c2: Kill Enemies and Become Stronger
"Ho...ho..."
The words that were about to escape the pirate's throat turned into a series of strangled gasps.
He clutched his throat, his eyes widening in shock, veins bulging as he desperately tried to suck in air. His fingers twitched as life drained from his body.
A crude spear its iron tip dulled by rust and dried blood emerged from the darkness, piercing the pirate's chest at a slightly off angle before delivering a fatal blow.
It was Green and House who had struck.
Green glanced at House and silently withdrew his spear, catching the collapsing body before it hit the ground with a thud. He placed it down gently, then whispered, "Don't be nervous. Just treat them like beasts in the wild. We are hunters now, and they are our prey."
House took a deep breath, forcing himself to look away from the lifeless pirate whose wide, unseeing eyes reflected the dim moonlight. He nodded stiffly. "I know. Let's move to the next one."
They had managed to take down the pirate quietly, but House's nervous breathing and the slight misstep of his foot nearly gave them away. The pirate had almost let out a warning before Green's spear silenced him.
Green's eyes were sharp and emotionless. Though he had only been in this world for a few years, he had already witnessed the kind of carnage only pirates could bring. His previous life had left him with the instincts of an adult, but this world had forced him to harden his heart faster than any normal child.
He absently touched a scar on his chest an old wound from his first assassination two years ago. That fight had nearly killed him. If not for the unusually strong physiques of people in this world, he might have died of a bacterial infection long ago.
His focus snapped back to reality. House was crouched ahead, his body tense. Just beyond the darkness, another pirate lurked, unaware of the danger creeping toward him.
Green exhaled slowly and half-drew his bow, preparing to fire at a moment's notice.
The two moved forward, their steps silent against the dirt. As Green passed the pirate's corpse, he made a small, nearly imperceptible gesture with his right hand. A faint, dim glow flickered over the dead man's chest, vanishing in an instant as it flowed toward Green's palm.
The moment it merged into his body, he felt it a subtle, almost imperceptible increase in strength. His bones, muscles, and tendons tightened ever so slightly, as though his body had been honed just a little more.
This was Soul Refining.
A power that did not belong to this world.
When Green arrived in the One Piece world, he had three strange, otherworldly sheets of paper Two-Dimensional Trade Invitations. By using them, he could establish random or targeted trades with beings from other dimensions.
The first trade had been a confusing and eerie experience. He barely remembered the process, only that he had exchanged one of his emotions for this ability Soul Refining.
Even now, recalling that strange transaction left him uneasy.
But there was no time to dwell on it. The hunt wasn't over.
The next pirate was positioned between two rundown houses. A pile of straw obscured him from sight, making him less noticeable to any passing villager. However, this did not fool Green and House. Their time in the wilderness had trained their eyes to spot prey even in the thickest brush. Compared to wild animals, these pirates were amateurs.
House trembled slightly, but this time, he didn't make a mistake.
An arrow struck the pirate's throat, swiftly followed by Green's spear driving into his heart. The pirate barely had time to process his death before slumping to the ground, lifeless.
This time, Green did not use Soul Refining. The ability had limits he could not absorb more than his body could handle in a short span of time.
Despite his experiences across two lives, Green's soul was not yet strong enough to devour an excess of life energy without consequence. Overuse resulted in searing pain, a lesson he had learned firsthand during his experiments with wild beasts in the forest.
For now, he could refine only a single ordinary human soul per day without repercussions. Stronger individuals or creatures required more time to fully digest.
The pirate he had absorbed earlier was weak no stronger than an average adult villager. Green estimated he would be able to use the ability again by morning with only mild discomfort.
There were eight pirates in this area. Two were seasoned fighters, but the other six were barely more than recruits. Drunk on the thrill of pillaging, they hadn't realized that death had already begun to stalk them.
"Pfft!"
A faint gurgle echoed in the quiet night as another pirate collapsed, his expression frozen in disbelief. His fading vision caught a glimpse of two shadowy figures standing over him figures far too small to be adult men.
"Who's there!?"
The cry shattered the night's silence.
The leader of the pirate group, an older and battle-hardened fighter, turned sharply toward the sound. His eyes scanned the darkness warily, hand tightening around his cutlass.
"Everyone, stay alert! There's an enemy nearby! Gather up!"
However, only two of his men responded. The rest were dead.
The leader exchanged a grim look with the other veteran beside him. They had brought six new recruits to this raid, but now, four were gone eliminated without a sound.
"Damn it! Who the hell is out there?! Come out and face me!" the leader bellowed.
His grip on his weapon tightened. If he didn't deal with this threat, the captain would punish him severely upon their return. He had to kill the intruders to make up for this mess.
One of the remaining pirates, his face contorted with fear and desperation, snarled, "We're dead if we go back empty-handed. If we take them down, the captain might let us off easy."
He turned to the two surviving recruits. "You two, if you don't want to die, follow us!"
The terrified recruits swallowed hard but had no choice. They raised their weapons and fell in behind the two veterans.
As they moved forward, their boots squelched in the blood pooling beneath their fallen comrades. The heavy scent of iron filled the air.
Then, rounding a corner, they caught sight of their enemies.
Two small silhouettes flickered in the shadows before vanishing into the darkness.
The pirates froze for a second before their fear turned into rage.
"There they are!"
"It's just two brats! Kill them!"
"Damn it! Those idiots got taken out by kids?!"
Their hesitation vanished. With bloodlust in their eyes, the four pirates charged.
---
"Run!"
Green's voice was urgent as he sprinted alongside House.
They had almost slipped away undetected, but the pirates' sharp instincts had betrayed them at the last second.
Their only advantage was their familiarity with the terrain. They weaved through the village ruins like shadows, never missing a step.
But the pirates were gaining.
The wind howled through the trees, rustling branches as two small figures bolted into the darkness, followed closely by four relentless pursuers.
Green's breath was ragged. He had gained some endurance through Soul Refining, but it wasn't enough.
House, panting heavily, gasped, "Green... we can't outrun them forever... We should split up. One of us... might escape."
Green clenched his teeth. Splitting up? That's suicide.
"No... Not yet," he said through gritted teeth. "We wait... until it's life or death."
They pushed forward, running until
Green's eyes widened.
A dense forest loomed ahead.
"Into the trees!"
Without hesitation, they dove into the foliage and vanished.
The pirates skidded to a stop at the forest's edge.
"Damn it! They ran into the woods!"
They hesitated for only a moment before hacking their way inside, determined to finish the hunt.
But what they didn't realize
The hunters were already waiting for them.