Chapter 5 Shadows Beneath the Wake
The alley behind the blacksmith's forge stank of molten metal, ash, and something older—blood in stone. Ashen crouched beneath a warped plank awning, breath even, heart steady. He had moved through the maze of Balei's Edge with careful precision, using the memory of every twist and dead-end he'd mapped earlier.
His body was still humming.
Not from fear, but from the aftershock of using Proto-Soru at near-limit. The pulse in his legs throbbed—deep, stretched tight like coiled wire. His newly purchased wakizashi was sheathed at his back, light and responsive, but he hadn't even drawn it. Against whatever those cloaked figures were, steel might not have helped.
That energy…
It wasn't Haki. Not even close. And it wasn't Devil Fruit either. His system had pinged on it—7% Origin Signature Compatibility.
The hell does that mean?
He didn't like the implications.
The system didn't offer lore. It didn't narrate. It simply presented reality in brutal data. And that meant, somewhere out there, others shared some fragment of his bloodline.
Others like me?
No. Not like him. Maybe similar. Maybe connected.
But he was alone.
---
Once the adrenaline cooled, he slipped away from the industrial sector, moving uphill toward a burned-out structure with partial walls and good line-of-sight. From there, he watched the main square of Balei's Edge as dusk bled across the rooftops.
The cloaked trio never reappeared.
Not visibly.
But paranoia sharpened his instincts. And instincts kept him alive.
Ashen didn't return to the Crimson Wraith that night. Instead, he found a rundown tavern with low traffic and a back room available for coin. He paid in advance—cash, no questions asked—and locked the door behind him with a broken chair braced beneath the handle.
Then he sat cross-legged on the floor and opened his interface.
---
Status: Ashen Veyr
Level: Expert
Berry Remaining: 95,000
[Strength: 5.0]
[Endurance: 5.3]
[Durability: 5.2]
[Agility: 5.1]
Skill Unlocked:
– Proto-Soru (Incomplete) [17% Efficiency]
Equipment:
– Wind-Fused Iron Wakizashi (Rare)
Bloodline Note: [Origin Signature Detected: 7% Match – Unknown Entity]
---
He studied the Origin Note longer than anything else. No button to press. No explanation.
Just that: a match.
Was this the system's version of a blood test? Did it identify lineage the way a predator smelled kin?
He knew now that he couldn't hide forever. His blood—his existence—was a beacon. One that had begun to pulse across the sea.
---
Ashen didn't sleep much.
He meditated instead, recalling the footwork pattern that had triggered Proto-Soru. The way his weight shifted. The precise breath timing. The muscle alignment in his calves and core. His body burned as he mimicked the movement slowly, over and over, until his thighs screamed in protest.
By sunrise, he had burned through every fiber of tension and filled it with something new: rhythm.
Movement.
He was growing.
And the next time someone came for him, they wouldn't get to observe. They'd bleed.
---
The morning market in Balei's Edge was different from any town he'd known.
Weapons were sold in broad daylight beside sacks of rice. Bounty posters hung beside exotic fruits. Slavers advertised their "wares" beside spice dealers. No one blinked. The Navy wouldn't come here, not without reinforcements and warships.
Ashen moved like a ghost between stalls, gathering rations, herbs, and salves. He stopped briefly at a tool vendor and picked up wire, hooks, and glass vials. Nothing stood out—nothing labeled him dangerous—but each item was selected for versatility and survival.
He made one final purchase before returning to the Crimson Wraith.
A collapsible spyglass.
He'd seen too many hunters to walk blind again.
---
The ship was still moored on the far edge of Balei's dockyard, where the water was black and the gulls didn't scream.
Vorn stood at the gangplank, arms crossed.
"You vanished," the man said flatly.
Ashen shrugged. "I scouted the inner district. Bought some gear. Thought it wise not to draw eyes back to the crew."
Vorn's gaze lingered, unreadable. Then he nodded.
"Smart. But you missed a message."
Ashen raised an eyebrow.
The captain handed him a sealed note. The parchment was stained with wax, and the seal bore no symbol—just a single press of pressure, like it was closed by someone too poor or too smart to leave a trace.
Ashen broke it open and read.
His face hardened.
---
"We are watching.
The path of blood recognizes its own.
Balei was the first wake.
Do not drown before the tide turns."
– D
---
Ashen folded the note slowly, slid it into his inner coat pocket, and exhaled.
He didn't flinch.
He didn't react.
But in his mind, he was already calculating.
You want to watch? Fine.
But I'm not drowning.
I'm learning how to swim in blood.
---
Ashen stood at the ship's railing long after Vorn left, watching the tide slosh against warped wood below. The note burned in his mind, its words cryptic but intentional. Whoever wrote it knew enough—not just about him, but about what he was.
"Balei was the first wake."
So more would follow.
He scanned the dockyard through his new spyglass. Nothing out of place. Just sailors, thieves, merchants, and shadows in their usual places. No cloaks. No sudden vanishing. But that meant little. If someone could match his bloodline, they might be stronger, older, better hidden.
He needed answers.
And power.
---
System Notification
System Response Updated.
Bloodline Trace Acknowledged. Passive Origin Detection enabled.
Threshold reached: Unique Quest Pathway Unlocked (Dormant).
Note: No auto-tracking. System will not interfere with the player choice.
Ashen exhaled slowly.
That last line mattered. Will not interfere. It meant the system might recognize bloodline shifts, trace anomalies, but it wouldn't push him. He had to choose what to pursue—and when.
He closed the interface.
Right now, he needed to focus on what was actionable.
Training. Tactical preparation. And one other thing: he still had Berry.
And he was close.
Very close.
---
Down below deck, Ashen laid out his current inventory. The wakizashi gleamed in the oil-lamp light, elegant and balanced. He'd tested its edge earlier on cured bone. It cut clean through. Even a poor swordsman would gain from such a weapon—but Ashen wasn't poor. He was refining.
He stood, stripped his upper layers down to the waist, and entered a stance. The narrow corridor between sleeping berths served as his dojo. Every inch counted.
He moved.
Low sweeps. Reverse grips. Parry-flow steps. And over and over again—Proto-Soru.
Not in a sprint now, but in anchor control. Learning how to start and stop it. Where the burn hit first. How much of his core he needed to tense before a proper burst. The movement evolved with each iteration, and slowly—
---
> Skill Update: Proto-Soru (Incomplete)
Efficiency: 20%
Footwork stabilized. Evasion potential increased. Minor stamina strain.
> Agility increased to 5.3
---
He grinned through gritted teeth. Every fiber ached.
But this—this was the high he chased.
Get stronger. Get sharper. No wasted motion.
He checked his Berry count again.
Remaining: 95,000
He remembered what it took to reach Expert.
And if he wanted to level again—he needed to test the edge.
---
That afternoon, Ashen disembarked with full intention. No cloaked watchers would stop him. He had something else in mind: a bounty post.
Balei's Edge didn't run by Navy rules, but bounties were still honored—for the right people. Information boards lined one side of the Red-Wheel Tavern. Old paper, newer marks. Most targets were pirates or smugglers operating in or around the Southern Veil Sea.
Ashen read until his eyes narrowed.
One name stood out:
"Gargan of the Wreck" – 1.2 million Berry
Crime: Slaver Captain, active in western reef runs. Known for brutality. Armed crew. Last seen near Deadman Shoals.
Perfect.
A confirmed monster. High threat. High reward. No politics.
More importantly, the kind of fight that could push him to the next level.
He tore the notice down.
---
Back aboard the Crimson Wraith, Vorn raised an eyebrow as Ashen returned with satchel, spyglass, and bounty slip.
"You thinking of jumping leagues already?"
Ashen's reply was simple.
"I'm not waiting to get hunted. I'm choosing who bleeds first."
Vorn studied him. Then nodded once. "Deadman Shoals is a day's sail west if the wind favors us."
Ashen grinned faintly.
"Let's hope it does."
---
The Crimson Wraith carved through the reef-lined waters of the Southern Veil like a prowling beast. Pale currents shimmered beneath, revealing twisted shipwrecks locked in eternal drowning beneath the waves—silent graveyards and signs of what lay ahead.
Deadman Shoals was no place for ordinary ships.
Its reef was like the jaws of a beast, capable of grinding hulls to splinters. But Ashen stood near the bow, legs steady, senses sharp, eyes locked on the horizon.
This was where he'd bleed something worthy.
---
System Advisory
Combat environment modifiers detected: Natural Hazard Terrain. Navigational penalty active. Enemy stats may receive defensive advantages based on location.
Notice: Defeating Target of Significant Strength may unlock system evolution or initiate potential Rank Advancement path.
Ashen took that to mean one thing: the fight would be brutal, and the reward worth it.
Vorn steered with an unnerving calm. "You sure about this?" he asked over the wind.
Ashen didn't answer at first. He adjusted the strap of his wakizashi and scanned the horizon.
"There's something I need to prove," he murmured. "To myself more than anything."
---
They spotted the ship anchored in the heart of the reef belt. A jagged, blackened vessel with red sails and a grim, skeletal prow. It looked like a floating funeral. Gargan's ship—The Wreck's Maw—was infamous for good reason.
Through the spyglass, Ashen counted heads. Two spotters with muskets. At least six armed crewmen on deck. Likely more inside.
A full frontal assault would be suicide.
But Ashen wasn't here to play fair.
---
Night fell fast.
By twilight, Ashen slipped into the waters with a rebreather rig salvaged from the Wraith's lower hold. The current was stronger here, threatening to slam him into jagged coral, but his agility and trained movements held firm.
When he emerged on the opposite side of the Maw's hull, only moonlight kissed the waves. He climbed up—silent as mist—his blade wrapped in black cloth.
[Stealth Check – Success]
One guard stood at the aft post, back to the sea.
Ashen didn't hesitate.
He surged forward in a burst of Proto-Soru—soundless, fangs of speed striking through the night. The cloth-wrapped blade tore through the man's throat before the scream could form.
---
Combat Initiated: Enemy Rank – Advanced Elite
Crew Alertness: Rising (30%)
System Conversion: 8,000 Berry harvested
Stats Gained:
Strength increased to 5.1
Agility increased to 5.4
Skill Efficiency: Proto-Soru – 24%
---
Alarms rang out moments later. The ship's deck exploded in shouting and gunfire, but Ashen was already gone—slipping through shadow, his blade whispering against flesh. He moved through them like a predator, limbs coiled with tension, senses honed.
Two more fell. Then three.
A cutlass swung wide—he ducked, twisted, slashed.
System Harvest: +11,000 Berry
But then the deck shook.
A massive figure stomped into view—seven feet tall, a wall of muscle and rusted armor. Scars lined his face. A cruel hook replaced one hand, and jagged teeth showed in a warped grin.
Gargan of the Wreck.
"So you're the rat chewing through my crew," he said with a laugh like grinding steel.
Ashen stood across the deck, wakizashi gleaming. His stance was low. Eyes locked. Every muscle honed.
"No. I'm the wolf that's come for your throat."
---
The ship creaked beneath their feet, tides crashing like war drums against the hull. The rest of the world faded—there was only Ashen and Gargan.
The pirate captain cracked his neck and unslung a war axe the size of a child. It was jagged, more cleaver than blade, crusted with blood both old and fresh. "You've got guts, boy," he growled. "But you're about to paint this deck with them."
Ashen didn't respond. His breath was slow, controlled. His heart hammered, but it wasn't fear—it was clarity. His stance shifted. Sword low. Left foot turned. Proto-Soru coiled beneath the skin like a spring compressed.
Gargan lunged.
The axe descended in a brutal arc, meant to split him in two. Ashen vanished—his burst-step activated mid-swing.
[Proto-Soru – 24% Efficiency Activated]
He reappeared at Gargan's flank, blade cutting deep into the man's side—but the impact jarred his arm. Gargan's hide was like stone.
The pirate roared, spinning wildly. The back of his hook slammed into Ashen's ribs and sent him flying into the mast.
Pain exploded across his side. He tasted blood.
But he didn't fall.
---
> Durability increased to 5.3
Internal bruising detected. No fractures.
Counter-strike potential detected: High.
---
Ashen spat red and charged again.
This time, he weaved under the swing, slashed upward toward Gargan's wrist. Sparks flew. Blood followed—just a thin line, but it was blood.
"You're fast," Gargan snarled. "But you're not strong enough!"
The hook came again, faster this time.
Ashen ducked. His eyes locked onto the pirate's center of mass. This time, he used the momentum of Proto-Soru not for pure speed—but placement. He darted between Gargan's legs, slicing through the hamstring behind the knee.
Gargan howled and staggered.
Ashen pivoted on his heel and—slammed—the hilt of his sword into the back of the man's skull.
The giant didn't fall.
Instead, he laughed. Bloodied, but standing. His hook arm twisted, locking into a secondary blade. "Time for the real fight."
---
System Advisory: Boss-Grade Combat Threshold Crossed.
Target: Gargan of the Wreck | Classification: Advanced Elite – Unique
Defeating target may trigger Level Up path
Reward Multiplier: x1.6 (Environmental Hazard Bonus)
Ashen's Current Stats: Strength: 5.1
Endurance: 5.3
Durability: 5.3
Agility: 5.4
---
Ashen narrowed his eyes.
Then moved.
The next sequence was a dance of death. Steel against steel. Blood against bone.
Gargan's attacks were wide and brutal—but Ashen was no longer the boy scavenging on deck scraps. Every step he took burned Berry spent. Every swing of his blade carried purpose.
He slashed into joints. Dug into weak spots. His wakizashi hummed with resonance, the wind howling with each cut. Slowly, Gargan's movements dulled. His strength waned.
And when the moment came—Ashen was already behind him.
One deep breath. One clean strike across the neck.
Gargan dropped, the axe clanging as it struck the deck beside him.
---
Boss Defeated. System Conversion Initiated.
Berry Gained: 52,000
Unique Weapon Material Retrieved: "Wrecker's Core Iron"
Skill Experience: Proto-Soru Efficiency increased to 31%
Level Up Available – Initiate Advancement to: Master
---
Ashen stood over the body, chest rising and falling.
Blood dripped from his sword. From his wounds. But he was alive.
No—not just alive. Ascended.
The ship was silent now, save for the groan of its hull.
Ashen raised his eyes to the stars. Something inside him had shifted—like a key turning in a lock.
He could feel it in his limbs. In the system's pulse.
Master-level was now within reach.
And somewhere in the darkness of the Grand Line, those who had been watching him stirred.
---
The deck reeked of blood and salt.
Ashen wiped the blade clean on Gargan's tattered coat, breath steady despite the weight in his limbs. He knelt beside the corpse, retrieving a dull, coin-sized medallion from the pirate's neck—etched with jagged runes and a faded emblem of a shattered crown.
Not just any pirate… Gargan was once allied with a now-forgotten splinter of a fallen kingdom. And judging by the faint heat it gave off, the medallion wasn't just symbolic.
---
Item Acquired: Cracked Monarch Medallion
Status: Dormant
Note: Contains residual essence from a legacy bloodline. System unable to identify full properties until user reaches "Master" level.
Resonance with user bloodline: 9%
---
Ashen's brows drew together. First the cloaked figures in Balei's Edge, now this—another trace of resonance. The world wasn't just reacting to him; it had recognized him.
And it was watching.
He straightened, gaze flicking toward the shattered helm of the ship. The remaining crew had either fled or cowered. He didn't care. This wasn't about conquest or dominance.
It was about survival—and evolution.
With a thought, he summoned the system prompt.
---
LEVEL-UP AVAILABLE
Advance from Expert → Master?
Cost: 80,000 Berry
Confirm?
---
Ashen stared at the numbers. He still had 147,000 Berry. This was his chance.
"Do it."
---
Berry Spent: 80,000
Level Advanced: Expert → Master
Stat Boosts Granted:
Strength +0.5
Endurance +0.3
Durability +0.4
Agility +0.4
New Skill Evolution:
Proto-Soru has evolved into: Soru (Initial Form)
Efficiency: 43%
Note: Initial-stage Rokushiki technique achieved. User can now execute up to 4 consecutive bursts before strain accrues.
New Passive Detected:
Combat Instinct (Minor)
Effect: Slight predictive awareness during close-quarters combat. Grants a fractional increase to reaction time in life-threatening situations.
---
He exhaled slowly.
The change wasn't massive in feeling, but it was there. Like a sixth sense sharpening. Muscles tighter. Reflexes cleaner. Breath smoother.
He was no longer prey.
---
---
Ashen turned from the corpse, stepped toward the helm. The open sea called again.
No port. No captain. No flag.
Only the hunt.
Only growth.
The system was silent now, receded into the background. But Ashen knew—this wasn't the end of the climb.
It was the beginning of his ascent into legend.
---
Ashen Veyr – Status Reference (End of Chapter 5)
Level: Master
Berry Remaining: 67,000
Stats:
Strength: 5.6
Endurance: 5.6
Durability: 5.7
Agility: 5.8
Skills:
Soru (Initial Form) – 43% Efficiency
Combat Instinct (Minor) – Passive
Weapon:
Wind-Fused Iron Wakizashi
Material Acquired: Wrecker's Core Iron (for potential upgrade)
Items:
Cracked Monarch Medallion (Bloodline Resonance – 9%)
----------------------
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