The moon hung over Cocoyasi Village like a silver crown, its light dancing over rooftops and waves alike. For the first time in years, the sea breeze carried laughter instead of fear.
Lanterns glowed along the streets—red, orange, gold—spilling warm color on faces that once knew only despair.
The townsfolk filled the open square before Genzo's house, drums pounding like the heartbeat of the island.
Kids ran barefoot, waving paper fish on sticks, their voices high and bright. The air smelled of roasted fish, sweet sake, and salt.
At the center, Nami stood with her friends—Ash, Zoro,and Medusa—surrounded by cheers.
The crowd surged around them like waves reuniting with the shore.
"Everyone! Raise your glasses!"
Genzo shouted,
Standing on a wooden barrel, his eyes glistening though he tried to hide it beneath his trademark stern face.
"To our freedom! To the crew that broke Arlong's grip!"
A thousand mugs clanked together. The flicker of torches caught Nami's orange hair, making it glimmer like flame. She smiled—an unguarded, radiant smile that made even the wind pause.
From the crowd, Nojiko approached, handing her sister a cup of sake.
"You finally did it… after all these years,"
she whispered.Nami's voice trembled with a quiet laugh.
"No, we did it. All of us."
In one corner, a group of fishermen sat cross-legged around a bonfire.
"Did you see how that grim reaper threw Arlong straight through the building?"
One said, slapping his knee.
"I thought the tower would collapse on all of us!"
Another laughed, tearing into a skewer of grilled squid.
"And yet,"
An old woman added, her weathered hands feeding the fire,
"not a single stone fell the wrong way. That's the will of the sea, protecting its own."
Elsewhere, a young boy carried a stick far too big for him, and waved it with poor imitation of sword swings. He tugged at a friend's sleeve.
"When I grow up, I'll be like grim reaper ! I'll sail the world!"
His friend pouted.
"Then who'll stay and protect the village?"
The boy grinned.
"You will! You can be my first mate!"
Music swelled—flutes, drums. Villagers began to dance, linking arms, their steps half-stumbling, half-joyful.
Even Zoro, mug in hand, cracked a faint grin before collapsing backward on a sake jar, already half-asleep.
Medusa was surrounded by children, little girls and boys with twinkling stars in their eyes-
" You are so beautiful onee san ! " A girl said with awe , looking at the etheral beauty of Medusa.
Another little boy chimmed in - " You beat those guys with your weapon - it seemed so heavy,yet you were so fast ! So cool ."
"You mean Ash onii san did that!" a girl cried out, competitive for her idol.
Medusa giggled softly but said nothing.
As the children laughed uncontrollably. The night deepened, the laughter softened into something sacred. Fireflies drifted near the shore, flickering like tiny spirits.
Nami and Nojiko stood overlooking the sea where Arlong Park once stood. Only broken walls remained—silent, harmless ruins.
"No chains left,"
Nami murmured.
Nojiko nodded.
"Just new horizons."
From the square below, Ash's voice rang out in the night.
"Nami! Come on! The party's not over yet!"
She laughed—bright, unshaken, alive—and ran back toward the light of her new beginning.
Above them all, the moon watched in quiet approval, its reflection rippling in the waves that once carried their fear—and now carried their freedom.
.
.
At night when everybody fell asleep, someone was awake sitting on a roof of house with no one around him- Ash , was watching the moon, and it's calm,cold light which was being reflected by the distant sea.
Ding.
A soft hum of systems notification cut through Ash's self proclaimed Aura farming moment.
[ (°~°) Heh- alright ,alright, My bad .let's continue.] A/N.
.
_____________________
System notification:
Hidden quest : defeat arlong .
Time limit : 2 years.
Status : completed.
Penalty: Will lose nami as a crew member.
Reward : 1 of 21 great grade swords ->Mikazuki Munechika .
______________________
Ash stilled , not expecting a mission and a reward at that .
"Fuu- let's calm down and see what the system gave me ."
With a flick of his hand a blade appeared in his hand with a description in shimmering translucent system like screen.
Mikazuki Munechika, the 21st great grade sword, stands as the dawn-made steel in the pantheon of blades.Forged in the quiet furnace of myth and tempered by the sighs of old cranes, this tachi bears a sheen that drinks the light rather than reflect it.
Ash drew tha sword he saw the masterpiece, he noticed that-its sira-plate gleamed like a moonlit lake, and the hamon traced a delicate, frost-edged carving across the blade, as if the blade itself breathed frost—each pulse a breath of winter's memory.
The nakago was wrapped in river-dark steel, etched with runes of protection and edge, and the fittings gleamed with a quiet ancestral pride.
As he continued reading the runes from the translucent screen, he saw written that-
When the Mikazuki is drawn, the air steels a breath; the world narrows to the edge that thirsts for justice and the hand that wills it. The kiss of the blade upon steel is a note in a celestial song, a vibration that hums through the wielder's bones.
Legends speak of the blade's affinity with the moonlit tide. On nights when the sea wears a pale halo, Mikazuki resonates with a soft, cerulean glow, as if a liquid star slept within the blade.
It rewards patience and punishes hesitation, drawing forth a whisper of wind that accompanies each swing—a precursor to the blade's true voice.
To witness Mikazuki is to glimpse history folded into the grain: marks from countless battles, glimpses of forgotten realms, and the quiet sorrow of those who bore it before.
It is said that the sword remembers the promises of its first master and grants a steady, unwavering judgment to those who prove worthy !
The wielder who aligns their breath with the blade's cadence finds themselves moving not by feet alone but by the rhythm of centuries.
Mikazuki Munechika is a myth made steel—a guardian of oaths, a shard of moonlight in iron. A blade that does not merely cut but clarifies, revealing truth beneath illusion and separating courage from vanity with the cold, pristine edge of dawn.
Ash exhaled as he read the last of the lines as the runes fadded in thin air-
"Well damn.... Isn't my luck great ? What do you think .-Mikazuki ."
He gazed at the tachi under the moonlight, the blade was cold and ancient, carrying the legends of centuries within it.
The sword hummed - slow ,almost invisible but ash noticed it. It seemed like the sword was finally breathing after decades of resting.
He spoke voice low almost whispering in the quiet night-
"We have to carve out our names on these- vast and grand seas you know, we have to reach and stand on top- so high, that even the world should feel small under us ."
The sword suddenly felt cold as if testing the resolve behind Ash's words .
However Ash just smiled and released a bit of his conqueror's Haki, focused on Mikazuki.
Under the effect of Ash's conqueror Haki and his unwavering will , The pristine tachi Hummed , then slowly the swords temperature came down to a normal cold steel. It was still cold but not rejecting.
Ash grinned-
" Heh, .....we get along just fine eh ?"
The sword hummed softly,as if scoffing on Ash's words.
" Now , now .....come on . Don't be so cold ..... Daddy will make sure to take good care of you."
This time the sword didn't responded - not even a little.However ash continued his foolish behaviour -
" My...myy,... shy little thing are we , hahaha- how cute ,.....well that's fine too. We can develop our relationship slowly."
"Now for the next part-"
He murmured softly.
"Status"
______________________
Status :-
Name : Ashborn
Title : Grim reaper
Title effect : Opponent feels insecure and doubtful about their techniques and skills while fighting you. [Your name carries fear and respect.]
Age : 18 [+17]
Height : 188 cm
Character Template : Archer
Template progress : 100%
Observation Haki : Unawakened
Armament Haki : Unawakened
Conqueror's Haki : Awakened
Conqueror's Mastery : Adept
_
Skills :-
Basic swordsmanship : Expert.
Water Breathing sword style : 100% mastery
Rokushiki [navy six styles] : -
Geppou : 0% mastered
Tekkai : 0% mastered
Shigen : 0% mastered
Rankyaku : 0% mastered
Soru : 0% mastered
Kami-e : 0% mastered
_
Life bound members : 1 [Medusa(rider)].
_
Weapons : 1
Mikazuki Munechika ( 1 of 21 great grade swords).
_
Main Quest 1 : Assemble the crew of legends.
Progress : ????
Reward : ????
Penalty : ????
Main Quest 2 : Became a legend and Carve your name in the world.
Progress : ????
Reward : ????
Penalty : Death [ even your soul will die].
_
Crew members :-
Zoro [first mate & vice captain] :
Loyalty = 100%
Medusa [ sword of Ashborn ] :
Loyalty = 100%
_
Potential crew member : Nami [ navigator] ?
Loyalty=????
_
Overall strength : pirate captain amounting bounty of 300 million berries.
Current Body condition : Thriving !
_
-> You can conquer first half of grand line and sail the second half with minor setbacks.
__________________________
A smile graced Ash's lips as he whispered to himself-
" Well , aren't I awesome ?"
And so the night passed quietly with everyone sleeping tired , and ash making his narcissist ego bigger then it already was.
.
.
______To be continued ________