The God Fruit (One Piece)

Jade Island

I open my dresser and take out a black tank top, lose fitting maroon pants and my black boots. I change into them and tuck my pants into my books and grab my katana, attach it to the belt of my pants, and head toward the training grounds.

Instead of walking through the dojo to get to the training grounds everyday, I talk a short cut through a garden in the complex. This way I don't have to sense people staring at me as a walk through the compound.

On my way through the garden, I stop and look into the koi pond. I see a distorted reflection of myself. My short black hair and my gold eyes stare back at me. No matter how many times I stare at myself my face always has a hard set appearance, so serious, I would say almost terrifying. I bend down and pick a smooth pebble, rub it between my fingers, and throw it into the water making my reflection disappear.

I step into the dojo. It smells dimly of sweat but mostly of the cedar incense burning. The sensei say it is to set a relaxing mood but I honestly think it is to just mask the smell.

I walk silently across the bamboo mats greeting those who pass me. Those who have been here the longest have less strained smiles on there faces but those who are newer seemed to be shocked that I am greeting them and give a shaky, scared hello then walk away with their heads down.

I slide the doors open to the back of dojo to the outside training grounds. I lightly rest my rough hand on my sword Kokushibyō. I have spend every single day, morning to night, here training since I came to this island. I breath deeply pushing forward before any memory of the past resurface.

One of my previous sensei, Gin, steps out onto the sparring field. He is an older man about 60. He is completely bald and his wrinkles are starting to deepen but by far he is the strongest man on this island. I bow and put Kokushibyō down and picked up a wooden practice sword that was carved for me to mimic the weight of my sword. I exhale and the sparring begins.

It is only about a hour until the sliding doors opens. I put my wooden sword down and pick up Kokushibyō's black hilt and reattach it to my belt. Let the games begin.

The first is a young man. He is tan with wild red hair and thick black eye brows. He is just shy of towering at seven feet tall. To add to that he is built beyond belief and stands heavy on his feet. The man is dressed is a simple blue kimono that is exposing his thick red chest hair. His white pants and black boots are peaking out of the bottom of his kimono.

He steps over to Gin and bows, "I would like to challenge you, the champion, of this dojo. I am impressed by the fact you have not lost a match in over 5 years. " Then the man's laugh booms out, "however today is the day that I take you down and become the strongest here!"

What a cocky bastard. I thought. But just like the rest of them I don't think he will last 30 seconds.

Gin smiles softly at the man, "Hohoho I am sorry to say that I am not the strongest swordsmen here. That swordsmen over there has been the strongest here for quite a long time."

The man looks over at me and stars blankly with his mouth hung open "the strongest swordsmen on Jade Island, the island known for the world's best swordsmen, is... is... is... a WOMEN!"

I stride forward and draw Kokushibyō. The onyx blade shines in the early light of day. Even though I am five feet nine inches I look down on the man glaring at him, "draw you sword or do you have too much pride to fight against the best?"

He visibly steps back. Then looks around as if to confirm that the whole thing is a joke. My eyes do not waiver. He shakes his head and scoffs at me and mutters to himself that defeating me will be easy.

He doesn't even last 20 seconds.

I am towering over him with the tip of my sword resting on his throat. The man's eyes are wide with terror and I can feel his whole body trembling beneath my blade. His eyes change over to a show an irrational anger in them, "this can't be real. You're a women. . . this has to be some kind of set up!"

He jerks his body forward thinking it would push me back, but the only thing he manages to do is to cut his own throat this my blade. I have the pleasure to watch the man squirm out from underneath holding his hand to his neck. Some of the blood seeps out through his fingers and drips on the grass staining it with his filth. He screams at me, "You bitch! You blasted demon!" He picks up his now broken sword and runs off to get medical attention.

I whip the blood off my my sword. Kokushibyō does not deserve such punishment as being covered in that scum's rotten blood.

"Arya must you be so harsh on them?" Gin says giving me a weary look.

"They should know what true swordsmanship is and to not underestimate me just because I am a woman." I put my sword in it's sheath and wait for the next challenger.

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Hi! so I know the first chapter is a lot of background but I believe without background the story will lack. So please give me a chance a read a few chapters first. At first they will be pretty short. I like to have my chapters as if they were like were scenes from a show or movie. Please bare with me and give me a shot. Thank you!