Garett's eyes bulged. He tried to scream, but no sound came out. The grey mist—his very essence—was being pulled out of him by the pale boy standing before him. To the goons around the table, it looked like their boss was having a heart attack.
"Boss! What's wrong?" one of the pirates shouted, reaching for his sword.
Kai felt a strange, cold rush of energy entering his body. It wasn't as pure or powerful as Roger's soul, but it was fuel.
[Ding! Minor Soul Extraction Successful.]
[Target Garett is now in a 'Soul-Drained' State (Severely Weakened).]
[+3 Soul Coins Acquired.]
With Garett incapacitated, Kai didn't wait. He used the rusted dagger Silas gave him to parry a clumsy strike from one of the goons. His movements were still stiff, but the soul energy he just absorbed gave him a temporary burst of speed.
He kicked a chair into the shins of the second pirate and ducked under a swing from the third. Without their boss, the pirates were disorganized and terrified by the strange "aura" Kai was emitting.
"The item... where is it?" Kai growled, his voice echoing with the power of [Intimidation of the Void].
Garett, gasping for air on the floor, pointed weakly toward a small leather pouch tied to his belt. Kai snatched it, turned around, and walked out of the tavern before the rest of the pirates could regain their senses.
Outside, Silas was leaning against a wooden pillar, checking a pocket watch. "Two minutes and forty seconds. Not bad for a beginner."
[Mission Complete: The First Hunt.]
[Rewards Issued: 10 Soul Coins | 1 Random Low-Grade Skill.]
[Opening Random Skill Box...]
[Congratulations! You have unlocked: 'Shadow Step' (Rank F).]
[Description: Allows the user to move instantly across short distances in the shadows. Consumes 3 Soul Coins per use.]
Kai felt a sharp sting in his brain as the knowledge of the new skill was engraved into his mind. He looked at his hands; they were still pale, but the trembling had stopped.
"Here is your item," Kai said, tossing the leather pouch to Silas.
Silas opened the pouch, glanced at a small, glowing blue stone inside, and nodded. "You survived. More importantly, you learned that a soul isn't just a currency—it's power."
Kai checked his system balance.
[Current Balance: 13 Soul Coins.]
"What now?" Kai asked.
Silas looked toward the sea. "Now, we head toward the Grand Line. But be warned, Kai. The souls there are much darker, and the hunters are much stronger. Are you ready to trade everything for a chance to reach the top?"
Kai looked at the 'Shadow Step' skill in his interface and then at his own reflection in the water. He was no longer the dying boy from the execution platform. He was a predator in training.
"Let's go," Kai replied.