OP: Turtle Hermit

~Broil Island – Shoreline Outside the Baby Turtle Orphanage~

"Do you have enough medical supplies, Kazuki?"

"Did you pack the dried meat and rice?"

"What about water? What if the sea monsters try to drink it first?"

"Can't he just drink sea water?"

"You can't drink sea water, dummy! That makes it worse!"

A cacophony of small voices filled the salty breeze as a crowd of children gathered tightly around Kazuki near the shore, their faces full of concern, curiosity, and reluctant excitement. The sun had just begun its lazy descent into the ocean, casting golden light across the white sands of Broil Island.

Kazuki stood at the center of the crowd, his travel bag slung over his shoulder, his orange gi fluttering gently in the breeze. A warm, amused smile tugged at his lips as he reached down to ruffle the heads of two arguing kids. The chaotic energy of their questions didn't annoy him — if anything, it humbled him. He wasn't a random good person passing by to them. He was their big brother. Their teacher. Their protector.

He had only planned to stay one night after the battle in West Blue… but one night turned into several weeks. Somehow, in the quiet that followed all the bloodshed and fire, he'd found purpose teaching the children martial arts under the shade of the orphanage trees.

Discipline, breathing, footwork, balance — and above all, control. Not power.

For kids who had seen too much loss too early, martial arts became a lifeline. Kazuki didn't just teach them how to throw punches; he taught them how to stand back up.

And now it was time to say goodbye and continue his own training.

MeeMee clung tightly to his leg, her small fingers trembling as she pressed her face into his pants, refusing to look up. Her little body shivered, not from cold — from fear of letting go. Kazuki glanced down and gently placed his hand atop her head, brushing her tangled blue hair with his palm.

"Hey, MeeMee," he said softly. "You're squeezing me so tight I might not be able to get on the boat."

She didn't reply. Just shook her head and held tighter.

Beany and Jess stood close behind, arms crossed but eyes red, while Udon rubbed the back of his neck, pretending not to be emotional even as his nose sniffled quietly.

These kids weren't just orphans. They were survivors. Survivors of pirate raids. Survivors of slave ships. Survivors of abandonment and heartbreak. The Marines had done their part, saved them from danger, but they couldn't patch the emptiness that came after.

Kazuki had.

Even though he hadn't been there long, he'd given them something steady. A routine. A voice that didn't talk down to them. A presence that felt unshakable. His insight, maturity, and most of all, his patience had become a light in their lives.

"Don't cry," Kazuki whispered to MeeMee as he crouched down to her level. "I'll send letters every week. And I want you to write me back, alright? Tell me about your training. How many punches you did. How many minutes you held your stance."

MeeMee nodded slowly, though tears streamed down her cheeks, making dark spots on his leg. She hiccuped but didn't speak.

Kazuki smiled and gently tapped his forehead to hers. "I expect big things from you. You're the strongest one here, you know?"

"I'm not…" she finally mumbled.

"You are. Just scared sometimes. And strong people can be scared too."

He stood, taking a deep breath, looking at the rest of the kids. Their eyes were glued to him. Not a single one tried to distract themselves. They watched him the way a ship watches its anchor being lifted — hoping it'll stay… but knowing it won't.

He raised a fist and spoke loud enough for them all to hear.

"When I come back, I expect every single one of you to be stronger than me. You hear me?"

A few of the kids laughed through their tears.

Jess raised her hand like they were back in a lesson. "Does that mean we'll get stronger homework?"

Kazuki smirked. "Oh definitely. You'll be doing push-ups until your arms fall off."

Beany groaned. "Even the weekends?!"

"Especially the weekends!"

The laughter rolled through the group, cutting the sadness just long enough to let warmth in.

Then he threw a white capsule that let out a sudden POOF as smoke billowed near the dock, drawing all eyes to the peculiar little vessel that had appeared.

A small yellow boat bobbed in the water, sleek and compact, with a painted blue "48" across its hull. It looked handmade — reinforced with care and weathered from past travel. Kazuki slung his bag over his shoulder and approached it.

He gave the boat a pat like it was an old friend. "My lucky ride."

The kids crowded to the edge of the dock, peppering him with a final barrage of questions.

"What's it called?"

"Does it go underwater?"

"Does it have a bathroom?"

"Will you fight sea kings?!"

Kazuki paused before stepping in, turning one last time to face them.

"I'll answer all that when I get back," he said, waving. "So stay sharp. Watch out for pirates. And don't let Beany slack off."

"Hey!" Beany protested, earning a round of giggles.

Kazuki started the motor. The boat coughed once, then glided out into the gentle current. The sea widened before him, painted orange by the late sun, calm for once.

The children watched in silence now. Jess quietly clutched Beany's hand. Udon sniffed again but didn't wipe his eyes this time.

MeeMee sat down on the edge of the dock, knees pulled up to her chest, watching the boat shrink further and further away — her fingers curled around the training band Kazuki had given her. It was far too big for her tiny wrist now. But she wore it like a vow.

Even after his figure became a speck on the horizon, not one child moved.

That solid back of the fluttering orange gi and the strength of the person wearing it was burned into their hearts.

~Hours later~

The afternoon sun glimmered across the ocean, casting a warm gold glow across the sea's endless horizon. Waves shimmered like molten sapphire as Kazuki leaned back at the helm of his sleek, sea-foam yellow vessel. The scent of salt in the wind filled his lungs, calming the restlessness inside him. The breeze tousled his dark hair as he let out a satisfied sigh.

"Peace and motion. The two things I can't live without," he murmured.

Then—his peace broke.

At first, it was faint. A whisper, a ripple in the flow of the world.

"Help…"

Kazuki's eyes snapped open. He didn't hear it with his ears—but with something deeper. A vibration in the flow of Ki. He closed his eyes again, sharpening his senses.

"HELP!! SOMEONE!! PLEASE!!!"

His eyes flared with focus.

"Hold on."

In a burst of motion, Kazuki spun the rudder, the sea vessel tilting from the force of acceleration. His Ki surged into the hull, propelling it like a torpedo across the waves. Sea spray flew past his face as the cry for help grew louder in his soul.

Then he saw it.

Two colossal Sea Kings—serpentine and scaled, each longer than three ships end to end—were thrashing violently, coiled around a shattered vessel no larger than a lifeboat. Lightning crackled from the heavens above, as if the ocean itself was furious.

And between those titanic beasts, someone was screaming.

Kazuki didn't wait.

He shot into the air like a bullet, a shockwave exploding from the deck of his boat as he launched high above the Sea Kings. His arms spiraled through the air, gathering wind into concentrated funnels at each palm. Wind roared around him, his energy pulsing with controlled power.

He threw both palms outward.

A pair of spiraling cyclones tore through the sky like dragon heads made of wind. They struck both Sea Kings in synchronized impact—one to the jaw, one to the spine. The beasts roared, tumbling across the ocean surface, crashing into the waves and diving beneath the sea, vanishing into the depths.

The ocean went eerily quiet.

Kazuki descended in a graceful arc, landing softly on the half-wrecked boat. Splinters crunched under his sandals as he scanned the deck.

Then he saw her.

Or rather—he saw the barrel she was in.

It was stuck upright against the mast, with the word "CAUTION" painted in red, and a big yellow star underneath. Two arms were sticking out. Then blonde hair. Then—

"Hi!!" the girl beamed, cheeks flushed with adrenaline and awe. Her goggles clinked as she tilted her head. "That. Was. AWESOME!"

Before Kazuki could respond, she launched from the barrel like a rocket and wrapped her arms around his waist, sobbing.

"You saved me!! I thought I was fish food!! You're like a knight made of wind or—who cares! THANK YOU!!"

Kazuki blinked, patting her head. "Uh… glad you're okay."

Once the tears slowed and the situation settled, Kazuki learned her name: Sarfunkel—a self-declared "barrel enthusiast" who'd accidentally trapped herself while playing hide and seek on a cruise ship. Unfortunately, the cruise was attacked mid-game by the Sea Kings, and everyone else escaped in lifeboats, unaware she was still tucked away.

"And you stayed in the barrel?" Kazuki asked, puzzled.

"Psh. That's Barrel Rule #3: If you commit, you commit till the bitter end." She crossed her arms proudly. "I was NOT gonna break tradition."

He blinked again.

Strange girl…

A monstrous rumble cut off their conversation.

The sea beneath them bubbled violently. A massive shadow rose below the boat. A massive Sea King—larger than the last two—lurched up, its jaws wide open.

Kazuki didn't hesitate.

He grabbed Sarfunkel and jumped straight into the air as the massive beast lunged upward. The boat was swallowed whole with a deafening CRUNCH, splinters vanishing down its gullet.

Sarfunkel screamed as they soared above the chaos. "WE'RE GONNA DIEEEE!!"

Kazuki twisted mid-air and pressed one hand downward. Wind exploded beneath them in a spiraling cushion. The pair descended in a controlled drift onto his own boat, landing with a gentle thump.

Kazuki let go and exhaled. "We're safe."

Sarfunkel clung to his arm, sobbing with laughter. "You're crazy! You're the best! I'm never riding another cruise ship again!"

Kazuki smiled awkwardly. "Yeah… maybe stay out of barrels for a while too."

~That Night - The KA-ME House~

After navigating away from danger, and due to it being late and hours away from any island the pair soon arrived at a quaint pink home resting on a private island—the KA-ME House. A warm breeze passed through the coconut trees. Sarfunkel's eyes lit up.

"This is adorable. This is your place?"

Kazuki nodded. "My master's old home. I inherited it. Come on in."

He set her up with food and turned on a replay of the World Martial Arts Tournament. She squealed and hugged a couch pillow. "I LOVE bloodsport!"

Kazuki chuckled, descending into the basement. Dust floated in the air, untouched crates surrounding him. He walked to the nearest one and pried it open.

Inside, the purple training shell from his what felt like years now sat folded with worn brown straps.

"Haven't seen you in a while."

He pulled it out and moved to the next crate. This one, marked with a familiar purple shell that wouldn't budge. Till he flared his Ki—muscles bulging till he finally moved the shell out of the crate.

With a groan, he collapsed onto the floor before looking in the crate with curiosity.

Two books laid at the bottom of with with a purple and green color.

One read: "The Unlock Potential Technique"

The other: "Theory of Ki Growth and Manipulation"

Kazuki opened the second one, flipping to a bookmarked section.

"Ki, at its essence, is life energy. Every being has it. But few can control it. True manipulation of Ki is not brute force—it's comprehension."

He continued reading:

"Just as a river must flow around rocks, Ki must flow around doubt, fear, and mental blocks. Strengthening the body strengthens the vessel—but strengthening the mind strengthens the Ki."

He turned to the next chapter:

"Unlock Potential: This technique is not a single burst of power. It is a removal of internal chains. By using focused Ki meditation and amplifying one's spiritual frequency, it is possible to tap into latent energy dormant in the soul."

Kazuki stared at the page, breathing slow.

He looked down at his palm. Letting his Ki pulse there.

"So this… is the next step."

Suddenly from upstairs he heard a yell from the girl watching the tv.

Sarfunkel yelled, "Are you training down there?! I want in! I wanna learn wind punches too!!"

Kazuki smirked in amusement.

~Next morning~

The soft crash of waves against the shore of the small island was the only sound outside as Kazuki sat cross-legged on the wooden floor of the KA-ME house basement. The warm light of a single lantern flickered against the walls, casting long shadows over the crates, training gear, and scrolls strewn across the room.

In front of him lay two open books.

One was chapter open was: "Potential Unlocked: Foundations of Inner Energy"

The other chapter open was: "Ki Theory & Practice: A Guide for Beginners."

Kazuki exhaled slowly, setting the purple shell that he started to use in his training aside. His body was already sore from his morning strength training, but this was different. This was about something deeper than muscle—something unseen.

He ran his fingers down the page of the first book. The script was old, but the message was clear:

"All living things possess Ki. It flows not only through the body, but around it. The first step in mastering Ki is awareness—not control."

Kazuki closed his eyes. Awareness, he had been vaguely using it but never in full control to use it too its full potential.

He focused. Not on his muscles. Not on his surroundings. But inward. On his breath. His pulse. The warmth in his chest. The tingle that sometimes flickered behind his hands in moments of danger or purpose.

Nothing flashy. Nothing forced.

Just… sensation.

For hours, he sat. Breathing. Listening. Waiting. The sun dipped below the horizon outside, casting the room in deep shadows. Sarfunkel had long since fallen asleep upstairs after watching a full replay of the last World Martial Arts Tournament.

Still Kazuki sat.

When he opened his eyes again, a faint warmth pulsed behind his sternum—like a sleeping ember.

His brows lifted slightly.

"So that's what they meant…"

~Day Two~

Kazuki rose with the sun, his breath visible in the morning mist. The air was cool, the silence only broken by the sound of his own footsteps across the grass as he stepped into his training grounds—an open patch of earth behind the KA-ME house surrounded by palm trees and jagged stone outcrops.

He read aloud as he practiced slow, deliberate movements.

"When Ki is awakened, it must be circulated. Start from the chest, guide it down the arms, to the palms. From the core, through the legs, to the soles."

Kazuki moved through simple forms he'd practiced since beginning his journey—stances, breathing patterns, stretches.

Only now, he traced the Ki through his body as the book instructed. Sometimes it worked—he could feel the tingle shift from his gut to his hand. Other times it fizzled out like a weak signal.

It was frustrating. But he refused to rush.

"This isn't about being flashy," he muttered to himself. "This is about control. Precision."

~Day Five~

By the fifth day, Kazuki could consistently guide his Ki from his center to his limbs. He discovered subtle things: how the breath affected flow, how his thoughts interrupted it. On days he was angry or impatient, the energy was wild and hard to move. But when he focused—when he calmed his mind—it glided smoothly.

One passage in Potential Unlocked struck him deeply:

"True strength comes not from raw Ki, but from refined intent. When you strike, strike with purpose. When you move, move with clarity."

He started applying this principle in his sparring dummies and shadowboxing routines.

He'd punch—not harder, but with focus.

Each motion channeled Ki subtly into the muscles involved, strengthening the impact without force alone. Not explosive power—but enhanced sharpness, precision.

It felt right.

~Day Eight~

A breakthrough came in the evening.

Kazuki stood shirtless in the moonlight, sweat soaking his body as he tried to keep his Ki flowing continuously. He was attempting a simple exercise from the second book—maintain a Ki loop for ten minutes without pause.

He had failed twenty times already. Every time, the flow sputtered at the shoulders.

Gritting his teeth, he tried again. He inhaled deeply and focused on the mental map he'd built—the channels in his body where Ki liked to flow best. He adjusted his stance. Calmed his heart.

He imagined water flowing through a pipe—no clogs, no resistance.

And finally, the energy looped.

Once. Twice. Three times.

His skin prickled with warmth. Not burning. Not blazing. Just… alive.

The loop held. For ten seconds. Then twenty.

He kept going.

~Day Ten~

On the tenth day, Kazuki found a note in the. Back of the the unlock potential technique.

It was handwritten.

"Notes on the Unlock Technique – Grandmaster Son"

The first few pages were dense, but Kazuki poured over them.

"The Unlock technique is not a power-up. It is a mirror. It reflects what lies within, then pulls it to the surface. The greater the self-awareness, the deeper the draw."

"But beware: draw too much, and the body will collapse. This is why so few master it. Strength is not the goal—balance is."

Kazuki blinked.

This sounded interesting. The Unlock technique wasn't just about sudden growth. It was about understanding the self. Your limits. Your pain. Your potential.

He looked at his reflection in a window. The tired eyes. The bruised arms. The tight shoulders from overwork.

~Day Fourteen~

The next few days, Kazuki mixed reading with physical training. He ran drills, lifted weights while channeling Ki, practiced silent meditation for deeper sensing.

He learned to:

• Control his heartbeat to maintain focus in battle, through his spars and meditation.

• Sharpen his reflexes by feeling motion through the ambient Ki around him.

• Stabilize his strikes so they wouldn't hurt his own joints even when hitting hard surfaces.

He wasn't destroying mountains. But he was becoming sharp.

And more importantly—he was becoming aware.

~Day Five hundred-thirty six

Kazuki stood in front of the KA-ME house with a new calm confidence in his eyes.

Sarfunkel sat nearby on a beach chair, sipping juice from a coconut. "You've been real serious about this training stuff. Not gonna lie—it's kinda impressive."

He chuckled. "I'm not trying to impress anyone. Just trying to understand myself."

She tilted her head in curiosity. "That a martial artist thing?"

"Maybe," Kazuki said, glancing at the stars above. "Or maybe it's a human thing."

A comtorble silence stretched between them, filled only by the sound of waves.

He clenched his fist, feeling the warm hum of Ki swirl just below the surface of his skin.

"Let's go see the world."

————————————————————

To be continued…

Next chapter: Fight between Admirals?!