Tap—tap—tap!
On a raised platform beside the courtyard, the crisp clack of wooden sandals sounded with each slow step.
A few haphazard blue patterns adorned his white clothes, and a white bandage covered one empty eye socket.
Ryuma wore three swords at his waist as he came to the edge of the terrace. His hem fluttered in the wind, and his empty eye sockets turned toward the battlefield below.
"I see... enemies. I just have to cut them down, right?"
His presence was as sharp and fierce as a blade. Even the people on the battlefield below could sense it, and they instinctively looked up.
Beneath a white crescent moon, three figures stood on the platform, looking down over the battlefield.
"That's...!"
At the sight of one of them, a pale blue flame seemed to flicker in Brook's empty eye sockets. He instinctively tightened his grip on his cane sword.
"What's wrong, skeleton?" Sanji asked, noticing his shocked expression.
Brook slowly drew his thin sword. A glint of cold light followed it. "That's the zombie with my shadow! The dragon-slaying swordsman, Sword God Ryuma!"
As he spoke, he stepped forward. His pace quickened with every step until his light frame became a streak of black, racing through the blazing battlefield straight toward his foe!
"This time—this time, I'll get my shadow back!"
Brook's voice was low, his gaze burning. He reached the platform and leaped up, his blade trailing cold light as he charged straight at his opponent.
"A skeleton? I don't think I know you."
Ryuma spoke calmly, one hand resting on Black Blade Shusui at his waist. "But you're an enemy, right? Then I just have to cut you down."
"Even if you've completely lost your memories of your former owner, you should at least remember that we