First Entry into the Pirates

Luo Ya jolted awake from his bed, the stinging pain from his wounds causing him to gasp. "Where is this? Didn't I get hit by a car on my way home from work?"

Looking around, the wooden furniture and the environment didn't resemble a hospital in the slightest. Just as Luo Ya was about to get up to check his surroundings, the tightly shut wooden door creaked open.

In walked an elderly man with a burly build, standing at least two meters tall, with graying hair and a beard, puffing on a cigarette. If you only looked at his physique, you would have mistaken him for a bodybuilder.

"You suffered fractures all over your body, yet you're able to sit up after only two days of unconsciousness? Kid, your physical constitution isn't half bad."

"The hell, fractures all over? Was I hit by a dump truck? I remember it being a Wuling Hongguang; as expected, the power of that legendary vehicle is not to be underestimated. Old man, thanks for saving me. I'll transfer the medical fees to you, have you seen my phone?" Luo Ya said with a bitter smile.

"What's a phone? A Den Den Mushi? When I found you by the sea, you didn't even have clothes on; what you're wearing now are my old rags. Kid, you don't have a single Beli to your name, so prepare to work for me to pay off your debt." Maynard exhaled a ring of smoke, dropped a plate of food, and turned to leave.

Bang! The sound of the door closing pulled Luo Ya back to reality. "Den Den Mushi? Beli? Is this the world of One Piece?" At that moment, a sharp pain shot through Luo Ya's brain, and fragmented memories began to surface.

The owner of this body was also named Luo Ya. He was a sailor on an unknown pirate ship in the West Blue. After being raided by another pirate crew, he chose to jump into the sea to survive, only for the current Luo Ya to take over his nest.

"If I had to transmigrate, couldn't I have been a Celestial Dragon? Besides, I was about to get my paycheck; couldn't you have let me enjoy that before sending me here? Damn it!" Luo Ya finished, flipping the bird at the sky, which pulled at his wounds and made him gasp in pain again.

Forget it, since I'm here, I might as well settle in; I was already tired of my dull life anyway. Thinking this, Luo Ya picked up the plate and began to eat heartily. He didn't know what kind of meat it was, but it tasted exceptionally good. Once finished, Luo Ya drifted into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Luo Ya was grabbed by a large hand. "Kid, I don't have extra food here. Once your wounds are healed, you're going to work for me. Go process that Sea King outside and butcher it."

Maynard dragged Luo Ya outside the wooden cabin.

In the open space outside lay a massive Sea King, resembling a giant snake but with a mouth full of sharp teeth. It was at least seven or eight meters long, with dark red blood dried upon the ground. A deep, horizontal wound had been slashed across the junction of its head.

"Strip the meat off and peel the skin. Once you're done, go chop some firewood for tonight's barbecue. If I come back and find you slacking off, I'll throw you into the sea!" Maynard finished, tossed down an iron sword, and turned to leave.

Luo Ya looked at the Sea King before him and sighed. "First, I'll heal my wounds and find out which island this is and what year it is in the Sea Circle Calendar. If it's the East Blue, I could go find Koushiro to apprentice under him. Devil Fruits are hard to come by, so learning some swordsmanship for self-defense would be good."

With that, he picked up the iron sword, swung it a few times, and prepared to start butchering.

Suddenly, a whisper echoed in Luo Ya's mind: "All things in the universe, turn to ashes, Ryujin Jakka."

Luo Ya suddenly arrived in a black space filled with scorched earth and ash. Floating in the center was a katana with a deep purple hilt.

"Ryujin Jakka? As expected, the transmigrator's essential golden finger has arrived, haha."

Ryujin Jakka was the strongest and oldest fire-type Zanpakuto, boasting the greatest attack power in the Soul Society. The heat released during its Shikai was enough to turn everything it touched into ash. The temperature of its Bankai was akin to the core of the sun. It was the definition of an overpowered setting with a notoriously underwhelming track record. In the original Bleach series, it barely killed anyone and didn't even dare to use Bankai; its Bankai, Zanka no Tachi, was said to be capable of melting the entire Soul Society. Yet, during the Thousand-Year Blood War, Yhwach simply neutralized the Bankai and absorbed it.

Luo Ya stepped forward, grabbed the deep purple hilt, and the whisper sounded again: "All things in the universe, turn to ashes."

Immediately after, Luo Ya lost consciousness.

"Kid! You'd better explain to me the connection between this pile of ash and the massive Sea King I had earlier. And I told you to work, not lie on the ground sleeping!"

A groggy Luo Ya was grabbed by the collar and hoisted into the air.

"Ah, haha, about that, let me... uh, let me explain," Luo Ya said, rubbing the back of his head with an awkward smile. With a wave of his hand, the iron sword in his grip crumbled into dust and drifted away.

Luo Ya and Maynard stared wide-eyed at the debris of the iron sword as it scattered in the wind.

"Not counting the medicine that saved your life, between the Sea King and the iron sword, you now owe me one million Beli, kid. You look clean and delicate; many nobles are into your type." Maynard gritted his teeth.

"Fine. I'll come clean, big brother. Actually, I'm from the Spirit Clan, and that was my ability awakening!"

"Spirit Clan? Awakening the ability to demolish my house, is that it?" Bang! Luo Ya was punched on the head, and a visible bump immediately sprouted.

"That hurts!!"

After the commotion, the two sat in the cabin eating the unknown beast meat.

"Kid, so you're saying you're the last of this 'Spirit Clan' of yours, and today you awakened a flaming sword, which is why you burned my sword and the Sea King?" Maynard stared at Luo Ya with eyes as big as copper bells.

"Old man, it's not just a flaming sword! It's Ryujin Jakka! After Bankai, it's hotter than the sun. Don't try to butter me up now, and don't go around telling people you're my foster father to take advantage of me!"

Bang! "Kid, my name is Maynard! Whether you have an eight-fold or thousand-fold release, right now you're just a piece of trash! Finish your meal and get to sleep; tomorrow you're making up for the work you slacked off on today!"

With that, Maynard stood up and left.

"My name is Luo Ya! Remember this, old man: I'm the man who will become the world's greatest swordsman!" Luo Ya shouted as he stood up.

After finishing and cleaning the plates, he saw the newspaper on the table, which read: Sea Circle Calendar 1516. Luffy would set sail in five years! Time was tight!

Maynard seemed quite strong; perhaps he should stick with him for a couple of years. With Ryujin Jakka, he was destined to stand at the pinnacle of the world. By then, he'd have the Empress on his left and Shirahoshi on his right! Though the size difference was a bit much, haha. With these wild thoughts, Luo Ya gradually drifted off to sleep.