Wano Country – Coastal Outskirts
The waves surged rhythmically, leaving streaks of water across the shore. Countless sea creatures, carried in by the rising tide, burrowed into the wet sand.
A young man with a braided ponytail slowly stirred, groaning as he sat up. His body was covered in damp, yellowish sand.
"What the hell… Where am I?"
He knocked on his own head a few times, trying to shake off the confusion. But as he stood up and took in his surroundings, he froze.
Before him stretched a boundless ocean under a sky of brilliant blue and drifting white clouds. But at his feet—was a cliff with a hundred-meter waterfall roaring below.
"Ding! Congratulations, Host, for activating the Swordmaster System!"
Name: RyumaClass: SwordsmanBeli: 0Age: 20Identity: Great Swordmaster of WanoSkills: NoneHaki: Armament Haki…
A flood of information surged into Ryuma's mind, leaving him completely stunned.
"Am I the Ryuma from Earth… or the Ryuma from Wano?!"
As he tried to recall what happened before he awoke, fragments of his past came back—working overtime, sudden death, and the sound of friends and family crying. That's how his life had ended…
Who would've thought he'd reincarnate in Wano—and into the body of the Great Swordmaster Ryuma!
Ryuma let out a bitter laugh."Seriously? Of all people to reincarnate into… why a dead man?! My body's probably falling apart just from walking!"
In Ryuma's memory, the original Ryuma had long been reduced to a pile of eerie white bones. Forget fighting—even surviving day to day would've been a challenge!
"No way I'm turning into another Brook…"
Instinctively, he raised his hands—and blinked. What he saw wasn't skeletal remains, but smooth, youthful skin. His hands looked to be from someone no older than twenty, completely free of wrinkles.
"System… was it you who repaired this body?" he asked tentatively.
"Ding! Correct, Host. This body has been fully restored by the system. Its physical strength and functions are identical to those of Ryuma at his peak. How much power you can draw out depends on your own talent."
The system's voice was mechanical and emotionless.
"I see…" Ryuma murmured.
His soul had merged with that of the Swordmaster Ryuma, and along with it came a flood of memories—flashes of sword duels, life in Wano, and the endless pursuit of strength. They entered his mind like stardust, slowly becoming his own.
In this world, the strong were as numerous as clouds. True warriors could level mountains with a punch or raze cities with a single kick. Even if he was now Ryuma, without real power, he'd be crushed in no time.
"Ding! Host has received one free lottery draw. Would you like to spin?"
"Hell yeah. Who turns down free stuff?" Ryuma replied without hesitation. "What kind of prizes are we talking about?"
"Prizes may include: various Devil Fruits, skills, swords, haki, techniques, and more."
"Spin it. Now!" Ryuma said eagerly.
"Ding! Congratulations, Host has learned 'Hundred Dragon Divine Slash!'"
Ryuma was just about to make a sarcastic remark—when his mind buzzed. In an instant, detailed knowledge of the move—its stance, flow, and execution—engraved itself into his brain like a brand.
"Well, that's user-friendly, at least," Ryuma chuckled.
He'd expected a vague scroll or training method, but instead, he received the full, mastered technique outright.
Just as he was about to try it out, he paused.
Wait… where's my sword?
"I mean, I'm a swordmaster, right? Shouldn't I have a sword?"
If memory served him right, the Swordmaster Ryuma wielded a legendary black blade: Shusui.
Shusui—heavier, more curved, and longer than standard blades—was one of the 21 Great Grade swords. Zoro once said even a dinosaur stepping on it wouldn't bend it a millimeter. That was the strength of a black blade.
And if this truly was Wano, then there had to be a Ryuma's grave, right?
Though he was a famous figure in Wano, Ryuma had been dead for hundreds—maybe even over a thousand—years. His image may have been everywhere, but portraits never captured the real man.
Relying on fragmented memories, Ryuma made his way through the landscape.
The grave was located along the southern coast of Wano.
Eventually, he stood before it—an enormous tombstone rising from the earth, inscribed with:
"Swordmaster Ryuma – A Name Etched Into History"
But beneath it… was a massive hole, dug right through the grave.
"…Huh? What kind of bastard does something this low?! Who the hell dug up my grave?!"
Ryuma was furious—but then again, maybe this was a blessing in disguise. Saved him the trouble of digging it up himself.
He turned around—and was stunned to find a massive, pitch-black castle towering behind him.
Thick fog coiled around the castle, obscuring its shape and cloaking the entire area in a gloomy, oppressive atmosphere. There was no sense of divine aura here—only darkness and dread.
This is... Moria's ship?!
He suddenly remembered—in One Piece, Gecko Moria had once been defeated by Kaido right here in Wano.
Wait… timeline-wise, Luffy shouldn't even have set sail yet, right?
Ryuma shook his head, brushing away the chaotic thoughts.
His corpse must've been stolen around this time… later to be implanted with Brook's shadow in the Florian Triangle.
Damn bastard... So Moria got crushed by Kaido and came here tomb-raiding for fun?!
Veins bulged on Ryuma's forehead in anger.
Since Moria had already been beaten by Kaido, it was unlikely he came here in person. More likely, he sent his underlings to do the dirty work.
Ryuma stepped into the grave chamber. Two samurai lay unconscious at his feet—clearly Wano warriors, most likely ambushed and knocked out by Moria's henchmen.
Further inside, voices echoed from the depths of the tomb.
Peering around a corner, Ryuma confirmed his suspicions—Gecko Moria wasn't present. Instead, two of his infamous subordinates stood near the coffin.
They were none other than Absalom and Hogback!
Absalom—that strange yellow lion-man with a blue cap. His jaw and nose were surgically grafted by Hogback, making him human in essence, not one of the Mink Tribe.
He was the commander of Moria's zombie soldiers and generals, wielding the Clear-Clear Fruit, which allowed him to turn himself—and anything he touched—completely invisible.
Hogback, on the other hand, was even more bizarre. Wrapped head to toe in black fishnet like some deranged pervert, he wasn't a commander, but held enough favor with Moria to choose whichever zombies he wanted to control.
Though hailed as a genius surgeon, Hogback was notorious for defiling corpses and putting money above human life. In short—a disgrace to his profession and to humanity.
"Strange… where the hell did Ryuma's body go?" Absalom growled, frowning. He kicked the decayed coffin with a loud crack, his frustration boiling over. "What a goddamn waste of time!"
"You said it," Hogback sneered. "If I do find Ryuma's corpse, I'll be sure to have some fun with it first…"
Ryuma watched from the shadows, seething with fury. His fists clenched, jaw tight—but he didn't rush out just yet.
He knew that charging in without a weapon would only get him killed.
After all, back in One Piece, these two gave even Luffy's crew a run for their money!
He glanced around carefully—and that's when something caught his eye.
Beneath their feet… was a small, ancient black box.
He squinted.
The box was old and weathered, covered in intricate carvings, though much of it had faded with age. Yet despite the damage, one thing was unmistakable—a sword hilt protruded from within.
Ryuma's pupils shrank in shock.