"Clang!"
"Clang!"
On the deck of the dog-head warship, Hammer had already gotten up from the steel plates.
The once-neat deck had now become his makeshift forge. A portable furnace stood on the deck, its flames heating a pile of red-hot steel plates.
At this moment, his face was filled with fury. With his gloved right hand, he hammered one red-hot steel plate after another.
Under his relentless strikes, the steel plate quickly began to take shape, transforming into a Miao Dao.
Hammer's goal was to forge a Miao Dao.
The Miao Dao, also known as the "long saber," is a traditional Chinese weapon. It measures five feet in total length, with a blade length of three feet eight inches and a handle of one foot two inches. Its name comes from its slender, elongated blade.
Even though Hammer was now in the world of One Piece, he couldn't forget his roots!
"Wow, Hammer, are you planning to forge all these steel plates into weapons?"
"Hmph! Damn it, damn it! They actually screwed me over!"
"Hammer, I'm talking to you!"
"What?! Can't you see for yourself?!"
Dragon had long since stepped away from the steel plates and was now watching Hammer's blacksmithing with great interest.
In his view, if these steel plates could be reforged into weapons, they would surely become legendary blades.
After all, these plates possessed the hardness and properties of Seastone, making them an absolute devastating killing tools.
"Although these steel plates have the strength and hardness of Seastone, at their core, they're still steel. With my Devil Fruit ability and forging skills, I can forcibly reshape them—something impossible with raw Seastone. Processing Seastone alone is a huge challenge."
"Without exaggeration, I'm the only person in the entire world who can make something this ridiculously awesome, sparking and all!"
Hammer wasn't exaggerating. Seastone, being a mineral rather than steel, couldn't be forged, only processed into shapes.
Even the only small items like nails could be made. More often, Seastone was fused into other objects to grant them its properties, such as handcuffs.
But the steel plates Hammer had created were different.
They remained steel at their core, merely enhanced with Seastone's abilities and durability.
This meant they could be reforged and reshaped.
And that's exactly what Hammer was doing now.
"Clang!"
"Clang!"
"Damn it, Hammer! What the hell are you doing on my deck?!"
Hearing the commotion, Garp stormed over, furious at seeing his deck turned into a blacksmith's workshop.
He immediately moved to drag Hammer out for a good thrashing, but Dragon grabbed him.
"Grrk—CRACK!"
As a result of Dragon trying to stop Garp, he ended up skidding across the deck, leaving behind two black streaks before crushing a wooden plank.
"Damn it, Dragon! Look what you've done!"
And just like that, Doragon had to take the blame.
"Old man, wait! Hammer is reforging those steel plates. If he succeeds, they'll become an incredible weapon!"
Though Garp was a reckless brute from Brute Village, charging through life with sheer force, he still understood the bigger picture.
Hearing that the Seastone-infused steel plates could be reforged, a glimmer of anticipation flashed in his eyes.
And so, on the vast ocean, a large warship and a smaller one sailed in tandem.
The relentless "Clang! Clang!" of hammering echoed endlessly.
After what felt like an eternity, a triumphant roar erupted:
"Done! Quenching time!"
"Hiss-!!"
Hammer plunged the newly forged Miao Dao into a bucket of water.
Water quenching, not oil quenching.
Most blacksmiths chose oil quenching for its slower cooling rate, which helped prevent warping and cracking.
Water quenching, while providing faster cooling and greater hardness, was risky, and any mistake could ruin the blade.
But Hammer wasn't worried. As a master blacksmith in his past life, he had absolute confidence in his skills.
"Hiss…"
As the steam dissipated, the once-red-hot blade gradually stabilized, revealing a gleaming silver sheen before everyone's eyes.
Once the quenching was complete, Hammer raised the Miao Dao high. Even without further polishing, the blade's extraordinary quality was undeniable.
Testing its hardness with a file, he nodded in satisfaction.
After completing the major steps, Hammer moved on to finer details, grinding, polishing, and crafting the hilt.
Under the stunned gazes of the onlookers, he swiftly completed every step. At last, a classic Miaodao forged by a master craftsman stood finished.
Since it was forged from pre-treated steel, the blade lacked the intricate patterns of folded steel but shone with a flawless luster.
Though the hilt was made from simple brass, under Hammer's precise craftsmanship, it looked elegant.
He hadn't used the special steel for the handle, just in case a Devil Fruit user grabbed it, he didn't want the weapon to weaken the wielder before they even fought. The hilt had no fancy decorations, just a paracord wrap to ensure a firm grip.
"Perfect."
Hammer admired his creation with pride.
"Quick, Hammer! Let me test it!"
A figure suddenly shot past Garp and Dragon, leaving them stunned.
That blur was none other than Bogard, Garp's trusted aide.
Seeing Bogart so excited, Hammer nodded and casually tossed the Miaodao to him.
Hammer then picked up some wood and remaining steel plates to begin crafting a scabbard.
"What a fine blade!"
As a swordsmaster, Bogard could instantly judge a weapon's quality.
This one was undoubtedly top-tier.
Lightweight yet razor-sharp, unpretentious yet refined, this blade radiated simplicity and power.
*Swish!*
Facing the sea, Bogard swung the blade
A flying slash tore through the air!
"So light! The blade's sharpness actually enhances the slash, making it smoother!"
"Amazinh"
Thrilled, Bogard unleashed a flurry of slashes, leaving everyone stunned
"Armament Haki!"
Still not satisfied, Bogart activated Armament Haki to coat the blade.
But then, a strange thing happened.
The black Haki only coated the hilt and the edge of the blade, leaving the spine unchanged
"Hey, Hammer! What's going on? Why is only the blade edge turning black?"
Hammer didn't even look up:
"Are you dumb? When you're fighting someone, do you use the back of the blade to hit them?"
"This isn't just any steel, this is special steel. My forging made the edge razor sharp, while the spine is slightly thicker to prevent breaking during sword clashes."
"If you think just coating the edge with Haki isn't enough, then pour more Haki into it and coat the whole blade."
"But personally, I'd call that a waste."
Bogard: "(⊙ˍ⊙) ...!!
He wanted to argue, but realized Hammer made total sense.
Who the hell uses the back of the blade to cut people?