One piece with a system.

"Man... I don't want to kill it," Reed muttered, staring at the small rabbit trapped in a makeshift hole they had dug.

A few hours earlier...

"I'm hungry!!" Reed complained, his voice echoing through the dense forest as they trudged along.

A loud grumble from Jack's stomach interrupted the silence. "I know! I am as well!" Jack shot back, equally frustrated.

Reed sighed, rubbing his stomach. "There's gotta be something edible on this island. Fruits, berries... anything!"

Jack glanced around. "Yeah, or maybe we could catch something. Hunting might be our best bet."

Reed hesitated but nodded. "Fine. Let's at least try."

After hours of searching, they stumbled upon a small clearing and managed to trap a rabbit, only to be confronted with the reality of what came next.

Back to the Present...

Reed sighed again, looking conflicted. "I don't know, man. It feels wrong."

Jack stepped forward, determination etched on his face. "I don't care. I'm hungry, and I want to eat," he said as he raised his katana, swiftly ending the rabbit's life.

Reed sighed deeply, his moral struggle evident, but he knew they had no other choice if they wanted to survive. "Yeah... I get it," he murmured, more to himself than to Jack.

As Jack began to clean the rabbit, Reed glanced around the clearing. "Alright, we've got food, but now we need fire. How do we even start one?" he wondered aloud.

Jack paused for a moment and smirked. "Well, I guess it's time to channel our inner survivalist. Find some dry wood and leaves, and I'll figure out the rest."

Reed rolled his eyes but began searching the area. "Great. Let's just hope we don't burn the forest down."

After a few minutes of gathering materials, the two met back in a small clearing, their arms full of dry wood, leaves, and anything else that might help spark a fire.

Jack, ever confident, grinned as he set the materials down. "Watch this!" he declared, grabbing two sticks and kneeling down.

Reed crossed his arms, watching with mild skepticism as Jack began vigorously rubbing the sticks together. After several minutes of effort and absolutely no result, Jack's grin faded, replaced with a frustrated scowl.

Reed raised an eyebrow. "So... is this the part where you say, 'Wait, I was just warming up'?"

Jack sighed, dropping the sticks. "Alright, alright, I'll admit it. Starting a fire is harder than it looks in the movies."

Reed smirked. "Well then stupid, looks like we might need a Plan B."

Reed opened his system's Sho tab, scrolling through the options in search of anything that could help with their fire problem. "There's gotta be something useful in here," he muttered, his eyes darting over various items.

Meanwhile, Jack wandered off, rummaging through bushes and scanning trees. "There's gotta be something edible around here," he called back to Reed as he pushed aside leaves and branches.

Reed furrowed his brow as he kept scrolling. "Matches? Flint? Anything that'll make this easier?" he muttered, frustrated at the lack of simple survival tools in the shop. "Do they expect us to rub sticks together for hours?"

Jack, on the other hand, let out a triumphant shout. "Hey! I think I found some berries!" He held up a handful of small, round fruits he had picked from a bush.

Reed glanced over skeptically. "You sure those aren't poisonous?"

Jack hesitated, looking at the berries in his hand. "Uh… probably?"

Reed sighed, still scrolling. "Well, let's hope your gut instincts are better than your fire-starting skills."

Jack chuckled as he held up the berries. "Man, I wish I had Ace's Flame-Flame Fruit right now. Would make all this so much easier."

Reed smirked but kept scrolling through his system. "Would be very helpful, wouldn't it? Anyway, I don't want to eat berries forever, so I'll stay here and figure out how to start a proper fire."

Jack nodded, handing a handful of berries to Reed. "Alright. You do that, and I'll keep looking for more stuff to eat." With that, he turned back to the bushes and trees, continuing to rummage around.

Reed popped a berry into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. "I just hope whatever you find doesn't try to eat us first."

Jack laughed from a distance. "No promises!"

Reed's POV

I kept scrolling through the system, hoping to find something—anything—that could help us start a fire. Flint, matches, maybe even a cheap flame-based item. But after what felt like forever, I sighed and closed the system. Nothing.

"Guess it's back to basics," I muttered, grabbing a couple of sticks and kneeling near the pile of dry leaves we'd collected. Placing one stick horizontally against the other, I started rubbing them together as quickly as I could.

The motion felt futile almost immediately, my arms already protesting from the effort. "This is ridiculous," I grumbled under my breath, watching as nothing but faint smoke appeared, only to dissipate as quickly as it came.

I glanced around, half hoping Jack would come back with something miraculous, but all I heard was the rustling of leaves in the distance. "Why didn't we pay more attention to survival shows?" I sighed again, continuing my fruitless effort.

The leaf remained stubbornly unlit, mocking me with its perfect dryness. "Come on... just catch fire already!" I muttered, frustration creeping into my voice.

After a few more minutes of rubbing the sticks together, I paused, my arms aching. I muttered under my breath, "And here I thought having 2 points in Melee would make me able to fight for days... I can't even keep this up for a few minutes."

I sighed deeply, staring at the stubborn leaf pile in front of me. The irony wasn't lost on me—superhuman potential, and here I was losing to a couple of sticks.

Shaking my head, I adjusted my grip and resumed the effort. "Come on, Reed, don't give up. If cavemen could do this, so can you," I told myself, though even I wasn't convinced.

The faint wisp of smoke returned, giving me a glimmer of hope. "Alright, maybe this time..." I whispered, focusing all my energy on the task.

Then, as if the universe took pity on me, a miracle happened—the leaves near the sticks caught fire.

My eyes widened in disbelief. "Fire? Fire!" I exclaimed, my voice rising with excitement.

Carefully, but with trembling hands, I grabbed some nearby sticks and placed them over the tiny flame, fanning it gently to keep it alive. The fire began to grow, its warmth washing over me like a victory I desperately needed.

Once it was stable, I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled, "Jack! Get over here! I got a fire going!"

In the distance, I heard him shout back, "For real? Be right there!"

I couldn't help but smile as I stared at the flickering flames. For the first time since we got here, it felt like we were actually making progress.

No POV

Jack came sprinting back through the trees, his hands full of berries and a couple of oddly shaped fruits. His eyes lit up as he spotted the small but steady fire.

"Fire! You actually did it!" he exclaimed, his excitement evident. He dropped his gathered food nearby and quickly added, "Quick, make a campfire before it goes out!"

Reed, still tending to the fire, nodded. "On it. Grab more sticks and bigger pieces of wood—we need to keep this thing alive."

Jack scrambled to gather additional materials, tossing them into the growing flames. "Man, this is awesome! We're finally getting somewhere!"

Reed smirked as the fire grew stronger. "Yeah, let's just hope this doesn't attract anything… unwanted."

Jack paused for a moment, looking around cautiously, then shrugged. "If it does, at least we've got weapons now."

Reed gazed at the setting sun, its warm glow slowly fading into the horizon. "Just in time," he muttered, a sense of relief washing over him. "Now find the rabbit we got earlier! I don't care if we have no seasonings—I want meat."

Jack chuckled, clearly amused by Reed's impatience. "Alright, calm down, man." He quickly gathered the fruits, berries, and the rabbit they had killed earlier, stacking them all carefully.

"Don't worry, we'll eat good tonight," Jack said with a grin, heading back toward the fire. "And hey, no need to worry about seasoning—it's survival time. The simpler, the better!"

Reed grinned back, his stomach growling louder now that the fire was properly going. "I guess you're right. Let's just eat already."

Jack plopped the rabbit above the fire using his katana, cooking it as it was, not even bothering to clean it. As he took a bite of the berries, he glanced at Reed and said, "Well, better than nothing, right?"

Reed gave him a tired look, clearly less than impressed by their makeshift meal. "…Haaaa. I guess it is," he muttered, popping a berry into his mouth. After a moment of hesitation, he grabbed one of the fruits Jack had found and started eating it, the taste far from gourmet but satisfying enough in the circumstances.

They ate in silence for a while, the crackling fire the only sound between them. It wasn't the feast they'd dreamed of, but it was something—something that would help them survive another day on this island.

After their not-so-tasty meal, Jack and Reed gathered more wood to feed the fire, adding it carefully to make sure it wouldn't go out too soon. The flames flickered brighter, casting long shadows around them, but they didn't take the time to properly secure the area or ensure it wouldn't spread. The exhaustion from the day's survival efforts hit them hard.

"We should be fine... I think," Jack muttered as he lay back on the grass, glancing at the fire one last time.

Reed, too tired to argue, just nodded and made himself comfortable, though he didn't bother with anything more than the grass beneath him. He rolled over, staring up at the stars in the night sky, the reality of their situation weighing on him but somehow feeling less important in the moment.

With the fire crackling and no immediate danger in sight, sleep quickly overtook them both. They didn't even bother to set up a proper shelter. For now, the fire would have to be enough.

As the morning sun began to rise, Jack was the first to stir. He slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes and staring at the remnants of the fire from the night before. His mind was already racing, thoughts of their situation flooding in.

Reed stirred beside him, noticing that Jack seemed deep in thought. He sat up and stretched, squinting at the sunlight filtering through the trees. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice still thick with sleep.

Jack blinked and looked over at him, snapping out of his reverie. "Oh, nothing... just thinking about what we need to do next. We can't just stay here forever, right?" he said, running a hand through his messy hair. "We've got to figure out how to get off this island or at least make progress. It's not going to be easy."

Reed yawned and nodded, glancing around at the quiet, empty island. "Yeah, I know. But first, we need to find some proper food and maybe... figure out how to make this whole survival thing a little easier."

Jack's eyes lit up as an idea struck him. "We have enough money to buy a boat! All we need to do is get enough food for a week or two!"

Reed, however, stared at him with a mix of disbelief and frustration. "The only boat we can buy is a rowboat. I don't wanna row a damn boat! And a week or two worth of food isn't gonna just materialize out of thin air!"

Jack paused, his excitement dimming a little. "Well... yeah, I guess you're right. But we can still figure it out. Maybe we can trade for supplies or find something nearby?"

Reed shook his head, clearly exhausted from thinking about all the challenges ahead. "Trading's gonna be hard with no one around here. First, we need to get ourselves together and make sure we're not starving in a few days."

Jack nodded reluctantly, the practicality of Reed's words sinking in. "Okay, fair point. Let's focus on surviving first, then we'll figure out the boat and all the rest."

Reed shook his head, clearly exhausted from thinking about all the challenges ahead. "We're not gonna last long if we can't find a steady water source. We need to figure this out before we tackle anything else."

Jack paused, staring at the fire for a moment before turning to Reed. "Hey, does drinking sea water make you more thirsty?"

Reed looked up, slightly confused by the question. "Yeah, it does. The salt in it dehydrates you even more. Why do you ask?"

Jack shrugged, glancing toward the distant waves. "I was just thinking... it's kinda messed up, isn't it? Being surrounded by all that water and not being able to drink any of it."

Reed shrugged, his expression weary. "What can you do?" He stood up, brushing off his hands. "Let's go."

He started walking into the jungle, his steps determined despite the exhaustion.

Jack followed, confused. "Where are we going?"

Reed glanced back over his shoulder. "To find a waterfall or something. We need fresh water, and fast."

*Ding*

Both Reed and Jack stopped in their tracks, instinctively pulling out their systems. The Missions tab, which had been yellow before, was now glowing a deep red.

On the uncompleted side of the Missions tab, they both saw a new mission under the main one, titled "Get out of the island and find civilization."

The new mission was listed as "Find clean water."

Reed raised an eyebrow. "Well, looks like we've got a clear priority now."

Jack squinted at the screen. "Guess the system's really pushing us to find water. We'd better get on it."

Reed nodded, his mind already racing with the possibilities. "No time to waste. Let's move."

They closed their systems and walked toward the middle of the island, the weight of the new mission pressing down on them.

Reed led the way, scanning the surroundings for any signs of water. Jack followed, focused on the growing urgency of the situation.

The jungle grew quieter, the sound of the ocean replaced by rustling leaves and distant bird calls.

A few minutes later, Reed stopped, his senses sharp as he listened intently to the sounds around them. He turned to Jack, his expression focused. "You hear that?"

Jack paused, eyes narrowing as he tried to make out the sound. After a moment, he nodded. "Yeah, I do. Is that... water?"

Reed glanced in the direction of the sound, a spark of hope in his eyes. "Could be. Let's check it out."

Moving toward the sound, they pushed through the dense foliage and soon came upon a stunning sight—a waterfall cascading down rocks into a small pool below.

Reed exhaled in relief. "Finally! Water! I hope this is clean enough for us to drink."

Jack walked closer to the edge, inspecting the water. "It looks fresh, but we should be careful. No telling what might be in it."

Reed nodded, already thinking about their next move. "We'll have to test it, but it's our best shot."

Moving closer to the lake, Reed crouched down and took a cautious gulp of the water. As he swallowed, a sudden ding echoed through his mind.

He immediately opened his system and checked the Missions tab. The screen displayed a new update.

The "Find clean water" mission was moved to the Completed Missions side, and a new notification appeared. There was a claimable reward.

Reed raised an eyebrow, a hint of excitement in his voice. "Looks like we've got something for our effort."

Jack immediately took a drink of the water, then opened his system, eager to see the reward. "What kind of reward do you think we'll get? Personally, I want more money."

Reed claimed the reward first, his eyes widening as he saw the 1500 beli added to his total. "Oh? I wanted something to start a fire with... Damn."

Jack followed suit, claiming his reward and getting the same amount. "Hey, more beli is better than nothing. Speaking of which, where does our money go?"

Reed stared at him, clearly baffled. "Do you not see the green beli symbol under the tabs in the system? It says beli » 3500."

Jack blinked, then glanced at his system. "Oh... right. I missed that."

Reed sighed and found a nearby rock to sit on, plopping a handful of berries into his mouth. As he chewed, his thoughts shifted to their next problem—food.

He glanced around at the jungle, scanning for any other potential sources of sustenance. "We can't live off berries forever," he muttered to himself. "We need a reliable food source."

While Reed was deep in thought, Jack decided to take matters into his own hands and began searching for more berries and fruits. As he combed through the jungle, his eyes suddenly landed on a peculiar-looking fruit, unlike anything he'd seen before. Its vibrant color and strange shape stood out, and a spark of realization hit him.

Jack's eyes lit up with excitement. "No way... is that a devil fruit?"

He quickly grabbed it, making sure not to damage it, and rushed back to the waterfall where Reed was sitting.

"I found something" Jack said, holding up the fruit. "Check this out!"

Reed looked up at Jack, narrowing his eyes as he took in the fruit. "A devil fruit? How lucky can you be?"

Jack grinned, holding the fruit up for Reed to get a better look. "I don't know, but this could be huge. Think of the possibilities!"

Reed's excitement quickly shifted to caution as he eyed the devil fruit in Jack's hand. "Eat it!" he began, but then paused, his brow furrowing. "No, wait! Can we exchange that to get a guaranteed food-based devil fruit?"

He quickly opened his system, scanning through the options. "It's worth checking if we can trade it for something that'll actually help us survive, like a fruit that grants us food powers."

Jack hesitated, looking at the fruit in his hand. "That… could work. Let's see what the system offers."

Reed scanned the system for a moment, his eyes landing on the trade option. "Can trade fruits of the same rarity," it read. He turned to Jack, his voice urgent. "What rarity is that fruit?"

Jack shrugged, looking uncertain. "I don't know. We don't even know what kind of fruit it is!"

Reed sighed, frustration creeping in as he continued to scan the system. "Help me browse the shop for a low-rarity, food-based devil fruit," he said, his eyes darting over the various options.

Jack nodded and began scrolling through the shop alongside him. "Alright, let's see what we've got. We need something reliable—something we can use right away."

After a few minutes of searching, Jack's voice cut through the silence. "Here! The Paramecia type 'Corn Fruit.' Can we eat corn for the next foreseeable future?"

Reed paused, his thoughts interrupted. "Corn?" He raised an eyebrow, processing the idea. "Hmm... let's look for a different one. Keep that one in mind, though."

Jack nodded, marking the Corn Fruit in his mind but continuing to browse. "Alright, but that could still be useful. We might just need something else for now."

After a bit more searching, Reed's eyes lit up as he spotted an option. "Here, the Paramecia type 'Rice Fruit.' A rice fruit should be enough until we get out of this damn island!"

Jack quickly looked over, his eyes scanning the options. "Where? I'll exchange it right away!" He hurriedly searched for the 'Rice Fruit' and saw that its rarity was listed as "Uncommon."

He glanced at the devil fruit in his hand. "I hope this devil fruit I have is at least uncommon," he muttered, bringing the fruit up to the system. With a quick motion, he exchanged the devil fruit for the Rice Fruit.

Jack suddenly paused, his body flickering as he gained the powers of the 'Rice Fruit.' Reed watched in silence, curiosity piqued but not saying a word.

After a few seconds, Reed broke the silence, raising an eyebrow. "So, did it work?"

Without missing a beat, Jack grinned and casually tossed a ball of rice at Reed's face. "I'd say it worked," he replied, his voice full of mischief.

Reed blinked, the ball of rice bouncing off his face. He sighed, wiping his cheek. "Alright, I guess we're eating rice now... How else can you use it?"

Jack paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face as he explained. "So it's really like the game 'Blox Fruits.' I get four 'moves' with a cooldown, but I haven't unlocked the other three yet because I need to use the fruit more. Once I unlock the fourth move, I can make up my own moves."

Reed listened carefully, then frowned as he processed the information. "So the fruits in the shop are limited? That's annoying." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Can't complain now, though. We have easy access to devil fruits anyway, and plus... you say we can make moves of our own."

Jack nodded, giving Reed a reassuring grin. "Exactly. We've got a lot of potential here. I just need to figure out how to make the most of it."

After a few seconds of silence, Jack tossed a rice ball toward Reed's frowning face.

Reed stared at Jack in disbelief, then without a word, he started sprinting toward him, clearly intending to throw him into the waterfall lake.

Jack's eyes widened as he saw Reed charging at him. He turned and bolted, throwing rice balls back at Reed once the cooldown wore off, hoping to slow him down.

End of chapter.