At first light, I bounced out of bed. Mom had breakfast ready; I wolfed it down and grabbed my things.
"Karl, be home early today, all right? It's your birthday—and invite Darren over," Mom called after me.
"Got it, Mom!" I sprinted next door and banged on the door. "Uncle Darren, wake uuup!"
"I've been up, you brat. Let's go—we're training on the far side of town today."
He slung a blade over his shoulder—a tachi a little over a meter long. The way he carried it had real presence. He must have been handsome when he was young.
…Not as handsome as me though. Heh.
"What are you grinning at? Keep up!"
We reached a small plain at the edge of town. Darren jabbed a thumb at the field. "Run laps. Tell me when you genuinely can't run anymore."
"On it!"
I circled the field again and again until my clothes were soaked through and my throat felt like it was smoking.
"Uncle Darren… can't… run," I wheezed, hands on my knees.
He handed me his tachi. "Hold this. Quiet your mind and feel it. When your heart settles, swing. Don't stop until I say so."
"Okay!"
I closed my eyes and listened—to breath, to heartbeat, to the weight of steel in my palms.
"Steady your breathing. Slow your heart. Let your thoughts quiet," Darren murmured.
When the stillness finally settled, I cut forward.
"Good. Just like that. Keep going."
I sank into the rhythm: calm the mind, swing the blade; calm, swing; again and again. Fatigue and noise fell away. There was only the moment a cut tore the air and the slim sound of it parting.
I don't know how long passed before Darren called out, "Stop."
The world rushed back. My head swam, my arms didn't feel like mine. I flopped onto my back, gulping air.
"How did it feel?" he asked.
"At first—exhausting. Then… the surroundings faded. Like everything else disappeared."
"Not bad. To reach the top, the first step is to feel the sword's breath—treat it as part of your body. Only then will it obey and move as one with you."
He lifted his blade. From a high guard, he traced a single downward arc.
A flying slash screamed out—and carved a trench hundreds of meters long into the sea.
I bolted upright. "Holy—! That's a Great Swordsman?! That's insane! I have to learn that!"
"Gah-hahaha! That's the flying slash of a Great Swordsman," Darren said, sheathing the blade. "That's enough for today. We'll continue tomorrow. Come on—home."
"Right! And, uh—today's my birthday. Mom told me to bring you over for dinner!"
We headed back as the sun dipped, gilding the far-off waves. Beautiful.
Mom had dinner laid out when we arrived, and Dad lugged in several bottles of rum.
"Darren, it's been ages since we drank. Tonight I'm putting you under the table! Hahaha!"
"Gah-hahaha! Berg, your tolerance is still miles behind mine. Good luck trying!"
"Eat first, then drink! And cake after." Mom disappeared into the kitchen, then returned beaming. "Karl, I made an apple-and-cream cake for my birthday boy!"
"Whoa—thanks, Mom! I want the biggest slice!"
"Candles first—then make a wish."
"Okay!" I pressed my palms together and closed my eyes. I wish for Mom and Dad's good health… for Sis to be safe… and for Uncle Darren to stay healthy too.
"I'm done!" I blew out the candles, and everyone clapped.
"My Karl is eight," Mom said, eyes shining. "Happy birthday, sweetheart. Grow up strong and healthy. Dig in—cake time!"
"Alright! Biggest slice is mine!" I attacked the cake without mercy. Mom and Dad dug in; Uncle Darren poured rum. The grown-ups clinked glasses while I toasted with cola. Just like that, my eighth birthday slid by, warm and bright.
A life like this isn't bad, I thought, watching them laugh. Even if this is the One Piece world, we're in the Calm Belt, far from the Grand Line. That distance buys us peace.
After dinner, Dad was drunk and Darren a bit tipsy. I helped Mom tidy up, then waited until the house settled.
When the snoring started, I slipped out. Time to train my Devil Fruit.
In the forest's dark, I shifted into full beast and soared to the Holy Mountain. On the summit, I sat cross-legged in human-beast form, closed my eyes, and listened—to wind and leaf, to the faintest pulse of life. Bì'àn sees through hearts, discerns right from wrong—this felt like a special kind of Observation Haki.
So I split my time: learn the fruit, temper my senses. I trained until the first gray of dawn, then snuck home to sleep.
Days blurred. Training stacked upon training. Five years passed.
I shot up to about 1.8 meters—finally looking like a proper young man.
On the coast, Darren stood beside me. "Karl, feel the breath of everything around you. Quiet down. Only when you catch their rhythm can your sword path break through."
Years of grinding finally clicked. The world stilled. I swung.
A pale red flying slash cut free and raced ahead.
"I did it! I finally sent out a flying slash! Uncle Darren—hahahaha—I've reached the Swordmaster level!"
Back when I watched One Piece, I'd dreamed of launching a slash like Hawkeye Mihawk's. Now I'd done it. The rush was unreal.
"Gah-hahaha! Not bad, Karl. Your talent's the real deal. Give it time and you'll reach Great Swordsman. With a Mythical Zoan on top of that—you'll have your place on the seas."
"Haha… my body's still behind, though. Sparring with you yesterday hurt."
"That's why you keep building your physique. Once your body's there, Armament Haki will come easier. All right, that's it for today. Head back."
"I will." I hung my blade at my hip and started toward town.
Darren had commissioned it for me on a voyage—a custom katana recognized as one of the twenty-one Great Grade blades, the Ō Wazamono.
We passed the tavern. Darren clapped my shoulder. "From tomorrow, you can train on your own. I've taught you everything I know. The rest is up to you."
He ducked inside humming, clearly in a good mood.
"Yes, Uncle Darren. Thank you for these years." I bowed. I was in a good mood too—couldn't help it.
Back home, Mom wasn't in yet. I racked the sword and started cooking dinner. "What a mood, what a mood—la-la-la—"
Half an hour later, my parents came in.
"Karl, why are you home so early?"
"Mom, I graduated today! I reached Swordmaster level. Uncle Darren says I can train solo starting tomorrow."
"Really? My Karl is amazing—but keep working hard. No getting cocky."
"I know. Dad, I'm going hunting tomorrow. I want to earn a little and train my abilities at the same time."
"You can—but don't go deep into the forest. Stay near the edge. There's plenty of game there."
"Got it. Dinner's ready—beef curry rice! My specialty."
What they didn't know was that I'd been training at the Holy Mountain every night for years. The forest depths were practically my second home.
Mom sniffed the air and laughed. "Smells wonderful. Our Karl's tall, handsome, and a great cook. Whoever marries you someday will be lucky."
"Mom, I'm only thirteen! Marriage is a bit early…"
"All right, all right—eat. Berg! Dinner!"
We ate together, warm and easy. Not quite complete, though—still missing Sis, Rouge. Sis, wait for me.
After a bath, I flopped onto the bed. "So comfy." It had been a long time since I'd turned in this early. Most nights I trained until past midnight.
I slept through to dawn. After breakfast, I belted on my sword and headed for the woods. On the path, I ran into Uncles Ed and Ian.
"Morning, Uncles! Heading out to hunt too?"
"Yeah," Ed said. "We sail in a few days—stocking up on meat. You going into the forest, Karl?"
"Yes. Uncle Darren says I've graduated and can train on my own now. I've already cleared it with Mom and Dad."
"Remember—don't go too deep," Ian warned. "There are some huge beasts in there."
"I know. I'll stay near the edge."
We entered together, then split up beneath the trees.
For today, I had a plan: no transformations. I'd fight the forest's predators with my own body.
Only that way could I harden my frame and sharpen my combat instincts.
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