"You've come?"
The room was silent. Hearing the sound of Caesar pushing the door open, Hitetsu slowly raised his head and spoke in a low voice.
"Why so serious? Is this my sword?"
Caesar's gaze fell on the long sword placed horizontally on the sword stand in front of Hitetsu, a hint of admiration in his eyes.
It was a black long sword, about 1.6 meters in length, with a blade slightly over 1.2 meters. The dark golden double-axe-shaped tsuba resembled a pair of slightly folded bat wings.
The pommel, menuki, and kojiri were all made of dark golden metal. The scabbard and tsukamaki were black, and the entire sword was straight, without any ornate carvings, yet it exuded a sense of solemnity and grandeur.
"Serious? No, no, I'm being solemn!"
Hearing Caesar's words, Hitetsu quickly waved his hands, speaking with righteous fervor: "This sword is undoubtedly the greatest masterpiece of my life in the art of forging! For this sword, I have worked tirelessly these past days, not making a single mistake in the slightest detail of the process..."
"Is that so? That's truly impressive."
Caesar, for the first time in a while, removed his blindfold and took two steps forward, picking up the long sword and drawing it from its scabbard.
In an instant, a brilliant light burst forth.
Caesar gave it a gentle swing, and the sound of cutting through the air echoed.
Holding the sword in front of him, the bright blade reflected in Caesar's pupils. After a long moment, a faint smile appeared in his eyes: "The feel is really good..."
"I told you, it's the greatest masterpiece of my life!"
Hearing this, Hitetsu puffed out his chest with pride: "Let me introduce it to you! This is a straight-edged sword, with a blade length of 118 and a handle length of 36. It features a flame-patterned tempered blade, forged through the meticulous process of folding and hammering..."
"A pure straight-edged sword, without a hint of curvature..."
Caesar looked at Hitetsu with some surprise: "What made you think of that?"
"Somehow, I felt a straight blade would suit you better."
Hitetsu, thinking Caesar might not like it, hurriedly explained: "Moreover, straight-edged swords have thicker backs, making them more suitable for slashing, with higher strength and formidable armor-piercing capabilities. It will definitely meet your demands for strength!"
"Don't worry, I like it."
Apart from the tsuba and length, the overall shape of the sword resembled a Tang sword.
This old man really has some skill. I wonder if he saw through the surface to the essence?
Caesar silently sheathed the sword and re-tied his blindfold: "Alright, you've worked hard. If there's nothing else..."
"There is! Please stay!"
Hitetsu quickly called out to Caesar: "This sword hasn't been named yet!"
"I'll name it when I get back."
"The name should be given by the swordsmith!"
Hitetsu shouted: "This is an honor that no swordsmith can relinquish, something that absolutely cannot be given to someone else!"
"Then hurry up and name it!"
"I haven't thought of one yet..."
Clang—
The long sword was suddenly drawn and placed against Hitetsu's neck. Caesar looked regretful: "What a pity. The first one to be killed by this sword after its creation is its own maker?"
"Ah! Don't be rash! I've got it! I've got it!!"
Hitetsu frantically raised his hands, his eyes bulging in fear: "Shadowy!"
"Not the best taste..."
Caesar wasn't very satisfied with the name.
"The original name was Shadowy Night Swallow, but it was a bit too long..."
"Night Swallow? Isn't that just a bat? You did a pretty good job naming Totsuka-no-Tsurugi, though..."
"Not at all..."
Hitetsu wiped the sweat from his brow, his movements suddenly freezing as he turned to meet Caesar's half-smiling gaze.
"You... you knew my identity all along?"
"Heh..."
Caesar chuckled softly, slowly sheathing his sword: "Since you're already 'dead,' be a good dead man—for the sake of this sword."
Hitetsu fell silent for a long moment before finally letting out a soft sigh: "I understand..."
Caesar neither confirmed nor denied it, simply turning to leave the room.
"System, collect!"
[Collected Item: Supreme Grade Sword - Shadowy Night Swallow]
[Rarity: SS]
[Collection Value: S]
[Evaluation: A masterpiece from a renowned Wano Country swordsmith, undoubtedly of Supreme Grade quality!]
[Detected that the host has collected two Supreme Grade Swords, unlocking hidden achievement: Collect Twenty-One Supreme Grade Swords (regardless of the smith, only the grade matters)]
[Achievement Progress: 2/21]
[Achievement Reward: Asauchi]
[Asauchi: Can be used on any weapon to awaken its unique form]
Caesar's eyes, which had been somewhat indifferent, suddenly widened as they glanced at the achievement reward section.
Holy crap!
Asauchi!
Is it the Asauchi I'm thinking of?
A unique weapon...
Zanpakuto?
Holy crap!
The damn system actually struck gold!
Caesar's eyes nearly popped out of his head, his excitement barely contained.
He turned around and rushed back into the room, grabbing Hitetsu by the shoulders, his expression fervent: "Forge twenty more Supreme Grade Swords for me!"
"Nani?!!"
Hitetsu's eyes bulged, staring at Caesar in shock: "Just kill me instead!"
"Ah! What are you saying? We hit it off like brothers at first sight, how could I bear to harm you?"
Caesar patted Hitetsu's shoulder, his smile gradually turning sinister: "Brother Hitetsu, you wouldn't want anything to happen to Hiyori, would you?"
"..."
Hitetsu's face darkened, even through the mask, his displeasure was evident: "I've already forged the sword you wanted, what are you really after? Toying with me?"
"How could that be?"
Caesar shook his head: "I just think it would be a shame if such exquisite swordsmithing skills were lost."
"I see, you're truly insatiable..."
Hitetsu sighed: "To be honest, I can't do it."
Caesar drew his long sword: "Didn't you just forge one for me? This Shadowy Night Swallow is excellent! Look at the patterns, the texture..."
"My skills aren't as great as you think, this sword was just a stroke of inspiration. If it were just a Skillful Grade Blade, it wouldn't be difficult..."
Hitetsu shook his head: "As far as I know, only two people in Wano Country could meet your demand."
"Who?"
"Kozuki Kozaburo, and Shimotsuki Kozaburo."
Hitetsu's tone was regretful: "The former died in the turmoil caused by Kurozumi Orochi back then, and the latter has been at sea for many years. Given his age, he's probably too old to even lift a forging hammer now."
"Shimotsuki Kozaburo..."
Caesar recalled the name: "The one who forged Enma and Peaceful Path One Word, right? I've heard of him, but who is this Kozaburo?"
Hitetsu explained: "He was once one of Wano Country's top craftsmen. One of the Supreme Grade Swords - 12 Craftsmen, Gambler's Firewire, was forged by him."
"Gambler's Firewire..."
Caesar fell into deep thought. A sword that didn't appear in the original storyline?
No, perhaps it was just something he hadn't heard of before.
"Is this sword currently in Wano Country?"
"No, this sword was forged by Kizaburo as a gift for a close friend. That person was a blind swordsman..."
Hearing the mention of a blind swordsman, Caesar's eyes immediately lit up. "A Cane Sword?"
"Exactly!"
"Alright, I understand now!"
Caesar couldn't help but chuckle. He hadn't expected that Issho's Cane Sword also originated from Wano Country.
Moreover, speaking of which, Issho should still be wandering around at this point, several years away from joining the Marines.
Well, there's nothing more to say about the sword for now. Let's set that aside!
Time to intercept a future Admiral-level powerhouse!
(End of Chapter)