…Darkness.
Endless, suffocating darkness stretched in every direction.
When Artoria opened her eyes, she saw nothing—no sky, no earth, no sound. Only a cold, empty void pressing against her skin.
Her breathing slowed. Where… am I?
The last thing she remembered—
The Grail War.
Kiritsugu.
The Command Seal burning on her hand.
The order: "Destroy the Grail."
Excalibur shone golden in her grasp, her heart heavy with regret as she obeyed.
That blinding light…
That crushing despair…
Her fingers twitched. Her voice trembled softly into the void.
"Did I… perish?"
No answer came. Only the echo of her words swallowed by the darkness.
A faint glow sparked beneath her feet, like a single star igniting in a vast, black sky.
Then—
—Ding!—
A crisp chime echoed beside her ear.
Artoria jerked in surprise.
Her hand instinctively moved toward her invisible sword.
A mechanical, emotionless voice followed:
> "System activation complete. Binding to host… 20%… 60%… 100%. Binding successful."
"System?" she muttered. "What kind of sorcery is this? Who speaks?"
> "It is as you are imagining, Host. A system like the ones you know from modern novels."
"…I was correct."
She narrowed her eyes. "Then tell me—where am I? Why am I here?"
The void trembled with the system's reply:
> "You have been selected, Host. This is a transitional dimension. You will be sent to another world."
"Another… world?"
> "Correct. The world known as One Piece. Upon arrival, the system will inject basic knowledge of that world. You will also receive a beginner package."
Artoria lifted her chin, golden glint flashing in her eyes.
A world she did not know…
But a mission awaited her.
"System," she said firmly. "I am ready."
> "Acknowledged. Beginning teleportation."
The darkness cracked—
Light burst from every direction—
A pillar of brilliance swallowed her whole.
Her instinct sharpened, and she reflexively shut her eyes as the radiance engulfed her.
Her body felt weightless.
Her heartbeat steadied.
And then—
She vanished from the void.