The sun was already beginning to set when the four of them emerged from the cave. The oppressive weight of the cursed cleaver's chamber was gone, replaced by the cool evening breeze rustling the trees.
Benimaru led the way, Shinsatsu now strapped across his back. It had fully accepted him, though faint traces of its ominous aura still pulsed in rhythm with his breath.
Behind him, Jayce, Camille, and Viktor walked in silence for a moment, gathering their courage. Then Camille stepped forward.
"We've made our decision," she said firmly, standing tall despite the faint tremble in her legs. "Our agreement still stands. That's why we're here today—to formally accept your invitation to join your pirate crew."
Benimaru paused and turned to look at her.
"In exchange…" she continued, glancing back at Viktor and Jayce, "you'll train us to become stronger. Strong enough to survive the seas—and protect ourselves and each other."
Benimaru stared at them for a long second. Then he smiled—subtle and approving.
"Well then," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Let's get to work."
He reached into his pack and pulled out three pairs of dull, stone-like bracelets, tossing one set to each of them. "First step: physical conditioning. No point learning to fight if your bodies can't handle it."
Camille caught hers with a raised brow. "What are these?"
Benimaru's grin widened. "Training weights."
The moment each of them slipped the bracelets onto their wrists and ankles—THUD. Their limbs crashed to the ground like dead weight. All three collapsed, groaning in shock as their bodies refused to move naturally.
"W-What the hell!?" Viktor gasped, his arms trembling under the new burden.
"They weigh over a hundred kilograms each," Benimaru said casually, crossing his arms. "Made from compressed stone infused with my Devil Fruit powers. Good for building resilience and muscle."
Jayce's face twisted in disbelief. "You expect us to run like this?"
"Eventually," Benimaru replied.
Camille struggled to push herself up, her pegleg creaking under the added weight. She gritted her teeth but didn't complain. "I can handle it," she muttered.
Benimaru noticed. With a nod, he stepped forward and tapped her leg. "Don't worry. Soon, we'll forge you a real prosthetic—something that fits your strength."
Camille blinked at him, surprised by his matter-of-fact tone. But it made her lips curl upward, just slightly.
"Alright," Benimaru continued, stepping back. "The goal is simple: you'll run until your bodies adapt. If you fall, you get up. If you break, I'll patch you up and we'll go again. Strength comes through struggle—and you've already proven you're not quitters."
The three siblings looked at each other. Exhausted. Sore. Still slightly shaken from the illusion earlier.
But they nodded.
"Let's begin," Camille said, her voice quiet but steady.
As the sun dipped beneath the horizon, the rhythmic sound of strained footsteps echoed through the forest, each thud heavier than the last. It was the beginning of a long journey of hardship, pain, and growth.
And Benimaru, standing tall beneath the moonlight with Shinsatsu resting on his back, smiled.
-------
While Jayce, Camille, and Viktor dragged their weighted limbs across the forest clearing—each step a battle between gravity and will—Benimaru stood silently, Shinsatsu resting against his back like a looming shadow. His eyes weren't on them, but on the future.
His mind wandered, shaping blueprints in the void of imagination.
The ship… It has to be more than just seaworthy. It must sail the seas, dive beneath them, and someday… soar into the stars.
He already envisioned it—sleek, powerful, transformable. A vessel worthy of a crew that would one day shake the world. A ship that could become a submarine… and eventually, a spacecraft.
Those machines on the moon that Enel found… I want to understand them. Maybe even surpass them. Maybe Emet was born of similar tech, just running on a different core…
Benimaru's eyes drifted to the cleaver strapped to his back. With a flick, he drew Shinsatsu—its cursed aura humming faintly, like a beast whispering threats through gritted teeth. Curious, he ran a finger across the blade.
A sharp sting. Blood dripped freely from his hand.
Benimaru grinned.
So, you can cut me. Good.
A blade like that, enhanced by his Amplification Devil Fruit, could cleave through even the densest defenses. Maybe even the skin of ancient sea kings or the alloys used in the Void Century.
Tucking the cleaver away, Benimaru set off. With powerful swings of his blade, he began to harvest Adam wood, the legendary material tougher than iron yet lighter than steel. It groaned under his blade, but with each amplified strike, it fell. Trees that could withstand cannon fire now lay stacked and ready.
Later, he hunted game and foraged fruits, mindful that the three would awaken ravenous after training.
Five hours later…
The sun had long dipped beneath the horizon. Three bodies were sprawled on the forest floor, completely unconscious—muscles trembling, sweat soaking their clothes. Jayce, Viktor, and Camille had pushed their limits.
Benimaru dragged each one back to the portable base he'd assembled, a crude but sturdy shelter reinforced with Adam wood, reinforced canvas, and embedded Haki-laced seams.
Nearby, the keel of a much grander structure was already laid out—a foundation of what would become his dream ship. Every beam was aligned with precision. Every joint was calculated.
Two months, he estimated. With continuous work and resource gathering, I can have the core ship complete. The submarine systems are already familiar to me. The spaceflight systems… later. Once I gather the right tech.
With a short chant and a gesture, he used his Amplification Fruit again—this time channeling it into a field of accelerated muscle recovery, healing minor tissue damage, replenishing lactic acid, and bringing the three siblings back from the edge of collapse.
They stirred. Then gasped.
Camille clutched her chest. "I… feel fine?"
"No soreness…" Jayce said, eyes wide.
"But I'm starving," Viktor groaned, his stomach growling loud enough to echo.
Benimaru pointed toward the campfire, where a meal awaited: roasted meat, skewered fish, and a pot of thick stew bubbling over the flames.
"Eat up. You'll need the strength. Training resumes at sunrise."
The three didn't need to be told twice. They gathered around the fire and devoured the meal in silence, the warmth of the flames battling the evening chill.
As they ate, the firelight danced against the dark metal of Shinsatsu, reflecting the determined eyes of their new captain.