The New World. Falcon Isle — a small speck of land on the edge of Marine protection.
A boy stood alone on the rocky shore. Thirteen years old, already nearly six feet tall, with long blood-red hair cascading down his back. His eyes flickered with confusion.
Smack!His hand struck the stone beside him.
"Damn, that hurts…" he muttered, shaking out his stinging palm.
Fragments of memories surged through his mind, memories that weren't meant to exist here.
His name — now — was Adrian Black. But once, he had been a young man on Earth, living in comfort yet consumed by obsession: the blade. He had chased down every whisper of swordsmanship, every rumor of forgotten masters, until his passion eclipsed food, sleep, and common sense.
That passion killed him. Eyes glued to the faded pages of an ancient manual, he'd stepped too close to the edge of a mountain path — and plummeted. His life ended with a single misstep.
He never expected to awaken in another world, reborn as a child in the world of One Piece. At first, his infant body could not bear the weight of his memories, and his soul sank into dormancy. Only now, years later, had he awakened fully.
Adrian clenched his fists."This really is the world of One Piece… year 1478 of the Sea Circle Calendar."
A faint smile crossed his face."In my last life, I dreamed of walking the world with a sword and standing above all others, but I never achieved it. Here… in a world where strength is everything… I'll carve my path with the blade. I'll cut my way to the throne of the World King."
The thought set his blood alight.
Bang! Bang! Bang!The violent pounding on his door shattered his fantasy. It wasn't knocking — it was someone trying to break the door down.
Adrian stiffened. Hostility. He could feel it, sharp and undeniable.
Crack!The door burst open.
"Heh… Adrian Black," a rough voice sneered. "Did you think you'd be safe hiding here? Blame your own talent. Being taken in as the personal disciple of the Ironblade Dojo's master… did you really think the Steel Fang Dojo would just let that go?"
Three men filled the doorway, towering over him at more than two meters each. They all carried swords. The leader, Cole, smiled with cruel anticipation.
"So that's what this is…" Adrian thought grimly.
His parents had died during the chaos that once swept Falcon Isle, leaving him with nothing but insecurity. He had taken his family's savings and sought refuge in the Ironblade Dojo, desperate to learn swordsmanship. His progress had been astonishing: in a single month, from novice to full-fledged swordsman.
And just yesterday, the master himself had named him his only personal disciple.
It was enough to make enemies. The rival Steel Fang Dojo would never allow a genius like him to rise unchallenged. So they came here — to kill him before he could grow.
Adrian's hand tightened around the iron sword at his side."If this is a world where the strong prey on the weak, then killing is part of survival."
He lifted the blade, feeling a strange sense of certainty."My legend begins with you three."
His eyes blazed."If you want my life… then pay with your own!"
The leader's younger brother, Jiru, sneered. "Boss, let me do it. I've never killed a so-called prodigy before."
Cole waved a hand. "Go ahead. He's just a kid. Thirteen years old. No matter how talented, he can't be stronger than men who've trained for five years."
Jiru charged, sword raised high."Kid! Remember this — a dead genius is nothing!"
The blade came down, swift and brutal — but to Adrian, time slowed. Jiru's movements dragged as if through molasses, every detail exposed to his eyes.
Left side.
Adrian's sword flashed. One clean strike — Jiru's throat opened, blood spilling.
"Next time," Adrian said coldly, flicking the blade clean, "don't waste time talking. Villains always die because they talk too much."
Jiru collapsed, staring in disbelief. "How… could I…" His voice choked off forever.
Adrian's heartbeat stayed steady. So this is killing… It doesn't feel wrong at all.Like paying a bill after a meal. If someone comes to kill me, I kill them first. Simple.
His gaze burned into the remaining two. The truth was clear now — what had awakened in him was Observation Haki. Though newborn, his strong soul sharpened it, letting him sense hostility and see through enemy attacks.
Cole snarled. "You little bastard… Kane, kill him!"
"Clang!"
Kane didn't waste words. He surged forward, feet slamming against the floor in a sword step, his blade whistling through the air toward Adrian's throat.
But even at twice Jiru's speed, his attack was clear as day to Adrian's eyes.
The boy bent low, dodging under the swing, then exploded forward. His blade tore across Kane's neck in a clean, merciless slash. Another body crumpled at his feet.
But Cole was already moving, using Kane's body as bait, seizing the moment to strike…