Magnus felt this whole "Soul Seal" business no longer belonged to this world.
But then again—
Who could say for sure?
Ryuma might be dead, but decades later, a man named Gecko Moria would dig up his corpse and turn him into a zombie soldier.
Yes. The same type of zombie soldier that Ripley and the others had encountered on Sabaody, when the God Knight wielding the Shadow-Shadow Fruit had appeared.
Back then, Magnus had caught that God Knight but couldn't kill him—he only freed the shadows the man had stolen.
But in the years to come, that God Knight would likely die.
His fruit would fall into someone else's hands.
And so, history would give rise to the most shameful Warlord of the Sea.
In any case—
This Wano voyage was about training his crew. If fate let him cross time itself to duel Ryuma, that would simply be a bonus.
After all, Ryuma once repelled a Celestial Dragon who dared intrude into Wano.
If Magnus guessed right—
Ryuma might have also mastered the art of breaking an undying body.
"Now this is getting interesting."
Magnus's mood lifted, and even the sight of Haruko and Kōsaburō became easier on his eyes.
At the same time, Haruko had collected herself.
Just as Kōsaburō regretted that Toki was already married, Haruko felt a pang of disappointment that Magnus had a wife.
How could she not be stirred? His strength and looks outshone every man she'd ever seen in Wano.
Still, if she'd met such a man before even leaving Wano, surely beyond its borders she'd meet many more worthy of her heart.
The thought only stoked her yearning for the outside world.
"Magnus-kun, now it's your turn to tell us about life beyond Wano!"
Earlier, Kōsaburō had spoken of Wano. Now it was Magnus's turn to explain the world outside.
Magnus didn't refuse.
"Haha, where should I start?"
He thought for a moment, then beckoned to his crew.
"Since fate brought us together, let's rest here a while. I'll explain everything."
"Yes, yes!"
Haruko's eyes sparkled.
She had no idea the man before her commanded one of the strongest forces on the seas.
Forget the guard army drilling back on Sphinx.
Magnus alone might match all of Wano.
For in this sea, strength was everything.
Kōsaburō hesitated. He wanted to call Magnus dangerous, but after agreeing to trade knowledge, leaving now would make him look afraid.
And then his sharp eyes caught sight of the swords at Magnus's waist. One white blade he didn't recognize—but the other—
"Wait… that sword on your hip—is that Kitetsu!?"
"Oh, this one?"
Magnus tapped the black blade and smirked. "A trophy from a duel. Funny thing—the swordsman I took it from may have been tied to Wano."
"Tied…?"
Kōsaburō and Haruko exchanged looks.
Magnus was speaking of one of the Five Elders, Saint Izambaron V. Nasjuro. Even his name carried hints of Wano blood.
He had likely been Wano-born, long ago.
But Nasjuro had left Wano ages past, and neither Haruko nor Kōsaburō recognized him.
Still, as a smith, Kōsaburō could not mistake the blade.
Kitetsu.
One of the twelve Supreme Grade Blades.
In this age, there was only one—no Second Generation, no Third. Just the prototype, wielded by Nasjuro himself.
The most infamous of them all.
The Second Generation was merely a Great Grade.
The Third not even among the fifty Skillful Grade.
But this one—this was legend.
Seeing Magnus holding a Supreme Blade made Kōsaburō's hands itch.
He himself had forged two Great Grade blades—one kept in Wano, the other at his side, Wadō Ichimonji.
His dream was to craft greater swords.
A Supreme Grade blade was the ultimate inspiration.
To forge one in his lifetime—he could die content.
Magnus caught his gaze and chuckled.
"Here."
"Eh!?"
Magnus tossed the priceless Supreme Blade to him. Kōsaburō fumbled, nearly dropping it.
"We agreed to trade knowledge, didn't we? Think of this sword as part of the deal. We'll be in Wano a while—return it when I leave."
You'd trust me not to run off with it?
Kōsaburō swallowed hard. In Wano, this would be hailed as a national treasure.
"But if you lose Kitetsu, then what do you—"
"I already have all I need."
Magnus patted the other blade at his hip. Kitetsu, Supreme Grade—he didn't care. What was that next to Frostshade?
Only now did Kōsaburō truly notice it.
Not just a Great Grade—Frostshade was one of the 21 Great Blades.
A peer to Enma and Wadō Ichimonji.
And…
Unlike Kitetsu, Frostshade's presence was quiet, contained.
Only when Kōsaburō focused fully did he feel the chilling aura within it.
A black blade in the making.
Kitetsu had become a black blade after centuries of use.
But Frostshade—
It was less than fifty years old.
And already on the cusp of blackening.
To achieve that so quickly—what kind of monster had wielded it?
Kōsaburō's heart pounded.
He never guessed Frostshade had known no hand but Magnus's.
The man looked no older than thirty.
At most, ten years older than himself.
"Little sister…"
He saw Haruko chattering happily at Magnus's side, far too close for comfort. His pulse spiked. An unmarried girl so close to a stranger—
Forget it.
Take the gift, hold your tongue.
If Magnus offered Kitetsu as bride-price, even their father might approve.
But Magnus had no such thought.
Haruko might be cute, innocent, the kind of girl easily led astray—
But precisely for that reason, she deserved better.
And Toki and Ripley were right beside him!
Poke. Poke.
Ripley, shrunken to human size, jabbed his back with a finger, eyes sulking.
She'd heard him declare Toki his wife. He'd never said such in public about her.
Her jealousy boiled.
But Magnus caught her in his arms.
"And let me introduce Ripley—not only my crew, but my wife. Sailing hasn't left me the chance to give her a proper wedding. That's my failure as a man."
He kissed her forehead gently. Ripley nearly melted into the floor.
And then Magnus began to speak.
Of the World Government.
The Celestial Dragons.
The Navy, the pirates.
Member nations and free nations.
Wano's people, cut off from the world, listened with wide eyes.
Haruko drank in every word.
Kōsaburō… less so, his mind stuck on the Supreme Blade in his hands.
Until—
"Ko–saburō! Haruko!"
A furious voice boomed. Kōsaburō startled, turning to see a short-haired man charging with a troop of samurai.
"Uncle Fūya!?"
Haruko's face drained of color.
"Father!?"
It was Shimotsuki Fūya, current clan head, daimyō of Ringo—and Haruko's father.
They had run off without his knowledge. Now he'd come in force.
[Ding. Target sighted: Daimyō of Ringo, Shimotsuki Fūya. Defeat him to obtain one Soul Seal.]
Magnus arched a brow. His eyes shifted from Haruko to the charging lord.
A grin tugged at his lips.
He leaned close to Haruko.
"Haruko, do you still want to leave Wano?"
Her heart skipped.
If her father caught her, he'd marry her off to some brat of the Uzuki.
She bit her lip hard, then nodded.
"I want to leave!"
"Haha! Then from this moment—you're our captives!"
Magnus's gaze hardened.
All around, Shimotsuki retainers collapsed unconscious, leaving only Kōsaburō and Haruko standing.
A ring of icy air coiled around Kōsaburō.
"What is this!?"
He reached for it—only for freezing cold to bite into his flesh, locking his body in frost.
So cold!
"Haha, don't touch it. This ring was made to restrain strong men like you."
A simple freeze could be broken. Too strong, and it would kill.
So Magnus had crafted these cold rings.
Harmless if ignored.
Devastating if resisted.
"Then why only me? Why not Haruko!?" Kōsaburō demanded.
"Because…"
Magnus's smile widened.
"She's my bargaining chip."
But before bargaining—he had to show his strength.
Shimotsuki Fūya was strong.
And just as Kōsaburō said, Wano had no shortage of warriors.
Magnus's Observation Haki had already picked out several as strong as Kōsaburō, with Fūya strongest of all.
Nearly two hundred million in strength.
"Ripley—Fūya is yours."
"Newgate, Linlin—take the strongest of the others."
"Shiki, Zephyr, Stussy, Tsuru—you handle the rest."
Magnus swept his hand, assigning the fight.
"Eh? Me too!?"
Stussy gawked.
"Of course."
"Then why not Toki?"
"She's injured."
Stussy froze—then grit her teeth. Injured. She knew exactly what that meant, thanks to her little stunt.
"Fine! I'll go!"
With Magnus watching, even she couldn't fail against average samurai.
At last, Haruko realized it.
Magnus wasn't here just to train his crew.
He meant to use her clan as his foothold into Wano.
"You liar!" she cried. "You said you had no designs on Wano!"
(End of Chapter)
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