Phantom Blade Zephyr: One Piece

I turned 16 today. It's hard to believe how far I've come. I've learned everything I can from this island. The shortswords I once trained with are a thing of the past. Over the years, I experimented with different kinds of swords, but in the end, I chose the standard katana. My father gave me one on my 10th birthday. It's nothing special—definitely not one of the Meitos—but it's sturdy, simple, and crafted with care by our local blacksmith. It's enough for the current me.

Oh, and I have a little sister now. With her shiny black hair and bright blue eyes, she's the spitting image of our mother—when she's not being a total troublemaker, that is. I've lost count of how many times she's tried to steal my sword. She's a handful, but I love that little devil more than I can put into words. Leaving her behind... that's going to be the hardest part.

Honestly, leaving all of them is. I've been blessed with so much love in this world. My parents, my sister, the villagers—they've all supported me unconditionally, asking for nothing in return. I know I can never repay them, not in this lifetime. But I'll carry them with me always, in my heart, no matter where this journey takes me.

I know I'm strong. Strong enough to defeat an ex-Marine captain, at least. But the world of "One Piece" is vast, and there's still so much I don't know. I didn't love the show just for its legendary swordsmen like Dracule Mihawk or Kozuki Oden; I loved it for its rich, mysterious world, full of hidden truths; secrets just waiting to be uncovered. I won't pretend I can discover them all on my own—that's not my goal. My only ambition is to learn everything I can about the way of the sword. And if I die trying, so be it.

But lately, something's been bothering me. In my past life, I barely got a start, so my ambitions were simple. Find a good dojo and try to be a master swordsman. Here, I've already achieved more than I ever could've imagined. And now, for the first time, I can't clearly picture the end of my journey. I don't know where this path will lead, and sometimes it feels like my ambition is starting to waver.

Still, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that the journey itself will show me the way. So, I'll lock away these doubts and keep moving forward. I'll find my path in time.

I had already told my family about my decision to leave, but when the moment finally came, it was harder than I initially thought. My eyes stung with unshed tears as I felt my mother's arms wrap around me in a tight embrace. She smiled through her own tears and whispered in my ear, her voice soft but full of warmth.

"Don't cry, Zephyr. This isn't goodbye. It's a promise—to meet again when you've achieved your dream. Go to the sea, and live the life you want to live."

Her words washed over me, and with them, I found the strength to steel my resolve. I forced a smile, one full of determination and love, as I looked at my family one last time. Then, with a heart full of hope and a burning desire to chase my dream, I took my first steps towards the sea—the start of my true journey in the vast, untamed world of "One Piece".