The City Walls Ablaze

Luo Ya found himself in a trance, back in the space filled with scorched black earth.

To think that this is what lies deep within my heart; it must be the influence of Ryujin Jakka.

Does entering this space only require exhaustion? That remains to be seen, Luo Ya muttered to himself.

In the distance stood a black stick figure—yes, exactly like the stick figures from his past life's games, composed of a few lines and a circle.

It held a pitch-black longsword in its hand, which, upon closer inspection, was entirely composed of flowing black flames.

Luo Ya broke into a cold sweat. "No way. Hey, let's call a timeout! Let me rest before we fight!"

Before he could finish, the stick figure sheathed its "blade" and charged at him. In an instant, Luo Ya saw a familiar back. That looks like my body, but why is there no head?

A sudden chill enveloped his entire body, and darkness flooded his vision like a rising tide.

Luo Ya sat up abruptly, gasping for air, his pupils constricted. He frantically felt around his neck with both hands. "Phew, my head is still there. Thank goodness it's still there. Phew."

He then noticed the stick figure standing not far away, still holding its blade.

"If this is a soul space, it's no different from a dream! All Things in the Universe, Turn to Ashes!"

Luo Ya gripped a longsword with a deep purple hilt in both hands, its scabbard slung across his waist.

Ikkotsu! The blade, wreathed in scorching flames and accompanied by a sizzling sound, slashed toward the stick figure's left shoulder.

Clang! The stick figure blocked the strike with its own blade. The force of the impact sent a jolt through Luo Ya's arms, and he was sent flying backward.

Luo Ya was shocked by the stick figure's immense strength. Before he could recover in mid-air, he saw the stick figure flick its blade upward, releasing flames shaped like a palm that instantly engulfed him.

The excruciating pain of the fire searing his skin drew a shrill scream from Luo Ya; it felt as if he were being sliced apart, and the terrifying heat incinerated him completely.

In an instant.

Luo Ya opened his eyes while lying on the scorched earth, still immersed in the agony of his previous death. His body was still twitching slightly.

He lay on the ground, pushed off with his hands and feet, and sprang up. He gripped the hilt at his waist. "Geneva! Nadeshiko Slash!"

Luo Ya roared as he unleashed an orange-red flame sword-wave at the stick figure, then charged forward, swinging his blade horizontally.

Seeing the stick figure facing both the vertical flame wave and his imminent close-range strike, Luo Ya was ecstatic. "I'll just hit you with a combo cross-slash and cut you into four pieces!"

Clang! The stick figure tilted its longsword to block the strike aimed at its waist. As the blades met, they hissed and sparked.

Luo Ya slid backward, supporting himself with one hand.

Luo Ya stood there gasping for air, but the stick figure was not unscathed.

Although most of Luo Ya's flame wave had been neutralized, it had still caused damage. On the stick figure's waist—if such a thing could be called a waist—a portion of the flowing black flames was clearly missing.

Before Luo Ya could stand up, a wave of dizziness washed over him. "You sure can sleep, kid. Wake up!" Bang! A large bump rose on the top of Luo Ya's head.

"Ah!" Luo Ya let out a roar and swung his sword at Maynard, the scorching flames forming a palm shape that engulfed him.

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle. Maynard emerged from the flames, pitch-black all over, his clothes reduced to ash by the high temperature.

"You brat, what a temper when you wake up!" With that, he punched Luo Ya with a fist coated in Armament Haki, sending him flying through the wall and leaving a hole shaped like the character '太'.

Luo Ya scrambled up from the ground, dizzy. "Armament Haki! You're using a nuke on a primary schooler? You're really something, Maynard."

"Enough talk! From now on, wake up at four every morning to prepare breakfast, and start running one hundred laps around the beach at five! After that, one thousand sword swings every day. Start now!" He turned and walked away, completely naked.

Luo Ya watched the retreating backside and laughed until he doubled over, only to see Maynard's head start steaming at the sound of his laughter. He turned and ran.

Whoosh!

The wooden sword sliced through the air and struck the wooden post with a thwack. Despite being made of wood, it still left a shallow mark on the post.

Whether it was the strength of a transmigrator's soul or the talent of the original body, Luo Ya, a novice who had never touched swordsmanship three days ago, was now swinging with decent form.

Swordsmanship in the world of One Piece was simple and brutal. To Luo Ya, it boiled down to two things: the body and conviction.

The body was forged through day after day of strikes; only after ten or even decades of persistence could one glimpse the mysteries of the sword.

Conviction, on the other hand, was somewhat similar to the "I think, therefore I am" power.

In Luo Ya's view, the swordsmanship of this world was just one thing: believing in the power of belief, and trusting that the blade in one's hand could cut through anything.

This was also why the great swordsmen or powerhouses of this world could never be persuaded by others.

Entering the state of sword practice, Luo Ya had no distractions; there was only the sword in his hand.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! A continuous, rhythmic sound echoed from the wooden post.

Sword light flashed like a waterfall as Luo Ya struck the post from every angle, his movements becoming increasingly skillful and precise.

Maynard watched from the side, unable to help but nod slightly.

"A weapon comparable to a Supreme Grade sword, flame sword intent with extremely high temperatures—though his physical fitness is a bit lacking. But with this kind of diligence, he'll catch up soon. I can consider letting Luo Ya get involved."