The salty air whipped around Klien as their stolen ship, a humble vessel now carrying grand ambitions, bobbed gently away from Loguetown. The vast expanse of the ocean stretched before them — an intoxicating blend of freedom and peril. Klien inhaled deeply, the crisp sea scent a stark contrast to the stifling anxiety clenching his chest. One HP. The stark reality echoed in his mind with every gust of wind. A misstep, a stray projectile, a simple accident — any of it could be fatal. He was a single thread stretched taut, on the verge of snapping.

  At the helm, Ace, a whirlwind of infectious energy, spun the wheel with a wide grin.

  "Alright, boys!" his voice boomed across the deck. "Before we dive headfirst into the Grand Line, there's a little something we gotta take care of."

  Deuce, ever the pragmatist, arched a skeptical eyebrow. "Don’t tell me you’re actually serious about that old wives' tale."

  Ace’s laughter crackled like fire. "You bet your fiery backside I am!" He hauled a wooden barrel to the center of the deck, the rough wood scraping against the planks. With a flourish, he gestured for his companions to join him.

  Klien blinked, a flicker of recognition in his eyes. "Wait… the barrel foot ritual?" He’d heard whispers of such traditions among seasoned pirates — a symbolic oath-swearing before entering the treacherous Grand Line.

  "That’s the one!" Ace confirmed, his grin widening. "Gotta pledge our dreams to the sea before it decides what to do with us!"

  Deuce sighed, a puff of air escaping from beneath his mask, but he nonetheless stepped forward and placed a foot on the barrel’s weathered surface. "Fine. Let’s get this over with."

  One by one, they made their vows. Ace, his eyes blazing with fierce determination and a hint of the fiery power that resided within him, declared,

  "I swear I’ll become the most famous pirate in the world!"

  A lick of flame danced on his outstretched palm, a visual testament to his burning ambition.

  Deuce, his gaze fixed on the horizon as if already envisioning the tales he would pen, added,

  "I’ll write the greatest book about the sea — a saga that will capture its every wave and wonder!"

  Klien hesitated for a moment, the precariousness of his existence weighing heavily on him. Yet, the shared ritual — the camaraderie in the face of the unknown — spurred him on. He placed his foot firmly on the barrel.

  "I swear I’ll become the greatest chef this world’s ever known."

  A silent addendum echoed in his heart, a desperate plea for survival: and get a bounty so I won’t die from a scratch…

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  With a simultaneous shout, they brought their feet down, the resounding crack of splintering wood echoing their commitment. They cheered, a boisterous affirmation of their intertwined destinies as their journey into the legendary Grand Line officially commenced.

  As dusk painted the sky in hues of orange and purple, their small ship approached the awe-inspiring Reverse Mountain. Its four colossal rivers surged upwards, defying gravity in a breathtaking spectacle. The current was a relentless force, pulling at their vessel with unimaginable strength.

  Ace, his earlier joviality now replaced by focused intensity, grinned with exhilaration. Utilizing the power of his Devil Fruit, the Flame-Flame Fruit, he conjured controlled bursts of fire, using them to reinforce the rudder and fill the sail with ethereal, fiery propulsion. The ship held steady, a testament to Ace’s control, as it was inexorably drawn into the upward torrent.

  Klien clung tightly to the mast, his knuckles white against the worn wood. His stomach churned with a potent mix of fear and awe.

  "If I fall now, I’ll die with one hit," he muttered under his breath, the fragility of his existence a constant, nagging reminder.

  The raft bucked and twisted violently against the raging waters, a small plaything in the hands of a colossal force. Yet it held. They were propelled upwards at an alarming speed, the sky above them growing darker as they ascended the impossible incline. Finally, they crested the peak — a brief moment of stillness before the terrifying plunge down the other side.

  With a sudden drop, they hurtled downwards, the wind screaming in their ears. Then, just as abruptly, they burst out at the bottom, the tumultuous journey depositing them into the calmer waters of Twin Cape. The massive lighthouse stood sentinel before them, its beam cutting through the twilight.

  Ace roared with laughter, relief and triumph evident in his voice.

  "We made it! Welcome to the Grand Line!"

  The initial days at sea within the Grand Line settled into a rhythm, punctuated by the constant demands of a hungry captain. Klien found himself in the galley almost continuously, his knife a constant extension of his hand. Ace, with an insatiable appetite and effusive nature, demanded meals every few hours, showering Klien with boisterous praise for every dish that graced his palate. Deuce, quieter and more reserved, offered no verbal accolades, but the clean plates that consistently returned to the washing basin spoke volumes. With each successfully prepared meal, a subtle, almost imperceptible warmth spread through Klien, accompanied by a silent notification in his mind — EXP gained.

  Finally, as they dropped anchor at Twin Cape, the gentle rocking of the ship ceasing as they docked, a soft, crystalline chime resonated within Klien’s consciousness.

  [Ding!]

  You have reached Level 10!

  You have gained 2 attribute points.

  Total available: 2.

  A genuine grin spread across Klien’s face, a feeling of tangible progress washing over him. He swiftly accessed his internal status, the familiar screen shimmering in his mind’s eye:

  Name: Klien

  Level: 10

  HP: 1/1

  Strength: 8

  Agility: 10

  Intelligence: 13

  Available Attribute Points: 2

  Not bad, he thought, a sense of satisfaction bubbling within him. All those hours spent chopping, searing, and seasoning had finally yielded a tangible reward.

  Almost immediately, another notification appeared, this one accompanied by a sense of anticipation.

  [New Passive Skill Acquired!]

  Name: Gourmet’s Blessing (Lv. 1)

  Effect: Food cooked by the host grants the eater +10% stamina recovery or a +10% boost to one random attribute for 1 hour.

  Klien almost laughed aloud, a wave of relief washing over him. Finally — something truly useful. Something that could potentially bridge the terrifying gap of his single hit point.

  If he could master the art of preparing meals that consistently boosted strength or, even better, agility, perhaps he could become more than just the ship’s cook. Maybe Ace and Deuce would come to rely on him in more crucial situations. And if their fledgling crew managed to stir up enough trouble — enough chaos to warrant attention from the World Government — perhaps his own bounty would finally appear, a tangible shield against the ever-present threat of instant death.

  "Oi, Klien! Hurry up, slowpoke!" Ace’s booming voice echoed from the dock, jolting Klien from his thoughts. "Let’s go see if there’s any grub to be found in this giant candle!"

  Klien instinctively pocketed his trusty kitchen knife, the familiar weight reassuring in his hand, and followed his captain and first mate. He moved with a newfound sense of cautious optimism. The journey into the Grand Line had just begun, and while the shadow of his precarious health still loomed large, a flicker of hope had ignited within him. He still had to find a way to raise his bounty, to make himself more valuable than just his culinary skills. His very survival depended on it.