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"The Seven Star Sword?"
Jin walked up to the bar. He remembered now.
The Cursed Holy Sword. No wonder it sounded so familiar.
But the legend was incomplete.
According to Robin's research of the island's ruins and the old shaman's stories, the sword came first.
Three princes, all in love with the same shamaness, went to war. The resentment and blood of the fallen corrupted the sword, unleashing the darkness and the blood moon, which destroyed the ancient kingdom of Asuka.
To seal it, the shamaness gave her life.
The three princes, filled with remorse, prayed to their "God" and were transformed into three sacred jewels, which suppressed the sword's power.
But every hundred years, when the blood moon appears, the sword's power grows, luring those with weak wills to its side.
Zoro's childhood friend from the dojo—Saga—was one of its victims.
In the end, it was Zoro's words that reawakened Saga's "heart of justice," allowing him to destroy the sword with his own will.
It was a very mythic-sounding tale. It almost made it seem like "Gods" really existed.
But Jin preferred to interpret these embellished legends from a more "realistic" perspective.
"A Devil Fruit?" he mused. "The King of ancient Asuka obtained a Devil Fruit sword. With it, he became incredibly powerful. When the King grew old, his three sons, all coveting the throne, fought over the sword. But it had been stained with the blood of too many, had absorbed too many souls. It Awakened. Just like the demon of the Sing-Sing Fruit, it unleashed the darkness and the blood moon, and it destroyed the Kingdom. In the end, the shamaness sacrificed herself, her soul entering the sword to fight the awakened demon with her own will. And the three princes poured their own power into the jewels, to stand guard over the sword for all eternity and prevent the disaster from happening again."
Stripped of its mythic and legendary trappings, Jin thought this version of the story fit the worldview of One Piece much better.
His interest was piqued.
"When Saga used the sword, he took on snake-like characteristics. A Zoan-type Devil Fruit? It's even possible it's a Mythical Zoan, with characteristics related to the moon, darkness, and desire..."
Jin had already sent Wilson and the crew back to Hannabal Island on the pirate ship to take control of the boss. Getting the token was just a formality, a way to make his victory official. He wasn't in a hurry.
If he could get his hands on another Devil Fruit...
The demonic carrier would be just one step away from its second evolution.
"But this fruit is a tricky one," he thought. "For one, it has guardians. For another, it has a strong Will of its own. And with the Marines sniffing around, now is not the time to take it. I can't afford to screw this up. I'll wait, get my affairs in order, and then come back for it."
After careful consideration, Jin decided that a steady approach was the best one.
He stood at the bar, produced two 100-Berri silver coins, and handed them to the bartender.
The bartender froze.
He sized Jin up.
He turned, took a box from the counter, and set it down. Then he shot a look at the group of men who had been arguing.
They fell silent. They couldn't believe it. Had something gone wrong? Where was the General? And who was this guy?
They were Gasparde's men, stationed here to make sure no one interfered with the race or got to the token before him.
"Hey, kid. Hand over the box."
"Don't touch what's not yours."
"You'll get yourself killed."
They stood up and walked toward him.
At the same time, the bartender, his hand hidden below the counter, pulled out a flintlock pistol and fired.
BANG!
Jin slapped his hand on the table and backflipped, dodging the bullet. He snatched the box and, in a single, spinning motion, kicked the bartender, knocking him unconscious.
The moment he landed, he shot forward like a bullet himself, closing the distance to the other men in an instant. A flurry of kicks sent the six burly men flying.
They crashed to the floor, smashing tables and chairs.
Jin straightened his clothes. His hand suddenly split open, revealing a "hole," and he swallowed the wooden box.
Since his first awakening, his "bond" with the demonic carrier had grown stronger. With practice, he had learned to use the powers of the various fruits the carrier had swallowed, within a certain range.
For example, he had just used the power of the Munch-Munch Fruit to swallow the box and "teleport" it to the demonic carrier.
In essence, he and the carrier now shared the sub-space created by the fruit's awakening.
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A commotion?
The Marine soldiers who had been staking out the place all rushed out.
They formed a firing line and aimed their rifles at the tavern.
Just as the tension reached its peak, the door was kicked open. A figure shot out, weaving through the bullets with incredible agility. He reached the encirclement and leaped into the air, clearing the wall of soldiers and landing on the other side, then sprinted toward the port.
"Is he a pirate?"
"Get him!"
Hina, who had just arrived at the docks with her squad, heard the gunshots and shouting. She looked over and saw a young man running toward her.
"STOP!" she yelled.
Without a second thought, her men opened fire.
She charged toward Jin, and as she ran, iron bars extended from her arms, forming an enclosure.
"Lined Kimono Feather Cage!"
She brought her arms together, and the iron bars closed.
"Hm? Black Cage Hina?" Jin thought. "What's she doing here?"
Then it occurred to him: he wasn't a wanted man. He was a King. Why was he running?
He stopped, allowing the cage to trap him.
The other soldiers caught up.
"I am Lieutenant Commander Hina of Marine Headquarters," she said. "What happened?"
"Ma'am, it's like this..."
After hearing their report, Hina looked at Jin. The pirate who had taken the token?
"Pirate? What pirate?" Jin scoffed, putting on an air of arrogance. "Hey! Do you have any idea who I am? I am the King of a nation affiliated with the World Government!"
"EH??"
The soldiers and Hina were all dumbfounded.
A King??
No way.
"Then why were you in that tavern, and why did you get into a fight with the people inside?" Hina asked, still wary. "And why did you run?"
Jin rolled his eyes. "I went in for a drink. Is that a crime? Then some idiots started insulting me, so we fought. When I came out, I saw you all and thought you were with them! If it were you, wouldn't you have run?"
The soldiers looked at each other.
It seemed... they hadn't really gotten the full story.
Was it all a misunderstanding?
Hina shot a look at her men, a headache coming on. "Are you really a King?"
"Do I not look like one?" Jin replied. "I'm from Drum Island. I recently succeeded King Wapol to the throne."
Drum Island? King Wapol?
"King Wapol attended the Levely just last year," Hina said. "What happened to him? And who are you?"
During last year's Levely, Hina had been part of a King's escort. She'd heard her colleagues at Mary Geoise talking about that ridiculous King.
"King Wapol passed away in an unfortunate accident—"
Jin said smoothly. "—I am Jin, the illegitimate son of the former King. I was chosen by the people of Drum Island to succeed to the throne."
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