Chapter 1: Divine-level pick-up, diamond-level attributes
The East Blue, Windmill Village
"Still not enough! Not enough at all!" exclaimed Vell, a ten-year-old boy, as sweat poured down his face. He repeated his slashing movements with a wooden sword and pondered, "How can I survive in a world full of monsters with skills like these?"
Vell was a traveler who had unexpectedly arrived in the world of One Piece. He had originally wanted to live a simple life, but his father was the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon, and his grandfather was the marine Hero, Iron Fist Monkey D. Garp. His brother, Monkey D. Luffy, was a reckless ironclad fool who attracted strong enemies everywhere he went.
The pressure is enormous! The D clan, everyone has a strong ability to cause trouble. Without strong strength, you'll be beaten in minutes. Fortunately. As a traveler, Vell has the standard gold finger. The golden finger that has the ability to pick up and absorb attributes that Vell has seen or fought with. The stronger the person's strength is, the bigger the attribute to be absorbed.
From basic attributes like strength and speed, to swordsmanship, domination, and other attributes. They all have a chance to drop and can be picked up and absorbed. The dropped attributes are also classified into levels. From low to high, they are bronze level, silver level, gold level, platinum level, and diamond level. The diamond level attribute is the highest-level attribute.
Initially, Vell was filled with excitement and looked forward to the potential of the gold finger in quickly acquiring high-level attributes, enabling him to strengthen himself and protect himself. He understood that the world of One Piece was not the romanticized version portrayed by Luffy, full of passion and brightness. Instead, it was a world of darkness, where cruelty and bloodshed were prevalent themes.
At first, Vell was very excited, looking forward to the gold finger being able to quickly pick up high-level attributes to strengthen himself and protect himself in the dark and cruel world of One Piece, where plundering at will is the norm and the weak suffer in pain. Despite having the protection of his grandfather Garp and father Dragon, he is still not absolutely safe.
Unfortunately, in the first month since Vell crossed over, he has only seen bronze-level attributes at most, and there's nothing he can do about it. After all, he lives in Windmill Village in the East Blue, the weakest sea, with Garp, the strongest Vice Admiral, as the Guardian of East Blue. The strong pirates are nowhere to be found, as they are eaten by the Sea Kings as snacks at the bottom of the sea.
After leaving Vell to the care of the Dadan Family in Windmill Village, he has hardly seen Garp since. But even so, Vell is not willing to be a salted fish. This is the world of pirates. There are mysterious and unpredictable Devil Fruits, as well as terrifying great swordsmen who can split mountains and seas. In such an era, it is anyone's turn to come. They will definitely not be willing to be nameless.
Therefore, Vell, who successfully acquired the swordsmanship attribute, practiced his swordsmanship every day, sweating profusely. With a gold finger that can pick up and absorb attributes. Vell believes. As long as he perseveres day after day and keeps practicing his swordsmanship. One day, he will be able to become a swordsman, or even as the strongest swordsman.
"Phew!" After taking a short break, Vell resumed practicing his swordsmanship. The wooden sword sliced through the air and struck the wooden stake, leaving a deep mark despite the minimal effort exerted.
"The Breath of All Things?" Vell raised his eyebrows in surprise. "So, this technique focuses solely on the sword itself and requires achieving proficiency before fully stepping into the threshold of swordsmanship. With mastery, one can sense the rhythm of all things and even cut through steel with a rusted iron sword!" Vell couldn't help but feel excited as he frantically practiced his slashing technique once again.
"Unfortunately, that state of absolute concentration never reappeared, but that's normal," Vell thought to himself. "If everything breathes, then comprehending it casually is not possible. After all, swordsmen are everywhere in the One-Piece world."
He took a deep breath to relieve the muscle soreness from prolonged practice and raised his hand, ready to continue practicing. "I won't give up. I'll keep practicing until I can reach that level of mastery," he muttered to himself.
"Vell! What are you doing here, kid? Do you want to become a pirate like those two bastards, Luffy and Ace?" A strong voice suddenly interrupted him. It was an old man with a sturdy build and an imposing presence. He had a stern face and was none other than the Marine Vice Admiral, Garp the Fist. He was also Vell's grandfather!
Garp didn't care about Vell's answer. He flew up and quickly swung a huge iron fist. The so-called iron fist of love hit Vell immediately. As the sword struck the ground, a shockwave rippled out, shattering the nearby rocks and sending Garp flying backward. Vell had used his swordsmanship to deflect Garp's iron fist of love and protect himself.
Garp looked at his grandson with surprise and pride in his eyes. "Ha! You've improved, kid! Maybe there's hope for you yet," he chuckled.
Vell smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment. He knew he still had a long way to go, but this was a step in the right direction.
With only Vell remaining, Garp was determined to prevent his grandson from becoming a pirate like Luffy and Ace. He was determined to start over and eradicate the idea completely. Vell met his grandfather's gaze with unwavering determination, refusing to back down. In a split second, he closed his eyes and swiftly brought down his sword in a powerful slash. The impact was explosive, as the blade struck the ground with a resounding boom.
With a loud bang, Garp's iron fist of love was stopped. "No, old man, I'm joining the Marines!" Vell said firmly.
There are certainly many strong pirates in the world. It can be said that the pirate world has the most concentrated powerhouses and also the most systematic training methods. However, the Naval Headquarters undoubtedly surpasses them in both regards.
"Um?" Garp's fist, which he had swung again, immediately dropped. He was surprised. His original idea was to ensure Vell's safety and let him live a stable life as an ordinary person. He did not expect that Vell had not only secretly practiced good swordsmanship, but also had a tendency to pursue it further and become a Marine.
"Are you truly ready for this? Once you embark on the path of a Marine, you will inevitably face countless vicious pirates in the future," Garp warned as he stepped forward, looking at Vell with a serious expression. "To be a Marine is to uphold justice, even at the cost of your own life. Have you really considered the gravity of this decision?"
Vell met Garp's imposing gaze and nodded heavily. "I have thought about it," he replied. As Garp's words sank in, Vell suddenly widened his eyes and realized he needed to be careful around him.
A brilliant light emanated from Garp, causing Vell's scalp to tingle with anticipation. "Diamond... Diamond attributes!" Vell exclaimed in awe as he beheld the dazzling light.
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