So began our training with Naguri—moving logs and helping him build the ship. Our training continued.
Six months passed. Spring came. I was still Lv 8, close to Lv 9, but leveling had slowed from not fighting gangsters or thugs—only hunting smaller animals and training.
"Boy, you guys only think about getting stronger, but… do you think that's enough to beat the tiger?" asked Naguri.
"What do you mean? The strongest among us becomes captain, right?" asked Sabo.
"Maybe just being strong isn't enough for now," I said with a smile, "but I think it will be later."
"Yeah! I'm gonna beat the tiger!" Luffy said.
"Well, the captain needs to be strong for sure," Naguri laughed, "but there's something more important… I forgot—sh sh sh."
Sabo and Luffy groaned, while Ace and I just stared.
Ace went to Naguri that night ask him what was really important, the answer is got was...
Teamwork
That night, after Naguri's ship was finished and ready to sail—
"So, Naguri, are you setting sail soon?" asked Sabo.
"Yes. But before that I have to wrap up your training. Let's go hunt the big tiger today!
Hearing that got our blood pumping. I was ready to beat that bastard.
[DING][QUEST] Beat the Tiger — Reward: 2000 EXP and unlock Hidden Quest
Oh, let's go—I get a quest for taking down the tiger.
"I'm gonna kill him and end this stupid training!" claimed Ace.
"I'm gonna kill him!" said Sabo.
"Nah, it'll be me," I said calmly.
"Don't forget about me!" yelled Luffy.
The sky was clear and the clouds were white. Our expressions were set for battle. Ace carried an iron pipe, Sabo had a fishing rod, Luffy had his fists, and I held Shiro.
Yellow eyes cut through the forest as trees fell.
"Here he comes," I said, and our faces hardened while the humongous tiger padded toward us.
Naguri watched from a hill above while we faced the beast. It let out a massive roar, trying to frighten us.
Ace went in first. The tiger tried to swat him away, but Ace predicted it and dodged, then cracked it across the face. "How's that?" he taunted—
Bang! The tail slammed him and sent him flying.
Next was Sabo, who looped his fishing rod to try to strangle the beast. "Stop resisting and give up!" he yelled. The tiger used the rod against him, yanked Sabo in, and smacked him aside.
I went next. I drew Shiro and dashed forward. The tail whipped; I used Dash to slip past, then had to Dash again to avoid its right paw. I launched upward, used Dash once more to propel myself toward its head—but the tail snapped back and swatted me out of the air, sending me flying.
"Ace! Sabo! Sora!" Luffy yelled. The tiger stared down Luffy and charged. Luffy fired a Gum-Gum Pistol—it bounced off the tiger's head. The tiger pounced, ready to crush him.
"Luffy!" Ace and Sabo shouted, rushing to stop the paw from tearing into him. I was still on the ground.
They got there in time, bracing the paw before it reached Luffy. "Damn, he's so powerful," grunted Sabo.
"We're not strong enough—but we can't lose. Guys, let's beat him together! Help me!" Ace yelled.
I used Dash and carved a line across the tiger's leg—the one they were holding off—giving them a chance to escape. The tiger roared.
"Damn—not deep at all. I'm still too weak." I dashed back to disengage.
[DING][SKILL LEARNED] Slash (Active)
I didn't have many Dash bursts left—maybe twenty before I'd be stuck in the five‑minute lockout.
We regrouped, sprinting away from the tiger to plan. "We aren't fast enough—let's use Luffy's power to beat him," Ace said. Sabo and I split off to distract the tiger while Luffy and Ace set up.
Ace gave the signal and we started heckling. "Look over here, you ugly cat—I'm gonna make you my pet!" I shouted.
"Kiss my ass!" Sabo added. The tiger roared and chased us.
We led it toward Luffy and Ace, who had rigged a slingshot—Luffy as the band, Ace as the bullet. The tiger lunged, closer and closer.
"Shit, it's catching up!" I said. It leaped right over us. I grabbed Sabo and used Dash twice at once as Ace launched and smashed the tiger full-force in the head.
The tiger's eyes went white as it flew back, falling on the ground. Ace had hit a perfect counter, leading us to win.
"Some good teamwork," I said.
"So, Ace is gonna be our captain after all?" Sabo sighed
"I worked so hard for this!" Luffy cried, scratching his head.
"Damm! Don't worry. I'm not gonna become captain." Ace said, scratching his forehead.
"Why?" Luffy asked.
"Because I didn't beat the tiger all by myself, but I am gonna make you guys beg me to become Captain sometime soon!," he replied.
"Are you gonna beg guys?" Sabo asked us .
"Hell no," Luffy replied.
"Nope !"I replied.
"What, you fools?" Ace yelled.
Negori started walking to his boat.
"Old Man! Next time we see you, I am gonna beat you," Ace yelled.
"I will be waiting out in the sea for you," Negori said and walked off.
Okay lets see what rewards I got.
[QUEST COMPLETE] Beat the Tiger
[LEVEL UP] Lv 9
[DING][HIDDEN QUEST UNLOCKED]
[Kill the tiger after Lv 10 by yourself: Reward:?]
Stats
Strength: 21 (+50 Shiro)
Agility: 52
Vitality: 19
Intelligence: 19
Perception: 19
Luck: 19
Unspent Points: 5
Active Skill
Slash: Grade F
[When Slash is used, you deal an extra 20 damage to your target.]