Chapter 4: Life, Death, and Banana

-----Flashback-----

Josh, after receiving his monthly Draw Points, decided to take a gamble and draw.

Even though drawing only one point each time didn't provide a high probability of acquiring something of good rank, the possibility still existed. Who knew, maybe luck would grant him something legendary if he played his cards right.

That's how probabilities worked... right?

He didn't have much of a choice. He had already gambled his life by attempting to join Baroque Works, and the test site was nearby, according to the rumours he'd heard.

With this thought in mind, Josh decided to go for it and draw twice. However, the results were disappointing enough to make him slap his face in frustration.

[+ Hair Keratin (applicable, Average)]

The first item could smoothen and enhance the appearance of his spiky hair, which felt more like a cosmetic joke than a useful tool.

"Right, so lucky," he thought, rolling his eyes.

[+ Banana (Common)]

— End Flashback.

---

Josh stood in the middle of the small island, surveying the people around him. The battle royale would begin in just a few minutes, and the tension was palpable.

"Maybe yesterday wasn't my lucky day. I'll avoid drawing on Fridays from now on," he thought, his eyes scanning the diverse group of competitors. The Grand Line was home to some incredibly strong individuals, and this gathering was no exception.

'Why is that guy so huge?' Josh's thoughts were interrupted as his eyes fell on a massive, four-meter-tall man with an intimidating appearance. He couldn't help but feel a bit daunted by the sheer size of some of the competitors.

'Don't lose confidence,' he reminded himself. 'If Nami could beat highly trained agents, I can take down these scums.'

Then, his gaze landed on an enormous woman. 'And why is she so fat? Geez, if she sits on me, I'll be crushed to death.'

Josh reassured himself that size didn't necessarily correlate with power. After all, the blonde woman who had caught his eye earlier was of a similar size category, and she exuded confidence. But then again, she was a Devil Fruit user, which explained her nonchalant attitude.

'I don't have any Devil Fruit powers, but I can't let that show. I need to look as tough as possible. I don't want to be anyone's first target,' Josh thought as his heart raced. Despite the fear gnawing at him, his face remained calm. His training, especially the intense weightlifting sessions, had strengthened his body, giving him a speed advantage he hoped to exploit.

"Begin." The word from Mister Five, who would one day be known as Mister Three, signalled the start of the battle.

Josh immediately noticed a bulky man charging toward him. Reacting instinctively, he sidestepped with a swift kick to the ground, using his leg strength to gain speed. Clenching his fist, he delivered a sharp punch to the man's crotch, sending him crumpling to the ground.

However, before Josh could savour the small victory, a sudden blow to his back from a metal bat sent him sprawling. Pain surged through him as he tried to regain his footing, his training barely allowing him to endure the hit.

A shadow loomed over him—a hulking figure that seemed to be waiting for Josh to make a move.

Josh hesitated as he looked up, his neck straining from the angle.

"Ready to die, little man?" the giant sneered.

"I think… you know what?" Josh's eyes darted upward. Above the giant, the hot blonde, Mikita, floated in the air, a wide smirk on her face.

Josh's eyes inadvertently traced her figure, noting the tantalising glimpse of her panties and the way her pale thighs curved so seductively.

"What?" the bulky man growled, lifting his eyebrows in confusion.

"Never mind," Josh muttered, deciding it wasn't worth warning him.

Mikita's grin only widened as she began her descent. "Ten thousand kilo!" she declared, her body accelerating toward the giant.

The impact was brutal. The man was driven deep into the ground, his back twisted in a grotesque manner. Josh stepped back, averting his eyes from the gruesome sight. The man wouldn't walk again.

Mikita, standing on the now motionless body, glanced at Josh with a smile. "Behind you," she said casually, clearly enjoying the chaos.

Josh barely had time to react to the shadow that appeared behind him. Someone was about to strike. Squatting low, Josh propelled himself sideways, dodging the attack with his speed. He grabbed a large rock nearby and, with a leap, brought it crashing down on his assailant's skull, sending them to the ground.

But Josh didn't stop there. With an uncharacteristic ferocity, he began kicking the fallen man in the face, his fear and anger manifesting in a brutal display. It was as though something inside him had snapped.

'What's happening to me?' Josh wondered, momentarily horrified by his own actions.

Mikita, meanwhile, floated upward, vanishing into the sky as the battle raged on.

Josh continued to fight on instinct, getting hit and dishing out hits. His body was soon covered in blood, his mind clouded by adrenaline. He realised that he couldn't keep this up; he needed to think strategically if he wanted to survive.

Mister Five had mentioned that they could use any means necessary— weapons, tricks, whatever it took to win. So, taking advantage of the dust cloud that had risen from the ground, Josh lay down and pretended to be unconscious.

As the battle thinned out, Josh peeked through barely open eyelids, watching the remaining fighters. The strongest ones were still standing, armed with dangerous-looking weapons. Josh knew he couldn't take them head-on.

His strategy worked. Soon, only a handful of competitors remained, and Mikita was clearly the MVP, her Devil Fruit powers giving her a significant edge.

'I'm lucky she didn't sit on me. Crazy hot women are dangerous. Law school facts,' Josh thought, a twisted sense of humour creeping into his mind.

As the time for the battle neared its end, Josh slowly opened his eyes. The last ten contestants were waiting for Mister Five to announce the winners. However, the man was still observing.

Quietly, Josh picked up a large rock. He was behind Mikita but didn't dare attack her. Instead, he searched for the weakest-looking opponent among the final ten.

His eyes settled on a tired, bulky woman over two meters tall, wearing a helmet. She was clearly exhausted, her massive arm muscles trembling with fatigue.

With a leap, Josh slammed the rock onto the back of her head, shattering it into pieces. The others looked at him in shock, their eyes wide.

The woman, though, wasn't finished. She turned to him with a murderous glare. "You! You'll pay for this," she hissed, her voice laced with venom.

Josh felt his heart skip a beat. At first, he'd feared killing her, but now he realised that she was far from defeated.

'Geez, these people are terrifying,' he thought, his mind racing for a solution.

As the woman struggled to stand, Josh knew he had to act quickly. But before he could move, she grabbed his leg in a crushing grip.

"Let go, you fat bitch," Josh snarled, his voice edged with desperation.

"I'm just a bitch, you son of a bitch," she spat, squeezing harder until Josh winced in pain.

'Damn it, why did you only give me a banana and keratin?' Josh cursed the system as he struggled.

Desperation led him to summon the banana from his storage. In a panic, he thrust it into the woman's mouth like a makeshift dagger.

Her face turned blue as she gagged, her grip on his leg weakening.

Soon, she collapsed, unconscious.

"Learn deep-throating before grabbing my legs," Josh sneered, his voice tinged with dark humour.

He retrieved the banana from her throat, peeled it, and began eating it, trying to appear tough by consuming his makeshift weapon.

"Smart move," Mister Five commented, clapping as he approached. His eyes bore into Josh, acknowledging his unconventional victory.

Around him, some of the remaining contestants stared in awe, while others, including Mikita, burst out laughing.

"Kyahahaha! Deep-throating… that's hilarious," Mikita giggled, clearly entertained by the absurdity.

Josh turned away, embarrassed by his own words.

[Ding! You won the gamble. Rewards have been transferred to storage.]

Hearing the notification, Josh raised an eyebrow. He hadn't dared to check the system in the middle of Baroque Works' testing grounds.

"Now, you're welcome to join us as officers," Mister Five announced. "But first, allow us to transfer you to a secure location. Please, don't resist."

As his hair lit up with fire, shadows moved behind Josh. Before he could react, a black bag was thrown over his head, plunging him into darkness.

Guided by unseen hands, Josh couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, this was a very bad idea. He knew nothing about where he was going or what awaited him.

And he was now in the clutches of Baroque Works.