Xie Dao (yes, "Dao" as in blade — you're welcome, no need to thank me never expected that just by pulling an all-nighter, skipping class, and taking a nap in the dorm, he'd end up transmigrating. Fine, transmigration is one thing — but why is it so dark here? Why can't I make a sound? Why can't I move?
At this moment, it felt like ten thousand alpacas were stampeding through Xie Dao's heart. Aside from his consciousness, he couldn't move at all. Time passed — who knows how long — and there was still no change around him. Finally, Xie Dao began to panic.
"Ahhh! Is there anyone out there? Someone saves me! Even if it's not a person, is there a ghost? Say something to me!"
"System? Old grandpa? Where's my cheat? You can't play me like this!"
"Heavens! Earth! Uhh… there's no earth here… just… darkness! What the heck is going on?! Somebody talks to me!"
Xie Dao was on the verge of a breakdown. He was like someone locked in a pitch-black room, all five senses sealed — no sight, no hearing, no speech, no motion. Most people without mental preparation would break down after 24 hours in such isolation. By 48 hours, they'd start to go mad, and after 72, they'd either go insane or die.
But for Xie Dao, he couldn't even move a muscle. Though he didn't feel hunger, fatigue, or pain, mentally it was like falling into hell. He grew increasingly irritable, and his mind was on the edge of collapse.
Then, a refreshing, cool sensation suddenly reached into his soul, calming his frantic heart. A sweet, synthetic electronic voice rang out:
"Welcome, traveler, to this transmigration journey. Due to spatial turbulence, full protection was applied during transit. We are not liable for any discomfort experienced along the way."
Xie Dao's mouth twitched. You didn't ask me anything, didn't explain a damn thing, just dragged me into transmigration and locked me in a dark room for who knows how long — and now you tell me 'Not liable'?! Are you even human?!
Just as Xie Dao was about to start cursing, the sweet voice spoke again:
"You have arrived at your destination. Traveler identity confirmed. System delivery complete. Transmigration body confirmed. Initiating transfer."
As the voice finished, a beam of white light suddenly pulled Xie Dao in.
"Wha—!"
~~~~~ Scene Transition ~~~~~
"Hmm? Where is this place? Did I transmigrate?"
Xie Dao slowly regained consciousness. Blinding sunlight pierced his eyes, causing tears to stream down. He could finally see the light again. He heard the crashing of ocean waves and smelled the rich scent of soil on the ground... Wait — the scent of soil?
"Why am I lying on the ground? Why can't I move? Where are my hands? My feet? Why can't I feel anything?!"
Panicked, Xie Dao tried to sense his "body." Aside from knowing he had a body, he felt absolutely nothing — and that sent him into a full-blown panic.
At that moment, a panel like something from a computer screen appeared in front of him:
Name: Xie Dao
Age: 19
Gender: Male
Identity: Traveler
Transmigration Identity: One of the Supreme Grade Blades – Blood Pursuer
Skills: None
Hardness: S
Sharpness: SS
Main Quest: Become the world's fastest blade
Main Quest Reward: End the journey and return home with acquired skills
Side Quest: Find your first wielder
Side Quest Reward: Skill repository
Note: As a noble Supreme Grade Blade, how can you not have a welder? Take your first step!
"Oh! So that's it — I transmigrated into a sword, huh? Supreme Grade Blade — isn't that from the One-Piece world?! That's all? I just transmigrated into a sword. Just a sword! A freaking sword! A—SWORD!!!
Xie Dao exploded with rage. Of all things — not only did you transmigrate me, not only did you lock me in a dark room, not only did you throw me into the terrifying world of One Piece — you made me a damn sword?!
Those Marines... punch a mountain into rubble like it's nothing. Freeze the sea at will. Move at light speed. Spit lava. Those pirates... cause earthquakes with a punch, grant life to objects, turn into monsters, and destroy armies with a single glare. Then there are the Revolutionaries, shadowy underworlds, terrifying figures like Im-sama...
And you expect me — as a sword — to fight them? With what? My head? DO I EVEN HAVE A HEAD?!
Xie Dao cursed the heavens endlessly. He couldn't believe fate was playing such a cruel joke. "How about this, heavens — you stop being a god, and I stop being a sword, sound fair?!"
Eventually, the fury faded. After all, who was he going to vent to? Resignation was the only option. Now, all he could do was look at the sky, listen to seagulls, hear the sea, and smell the grass and dirt. Judging from the surroundings, it seemed like a deserted island, or at least a place no one visited.
He was now a sword — aside from being hard and sharp, he was useless. "World's fastest blade," huh? As much as he wanted to go home, he couldn't even complete the side quest, let alone the main one.
Though an orphan, he still had people he cared about — the kind-hearted orphanage matron, the generous person who helped him through school. He had even gotten into a good university and landed a job, though recently he'd started to drift.
With a long sigh, he muttered, "Well, can't do anything now — might as well sleep. As they say, sleep cures all worries."
And so, he did. Perhaps the mental stress from the "dark room" experience was too much because Xie Dao quickly fell into a deep sleep, forgetting everything and abandoning all concerns.
In that sleep-like stasis, time passed like a white horse galloping past a crack — days turned to months, months to years. The island changed. Tall trees sprouted. Life slowly returned. Xie Dao gradually sank into the earth...
Until one day, a medium-sized ship arrived. A skull flew on its sail — a pirate symbol. But this one had a sword behind the skull.
The ship docked. Five people disembarked — four men and one woman. The leader, a stern man with long black hair and a sword at his waist, had sharp eyes, callused hands, and a strong, muscular frame. The others included:
A masked man with a gun, face hidden.
A long-armed man with purple hair and clenched fists, as if ready to strike.
A hulking man with a chef's hat, yellow hair, eyes, and long yellow eyebrows.
A long-legged woman with strong, bare legs, small blades strapped to her feet, and a long pink ponytail. Her delicate features made her instantly likable.
(As always, women in the One-Piece world — unless nobles — are mostly quite attractive.)
"Captain, are you sure there's treasure here? We're not being scammed, are we?" the long-legged woman asked skeptically. This remote, forgotten island didn't seem promising.
"Don't worry," the captain replied confidently. "This is a treasure map passed down through my family. If it weren't for the Great Pirate Era, I wouldn't have even set sail. But now that we're pirates, I had to check it out."
"Hey Vexi, if the captain says we go, we go. Don't complain. Let's explore!" the long-armed man said, itching to set off.
"I know, I know. You don't need to preach to me, Takli! I'm going first," Vexi snapped, glaring at him before storming into the island.
"Dory, follow Vexi. Takli, go with Rom. I'll search alone," the captain ordered. He was used to Vexi's temper and wasn't bothered. Confident in his strength, he divided the crew and set out.
And so, they began their search for the so-called "treasure."