"Oh? A famous sword?" Diarmuid's eyes lit up as he glanced at the distant grave.
He had just "gifted" Nagasone Kotetsu to Shiki, and now Stussy already had news of a new Meito?
It was fate!
"How much?" Diarmuid asked grandly, as if money were no object.
There was a slight pause on the other end of the Den Den Mushi before Stussy said, a little awkwardly, "It's not about the money. That sword… is a reward for you."
"Hmm? There's such a good deal?" Diarmuid was stunned.
"It might be, but you have to hear me out first," Stussy replied with a laugh.
"Alright, what kind of sword is it?" Diarmuid asked softly.
"Tell me, Diarmuid-san, do you have any prejudice against cursed swords?" Stussy asked in a hushed tone.
"Cursed swords? The Kitetsu series? Or maybe Raiu, Muramasa, or Kikoku?" Diarmuid frowned slightly.
This world had many powerful cursed swords, the most famous of which was probably the Kitetsu series, rumored to have three generations. Each was a cursed blade.
Besides the Kitetsu, Raiu was also a famously cursed sword, though it was currently in the hands of the Vice Warden of Impel Down, Shiryu. As for Muramasa and Kikoku, their whereabouts were unknown.
He vaguely remembered that the sword Trafalgar Law later wielded was the Kikoku. And it seemed Muramasa was in the possession of the World Government.
"Something along those lines," Stussy mumbled.
Diarmuid chuckled. "I don't have any prejudice against cursed swords. The term is probably just a misunderstanding. I don't think there's a need to classify a sword as cursed. If a man with a righteous heart wields a blade, it becomes a blade of justice. If an evil man holds a sword, it becomes cursed, whether it's a 'cursed blade' or not…"
"Ahem, that's true, but some swords might be different…" Stussy said, sounding a bit nervous. Before Diarmuid could speak, she continued, "This sword has a big reputation. You might have even heard of it."
Diarmuid raised an eyebrow. "Tell me about it."
"In the East Blue, there's a country called the Asuka Kingdom. This country has a legend that on the day of a red moon, an extremely cursed sword will appear. And according to our investigation of real historical records, this sword almost destroyed the entire Asuka Kingdom. It's a truly and verifiably cursed blade. Its name is…" Stussy said softly.
Diarmuid's mind was already racing. He was familiar with this story!
It was from the movie, wasn't it? Some low-ranking Marine, who was apparently Zoro's childhood friend, wanted to get this sword to conquer the world.
And what happened in the end?
Did he even need to ask? He definitely died.
Hoping to conquer the world just by controlling a sword was an even dumber idea than Crocodile's plan to control the ancient weapon, Pluton.
"I've heard that story," Diarmuid said with a laugh. Then, he confidently declared, "If I remember correctly, that sword is called the…"
"Shichiseiken." (Seven-Star Sword)
"Kokorowatari." (Heart Crossing)
Diarmuid and Stussy spoke at the same time. But as their words hung in the air, a mutual silence fell between them, filled with awkwardness.
Diarmuid: ???
What the hell are you talking about?
Isn't it the Shichiseiken? What's a Heart-Crossing?
Stussy was just as confused. What was the Shichiseiken? What in the world was that?
"Wait, let me tell you my version. Didn't that sword almost cause a civil war in the Asuka Kingdom a few hundred years ago? And some priestess prayed to the gods and was given some weird jewel that she used to seal the sword, ending the war? And she sacrificed herself in the process. Then, whenever a red moon appears, the seal on the sword breaks, bringing chaos?" Diarmuid asked in a serious tone. He couldn't remember the specific details since it had been so long, but that was the gist of the story.
But Stussy was silent for a moment before she replied, "Where did you hear that story, Diarmuid-san? It's completely different from what I know…"
"Huh?" Diarmuid was caught off guard and a little embarrassed. "Then, you tell me your version…"
"The cursed sword Kokorowatari, is said to have been forged by an incredibly powerful and ruthless pirate a few hundred years ago. However, due to his violent methods, he vanished into the dust of history after a period of terrorizing the seas. The World Government also erased his existence, so no one knows his name.
"Therefore, based on our conjectures, the cursed sword Kokorowatari should have also existed as a famous sword a few hundred years ago. In that era, it should have been highly renowned, but it vanished along with the pirate.
"Later, the sword once again fell into the hands of another pirate. Coincidentally, this pirate who obtained the famous cursed blade was also incredibly powerful and exceptionally evil. We heard that he even defeated Marine Headquarters in a head-on battle and that the entire New World once cowered under his name.
"But in the end, the only ones who can always dominate the seas are the Marines. His name also vanished with history. The World Government must erase the past of such people, so we can't find any information on him now. There are only fragmented mentions saying that pirate was called the 'King of the Night'," Stussy said softly.
Diarmuid was completely bewildered. What was all this gibberish?
Wasn't the greatest pirate in the world over twenty years ago Rocks? Who was this "King of the Night"?
How had he never heard of him?
And what was with the creator of this Kokorowatari? A pirate who moonlights as a blacksmith?
Although he had many questions, Diarmuid wasn't particularly skeptical.
After all, this wasn't the first time the World Government had erased history. The inmates locked away in Level 6 of Impel Down were all people like that.
Perhaps a hundred years from now, no one would know about a pirate who almost ruled the world, a man named Golden Lion Shiki.
Thinking about it that way, accepting this "King of the Night" character didn't seem so far-fetched.
"What happened next?" Diarmuid asked again.
"After the King of the Night disappeared, the sword somehow ended up in the Asuka Kingdom. Since it wasn't too long ago, people still remembered the King of the Night's reputation. Thus, a legend was born, saying that whoever obtained the cursed sword Kokorowatari could inherit the King of the Night's invincible power.
"To gain this legendary power, the three princes of the Asuka Kingdom started a great war over the sword. In the end, blood flowed like rivers, and the Asuka Kingdom was on the verge of destruction because of the sword's curse. All three princes died because of the blade, until…" Stussy paused at this point.
"Until what?" Diarmuid asked curiously.
"Until the sword piqued the interest of a Celestial Dragon," Stussy said with a laugh.
"A Celestial Dragon?" Diarmuid was stunned again.
"That's right. About two hundred years ago, there was an extremely powerful Celestial Dragon in Mariejois. He was a master of both military and political strategy. His name was Donquixote Claudius. He once held the highest authority in the World Government, and even the Gorosei of that generation had to submit to him.
"This Celestial Dragon became interested in the cursed sword Kokorowatari. He went to the Asuka Kingdom himself, ended the country's civil war, and obtained the cursed sword Kokorowatari. However, he also felt the powerful cursed energy the sword possessed.
"To prevent Kokorowatari from causing chaos again, he personally sealed it in the Asuka Kingdom. I don't know the specific method, but whenever a red moon appears, the seal on Kokorowatari will weaken to its absolute limit…" Stussy explained.
"Donquixote Claudius"?
'Could that be Imu?'
"So, you're saying that if I'm not afraid, I should go and get this Kokorowatari for myself?" Diarmuid asked.
"Based on our calculations, the red moon will appear in exactly two months. If you leave from G-7 for the Asuka Kingdom in the East Blue, two months is more than enough time…" Stussy said with a laugh, not directly answering Diarmuid's question.
"The cursed sword Kokorowatari, huh?" The corner of Diarmuid's mouth curled up. Then he asked, "Can you really get the power of some 'King of the Night'?"
"I think that's just a groundless rumor. But this sword, while it's not one of the 21 Great Grade Blades or the 12 Supreme Grade Blades, is undoubtedly one of the most top-tier Meito in the world today… perhaps even the only one," Stussy said in a very serious tone.
In truth, the ranking of a Meito was somewhat related to the strength of its owner. The Supreme Grade Blade Murakumogiri wasn't one of the 12 Supreme Grade Blades until it fell into Whitebeard's hands. And now, Mihawk's Black Blade Yoru wasn't considered the strongest sword in the world, either.
But without a doubt, a blade that a person like them would desire must be of the highest quality.
Thinking about Stussy's story, the cursed sword Kokorowatari had served three masters, each one more legendary than the last. It was impossible to doubt the sword itself. It was without a doubt a top-tier Meito. As for whether it was "the only one," that depended on its owner.
"Interesting," Diarmuid replied.
He knew that the whole "King of the Night's power" thing was probably a bunch of nonsense. But the sword had such a grand reputation and a legendary story. It was certainly alluring.
Except…
Where was his Shichiseiken?
This story you're telling about the Asuka Kingdom is practically identical to the one I heard about the Shichiseiken. How did it suddenly become the cursed sword Kokorowatari?
But after thinking about it, Diarmuid smiled. "If this were seven days ago, before I killed Shiki with my own hands, I wouldn't have even touched a cursed blade that's said to cause chaos. But now, my heart is filled with boundless ambition. I feel like this vast ocean is only big enough for me to mess around in alone. I can look at the world's heroes, even a powerful one like Whitebeard, as my equal, without a shred of fear in my heart. How could I possibly be afraid of a mere legendary cursed sword?"
"I knew this sword would pique your interest, Diarmuid-san," Stussy said with a giggle.
"A red moon, you say? I'll go and see this legendary cursed blade that served three of the strongest! Kokorowatari… hehehe." Diarmuid chuckled.
After talking about Kokorowatari for a while, Diarmuid brought up the Pleasure District again. He discussed with Stussy in detail whether they could embed the Marines' non-existent organization there.
Stussy didn't have a problem with it, but she still warned Diarmuid that there were risks involved. Not just externally, but also for the relationship between CP and the Marines.
After she said that, Diarmuid realized he had stopped caring about the non-existent organization long ago. After some thought, since Stussy was on his side, there was no need to force a new organization into the mix. He'd just let the Chief of Staff handle the Marines' Intelligence Division herself.
And just like that, the idea that had been brewing in Diarmuid's mind for years was finally completely abandoned.
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