.

Hiss

I turned my eye to Mobile Inventory as it looked at the headless wolf. I glanced at the wolf, now shrinking and returning to its furred state.

"Wonder how I should—"

*Ding!*

^System Alert!^ [The Host has beaten the Wolf Knight! Reward: Binding Vow Ticket!]

I blinked, then tilted my head. 'I guess that, since it's the System I'm able to use a Binding Vow?' I barely remembered anything about Jujutsu Kaisen, but I did recall something about Binding Vows...

*Ding!*

^System Alert!^ [Before Turtle Island sinks: 1518/1518]

"What?!" I looked around, wide eyed, before running over to the dead wolf. I picked up the swords I had dropped and stuffed them into Mobile Inventory's mouth, much to its displeasure due to the filth clinging to the weapons. 'I should have at least twenty days left!'

*Ding!*

^System Response!^ [The Host was asleep for thirty days before connecting with the System!]

"Why didn't you tell me?!" I cursed, then looked at the wolf's body, frowning. I grabbed it and moved quickly. 'I'm not leaving the body!' I went over to the head and lost my footing for a moment as the island shook.

"Fuck!" I cursed again, picking up the head and running with my prize in hand until I reached the waterfall. There, I started skinning it at a rapid pace while speaking to the System.

"System, how long do I have?"

*Ding!*

^System Response!^ [The Host has four hours until the ship arrives and four hours and two minutes until the island sinks!]

Clicking my tongue, I worked faster to separate the fur from the body. I walked over to a pot containing crushed up plants that seemed to help with healing and rubbed it on the left side of my face and around my eye.

"I'll take the wolf and monkey pelt, store all the tools I have inside Mobile Inventory, then start looking for where the boat will arrive."

With the plan set in motion, I went back to skinning the wolf.

~Scene Change~

Running through the sand had been tough at first, but now that I'd done it so often whether it was for food or just to let my emotions out and act like a madman, it had become second nature. 'Wonder if I'm insane?' I shook the thought off and focused back on not tripping as I made my rounds around the island. That's when I spotted a ship along the horizon, cutting through the ocean.

"Holy fuck." I could feel my mouth widen into a grin as the ship got closer. For some reason by instinct, I jumped into the tree line. 'They might not be friendly.' That thought sobered me up quickly, and I tightened my grip on the bags I had made from pelts and vines. I peered at the boat, noting the flag.

"They aren't pirates..." I mumbled to myself. The flag was nearly all white, except for a green line running through the middle and a symbol that had to be the world's currency. 'Merchants?' I hummed at the thought. This could work as I could trade my pelts for a ride off this place.

The island shook.

This time, the tremor was much larger than before, so large that I could see the island actively tilting.

*Ding!*

^System Alert!^ [Before Turtle Island sinks: 2 minutes!]

My eyes widened. I wasn't about to let this chance slip away. I watched the people aboard the ship before shouting out. "Holy shit, there's people!" I quickly shook my head and, sobering up, decided to run out of the tree line and towards them.

"Hey!" I yelled, and they turned toward me with wide eyes. We all stumbled as the island cracked beneath us.

"There's someone living here?!" one of them yelled.

"I'm jumping on board!" I shouted back. One of them nodded and lowered a rope ladder. I sprinted toward it, but suddenly something wrapped around my leg.

'The fuck?'

It was a group of monkeys, climbing up my body. One of them was shot in the head before I heard someone yell. "Get aboard, we'll cover you!"

A smile bloomed on my face as I kicked a monkey off me and ducked just as a bullet whizzed by. I kept running, jumping onto the ladder.

'Hahaha... I'm fucking safe.'

The ladder was pulled up, and just as I felt the ship rock from the sinking island, an arm shot out and grabbed mine, pulling me aboard.

"You were lucky, kid!" one of the merchants said. I laughed lightly as I lost my balance for a moment from the swaying of the ship. The island fully sank, sending waves that rocked the ship slightly.

"T-Thanks for not leaving me..." I muttered, still catching my breath.

Someone patted me on the back, laughing heartily. "We aren't monsters, kid!"

I was about to respond when the system sounded again.

*Ding!*

[Quest: Don't on Turtle Island's reward: ?-> Blood Instinct!]

I blinked at the reward but didn't have time to register it further as the system continued.

*Ding!*

^System Alert!^ [Lifestyle Choice activated! Please choose an option!]

I stared at the screen as some of the passengers aboard the ship began walking away, while one of the men spoke to which I ignored.

[Civilian: No fighting, no worries! Reward: A peaceful life where the Host will need no fighting and can live as a man with the strength of a wolf!]

[Merchant: You have an opportunity to become rich through selling wares! Reward: Live a long life as a strong merchant and eventually retire and die rich!]

[Marine: Do you believe in justice? Join the Marines! Reward: ?]

[Pirate/Adventurer: Pillage and journey your way through this world! Reward: ?]

[Mercenary: Whether it's Pirates, Marines or even the World Government, it does not matter as riches and more are the only things you care about! Reward: Binding Vow!]

I looked over the options, my thoughts hovering over the life of a Civilian. 'System would I get to keep the Heavenly Restriction?

*Ding!*

^System Response!^ [The Heavenly Restriction has been engraved in the Host's soul as of four hours ago. As such, the system cannot remove it!]

I blinked, processing the information before turning toward the man I assumed was in charge of the ship. He spoke, his eyes flicking to my bags of pelts.

"So, kid, how long were you on that island?"

I withheld a frown as I answered. "Two years, sir."

He hummed thoughtfully, eyes scanning my body. 'I don't like him.' I thought. After a moment, he sighed, nodding in understanding.

"I understand, kid. Running away from home and getting caught up in a storm must've been hard for ya."

I blinked, surprised by his words, but nodded along playing along with his assumption.

Turning my focus back to the choices, I thought to myself. 'Marines and Pirates are out since the rewards are hidden.' I couldn't care less if the rewards granted me a Devil Fruit capable of toppling the world or a direct route to the One Piece. Survival was far more important than whatever else the system might offer.

'Civilian life it is.'

I raised my finger, about to select the Civilian option when suddenly I felt a sharp slap on my back as well as a hearty laugh.

In slow motion, my finger grazed the screen landing on an entirely different option.

*Ding!*

^System Alert!^ [Mercenary Life has been chosen! The required Quest has been sent!]

My face drained as I read the pop ups. A bead of sweat formed on my brow as the Quest appeared.

*Ding!*

[Quest: The Pirates who disguise themselves as Merchants are long overdue to die! Kill the Pirates and collect their heads! Heads collected 0/15]

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{Author here,

I'll be changing my upload schedule to alternate each week between "Strength Through Suffering" Fanfic and this fanfiction while sprinkling other bits of work on my other pages.

Deviantart page: themeatbeef (I'll be writing a Berserk fanfic One Shot soon.)

subscribestar: meatbeef

KoFi: meatbeef

That's all!}