Weapons

"So the legends weren't exaggerated after all..."

Koshiro lowered his head, gazing solemnly at the Seven Star Sword in his hands as it radiated an ominous aura. He murmured to himself.

In this world, Cursed Blades were regarded as ill-omened weapons because they killed their owners.

That had become people's stereotypical perception of them.

But now, Koshiro had seen his own daughter affected by one even while he held it. It shattered his understanding of Cursed Blades.

Seeing that Kuina hadn't been controlled or harmed, Koshiro finally relaxed.

Then he returned the Seven Star Sword to Louis with both hands, a hint of admiration in his eyes.

"Even though you aren't a swordsman, Lord Louis, you can control this ominous Cursed Blade. I'm truly impressed."

He was confident the Seven Star Sword couldn't control him, but he couldn't completely ignore its influence. If he wielded it against a powerful enemy, he might well lose focus and get himself killed.

Kuina's eyes widened at his words. She looked at Louis in disbelief and blurted out, "He's not a swordsman?"

At that, Louis gently drew the Seven Star Sword from its scabbard, revealing it to them without a trace of its sinister aura.

Koshiro froze at the sight, and the shock on Kuina's face deepened.

With the two of them watching, Louis gazed at the Seven Star Sword and said calmly, "The reason I can control the Seven Star Sword is simple."

"It can't affect me, and I can destroy it whenever I want."

"..."

Koshiro paused at his words, then said meaningfully, "That's right. If you can't be sure a weapon won't harm you, then it's best not to pick it up."

"Do you understand?"

"Kuina..."

Kuina looked puzzled. "Isn't that common sense?"

Koshiro shook his head at his daughter, his words carrying a deeper meaning. "It is common sense. But how many people actually live by it?"

Kuina gripped the First Generation tightly and said nothing.

A moment later, Louis sensed Yelena and Uta approaching, so he told Koshiro that his companions were on their way.

Koshiro nodded thoughtfully.

Just then, someone called out from the entrance.

"Master, two more people have arrived!"

"They're guests too. Bring them here," Koshiro said gently, turning to instruct his student.

Before long, Yelena, carrying several large bags, and Uta, looking around curiously, were led into the courtyard.

The moment she entered, Uta spotted Louis. She immediately flashed him a sweet smile and waved.

"Louis! We came to find you!"

Then she trotted over and stopped at the edge of the courtyard. Smiling, she greeted Koshiro and Kuina. "I'm Uta, Louis's best friend and partner!"

Koshiro and Kuina were briefly taken aback by Uta's words, then smiled and returned the introductions.

"I'm Koshiro Shimotsuki."

"Kuina Shimotsuki."

Just then, Yelena walked over. After setting down the supplies she had bought in the courtyard, she came up to join them.

"My name's Yelena. As you can see, I'm Louis's companion."

Kuina stared at the black horns peeking through Yelena's white hair and spaced out once again. She'd already seen people six or seven meters tall and people with wings. Now she'd encountered someone with horns.

The diversity of life at sea truly left her speechless.

Across from Louis, Koshiro studied the pair of black horns on Yelena's head, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Someone who inherited the Demon bloodline?"

He couldn't help remembering another horned person his father had mentioned when he was alive. That person had caused quite a stir over the decades, making the headlines of the World Economic News Agency's newspaper several times.

"She's incredibly strong!"

"She looks young, too. Could she become the next Beast Kaido?" Koshiro wondered.

Then he looked at Louis, who was sipping tea in silence, and marveled again. "Louis is even younger... He can't be more than a year or two older than Kuina."

"A team made up of two monsters?"

"Compared to them, this girl with the unusual hair color seems quite ordinary..."

Koshiro had taught countless students at Isshin Dojo. With his Haki and keen eye, he could tell at a glance how talented Louis and the others were.

Koshiro adjusted his glasses and smiled. "Lord Louis, you came here to find my father so he could forge a war hammer for Miss Yelena, didn't you?"

Louis nodded. "That's right. Her old weapon is nearly broken, so she needs a replacement."

Yelena was taken aback. She hadn't known Louis had such a plan.

Her war hammer had been passed down by generations of her ancestors, and by the time it reached her, cracks had inevitably begun to form.

She'd planned to put it away once it became unusable, then fight barehanded or with heavy weapons made of ice.

But now...

Yelena looked at Louis, a serene, graceful smile on her face.

Since Louis intended to find her a suitable weapon, she wouldn't try to talk him out of it. Instead, she would keep her anticipation to herself and quietly wait for the day it came.

A moment later, Kuina brought out two more teacups and poured tea for Yelena and Uta before sitting back down beside Koshiro.

Meanwhile, Uta eyed the white katana beside Kuina and asked curiously, "Is Kuina a swordsman too?"

Kuina smiled confidently. "That's right. One day, I'll become the World's Greatest Swordsman!"

Kuina instinctively gripped the First Generation. Her gaze was resolute, and her face radiated confidence.

After promising Zoro that she would become the World's Greatest Swordsman, she no longer felt uncertain about being a girl.

Even if, as her father said, women were naturally at a disadvantage when it came to physical strength, nothing could stop her from reaching the top!

Beside her, Koshiro froze at her words. He looked at his daughter's confident profile, his thoughts suddenly in turmoil.

Had he been wrong to try to talk Kuina out of it?

After hearing Kuina's ambition, Uta's expression shifted from curiosity to surprise. Then she smiled and said, "I don't know what the World's Greatest Swordsman is, but I can tell you're really serious about it, Kuina!"

"I'm willing to stake my life on it!" Kuina declared, her gaze firm and her tone resolute!

Beside Kuina, Koshiro lowered his head in silence and pressed his lips together. Sunlight reflected off his glasses, turning them white and hiding his eyes.

"So... you've already made up your mind?"

"Kuina..."

After a long while, Louis and his companions accepted Koshiro's warm invitation to stay overnight at Isshin Dojo. Koshiro also offered to give Louis some of the sword-forging materials left behind by Kosaburo Shimotsuki the next day, so he could find someone to forge a weapon suited to Yelena.

Late that night, the Den Den Mushi on Louis rang. Someone he never expected to hear from had contacted him.