One Piece: The Marine of the Straw Hat Pirates

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The scabbard and handle of the Asauchi were pitch black, a stark contrast to the white of Wado Ichimonji in Zoro's hand.

Zoro felt an immediate difference as he glanced at the blade and said to Luffy,

"Luffy, hand me that sword—I want to take a closer look."

Luffy, never too interested in swords, shrugged. He preferred cooler things like shields or armor. Without much thought, he tossed the sword to Zoro.

Zoro caught the shallow blade and felt a peculiar connection, almost as though it resonated with him on a deeper level.

What Zoro didn't notice was that as he picked up the blade, Wado Ichimonji at his side began to glow faintly, and a ray of light seemed to flow from Wado into the shallow blade.

"This is a fine sword," Zoro said, unsheathing it slightly and admiring the craftsmanship. "Could it be one of the Twenty-One Great Grade Blades?"

Ikki, standing nearby, smiled knowingly. "Zoro, you'd better be careful with that. It's not a sword you can wield so easily—it might not let you draw it again."

Zoro wasn't the type to covet someone else's weapon. He returned the blade to its sheath and respectfully placed it back in front of Ikki.

Ikki didn't respond immediately but kept his gaze on the shallow blade, knowing its potential.

This type of sword required cultivation and communication, evolving into a true weapon of power through a bond with its wielder. Ikki knew he might not find another like it anytime soon. If it were to be his, he'd need to nurture it carefully, honing his skills in the process.

However, when Ikki reached out and touched the blade again, he was startled. There was resistance—an almost palpable refusal.

"Huh? You're resisting me? Could it be that this blade already has a mind of its own?"

Ikki's eyes shifted to Zoro, a look of disbelief crossing his face.

Both Zoro and Luffy had held the sword before, yet it was fine when Luffy handed it over. Now it seemed the blade had already bonded with someone.

This realization struck Ikki hard. "No way… has it already chosen its master?"

He sighed, glancing at Zoro with a mix of exasperation and amusement. "This guy has all the luck."

Ikki stepped forward and said, "Zoro, this sword is yours. It's chosen you."

Zoro blinked in confusion. "Chosen me? What do you mean? Is this… a cursed sword?"

He'd heard of cursed swords before—swords that picked their wielders and, if misused, could drive their handlers to madness or bloodlust.

Ikki chuckled. "If that's how you want to think of it, sure. Let's call it a cursed sword."

A grin spread across Zoro's face. "A cursed blade, huh? Sounds interesting. Let's see what you've got!"

Without hesitation, he picked up the sword again. The moment his fingers wrapped around the hilt, he felt it—a profound sense of harmony, as though the sword had always been his.

…

While Zoro tested his connection with the blade, Ikki turned his attention back to the training manual for the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist.

This martial art was as versatile as it was powerful. Its offensive techniques flowed seamlessly, overwhelming opponents like a relentless stream, while its defensive stances could block even the tiniest intrusion, like water against a rock.

Moreover, its power had no upper limit. The stronger the user's physique, the more devastating the techniques became.

Engrossed in his study, Ikki didn't notice when Luffy grabbed the Nen training manual from his side and began flipping through it, curiosity lighting up his face. (T/N: We got a fake Luffy)

Time passed, and Ikki finally finished reading the entire Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist manual.

As he reflected on the techniques, he began mentally combining them with his Sky Dragon Slayer Magic. The synergy of the two made him confident that their combined power would be immense.

Suddenly, ripples disturbed the calm sea around their small boat.

Ikki glanced up to see white steam rising steadily from Luffy's body, his eyes shut in deep concentration.

"What the…? Has Luffy already developed Second Gear?" Ikki muttered in disbelief.

His gaze shifted to the Nen training manual lying next to Luffy.

"Wait… could Luffy be practicing Nen? Is this white mist… life energy?"

Ikki, having watched Hunter x Hunter, knew the dangers of losing too much life energy—it could shorten one's lifespan or even lead to death. Alarmed, he was about to warn Luffy when he noticed the energy on Luffy's body beginning to condense.

The mist gathered and formed an invisible film around Luffy, who suddenly opened his eyes with a triumphant grin.

"Woohoo! I did it! My body feels so light and comfortable!" Luffy exclaimed, springing to his feet with boundless energy.

Ikki stared in stunned silence.

He had skimmed through the same manual earlier and knew how difficult it was. Normally, it would take days, if not weeks, of meditation to even sense the aura, let alone manipulate it.

But Luffy? He had simply skimmed the manual and awakened his ability by sheer intuition.

'This guy's a genius… no doubt about it,' Ikki thought, dumbfounded. 'Is this what they mean by great wisdom in simplicity?'

Zoro, noticing the changes in Luffy, began to observe him closely.

For the first time, Zoro felt a sense of danger emanating from Luffy—a feeling he had never experienced before.

However, as soon as Zoro placed his hand on the sword resting beside him, the ominous sensation dissipated.

"So hungry…"

Due to the small amount of life energy he had expended, Luffy began devouring all the food on the boat with his usual enthusiasm. But even after clearing out their supplies, he was still hungry.

At that moment, Luffy spotted a large bird soaring in the sky.

"Meat!" he shouted, stretching his arms upward to grab the bird.

To his surprise, the bird was far stronger than it looked. Instead of catching it, Luffy ended up being carried away, clamped firmly in the bird's beak.

Ikki: "..."

Zoro: "..."

"This idiot…" Zoro grumbled as he grabbed an oar and began rowing furiously.

He knew full well that as a Devil Fruit user, Luffy would be in grave danger if he fell into the sea.

Despite Zoro and Ikki rowing with all their strength, the boat struggled to gain speed, falling behind the giant bird carrying Luffy away.

Ikki frowned and turned to Zoro. "Hold on tight to the hull!"

He moved to the stern, took a deep breath, and channeled his energy.

"Sky Dragon's Roar!"

A burst of energy propelled the boat forward with incredible force, lifting it briefly into the air.

The sudden surge startled both Ikki and Zoro, but it worked—the boat shot ahead with renewed speed.

As the vessel rocketed forward, Ikki's system panel unexpectedly flashed, awarding him three points of justice.

Ikki blinked in confusion. "Justice points? What did I even do?"

Little did he know, the boat's sudden acceleration had obliterated a small craft nearby bearing the flag of the Buggy Pirates. The impact scattered its crew into the sea, leaving them flailing in the water.