One Piece: I Awakened the Ninja Template System - Chapter 3
Chapter 3: Pirate Hunter
Chew returned to the clearing in a terrible mood.
Branches snapped beneath the Fish-Men’s feet as they emerged from the forest one after another. None of them had found the suspicious human, and the long chase had only made Chew angrier.
He marched past the kneeling villagers without looking at them.
The family that had failed to pay remained frozen together, terrified that he would remember why the collection had been interrupted. The father knelt protectively in front of his wife and daughter while Nojiko stood nearby, watching the Fish-Men carefully.
Chew pointed toward the road.
“We’re going back to Arlong Park.”
One of his subordinates glanced at the unpaid family. “What about the money?”
“Forget the money!”
Chew struck the Fish-Man on the back of the head.
“Some outsider has entered our territory. He could be a spy or a pirate hunter. Captain Arlong needs to know before that human causes trouble.”
The other Fish-Men immediately abandoned the tax collection and followed him. Their angry voices faded as they marched toward Arlong Park, arguing about where their prey might have gone.
Nojiko didn’t relax until the last of them disappeared behind the trees.
The kneeling villagers slowly rose.
The father turned toward her and bowed deeply.
“Thank you, Nojiko. If you hadn’t interfered—”
“You don’t need to thank me.” Nojiko glanced in the direction Chew had taken. “Just find somewhere safe for your family tonight. They might remember the missing payment after they report to Arlong.”
The man’s wife took Nojiko’s hands.
“You saved my life.”
“For today,” Nojiko said quietly. “That’s all.”
Her answer silenced the family.
No one living under Arlong’s rule could promise safety beyond a single day. Even if they escaped the current tax collection, the Fish-Men would return. The family needed money before then, and everyone in the village had already surrendered most of what they owned.
Still, surviving one more day was better than dying now.
The family thanked Nojiko again before leaving with the other villagers.
Once the clearing emptied, Nojiko looked toward the forest.
She couldn’t stop thinking about the stranger.
His clothes were unusual, and she had never seen him in any nearby village. More importantly, he had watched the collection from the trees instead of immediately presenting himself to the Arlong Pirates.
Chew believed the stranger might be a pirate hunter.
The possibility wasn’t impossible.
In this world, there were several common careers for those who wanted to survive beyond the boundaries of ordinary civilian life.
Some became pirates and challenged the sea in search of treasure, freedom, or power. Others joined the Marines and claimed to uphold justice. Independent fighters sometimes became pirate hunters, capturing wanted criminals in exchange for their bounties.
The most infamous pirates could even accept the title of Seven Warlords of the Sea and work with the World Government while continuing to operate like criminals. Other people joined criminal gangs, while skilled craftsmen became shipbuilders in the great dockyards scattered across the world.
Pirate hunters were among the rarest.
Roronoa Zoro had earned a reputation in the East Blue by hunting pirates, but Nojiko knew of few others who had become famous through the profession. It was almost as if the sea naturally forced powerful people to choose between piracy and the Marines, leaving little room for anyone determined to remain independent.
If the stranger truly was a pirate hunter, his arrival could change everything.
Or he could get himself killed and provoke Arlong into punishing the villages.
Nojiko spotted Genzo standing at the edge of the clearing.
His body was rigid, and one hand remained wrapped around the handle of a farming tool. Scars covered much of his face and body, permanent reminders of the day Arlong invaded their home.
Nojiko looked toward the trees again.
Genzo followed her gaze.
He understood immediately.
“No,” he said.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t have to.” Genzo adjusted the pinwheel attached to his hat. “You’re planning to find that outsider.”
“If Chew finds him first, we’ll never learn why he came here.”
“And if he’s dangerous?”
“Then it’s better that we discover it before Arlong does.”
Genzo scowled.
He wanted to argue, but he knew Nojiko wouldn’t abandon the idea. She had inherited far too much of Bell-mère’s stubbornness.
He sighed and raised the farming tool onto his shoulder.
“Stay behind me.”
Nojiko smiled faintly. “Of course.”
Neither of them believed that promise.
They entered the forest together.
…
Far from the clearing, Jack remained seated beside the boulder on the rocky ridge.
He had stopped breathing heavily after levelling up, and the shallow cuts across his body had already healed. His increased HP and recovery rate allowed his body to repair minor injuries with unnatural speed.
However, he couldn’t afford to feel secure.
Chew and the other Fish-Men might still be searching.
Jack stayed below the ridge and watched the forest through a gap between the rocks. From this position, he could see anyone approaching from the direction of the village while remaining mostly hidden.
As he waited, he considered the greatest weakness of the Naruto Template System.
Skills.
In the Naruto world, special abilities and ninjutsu determined most battles. Not every shinobi possessed overwhelming physical strength like Tsunade. Many relied on speed, weapons, illusions, elemental techniques, or carefully planned attacks.
A kunai could kill an ordinary shinobi if it struck the right place.
The One Piece world operated differently.
Monstrous physical strength was everywhere.
Pirates smashed stone walls with their bare hands. Marines survived cannon blasts. Swordsmen cut through buildings, and Fish-Men were naturally several times stronger than ordinary humans.
Even fighters without Devil Fruits or Haki could possess bodies that seemed impossible by the standards of Jack’s previous world.
A ninja relying on ordinary kunai would be at a severe disadvantage here. Weapons designed to injure human bodies became far less useful when enemies could survive being thrown through solid stone.
Jack needed a method to strengthen his body with chakra.
Unfortunately, the Naruto world offered only a few reliable paths to that level of physical power.
The first was Sage Mode.
By absorbing natural energy and combining it with physical and spiritual energy, a Sage could enhance every aspect of their body. Their speed, strength, senses, durability, and ninjutsu would improve dramatically.
But Sage Mode was currently impossible for Jack.
According to the information provided by the system, learning it safely required chakra reserves comparable to a Kage-level ninja. A weak body couldn’t contain enough natural energy to create senjutsu chakra, and absorbing too much would result in petrification or death.
He also needed at least level-four chakra control.
Jack possessed neither requirement.
The second option was Chakra Enhanced Strength, the technique perfected by Tsunade and Sakura. By gathering chakra into a fist or foot and releasing it at the instant of impact, they could produce devastating physical force.
It was exactly the kind of skill Jack needed.
However, the technique demanded extremely precise chakra control.
Once again, level four was the minimum requirement.
The final path was the Eight Gates.
Jack rejected it almost immediately.
Opening the Eight Gates required brutal physical conditioning, exceptional discipline, and detailed knowledge of the human body. Even then, every gate placed enormous stress on the user. Opening the final gate guaranteed death unless some extraordinary outside power intervened.
At level four, Jack couldn’t even begin the necessary training.
That left him with one realistic choice.
Chakra control.
Until he improved it, most of his system’s strongest abilities would remain too dangerous or inefficient to use.
Jack looked around and noticed a broad green leaf on the ground.
He picked it up, wiped away the dirt, and placed it against his forehead.
The leaf fell immediately.
“Right. I’m supposed to use chakra.”
Jack placed it back and focused on the energy inside his body. His chakra pool had doubled when he reached level four, but sensing energy was easier than controlling it.
He guided a tiny amount toward his forehead.
The leaf slipped sideways.
Jack caught it before it fell.
“Too much.”
He tried again.
This time, he carefully released a thread of chakra through his skin. The leaf trembled but remained attached.
A notification appeared.
[Basic chakra control exercise detected.]
[Skill acquired: Chakra Control Lv. 0.]
[Maintain the exercise to improve proficiency.]
Jack opened his status panel while keeping the leaf in place.
—
Skill: Chakra Control Lv. 0 (0%)
—
He waited.
After one minute, another notification appeared.
[Chakra Control proficiency increased by 10%.]
Jack smiled.
One minute provided 10 percent proficiency. If the rate remained constant, maintaining the leaf exercise for 10 minutes would increase Chakra Control to level one.
That was far easier than he had expected.
He checked his CP.
Holding the leaf in place consumed an extremely small amount of chakra. The Ten-Tails template restored CP faster than the exercise depleted it, allowing him to continue indefinitely.
In theory, Jack could train the skill all day without exhausting himself.
He settled against the boulder.
His eyes remained on the forest while one part of his mind concentrated on the leaf. It occasionally slipped whenever his attention wandered, but he gradually learned how to maintain a stable flow.
Minutes passed.
Chakra Control Lv. 0: 3%
Jack adjusted the leaf.
His first goal was level four, which would unlock Chakra Enhanced Strength training. After that, he could consider learning other techniques requiring precise control, including medical ninjutsu.
His Ten-Tails template granted both a Sage Body and Sage Spirit at level ten. If those abilities also improved his learning speed, reaching the requirement might not take long.
Chakra Control Lv. 0: 5%
Jack began thinking about the future.
If Luffy arrived within the next month, Jack needed enough strength to prove he wouldn’t become a burden. The Straw Hats valued dreams and loyalty more than raw power, but travelling with them while unable to defend himself would still be suicidal.
The Grand Line was filled with threats far beyond Arlong.
Loguetown had Smoker.
Whiskey Peak had a hundred bounty hunters.
Little Garden contained giants and dinosaurs.
Alabasta was controlled by Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords.
If Jack failed to grow quickly, he might die long before reaching Skypiea.
Chakra Control Lv. 0: 7%
A branch cracked somewhere behind him.
Jack’s concentration broke.
The leaf fell.
“Who are you?”
The voice was close.
Jack nearly jumped off the ridge.
He turned and found Genzo standing only a few steps away. The older man held a sharp farming tool with its blade pointed directly at Jack’s neck.
Nojiko stood behind him, blocking the easiest path of escape.
Jack’s heart hammered.
For one terrifying second, he thought the Fish-Men had found him. Then he recognized Genzo’s scarred face and the pinwheel on his hat.
Relief almost made his legs collapse.
These two weren’t his enemies.
At least, not yet.
Genzo moved the blade closer.
“I asked you a question. Who are you?”
Jack raised both hands slowly, showing that he wasn’t carrying a weapon.
“My name is Jack.”
“That wasn’t what I asked.”
Nojiko studied Jack carefully.
Up close, he looked even less threatening than he had in the clearing. He had no visible muscles, scars, weapons, or armour. His strange clothes were dirty from running through the forest, and a green leaf lay beside his foot.
Genzo narrowed his eyes.
“Why were you spying on the village?”
Jack knew that telling the truth was impossible.
He couldn’t explain reincarnation or the Ninja Template System. Even if they believed him, revealing his most important secret would be foolish.
He needed an identity that explained his presence without making him seem dangerous to the villagers.
“I’m a pirate hunter.”
Silence followed.
Genzo looked slowly from Jack’s face to his arms, then down to his legs.
Nojiko raised an eyebrow.
Jack didn’t need magic to know they were unconvinced.
He currently looked more like a lost traveller than someone who hunted dangerous criminals for money.
Genzo’s grip tightened around the farming tool.
“You’re a pirate hunter?”
“Yes.”
“And you ran from Chew.”
“That was a strategic retreat.”
“You were screaming.”
“Part of the strategy.”
Nojiko almost smiled but quickly suppressed it.
Genzo remained suspicious.
“Where are your weapons?”
Jack glanced at the piece of driftwood he had dropped beside the rocks.
“That’s complicated.”
The farming tool moved another inch closer.
Jack hurriedly continued, “I work for the real pirate hunters. I’m their scout. I came to investigate the island and confirm the strength of the Arlong Pirates. The rest of my team will arrive soon.”
The lie left his mouth without hesitation.
Genzo studied him again.
This explanation made more sense. Jack was clearly too weak to be the main fighter of any competent group, but scouts were chosen for their ability to gather information and escape.
Running from Chew no longer contradicted his story.
Nojiko stepped closer.
“How many people are in your team?”
Jack’s mind raced.
He couldn’t give a number without risking more detailed questions.
“Enough to deal with Arlong.”
Genzo didn’t lower his weapon.
“Do you even know who Arlong is?”
“Captain of the Arlong Pirates. A Fish-Man from the Grand Line who controls this region and demands payment from every adult and child in the surrounding villages.”
Nojiko and Genzo exchanged a look.
Jack’s knowledge supported his claim.
Genzo asked, “Do you know how large his bounty is?”
“Twenty million berries.”
“And you think your team can capture him?”
Jack needed to convince them that imaginary reinforcements were truly coming. A small lie wouldn’t be enough after promising to challenge the strongest pirate in the East Blue.
He lifted his chin confidently.
“My team has already captured a pirate crew worth thirty-nine million berries. Compared with them, the Arlong Pirates are weak.”
It sounded impressive.
Unfortunately, it was too impressive.
Nojiko’s eyes narrowed.
Genzo moved the farming tool toward his throat again.
“What pirate crew?”
Jack cursed himself silently.
He should have claimed they captured a pirate with a bounty of ten or twelve million. Boasting about thirty-nine million made his mysterious team sound stronger than most forces operating in the East Blue.
If they were that powerful, why had they sent someone like Jack as a scout?
He forced himself to remain calm.
“Their individual bounties added up to thirty-nine million. I wasn’t involved in the battle, so I don’t know all the details.”
It was a weak explanation, but Genzo didn’t immediately call him a liar.
Nojiko folded her arms.
“If your team is powerful enough to defeat Arlong, where are they?”
“They went to exchange the captured pirates for their bounty. We separated before I came here.”
“When will they arrive?”
Jack pretended to calculate the travel time.
“Half a month. Perhaps a little sooner if the weather remains good.”
“Fifteen days,” Nojiko repeated.
“Yes.”
She glanced toward the direction of Arlong Park.
“Your chances of surviving here for fifteen days are very low.”
“I managed to escape from Chew.”
“Because he missed.”
“I’m good at hiding.”
“You were watching an entire village from behind one tree.”
“He didn’t see me until I stepped on a branch.”
Nojiko stared at him.
Jack cleared his throat.
“I’ll hide better next time.”
Genzo finally lowered the farming tool, though he kept it ready in his hand.
Nojiko stepped forward.
“If your story is true and your team can defeat Arlong, then I hope they arrive safely. But understand something clearly.”
Her expression hardened.
“The people living here have already suffered for eight years. We’re not risking their lives for a stranger.”
Jack nodded.
“If you need food, information, or any other help, you can find me near Cocoyasi Village,” Nojiko continued. “But if Arlong threatens civilians because of you, I’ll tell his men exactly where you’re hiding.”
Genzo looked at her sharply.
“Nojiko—”
“I mean it,” she said without looking away from Jack.
Jack believed her.
Nojiko hated Arlong, but protecting the villagers came first. She would sacrifice an unknown outsider without hesitation if doing so prevented a massacre.
“That’s fair,” Jack said. “I don’t want anyone getting hurt because of me.”
Nojiko observed him for another moment, searching for any sign of deception.
Jack was lying about almost everything, yet his final statement was sincere.
She seemed to recognize that.
“There’s an abandoned village on the southern side of the island,” she said. “Arlong’s crew destroyed it half a year ago. No one lives there now, so the houses should be empty.”
“Do the Fish-Men patrol it?”
“Sometimes, but not often. There’s nothing left for them to collect.”
“It’ll be safer than sleeping in the forest,” Genzo added reluctantly. “As long as you don’t light a large fire or wander onto the main road.”
Jack looked at the giant trees surrounding them.
He had already encountered a rabbit as large as a wolf. An abandoned house sounded far better than discovering what hunted inside the forest at night.
“How do I reach it?”
Nojiko explained the route. He needed to follow the ridge south until he found a narrow stream. From there, he could follow the water toward the coast. The ruined village would be visible before the stream reached the sea.
Jack committed the instructions to memory.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank us yet,” Genzo said. “If you lied about those pirate hunters, you’ve only delayed your death.”
Jack gave him a strained smile.
“I’ll remember that.”
Nojiko picked up the leaf that had fallen beside Jack’s foot.
“What were you doing with this?”
“Meditating.”
“With a leaf stuck to your forehead?”
“It helps me concentrate.”
She stared at him as if reconsidering whether he was dangerous or simply insane.
Jack took the leaf back.
“Complicated training method.”
Nojiko shook her head.
“You’re strange.”
“I’ve been told that before.”
Genzo turned toward the path they had used to reach the ridge.
“We should leave before the Fish-Men return.”
Nojiko nodded.
Before following him, she looked back at Jack.
“Stay away from Arlong Park. And don’t approach Nami.”
Jack hesitated.
“Why?”
“Because if Arlong suspects she helped a pirate hunter, he’ll punish the entire village.”
Jack understood the unspoken meaning.
Whatever Nojiko personally thought of Nami’s actions, she still intended to protect her sister.
“I won’t approach her.”
Nojiko accepted the answer and walked after Genzo.
Jack remained beside the boulder until both of them disappeared among the trees. He listened to their footsteps fading into the distance, then released a long breath.
“As expected, people in the One Piece world are ridiculously easy to fool.”
Neither Nojiko nor Genzo had completely trusted him, but they had accepted the existence of his imaginary pirate-hunting team with surprisingly little evidence.
Still, the lie had created a deadline.
In fifteen days, they would expect his companions to arrive. When no ship appeared, Nojiko would realize the truth.
By then, Jack needed a better explanation—or circumstances had to change enough that his lie no longer mattered.
Perhaps Luffy would arrive before the deadline.
Jack picked up his driftwood and checked his surroundings once more.
Remaining on the ridge had become dangerous. Nojiko and Genzo knew his location, and the Fish-Men could eventually search this part of the forest.
The abandoned village was his best option.
It would give him shelter and a safer place to train. If there were intact containers, tools, or furniture, he might also solve some of his immediate survival problems.
Jack placed the leaf against his forehead and tried maintaining the chakra flow while walking.
The leaf fell after three steps.
He tried again.
This time, he reached the bottom of the ridge before losing control.
“Multitasking needs work.”
He continued south, following Nojiko’s directions. Whenever the terrain was safe, he practised the leaf exercise while moving. It was more difficult than training while seated, but forcing himself to divide his attention might improve his control faster.
After nearly an hour, he heard running water.
Jack pushed through several bushes and discovered a narrow stream winding between the trees. He crouched, examined the clear water, and drank cautiously.
It tasted fresh.
Once his thirst was satisfied, he followed the stream toward the coast.
The forest gradually became thinner. The scent of salt returned, and sunlight appeared between the trees. Jack eventually noticed the remains of a wooden fence ahead.
Beyond it stood a collection of damaged houses.
Several roofs had collapsed. Doors hung from broken hinges, shattered carts lay abandoned in the road, and weeds grew through the floors of buildings that had been burned years ago.
There were no voices, cooking fires, or signs of recent movement.
The place carried the silence of a settlement whose people had either fled or died.
Jack tightened his grip on the driftwood and entered cautiously. He checked the nearest houses one at a time, searching for animals or hidden Fish-Men.
Most were beyond repair, but several buildings still had intact roofs and walls. One even contained a dusty bedframe, a clay water container, and an old table.
It wasn’t comfortable.
It wasn’t safe.
But it was shelter.
Jack reached the village, and it was really destroyed. But liveable.