Blaming myself.
If only I hadn’t been so reckless…
Ace kept trying to cheer me up. He wasn’t good at it—but it didn’t matter. I appreciated the effort.
“Hey, kid, I’m sick of seeing you like this,” Kurama said. Her voice carried equal parts worry and irritation. “What happened to the boy who trained every night until he passed out?”
I had no answer. She was right, but I couldn’t see it then.
“Can you just leave me alone? I don’t need you hovering like Ace,” I muttered, annoyed.
She only smirked and walked beside me, knowing exactly what she was doing.
“Come on, kid. Tell me what you’re feeling. Let it out. Trust me—I know what it’s like.”
Her tone was light, but something heavy lingered behind her words.
“What would you know?” I snapped.
She flinched, then frowned. “I had to seal away eight of my siblings not long ago. That’s why Garp and I were gone for so long. We had to deal with them.”
Her voice cracked. “So no—I don’t know what it’s like to think you caused your brothers’ deaths… but I might’ve done something even worse to mine.”
Tears welled in her eyes. I’d never seen her cry. And knowing I caused it made me feel like trash.
“I’m… sorry,” I muttered. “Can I ask why?”
It wasn’t the best segue, but I needed to know. Something about her story didn’t sit right with me.
She sighed.
“Alright, short version: my siblings were consumed by hatred. They wanted to destroy the World Government—and to do that, they planned to wipe out the Tenryuubito.”
Her fists tightened, nails digging into the dirt.
“I don’t blame them for hating those so-called gods,” I said quietly. “Their hatred seems justified.”
“It is,” she admitted. “I hate them more than they ever did. But I know my limits. If the World Government fell overnight, the world would drown in chaos. More people would die than be saved. But my siblings didn’t care. They never cared about humans at all.”
A pause. “Why would they? We lived almost as long as dragons.”
I blinked. “Wait… you’re immortal?”
The words slipped out. She just smiled.
“I used to be. But now I’m as mortal as anyone else.”
“How?”
“Simple. Tailed beasts are made of chakra. The Sage of Six Paths created us with bodies that could choose mortality if we wished. And I chose it.”
That only raised a dozen more questions. She laughed.
“You always want to know more.”
“Of course I do! Why keep your past such a secret?”
She smirked. “Because it’s a secret.”
A small laugh escaped me—thin and tired, but real. Strange how something so small could hurt and comfort at the same time.
That moment of peace didn’t last.
Because the Great Goa Disaster began right then.
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
A knife shot toward my head—Kurama blocked it with a snarl. She stepped between me and the bushes as a man emerged.
Later, I learned who he really was: a Sword Admiral.
Kurama spoke fast, explaining the world’s strength system—unlike Marine ranks, this one was purely based on power: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Saint, King, Emperor, God.
And among swordsmen, three dominant styles existed:
- Sword God Style
- Water God Style
- North God Style
- Water God Style
The Sword Admiral before us practiced the North God Style.
My mother’s variation of that style flashed in my mind—misdirection, feints, striking from unexpected angles. Some debated whether it was a “real” style. But it worked.
“This might seem like useless info,” Kurama said, “but if you’re my crew, you need to know how I fight. I’m only Advanced rank at best. Still far from God-rank.”
I later learned he’d come from the New World—hence the weeks it took to reach me. How did they identify me as the Celestial Dragon killer?
Still a mystery.
He stepped into the clearing: black spiky hair, a tan complexion, leather armor that didn’t belong anywhere near Goa. Ten swords hung across his back—nine ordinary, one massive and golden, humming with presence. A large scroll was strapped beside them.
“Remember that scroll,” he later said with a smirk. “You’ll learn why.”
Kurama groaned. “You again.”
“Aww, you didn’t tell him about me?” he teased. “Your greatest rival? That hurts.”
He glanced at me. “Then again, seems you haven’t told him much, judging by that confused look.”
The air shifted—heavy, old, threaded with unspoken history. I realized how little I actually knew about Kurama’s past.
She noticed. For once, she looked like she might actually explain.
“This man,” she said quietly, “was my rival. From my pirate days.”
“So… you were really an experienced pirate? A top one?”
Before she answered, the Admiral cut in with a grin.
“Oh, she was more than ‘experienced.’”
He pulled out a worn bounty poster. My breath caught.
Kurama the Berserker Fox
Bounty: 2,999,999
Status: DEAD ONLY
No “Dead or Alive.”
Just Dead
“Holy shit,” I whispered. “That’s insane.”
He laughed. “Of course. She was the right hand of a Yonko—the first commander of the entire fleet.”
Kurama tensed. “Yes. And I left that life behind. You know I would never harm innocent people. So why are you here? My location isn’t a secret—you could’ve come anytime.”
“I’m not here for you,” he said. “I’m here for the boy.
He committed a taboo crime—one even you, Kurama, seem oblivious to. But you’re smart. You’ll figure it out.”
Her eyes widened.
“You fool,” she growled, grabbing me by the collar. “You killed a Celestial Dragon?! Why?!”
Fear locked my throat. For a moment, I thought she’d kill me herself. Instead, she threw me aside and forced herself to breathe.
“We’ll talk later.”
The Admiral smirked. “Let’s take this somewhere private.”
He unrolled a scroll.
“Teleportation Magic—Warp Gate!”
A portal opened beneath us.
We landed in a clearing.
Kurama’s gauntlets formed around her arms—armored claws with glowing seals. Her armor shimmered with battle-ready precision.
Before I could absorb it, they clashed.
Too fast.
Too violent.
Too unreal.
A sword flew toward me—I barely dodged and countered with Fox Slayer. One Marine fell—but dozens more poured in behind him, led by a Sergeant.
“Kill the Celestial Dragon Slayer!”
Were they really willing to die for a monster like that?
Fine.
Then they would.
But even with everything I had, I couldn’t take forty alone.
Thirty-nine, now.
I was being overwhelmed—six swords aimed for my chest—when:
“Here!”
Something flew through the air. I kicked upward, grabbed it—
A pipe.
Ace stood behind me, swinging another pipe into a Marine’s skull. The Mountain Bandits charged in behind him.
Then I realized:
This wasn’t just any pipe.
It was Sabo’s.
What was the point of my dream if I couldn’t share it with the people I loved?
Luffy gone.
Sabo gone.
Our brotherhood was shattered.
And I was still here.
The pipe weighed heavily in my hand—warm, familiar, like Sabo’s fingerprints were still on it. Luffy’s hat brushed against my back, tied securely across my chest.
Both gone.
But their dreams weren’t.
My grip tightened.
I already knew my answer.
Time slowed.
My breath shook—but I didn’t cry. Not anymore.
Luffy’s dream had always been simple: to become Pirate King.
Mine had been vague.
Childish.
But now?
I carried two dreams
If Luffy couldn’t become Pirate King, then I would.
Not for glory—
But for freedom.
And Sabo… he only ever wanted to live freely.
So I would live freely for him—
And guard the freedom of others.
That was the moment everything changed.
A Marine crashed through the trees, roaring, “You damn slayer—TAKE THIS!”
His blade came down—fast, powerful.
My arm moved on instinct.
Sabo’s pipe blocked the strike.
In that instant, something clicked.
I had finally completed my mother’s style.
It required two blades—
But no one said they had to be swords.
Sabo’s pipe was perfect.
A staff.
A second fang.
The Marine stared at me, stunned.
His hesitation was fatal.
Fox Slayer flashed once—
one step, one arc—
And he fell into two silent halves.
As his blood hit the dirt, I looked toward Ace. Toward the bandits. Toward the fight.
I flicked the crimson blade clean.
“Luffy.
Sabo.”
My voice no longer shook.
“I’ll fulfill your dreams. And I’ll make sure no one else suffers as you did.”
Then I charged into the battlefield—not a boy, but a fox baring its fangs.
Sword Art Online light novels (finally!), and I’ve finished the Phantom Bullet arc (volumes 3–4). I absolutely loved Phantom Bullet and the world of Gun Gale Online. I haven’t started the alternative series yet, though I did watch the anime adaptation and enjoyed it a lot.
SAO was published, you probably understand why. Volume eight works more like a prequel, and since I prefer reading things in chronological order, I went with that first. I’m really excited to read volume seven, though, since it covers my favorite arc from the anime. I love how it tackles a very sensitive topic, and I’m curious (and slightly terrified) to see how the light novel handles it.
Fun Fact #2.
Chapter One: The Fallen to the Sea and Entry One of the Diary, and I think it works really well.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, where a character’s design often reflects their personality or past. It’s one of my favorite ways to foreshadow.