Ayane could tell that Matsurize was still puzzled, likely wondering why her family's ancestral martial art had developed into such an unusual style. She gently patted his head, urging him not to worry and to listen as she continued explaining.
"I can see you're curious about why this martial art looks so strange now. But before I go on, how about you tell me what you thought while watching me practice?"
Matsurize replayed the memory of Ayane's movements in his mind, almost as if he was watching a film. This strange ability, which allowed him to remember every detail vividly, had only surfaced after he lost his memory. Even before his amnesia, he might not have realized he possessed such a gift, possibly because this ability was the result of his soul merging with that of the original Matsurize. The combined power of their souls had enhanced his intelligence, memory, and perception.
Interestingly, this talent hadn't shown itself during his earlier time in the dense forest. It was only after he fell into the river and lost his memory that this new potential emerged, washing away the usual downsides of soul-merging while unlocking a new gift.
As Matsurize reviewed Ayane's moves, he realized that her martial art seemed particularly well-suited for fighting small, four-legged creatures, rather than human opponents. He couldn't quite put his finger on what exactly those creatures were, mainly due to his lack of experience. If his memory were intact, he might have recognized the connection immediately.
Matsurize shared his thoughts with Ayane, who smiled and patted his head again.
"Not bad, Little Ze. You've got a good eye. I certainly wasn't that sharp when I started learning."
Matsurize beamed with pride, enjoying Ayane's affectionate gesture. Even though his intelligence had returned, he still liked the way she treated him, as if he were a cherished younger brother.
"Little Yin, you're a good teacher. But who taught you this martial art back then?"
The question slipped out before Matsurize even realized it, but the moment he mentioned it, Ayane's smile faded, and her hand withdrew from his head. She fell silent, her cheerful expression gone.
Matsurize, unsure of what he had said wrong, chose not to press further. He didn't know that Ayane's sudden change in mood was due to the painful memories his question had triggered. Her father, who had abandoned the family to sail the seas, had been the one to teach her this martial art. She resented him deeply, blaming him for all the tragedies that followed his departure—most of all, the death of her mother.
Matsurize's innocent question had opened a door to the very memories Ayane tried hardest to avoid. Though she wasn't upset with him, she needed a moment to regain her composure. Thankfully, Matsurize sensed this and respectfully gave her the space she needed, sitting quietly without a word, allowing Ayane to feel as if she were alone again.
In that peaceful silence, Ayane quickly calmed herself. She looked back at Matsurize, marveling at how well they got along, despite having known each other for less than a day. Even including the time he was unconscious, they hadn't spent more than two days together. Yet, it felt as though they had an old connection, as if they had known each other in a previous life. Their bond was natural, and Matsurize seemed to complement her perfectly.
Ayane finally broke the silence, gently patting Matsurize on the head once more.
"Shall I continue the story?" she asked softly, afraid that her earlier reaction might have discouraged him from learning.
"Yes," Matsurize replied, his answer short but meaningful, as always.
That single word was enough to make Ayane smile again. She continued explaining.
"My family's martial art developed further over time, becoming stronger with each generation. One of our ancestors even became a well-known martial arts master, just from practicing this style. That should give you an idea of how powerful it is, even in its early stages. But the key to its evolution into what it is today lies in a rare and precious treasure that one of my ancestors discovered."
Ayane paused for effect before continuing.
"With this rare treasure, they crafted a katana so strong that its hardness rivals even the blades ranked among the Twenty-One Great Grade Swords. The treasure responsible for this incredible weapon might be something you've seen before."
Matsurize was confused—if he had seen something so valuable, surely he would have remembered. He tilted his head in puzzlement.
"I mean, you might have seen it before you lost your memory," Ayane clarified. "I found you washed up on the riverbank near our village, and that river flows downstream from where this treasure is located. It's possible you encountered danger near the treasure and ended up falling into the river, which carried you here."
Matsurize focused hard, trying to recall anything, but strangely, he felt no pain this time. Though he couldn't remember anything about the treasure, the fact that there was no headache confirmed that this wasn't tied to his erased memories. What he didn't know, however, was that he had never seen the river before falling into it—he had been unconscious, and only rolled into the river by accident.
Seeing him struggle, Ayane quickly patted his head again, reassuring him not to overthink it.
"Alright, let's leave that aside for now. What I need to tell you next is a bit of geography. So listen carefully, Little Ze."
Matsurize nodded, indicating he was ready to absorb the information.
"They say that this island we live on used to belong to Wano Country," she began. "But you probably don't know about Wano, so I'll explain that another time. Anyway, because Wano closed its borders, they abandoned this place, leaving us isolated. Our home is an island. You know what an island is, right?"
Matsurize nodded again. Despite his amnesia, basic concepts like that were clear to him now.
Ayane continued, "This island is quite large, but the only human settlement is Shipwreck Port. The rest of the island is wild, filled with dangerous beasts. Long ago, this place was called Swordsmith Island because of the skilled blacksmiths who lived here. But after Wano gave up on us, we started calling it Shipwreck Port instead."
She kept talking, veering slightly off-topic as she shared the island's history and the origins of its name. Matsurize, though, didn't mind at all. He had grown used to Ayane's way of explaining things, and he listened with rapt attention, eager to learn all she had to offer.