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[TIOP] Chapter : 3
🕑 Added 2025-02-02 20:47:01 +0000 UTCFollowing the pirates as they stumbled out of the village, Jack silently retrieved a large knife from his backpack. This weapon had once belonged to the first pirate he had defeated and killed.
He had discovered that weapons could be stored in his system's inventory, making them accessible at a moment's notice. With the sword now in hand, he smirked inwardly.
"Alright, my little EXP donors, here I come!" Jack muttered to himself, gripping the blade tightly. He suddenly surged forward, closing the gap with surprising speed. Though he lacked formal training in swordsmanship, his raw strength and the pirates’ drunken state were more than enough to dispatch them efficiently.
"Thanks for the contribution," Jack said under his breath, glancing briefly at the system notification confirming his level-up. He quickly collected the pirates' weapons and any valuables they carried before disappearing into the shadows.
Once he reached a secluded area, his initial rush of excitement began to subside. Despite having killed before, his heart still pounded wildly, and a lingering tension gripped his chest.
"Congratulations to the host for leveling up. You have gained 5 free attribute points and 1 skill point," the system announced, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Congratulations to the host for completing the main mission.
Rewards : 300 experience points, 300 diamonds, 2,000 berries, Basic Strength Training Skill point x1, Basic Mental Strength Training skill book x1, and Basic Fighting Skill book x1!"
"The main mission has been updated. Please check for details."
Jack quickly opened the system interface to review the notifications he had missed earlier due to his nerves.
First, he noted with satisfaction that he had finally reached level five and completed the first main mission.
The 300 experience points earned from the mission pushed his newly reset experience bar to nearly one-third of the way to the next level. Additionally, he now possessed 300 diamonds for use in the system's shop and three basic skill books, which immediately piqued his interest.
Without hesitation, Jack focused on the skill books. The dramatic improvement in his physical abilities so far was entirely thanks to the Basic Strength Training skill. Intrigued by what the new skills could offer, he opened his system backpack and selected the first skill point for Basic Strength Training—to use right away.
"This is…"
The skill point instantly added 1,000 points of proficiency, advancing Jack's Level 2 skill directly to Level 3. His previous proficiency had been just under the required threshold, so the bonus propelled the skill to its maximum level. After reaching Level 3, the proficiency bar disappeared, indicating that the skill had reached its peak.
Next, Jack’s eyes fell on another item in his system backpack—the Basic Mental Strength Training skill book. His anticipation grew. This system reminded him of a low-budget martial arts video game he used to play, where skills often turned out to be surprisingly powerful despite their humble descriptions.
Without hesitation, he selected the skill book and activated it.
"Ah—!"
A sudden rush of information poured into his mind, feeling as though his brain were being forcibly expanded. The searing pain was so intense that it felt like his head might split apart.
But as quickly as it came, the pain subsided. In mere seconds, Jack found himself drenched in sweat, breathing heavily.
"So, this is the Basic Mental Strength Training…" he murmured. Despite the ordeal, the knowledge had firmly implanted itself in his mind, and he now understood the foundational concepts of the training and its effects.
"Huh~ So this is the bit of energy I increased earlier!" Jack muttered as he sat cross-legged on the ground. Aligning his five senses inward, he adopted a meditative posture and began to concentrate. Slowly, he became aware of a faint current of energy coursing through his body.
Carefully, he controlled the small flow, guiding it along the route etched in his memory. Time seemed to blur as he focused on maneuvering the subtle energy, directing it with deliberate precision until it finally gathered in his hand.
Opening his eyes, Jack smiled with satisfaction. Though the amount of energy hadn’t grown, he was now able to control its movement—a significant step forward.
Buoyed by his progress, he eagerly opened his attribute page:
Nickname: Jack
Race: Human
Life: 500/500
Energy: 1
Strength: 43
Speed: 29
Skills:
Basic Strength Training (Level 3)
Basic Mental Strength Training (1/1000)
Experience: 300/1000
Combat Power: 50
Overall Evaluation: Are there any more minions? I can take on ten!
Jack couldn’t help but marvel at the transformation. Compared to when he first arrived in this world, the difference was like night and day.
After closing the attribute page, Jack turned his attention to the Basic Fighting Skill book in his inventory. Without hesitation, he clicked on Learn. As expected, the system once again used its forceful method of instilling knowledge directly into his mind. Despite having experienced this before, he couldn’t help but feel a lingering unease.
"Huh~ Let’s see what’s so special about this skill!" Jack muttered, excitement tingling in his veins. Drawing on the newly imprinted memories, he began practicing the initial katas and combos. The moves were not like that of a karate or kung fu kata that we were rigid when practicing. These felt fluid and natural, as if they were a part of his own body. These seemed more like a mix of boxing and Krav Maga.
After just a few repetitions, the moves felt surprisingly natural, as though his body had always known them. He quickly realized something remarkable—practicing the combos and footwork not only increased his skill proficiency but also significantly boosted his speed attribute.
Previously, his training primarily enhanced his strength, with only modest improvements to his speed. Now, armed with these new fighting techniques, Jack knew that speed would no longer remain a weak point in his repertoire.
Like a child enamored with a new toy, Jack immersed himself in his training, experimenting with the fluid movements over and over. He didn’t stop until the first light of dawn streaked across the sky. Finally, exhausted but exhilarated, he returned to his wooden house for a well-deserved rest.
Regarding the corpses of the pirates, Jack found himself unfazed. His growing strength had bolstered his confidence, and based on his observations, these pirates had completely lost their ambition and spirit. The likelihood of them investigating him seemed slim, so he felt no concern.
Back in his wooden house, Jack sat down to meditate and practice his basic mental techniques. He allocated the few remaining skill and upgrade points to the basic mental skill, pushing its experience points beyond a thousand and advancing it to level 2.
He also discovered an intriguing benefit of practicing meditation—it couldn’t entirely replace sleep, but it allowed his body to relax in a semi-sleep state. For someone like Jack, who was still striving to build his strength, this was an ideal solution. He reserved actual sleep for moments of absolute necessity.
Additionally, Jack invested all his remaining attribute points into energy, raising it to a solid 12 points. His reasoning was simple: he had realized that the energy in his body could be harnessed and directed with ease. Whether channeled to his arms or legs, it significantly amplified their power, giving him a tangible edge in combat.
What had once been a simple punch or kick of his body had transformed entirely with the addition of energy. Now, the force behind his punches more than doubled, and his movements became significantly faster. The sheer improvement left Jack eager to invest all his remaining energy points into further refinement. He did not know if this energy was Haki or something else.
As for the main mission, it had shifted from reaching level five to level ten. Jack surmised the system would offer a reward akin to what he received for reaching level five, though he wasn’t entirely sure of the details.
After a productive morning of training, Jack took a brief nap at noon. When he awoke, he ventured into the village, only to find the atmosphere tense and the villagers visibly anxious.
“Uncle, what’s going on?” Jack asked casually, feigning ignorance as he entered the local restaurant, ordered a meal, and struck up a conversation.
The restaurant owner sighed deeply, his face etched with worry. “Ah, it’s bad news. Those pirates discovered this morning that several of their comrades were killed. Now they’re searching for the culprit. They’re demanding we hand over the murderer, and if we don’t, they’ve threatened to double the protection fees. Worse still, if we can’t pay, they’ve promised to start killing us outright!”
"Really? No clues about who might have killed those pirates?" Jack asked, feigning surprise as he blinked innocently.
The restaurant owner shivered slightly, his face pale. "There’s nothing we can do. If anything, they’re the milder ones among pirates. Most would just storm in, slaughter everyone, loot the place, and move on to the next village!" He paused, his expression darkening as though recalling some grim memory.
"Then what’s the plan? People here barely scrape by as it is. Doubling the protection fee will ruin many families," Jack said, frowning in genuine concern.
The owner sighed and shook his head. "What can we do? Just surviving is already a blessing. No one here has the power to resist them."
Seeing the helplessness of the bar owner, who he had become close to in the past few months, Jack’s fists tightened under the table as he silently calculated the odds of launching an attack. His resolve strengthened—something had to be done.
After finishing his meal, Jack returned to his wooden cabin. He needed rest to prepare for what lay ahead. A night raid was his only option. Though he had no idea how strong their captain might be, this was still a group of defeated cannon fodder of the Kreig pirates. Hesitating now would only bring more suffering to the village, and Jack couldn’t allow that to happen.
Night fell, and the village gradually descended into darkness. The only lights remaining were the dim glow from the bar and the flickering lanterns aboard the pirate ship docked at the island's solitary port.
Jack, who had been meditating, opened his eyes. He reached into his inventory and retrieved a pistol and a sword—spoils from his previous battles. After ensuring he was ready, he slipped out quietly, heading toward the bar. His plan was to eliminate any lone pirate he could find—every enemy taken down would make his task easier.
When he reached the bar, he noticed the owner locking up for the night. Remaining concealed in the shadows, Jack changed course, opting for a narrow path that led to the pirate ship instead.
As he neared the vessel, he spotted a group of pirates, arms slung around each other, laughing and chatting as they made their way back to the ship.
Jack's gaze sharpened as he observed them.
'This crew really is careless,' he thought. 'Even after losing their comrades, they’re not taking it seriously.' He scanned the area meticulously but found no sign of an ambush.
Their numbers were noticeably larger than the night before, and this group of pirates appeared far more sober. Jack also noticed they were armed, a clear indication that the deaths of their companions had put them on higher alert.
"Alright, time to move," Jack muttered under his breath. Channeling his inner energy to his legs, he sped off. In the dimness of the night, his figure seemed like a shadow, flitting swiftly toward the group of pirates.
“Ah—!” Despite his incredible speed, Jack was spotted just as he finished dispatching the second pirate.
Before the rest could react fully, Jack cut down two more with swift, precise strikes.
“Don’t come any closer! Our captain is on the ship—you won’t escape!” The last pirate screamed, his voice trembling as he fell to the ground in terror, completely overwhelmed by Jack’s ghostly fast movements.
“Hmph.” With a cold snort, Jack raised his blade and finished the job without hesitation. He didn’t linger to collect the loot; the commotion had already drawn the attention of the remaining pirates on the ship.
As shouts and hurried footsteps filled the air, Jack dashed toward the cover of the nearby woods, his movements silent and swift. The sound of the pirate captain barking orders grew louder as the group closed in on the scene of the skirmish.
