A young-looking man lay unconscious on the forest floor, his body resting against the earth in stark contrast to the elegant kimono he wore—an outfit far too refined for someone sleeping in the dirt. The serenity of the forest was abruptly shattered by a thunderous explosion in the distance. The shockwave jolted the man awake.
He sat up abruptly, blinking in confusion as he took in the unfamiliar surroundings. His heart pounded in his chest—none of this felt familiar. The trees were foreign, the air different, and the atmosphere carried a heavy tension. He quickly scanned the area, trying to understand where he was. That's when his eyes landed on something peculiar—a small vial sitting next to a folded piece of paper.
An unexplainable sense of urgency crept over him. Drawn by instinct or curiosity, he reached for the note. Figuring there was no harm in simply reading it, he unfolded the paper and began scanning the message.
Hello, Rob here. I'm really sorry for accidentally killing you. To make up for it, I've reincarnated you into the One Piece world—specifically during the God Valley Incident. As a consolation, I've gifted you something called the "Essence of the Knife." Consider it a cheat to help you survive. That's the only help you'll get from me. Goodbye!
P.S. Don't worry—your talent in this world is equal to that of Ryuma, the Sword God. You just need to work hard to transform it into actual strength.
"…That's it?" the young man muttered, flipping the paper over to check for any additional information. There was nothing else—just this strange, casual explanation for what had apparently been his death and reincarnation.
"Well, I guess having Ryuma's talent isn't the worst tradeoff," he thought, eyeing the vial curiously. He picked it up without hesitation and drank the liquid in one gulp.
Almost immediately, his head throbbed. A flood of memories surged through his mind, unlocking fragments from both his previous life and his current one. His name… Deus Grego Miguel—son of the King of God Valley. Memories of his youth returned in waves: wandering the island's vast forests, his father's teachings about respecting the land that sustained them, and a deep-seated desire to protect his people.
He remembered that on the very day of the Native Hunting Competition, he had ventured deep into the forest—his usual refuge—only to mysteriously collapse and fall into a coma. Now, with his consciousness returned and fused with his past life's awareness, everything began to click into place.
Suddenly, more information was injected into his mind—this time from the Essence of the Knife. It explained itself clearly and without emotion:
He could summon a blade in any form he desired.
The weapon could consume and assimilate any material it touched.
Most importantly, he could cut through anything—even intangible elements like presence, memories, or concepts. And yes, he could kill even the so-called immortal.
"Talk about overpowered…" Miguel thought with a dark chuckle. "I guess karma really is a bitch."
Despite reclaiming his memories, his heart burned not with confusion—but vengeance. His father and the citizens who supported them had likely been butchered during this so-called "competition." With this new power, Miguel didn't kid himself into thinking he was invincible. He knew this body held potential—Ryuma's potential—but potential wasn't strength. Even Zoro, powerful as he became, started as nothing more than a frog in a well before clashing with the giants of the sea.
As he shook off his daze, distant gunfire snapped him out of his thoughts. More explosions followed. The chaos had begun. The pirates were here, just as he had suspected. A smirk crept across his face. It was the perfect opportunity—while everyone else was busy fighting or fleeing, he could start hunting.
Before he moved, a thought crossed his mind. Testing the Essence of the Knife, he summoned the weapon in a form he admired: Gram, the mighty sword from Fate/Grand Order. He then swung the blade past himself, focusing on the concept of "cutting away his presence." The motion was fluid—silent. He didn't feel anything, but when he looked around, the forest seemed to ignore him completely.
Climbing up the nearest tree, Miguel began hopping from branch to branch. Each jump felt more natural than the last, as if his body was adapting to the movement on instinct. His swordsmanship, his reflexes—everything was sharpening as he moved. The Essence of the Knife wasn't just a weapon—it was an extension of him.
Eventually, he spotted two Cipher Pol agents standing guard below. They were clearly on high alert, flanking a Celestial Dragon who seemed more annoyed than concerned. The noble refused to return to the ship, too obsessed with his "hunt."
Miguel crouched above silently, his body practically invisible to their senses. They hadn't detected him at all.
"Bingo," Miguel whispered, the corners of his mouth curling up.
Without hesitation, he launched downward. In a single fluid motion, he moved faster than they could react—beheading both agents before their bodies even hit the ground.
The Celestial Dragon remained oblivious, muttering to himself as he searched for more slaves to hunt. Miguel now stood behind him, mirroring his movements, stepping when he stepped, turning when he turned—his presence completely severed from perception.
"Alright, I'm ready to leave here now," the Celestial muttered, finally turning around—only to freeze in shock at the sight of Miguel grinning back at him, blood glinting on his blade.
"HOW DARE YOU SCARE ME!" the Celestial roared, face twisting in fury. In one clumsy motion, he reached for a pistol, but Miguel didn't give him the chance.
One clean slash.
The Celestial's body fell to the ground, lifeless. The Essence of the Knife hummed with energy, absorbing the knowledge and capabilities of its victims. Miguel immediately felt something shift inside him—an awareness of haki… the basics of Rokushiki techniques… embedded into his muscle memory.
"So this is how it works… the more I kill, the stronger I get," Miguel whispered, eyes glowing with cold excitement.
He grinned wider than ever before.
With a sudden leap, he activated Geppo, kicking off the air as he launched into the sky. His hunt had only just begun. Cipher Pol agents. Celestial Dragons. Anyone involved in the massacre of his people would fall.