Setting Sail

The sun shone brightly beneath a cloudless sky.

On the golden beach, a youth in somewhat tattered clothes lay sprawled out. A blade of grass between his lips, he gazed up at the sky with a calm, gentle look in his eyes.

Waves rolled in one after another. Just as they were about to reach him, he spat out the grass and sat up.

"About time!"

Gazing out at the boundless sea, Lu Zhuo felt a little excited.

This was the world of One Piece, and Lu Zhuo had somehow ended up here three years ago.

Thinking back to what he'd been like when he first arrived, a trace of self-mockery crossed Lu Zhuo's face.

Back then, going from an ordinary shut-in to a member of the One Piece world had left him incredibly excited. He'd nearly shouted at the heavens, "Nami-chan, Robin-chan, I'm here!"

Of course, he'd later discovered that although he'd crossed over, he hadn't brought a single thing with him!

Other people who crossed over came with divine weapons and limitless power-ups. But he'd arrived completely empty-handed—not even a divine weapon in sight!

Still, as a shut-in with broad horizons from the twenty-first century, he'd soon found a way to survive.

As he recalled the scenes from his past, a giant beast the size of a house suddenly appeared in the sea before him. Its gaping maw lunged mercilessly toward him.

At the sight, Lu Zhuo started slightly. He sprang to his feet in a flash, then pushed off lightly and shot backward, dodging the terrifying jaws.

"Holy crap! What the hell? This one's way too big!"

Seeing the bloodshot, savage eyes of the enormous beast, Lu Zhuo couldn't help cursing aloud.

If there was one thing this world had plenty of, it was sea monsters. Lu Zhuo had planned to use himself as bait to catch a fish a few meters long. He hadn't expected to hook a monster more than ten meters long!

Though the beast had come ashore, it suddenly flipped its body, sprang up, and lunged at Lu Zhuo again.

To it, Lu Zhuo was just a snack.

Lu Zhuo kept cursing, but he didn't dare let his guard down for a second. Even after three years of intense training, he'd have a hard time killing a beast this massive.

His expression turned slightly cold as his right hand gripped the sword at his waist.

"Draw Sword Strike!"

With a crisp ring of steel, a faint blue-white sword arc swept out.

Slash!

Blood rained from the enormous beast's mouth as Lu Zhuo sliced off half its ugly tongue.

The giant beast looked to be in pain, but Lu Zhuo showed no hint of triumph. Instead, he wore a miserable expression.

After all, he'd spent three years practicing the draw-sword technique. He'd practically challenged every swordsman in the town on this island.

And yet, even with a full-power strike aimed at the beast's weakest spot, he'd only cut off half its tongue!

Wounded, the beast's ugly, enormous eyes blazed with savagery. Its whole body seemed to go berserk as it charged at Lu Zhuo, snapping wildly.

Lu Zhuo held his sword in both hands and kept dodging, not daring to face it head-on.

Wounded and enraged, the beast no longer cared that it had ventured far inland.

After retreating a few more steps, Lu Zhuo suddenly slid his sword into its sheath and waved with a smile.

"Bye-bye!"

The next moment, four enormous logs suddenly appeared around them and shot toward the beast. Their tips had been sharpened to points, and they moved so fast the beast had no chance to dodge!

Boom!

After several deafening crashes, the dust settled. The enormous beast lay pinned to the ground by the logs, blood gushing out of it like a fountain. It twitched slightly, then died for good.

Looking at the dead beast, Lu Zhuo seemed a little tired. He frowned and said with a bitter smile, "Just looking at that thing kills my appetite!"

That was what he said, but something else was troubling him.

On land, he could set all kinds of traps. Even a monster as big as a house could be done in by him. But once he was out at sea, encountering a monster like that would mean certain death!

He'd gone through so much trouble to cross over. Lu Zhuo didn't want to die again. Who knew if he'd cross over again after dying—or if that would be the end of him for good?

But...

Whenever he thought of the mischievous Nami and the cool, perceptive Robin, his eyes burned with longing.

No matter how dangerous it was, he had to take the plunge! There was nowhere safe in the world of One Piece. Besides, if he stayed here forever, he'd never be more than a second-rate swordsman. He wouldn't even measure up to Zoro when he'd first set out in the original story.

Through the dense canopy, Lu Zhuo gazed at the sun in the sky, his expression growing resolute.

In the sixteenth year of the Great Pirate Era, four years before Luffy set sail, a swordsman who would one day shake the world set out to sea!