When Wood had watched One Piece in the past, he had only seen it as a bystander: the thrilling battles, the heartfelt camaraderie.
But only through firsthand experience did he truly understand what "pirates" were—how ruthless and dangerous they could be.
Pirates like Luffy and his crew were extremely rare in these waters. The Straw Hat Pirates, some might even say, were more adventurers than pirates.
Sure, there were pirates like Whitebeard and Shanks, who protected the people around them. But the majority? They sailed for fame and profit. They were not benevolent men and women—otherwise, they wouldn't be called pirates at all.
After the dawn of the Great Pirate Era, Red Leaf Island had already lost over a quarter of its population. Some had died at the hands of pirates, while others, unable to endure constant raids, never chose to leave the island.
Wood, however, knew the truth: the Great Pirate Era had begun. Nowhere on the seas was truly safe. Even if he left Red Leaf Island, who could guarantee he wouldn't encounter pirates along the way?
The ocean was vast, full of hope—but equally full of danger. Inexperienced sailors almost always met a fatal end. Tsunamis, Sea Kings, and countless other unpredictable threats lurked everywhere. To survive in this world, the only real solution was to grow stronger.
Wood was now fifteen years old and already stood 1.8 meters tall, and judging by his frame, he would likely grow taller in the next couple of years. He used to be proud—after all, his height, combined with his above-average looks, made being reborn as a tall, handsome young man feel pretty ideal.
But then he realized something unsettling: in this pirate world, 1.8 meters barely counted as "tall."
People here were absurdly tall and overdeveloped—giants aside, even ordinary humans like the three Marine Admirals averaged around three meters. Even Boa Hancock, the Pirate Empress, stood at 191 centimeters. In this context, Wood's 1.8 meters barely made him above average—not short enough to be a dwarf, but far from impressive.
All that aside, Wood's main concern was simple: he needed to grow stronger.
After completing his task, he had earned a chance to run a life simulation. The system's abilities were obvious to him—he had used many simulators in his previous life.
So, putting down his axe, Wood collapsed to the ground and activated his first life simulation.
"At fifteen, your home, Red Leaf Island, had been repeatedly ravaged by pirates. Filled with righteous anger, you resolved to become stronger, beginning relentless physical training.At sixteen, the Marine Headquarters recognized the strategic value of Red Leaf Island and dispatched warships—but you had already left the island.At seventeen, after two years at sea, you had acquired considerable navigational skills and destroyed a small pirate crew.At eighteen, young and reckless, you chased after a notorious pirate crew and ended up in the Calm Belt.At nineteen, stranded in the Calm Belt, after food ran out, both you and your ship perished at sea.Because you died, this simulation ends."
Unlike the simulators from his previous life, which could easily run for centuries, this one was brief. Wood stared at the screen, speechless.
Unexpected, yes—but somehow logical. The ocean was full of danger, and he was no Luffy, with family and allies scattered across the seas and a protagonist's luck on his side. From the moment he set sail, he had been facing extreme risk.
For a newcomer like Wood to survive years at sea, seemingly even defeating some pirates along the way—it was already beyond his expectations.
*"Simulation complete. You may claim one of the following rewards:
The physical training results from before leaving Red Leaf Island.
Navigation knowledge gained from years at sea.
Valuables from your ship before perishing.
A combat skill randomly acquired from battling pirates."*
Wood hesitated briefly before choosing the fourth option.
The first seemed useful—but with steady training over the next year, he could reach the same level of physical ability. The second and third were essentially useless for his current situation. Sure, knowledge and treasure were nice—but given the simulation's results, he would not set sail alone again until his strength met the necessary standard.
The fourth option was a gamble. Choosing the first would save him a year of training; choosing the fourth meant risking a worthless skill. But after weighing the pros and cons, Wood picked the fourth.
The reasoning was simple: physical training could always be done. But real combat experience? That was priceless. As the saying goes, theory is no substitute for battle.
By eighteen in the simulation, Wood had already defeated minor pirate crews—so even acquiring a fraction of their combat skills would be far more valuable than training alone on the island.
"Ding! You have obtained a swordsmanship manual."
As the reward appeared, a flood of memories poured into his mind. Previously, Wood had known nothing of swords—but now, holding one, it felt like an extension of his own arm.
In the simulation, before his demise, Wood had already reached the "Iron-Cutting" level of swordsmanship. Now, all of that knowledge became his reality.
"Iron-Cutting" and "External Slash" were hallmarks of a swordsman. Though the eighteen-year-old version in the simulation couldn't yet unleash an external slash, he had clearly reached the threshold of a swordsman.