"Did you hear? The Zhuo family has started changing. They no longer practice the Way of the Blade; instead, they've begun cultivating the Sword Way!"
"Isn't that right? Ever since the powerful warriors from another continent defeated our strongest fighters, they've taken control of our land. Naturally, they've been promoting their culture. I heard that a young member of the Zhuo family was found to have a Sword Soul, and they had no choice but to adopt the Sword Way. Now, those who still practice the Way of the Blade are either insane or extremely powerful, but even the strongest in the Zhuo family are only at Level Four. That's still too weak."
"I really hope someone can uphold our Blade Way. After all, it's the tradition of our continent!"
"Are you all crazy? Our land is under foreign rule now. If they hear us, we'll be punished. It's their business, not ours!"
In the streets, people were talking in hushed tones, clearly anxious, as though there were some kind of taboo. This all stemmed from a war a year ago—a war between the Blade and Sword factions. The Blade faction, to which they belonged, lost to the foreign Sword faction.
This led directly to their subjugation, and the Blade became a forbidden practice. There had once been many people in their land who wielded blades, though there were also some swordsmen. However, blades were more common, and many who practiced the Blade Way were quite powerful, with the blade itself becoming a symbol of strength. But now, owning a blade meant you were seen as a rebel, and rebels were killed.
As a result, many people began to practice the Sword Way, though it felt unnatural to them.
The Zhuo family, a prominent clan in the southern part of the continent, was based in a very backward, remote region. There was nothing particularly special about the area, yet people from the Sword faction had infiltrated and established a base here to help control the region more effectively.
A level ten swordsman was stationed here, ensuring minimal opposition. This swordsman was extraordinarily powerful—his swordsmanship could supposedly split mountains, an ability beyond that of ordinary humans. The region he governed was a remote one, with no significant challenges to his power.
Recently, a child with a Sword Soul was discovered. Though still young, the child had already reached level ten, and with proper training, he could control his powers. This child turned out to be from the Zhuo family.
As soon as such a person was discovered, the level ten swordsman took him away. Such a person could not belong to the Blade faction; they could only become a part of the Sword faction.
Thus, the Zhuo family's last hope was lost, and they had no choice but to adopt the Sword Way. This was a sad, inescapable reality.
Zhuo Luo emerged from the deep mountain forest. He wasn't sure what had happened, but he felt a strange sense of familiarity. He had been wandering aimlessly, but somehow ended up in a populated area. Either the population was large, or he simply hadn't gotten lost.
Walking through the streets, he noticed many people giving him odd looks. It seemed like they saw him as someone different, but he didn't care. His only concern was to find someone who could explain the situation to him. However, it seemed like he couldn't understand what they were saying.
"What are these people talking about? I can't understand a word! And why does it feel like there are some really strong people around here? I don't know the situation yet, so I should be careful."
He could sense something was off, but couldn't pinpoint what exactly. Nonetheless, he wasn't one to be constrained by others, and he wasn't bothered. He was used to being alone.
Eventually, he couldn't resist any longer and decided to ask someone about the situation. As soon as he spoke, however, the person immediately seemed confused. This puzzled Zhuo Luo—what was going on?
"Excuse me, could you tell me where I am? Do you know where the Sabaody Archipelago is? I got separated from my companions. Can you help me?"
Zhuo Luo asked, not knowing exactly what to say. He simply wanted to figure out where he was first so he could figure out what to do next.
But the answer he received stunned him. The person seemed to have no idea who he was or what he was talking about. Zhuo Luo realized something strange was going on.
"I don't know what you're saying. You should ask someone else."
The person walked away, leaving Zhuo Luo confused. Why couldn't he understand the other person's words? Why did they just leave without responding? It was all so strange.
"What's going on? Are all the people here like this?"
Zhuo Luo had no idea what was happening, but he understood one thing: he needed to keep asking questions, or he would never get any answers. His companions were waiting for him, and he couldn't just stay here.
He asked several more people, but none of them understood him. Eventually, it dawned on him—he couldn't communicate with these people at all. What kind of place was this?
If he couldn't even communicate, how would he ever leave?
"Isn't that Zhuo family's young master who disappeared a month ago? Why is he suddenly here?"
"Yeah, it really looks like him. We should tell the Zhuo family. They might reward us!"
"That's right! Let's hurry and spread the word. This is a big opportunity!"
Some people recognized Zhuo Luo as a member of the local family who had been missing for a month. Now that there was news of him, they hoped to earn a reward, as the Zhuo family was incredibly wealthy.
"Why is this happening? Why can't they understand me, but I can kind of understand them?"
Zhuo Luo was still baffled. He didn't understand what was going on, but he knew one thing: he couldn't stay here. He had to find his way back to the Grand Line and reunite with his companions.
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