"Enter Training Grounds"
For a moment, nothing happened. She felt the familiar sway of the Going Merry, heard the distant, cheerful shout of Luffy. Then, a strange sensation, like the air around her was thinning, stretching. A faint, golden light bloomed behind her eyelids, growing brighter, warmer. It wasn't unpleasant, more like stepping into a very warm, very still room.
When she opened her eyes, the Going Merry was gone.
She stood in a vast, empty space. The 'ground' beneath her feet was a smooth, matte grey material, slightly yielding to the touch. The 'sky' above was a uniform, soft white, a source of even, shadowless light. There were no walls, the space seemingly stretching into infinity in all directions, yet it didn't feel agoraphobic. It felt… contained. Purposeful.
And standing a few meters in front of her was… something.
It was humanoid in shape, roughly her height, but its form was sleek, almost featureless, composed of what looked like interlocking segments of polished, dark grey metal, reminiscent of high-quality armor. Its head was smooth and ovoid, with a single, horizontal band of glowing blue light where eyes might be. It had no discernible face, no mouth, yet it exuded an aura of patient readiness.
This had to be Model-KF23.
"Greetings, Host," a voice emanated from the construct. It was synthesized, like the System's, but with a different cadence – smoother, more fluid, and with a hint of something… almost like a programmed politeness. "I am Model-KF23, your designated Training Grounds attache and combat instructor. Welcome. The environment is currently calibrated to standard Terran gravity and atmospheric conditions. All training parameters are adjustable to your specifications."
Nami stared. It was… unexpectedly advanced. And a little intimidating. "Uh… hi," she managed. "So, you're going to teach me how to fight?"
The blue light on KF23's 'face' seemed to brighten slightly. "I will facilitate your development of combat capabilities. The System has provided me with your baseline physical data and your expressed desire for proficiency in unarmed combat. Initial assessment indicates a need for significant foundational conditioning. Strength, speed, stamina, durability, and combat reaction time are primary development areas."
Nami nodded slowly. "Right. The System said something about that. So, what's first? Push-ups until I collapse?" She tried for a light tone, but a knot of nervousness was tightening in her stomach.
"A structured regimen will be more efficient," KF23 replied. "We will begin with an assessment of your current physical limits. This will involve a series of dynamic exercises. Please prepare yourself."
Before Nami could ask what that entailed, the grey floor beneath her feet shifted. A section directly in front of KF23 rose slightly, forming a low platform, while other sections reconfigured into a series of obstacles – low hurdles, balance beams of varying widths, and what looked like weighted dummies.
KF23 gestured with a smooth, articulated hand. "Objective: Traverse the initial course. Speed and efficiency will be recorded. Subsequent iterations will introduce variable resistance and environmental stressors. Begin when ready."
Nami looked at the simple obstacle course. It didn't look too difficult. She'd scrambled over far worse on ships and during escapes.
"Okay," she said, taking a determined step forward. "Let's see what I'm made of."
She started with a jog, easily clearing the first low hurdle. The balance beam was trickier, her focus intense as she navigated its narrow surface. The weighted dummies required her to weave and push, testing her agility and nascent strength. It was tiring, but manageable.
When she reached the end, panting slightly, KF23 was there, its blue optic unwavering.
"Initial run time: two minutes, seventeen seconds. Cardiovascular stress: moderate. Muscular fatigue: minor to moderate. Acceptable baseline." KF23 paused. "Now, we will introduce resistance. Gravity will be increased by a factor of 0.2. Please repeat the course."
Nami's jaw dropped. "Increase the… gravity?"
As if on cue, she felt a subtle but distinct increase in weight pressing down on her. Her own limbs felt heavier. The air itself seemed to thicken.
KF23 tilted its head slightly. "This is a standard conditioning protocol. Shall we proceed?"
Nami grit her teeth. Two minutes seventeen seconds. She could beat that, even with a little extra weight. This is for Luffy. For the crew. For myself.
"Proceed," she said, her voice tight.
The second run was brutal. Every step was a labor. Lifting her legs over the hurdles felt like hauling anchors. The balance beam became a treacherous tightrope. By the time she stumbled past the finish line, she was gasping for breath, her muscles burning, her lungs on fire. Her time was significantly worse.
"Run time: four minutes, fifty-three seconds," KF23 announced, its tone unchanging. "Cardiovascular stress: high. Muscular fatigue: significant. Noted. We will now incorporate dynamic reaction drills. Observe."
One of the weighted dummies suddenly sprang to life, its 'arms' lashing out in a series of telegraphed but surprisingly fast punches.
Nami yelped and scrambled back.
"Objective: Evade and counter," KF23 stated calmly. "The dummy will simulate basic offensive patterns. Your task is to avoid being struck and identify openings for retaliation. The System will provide real-time feedback on your technique and efficiency."
Nami stared at the animated dummy, then at her own hands. Counter? With what? She hadn't learned any actual moves yet.
This was going to be a very, very long 'day'.
Back on the Going Merry, hours had passed in the real world. The sun was beginning its slow descent towards the western horizon, painting the sky in fiery colors. Luffy, Usopp, and Zoro were engaged in a fierce fishing competition, their shouts and laughter echoing across the deck. Sanji was in the galley, humming as he prepared dinner, the aroma of grilled fish and spices beginning to waft through the ship.
Luffy suddenly paused, a half-eaten fish jerky halfway to his mouth. "Hey… Nami's been in her room a long time."
Zoro grunted, not looking up from his fishing line. "Probably plotting how to charge us interest on the air we breathe."
Usopp chuckled. "Or drawing a map of how to get to a mountain of treasure that only she knows about!"
Sanji poked his head out of the galley. "She did seem a bit preoccupied earlier. Maybe I should take her a snack? Some freshly squeezed orange juice?"
Luffy nodded vigorously. "Yeah! Good idea, Sanji! Maybe she's just really, really sleepy!" He grinned. "Or she's inventing a new way to navigate that'll get us to the Grand Line super fast!"
Inside the Training Grounds, which Nami perceived as many long, grueling days later, she collapsed onto the matte grey floor, every muscle screaming, her body slick with sweat. She was bruised, exhausted, but a small, fierce spark of triumph burned in her eyes. She'd just managed to complete ten consecutive sparring rounds against three of KF23's simulated opponents, using a combination of basic evasive maneuvers and simple, System-suggested palm strikes and elbow jabs that KF23 had drilled into her relentlessly. Her form was clumsy, her power still minimal, but she was learning. She was fighting.
Her breathing was ragged, but her stamina had noticeably improved. Her movements, while still far from graceful, were quicker, more decisive. And beneath the grime and exhaustion, she could feel a new hardness in her muscles, a subtle but definite change in her physique. Not bulky, but… denser. More solid.
[Host Physical Conditioning: Progressing. Strength: + Minor. Agility: + Minor. Stamina: + Moderate. Durability: + Minor. Basic Unarmed Combat Proficiency: Rudimentary.] The System's assessment was blunt, but the green 'plus' signs were deeply satisfying.
KF23 stood over her, its blue optic strip impassive. "Rest period initiated. Nutritional paste and hydration will be provided. Analysis of your recent performance indicates an aptitude for techniques emphasizing precision strikes to vulnerable points, leveraging your natural agility. We will begin integrating these concepts in the next training cycle."
Nami just groaned, too tired to speak. But as she lay there, staring up at the unchanging white 'sky' of the Training Grounds, a thought pushed through the exhaustion. Loguetown. Smoker. The unnatural storm.
She had a long way to go. But for the first time since the System had crashed into her life, she felt like she might actually be ready to face whatever came next.
Or at least, a little less likely to just get blown away.
"System," she managed to whisper, her throat dry. "How much… how much real time has passed?"
[Approximately six hours, Earth Standard Time.]
Six hours. And she felt like she'd lived through weeks of boot camp.
A new determination hardened her expression. She pushed herself up, wincing. "KF23. Rest period… over. Let's go again."
My Other One Piece Fanfic:
One Piece: The Wings That Defy The World(24 chapters)-well its luffy x oc one i donna wanna spoil anuthing please take your time to read it apprecite it thanks
Link:https://www.webnovel.com/book/one-piece-the-wings-that-defy-the-world_32643338500686405