One Piece Swordsman's Heart - Chapter 20

Walking through the bustling streets of Loguetown, the morning activities brought a sense of vitality to the town. Vir was heading to a place he had never visited before—a place that didn’t match his former profession and where he likely wouldn’t be welcomed. Assassins were hardly better than pirates in the eyes of many. Yet, due to his efficient execution of missions, there were rarely any witnesses left to identify him, let alone any bounties placed on his head.

Indeed, Vir was heading to the Loguetown Marine branch to find someone. Upon arriving, he bypassed the front gate, opting instead to climb over the back wall and silently observe from the rooftops, searching for his target.

After nearly two hours, he finally spotted her: short blue hair and pink glasses—none other than Tashigi, Zoro’s unwitting look-alike.

One of his senior brother’s dying wishes was to entrust the Blood Scorpion sword to someone who truly loved swords. Strength was secondary. However, handing the sword directly to Tashigi was out of the question. Today was a reconnaissance mission to gauge her passion for swords.

Silently jumping down, Vir landed without making a sound, unnoticed by the training Tashigi. “Hey, Tashigi, can I have a word with you?” Vir called out with a smile, his first encounter with someone from the original story making him feel a bit different.

Startled, Tashigi jumped, her shoulders shaking as she exclaimed, “Who are you? How did you suddenly appear in the Marine base?”

“Oh, I’m Vir, and I live in this town. I came here specifically to find you. I’ll explain the reason later,” Vir replied, curiously watching the blue-haired girl, making her visibly uncomfortable.

“You said your name is Vir? Do you live in Loguetown? The Blade of Carnage, Vir? You dare show up at the Marine base!” Tashigi’s face turned pale as she slowly backed away, ready to call for help at any moment.

“Hehehe, you’ve got the wrong person. Blade of Carnage? What a ridiculous name. Relax, I just want to talk for a bit, and then I’ll leave,” Vir said, trying to deceive the seemingly not-so-bright Tashigi from the original story.

“You think I’m a child you can fool? Surrender now! Do you know how many people you’ve killed? I’ve seen the aftermath. It was like hell!” Tashigi, her eyes shifting to Vir’s twin swords, spoke with determination.

“I said I’m not him, so just believe me. Don’t force me to kill anyone. I’m in a really bad mood right now. Even if that smoke guy shows up, he can’t stop me from killing,” Vir coldly threatened, finding amusement in scaring this character from the original story.

Looking at the man with short hair and a black coat, Tashigi felt her legs weaken as she remembered the gruesome scenes she had seen after Vir’s missions. Unsure of what to do, she trembled in fear.

Seeing Tashigi sufficiently scared, Vir untied the Blood Scorpion from his back. The previously frightened Tashigi, upon seeing the sword, took out a small notebook and began flipping through it.

“The Blood Scorpion, one of the Fifty Skillful Grade Swords. Isn’t this the sword of the Blood Rose? Did you kill her?” Tashigi asked, her fear dissipating as she identified the blade.

“Oh, you recognize it. Blood Rose? What kind of nickname is that? Do you want this sword? How about taking it from me? If you don’t, I’ll just sell it for a good price. After all, it’s a Skillful Grade Sword,” Vir tested Tashigi’s resolve.

To his surprise, the seemingly naive, near-sighted girl drew her sword, Shigure, with a determined expression. “I will not let such a famous sword fall into the hands of someone like you. Swords have souls; they aren’t commodities. I can hear your sword crying,” she declared, advancing towards Vir.

Seeing this girl suddenly transform into a fierce lioness, Vir knew he had made the right choice. Though not strong, she had the spirit to protect a sword with her life. Activating his “Lightning Mode,” Vir moved behind Tashigi before she could react and flicked her forehead.

Tears welled up in Tashigi’s eyes from the pain, but she forced herself to stay composed, not wanting to lose her dignity in a fight. “Does your brain not work? Charging at an unbeatable opponent? How have you survived this long?” Vir scolded her. “Learn about this cruel world, and I hope you keep that pure heart. This sword is yours. Take care of it and become stronger. For now, you wouldn’t even survive the first half of the Grand Line, let alone the New World,” he said, tossing her the sword.

As Vir turned to leave, Tashigi, holding the Blood Scorpion, was confused and shouted, “What’s your real goal? You’re a criminal, an assassin!”

Finding her reaction amusing, Vir replied, “You’ll figure it out eventually. For now, take care of that sword,” and prepared to leave.

“Wait! You can’t leave. You’re a wanted man!” Tashigi blocked his path, unsure of Vir’s intentions but remembering his crimes.

Seeing her determination, Vir decided to teach her a lesson. Activating “Lightning Mode” again, he crossed his swords and stared at her, emitting a menacing aura cultivated from years of killing. Tashigi felt as if she was facing a demon from hell, her legs trembling, but she still held her sword tightly.

With his swords pointed down, Vir whispered, “Secret Sword: Swallow Return,” and unleashed his ultimate move. Tashigi, seeing the intersecting blue and purple sword auras, felt hopeless and passed out.

The Swallow Return attack didn’t hit her, only cutting a few strands of her hair. Instead, it destroyed a large portion of the Marine base, splitting several buildings. By the time Smoker arrived, he had found a devastated base and an unconscious Tashigi clutching the Blood Scorpion.

Meanwhile, Vir had already set sail on his small ship, heading toward a place he had always dreamed of visiting: the floating restaurant Baratie, a haven for food lovers in the East Blue.

He hoped to see Luffy and his future crewmates, especially Zoro, the future owner of the sword his master had wished to entrust. Even though he didn’t know the exact timeline, he was eager for the adventure and, most importantly, the delicious food Chef Zeff and Sanji prepared.

Thinking of the culinary delights, Vir quickened his ship’s pace, his heart filled with anticipation.

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