Kuina and Koshiro

"Passed away of old age a year ago..."

Louis fell into deep thought.

The fact that the top-tier swordsmith who forged the Great Grade Swords Wado Ichimonji and Enma had already passed away caught Louis off guard.

He had originally intended to ask him to reforge a suitable weapon for the growing Yelena, but he hadn't expected that he would be a year too late.

Koshiro watched the contemplative Louis and couldn't help but feel a flicker of curiosity. "Mr. Louis, were you looking to commission my father to forge a blade?"

Louis snapped back to reality and explained, "I had heard that the swordsmith who forged the Great Grade Swords Wado Ichimonji and Enma in Wano Country was living in seclusion here, so I wanted to ask for his services to forge a weapon."

Upon hearing this, Koshiro's vision darkened for a moment. He hadn't expected that Louis didn't just know his father's name, but had actually uncovered the origins of his entire family.

However, given that Louis had not come with any malicious intent, he decided not to dwell on it.

He picked up the teacup in front of him, took a sip, and then sighed softly, "My father forged countless swords during his lifetime, but in the end, only those two blades managed to make a name for themselves on the high seas."

"If a third blade could make a name for itself in the hands of your companion, it would be my father's good fortune."

"It is a pity, however, that my father stopped forging blades long ago, and the swords left behind are merely of mediocre quality."

"But if your companion does not mind, you may choose one from among them to use as a stopgap, and replace it once you obtain a suitable named sword."

In Koshiro's view, Louis was powerful, so his companion would naturally not be weak.

Trading a sword that could only be described as fine for his friendship was not a bad deal.

However, under Koshiro's gaze, Louis shook his head and politely declined the offer: "Compared to swords, my companion specializes in using heavy weapons like warhammers."

Koshiro's expression became exceptionally strange upon hearing this; he even wondered for a moment if he had misheard.

Someone who uses a heavy warhammer... looking for a swordsmith to forge their weapon... isn't that a bit absurd?

For something like that, as long as the material quality is high enough, couldn't you just go to a factory that makes ship anchors?

At the very least, wouldn't swinging a large ship anchor be about the same as using a warhammer?

Out of good manners, Koshiro smiled and replied, "A warhammer? That seems to be a field my father was not very skilled in..."

"What a pity..."

Just then, Kuina walked out carrying a teapot, having changed into a kimono that also bore the Shimotsuki family crest.

She looked at Louis, who was sitting across from her father and conversing with him, and a flash of confusion crossed her eyes.

Based on the previous few times challengers had come, shouldn't they be dueling in the courtyard by now?

"Why have you been sitting for so long this time?"

She then took a deep breath, stepped forward gracefully, and refilled the tea for the two men.

Just as she turned to leave, her gaze inadvertently swept over the Seven Star Sword resting to the side.

"This is... a Cursed Blade?" Kuina blurted out instinctively.

The longsword lying quietly on the floor emanated a faint, eerie, and ominous aura, like a life-claiming fierce ghost lurking in the shadows, causing discomfort to both body and soul.

If Kuina's guess was correct, only the legendary Cursed Blades could evoke such a sense of unease.

Abandoning her usual habit of leaving quickly, she turned, knelt beside Koshiro, and skillfully poured herself a cup of tea.

She decided not to leave just yet; as the heir to the Isshin Dojo, there was nothing improper about her staying here.

However, she did not voice her questions immediately, choosing instead to sit and listen quietly.

She knew that the conversation between these two men would eventually turn to that sword. Every person who had come here carrying a blade of any renown had done the same.

After all, what swordsman wouldn't feel proud of wielding a famous blade?

Furthermore, she had heard that many great swordsmen on the high seas even had a tradition of loudly introducing their weapons before a duel to overwhelm their opponents with sheer presence.

Therefore, if you wanted to know the origin of a sword, you only needed to stand nearby or pretend to glance at it casually.

Most swordsmen had a desire to talk about their famous blades that far exceeded your own curiosity!

At least, that was how Kuina understood it.

Koshiro seemed somewhat embarrassed by Kuina's arrival. He saw through his daughter's intentions and had no desire to make her lose face.

He simply believed that because Kuina was a girl, she was at a disadvantage on the path of the sword, and he held no thoughts or behaviors of harsh criticism toward her.

He sighed inwardly, then smiled and asked Louis, "Lord Louis, may I ask if that sword is a Cursed Blade?"

Upon hearing this, Louis reached out, picked up the Seven Star Sword, and displayed it before them, responding calmly, "It is the Seven Star Sword. As you can see, it is an ominous Cursed Blade."

"The Seven Star Sword?!" Koshiro, who had maintained a faint smile, let his expression fade into one of seriousness. He muttered to himself, "Does this legendary Cursed Blade actually exist?"

"May I take a look?" Koshiro looked at Louis, requesting his permission in a tone that was both solemn and sincere.

"If you can guarantee you won't be controlled by it, I have no objections."

"I am deeply grateful," Koshiro said, offering his thanks. He then looked at Kuina and instructed, "Kuina, step back a few paces."

"Understood."

Kuina slowly stood up, carrying the Wado Ichimonji, and walked to Louis's side to watch quietly.

Clang... Koshiro slowly drew the Seven Star Sword.

In an instant, a ghostly green light bloomed, enveloping the blade. An eerie, ominous aura began to spread throughout the courtyard.

Koshiro's eyes were stained with a crimson glow, and the stern expression on his face deepened. Yet, this level of malice could not affect his mind, nor did it hinder him from examining the sword.

To the side, Kuina felt the thick stench of blood assault her nose. Immediately after, the ominous aura spread, battering her spirit.

In an instant, she instinctively stepped back.

She found herself wading through a stream of water that reached her ankles. No, that was not a stream; it was blood flowing from beneath a sea of corpses that stretched as far as the eye could see.

Looking up, a blood-red moon hung in the sky. Fierce fighting was underway in the distance, and the ground was littered with blood and bodies.

At the very center of the battlefield stood an altar with the Seven Star Sword plunged into it, continuously radiating its eerie, ominous aura.

"Kuina!" A sudden shout jolted Kuina awake. Her face was pale, and her body, wrapped in her kimono, was soaked with sweat; cold beads of perspiration stood out on her face.

Koshiro had already sheathed the Seven Star Sword at some point and was looking at Kuina with a face full of apology.

"I apologize. I underestimated this sword. Its malevolence seems to be just as the legends say—it doesn't just affect the wielder, but those around it as well."