Growth Weapon and a Bizarre Incident

As always, it was another bright and sunny morning. Not long after setting sail, the seawater still bore the dreamlike pale blue unique to shallow seas. Schools of small fish and the occasional larger underwater predator were clearly visible, staging scene after scene of cinematic struggles for survival.

After bidding farewell to Koushirou and his wife, fourteen-year-old Wright left Shimotsuki Village aboard a merchant ship.

"Phew..."

Stretching lazily, Wright rested his legs over the railing, his long sword beneath his head, and relaxed completely.

After spending two years at the dojo, Wright was finally no longer the "junior disciple"—even younger children had entered the dojo to train. As the strongest disciple in the dojo, Wright was, unsurprisingly, idolized by those newly enrolled junior disciples and immensely popular.

But...

"All the brats from the dojo came to see me off... Don't they have training to do?! They almost made me not want to leave!" Wright rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He had changed into a new outfit specially prepared by his master's wife. His long golden hair was tied into a ponytail, and his handsome features carried an air of resolute confidence. He looked exceptionally spirited, and the growth in his height over the past two years made the long sword look far less out of place in his hands.

Before he left, his master Koushirou had specifically taken away Wright's original training sword, saying that he wanted to prepare a farewell gift for him.

Just as Wright was wondering why giving a gift required taking something away first, Koushirou gave him the answer—the long sword had been enhanced, rising from an ordinary weapon to the level of a fine blade. Wright was pleasantly surprised, but not particularly shocked. After all, they were a famous family of swordsmiths from Wano Country!

Weapons were generally fixed in form once forged, and it was difficult to upgrade them further through forging skill alone. It was only because Wright's familiar long sword had originally been an ordinary weapon, without any special forging techniques involved, that it could be upgraded slightly.

There were quite a few famous blades in the world, but the sea was vast. Most famous blades were things one could only encounter by chance, and finding one suited to oneself had never been easy.

Wright gave it a name: Ashes.

After two years at the dojo, I was still the same old edgy teenager!

Though apart from both being weapons, the long swords of this pirate world had absolutely nothing in common with the Holy Light Blade.

However, something Koushirou said caught Wright's attention:

"Wright, I sensed your 'spirit' within this sword. It is like... some unique 'Mark' belonging only to you. Perhaps it is related to your ability. From this 'Mark,' I sensed an aura similar to when you activate your power. On the surface, it is now only a fine blade, perhaps even inferior to some fierce swords that have undergone countless battles. But if you wield it, it should be no weaker than an ordinary Grade Swords 50."

"The 'Mark' is still very faint, but after discovering its existence, I focused on preserving this trait during the enhancement. Because of that, an enhancement that could originally have made it even stronger only reached the level of a fine blade. As you continue using it and your power grows stronger, this sword may eventually become a special weapon belonging to you alone. No one but you will be able to bring out its power."

"Though its lower limit has already been set, its upper limit holds endless possibilities. Everything depends on how you 'cultivate' it... Wright, a truly powerful Great Swordsman may be able to 'refine' an ordinary blade into a powerful 'Black Blade.'"

"Among the world-renowned Supreme Grade Swords 12 and Grade Swords 21, there are powerful weapons made through swordsmiths' hands. But there are also blades that were not originally so powerful, yet grew to that level after accompanying mighty wielders through countless battles."

"..."

What was this supposed to be? A weapon spirit? A sword soul? A cursed blade?

It was probably the Holy Light Power's fault again. This sword was just an ordinary long sword. He had chosen it in the first place because it was the longest and coolest-looking among the available options. He had merely often infused it with Holy Light Power to unleash enhanced slashes.

Refining an ordinary blade into a Black Blade... Wright remembered Hawkeye Mihawk, the world's strongest Great Swordsman in the original story, describing such a thing. Gyukimaru of Wano Country had even pointed out an example—"Sword God" Shimotsuki Ryuma's sword, Shusui, one of the Grade Swords 21, was a powerful Black Blade forged through accompanying Ryuma in countless battles!

Could Hawkeye's Supreme Grade Sword, Black Blade Night, have not been found by Hawkeye, but personally forged by him after he became a Great Swordsman?

Then if he kept infusing it with Holy Light Power, even Armament Haki and Ryou... Could he truly refine some marvelous sword, just as one refined a Black Blade?

Did this mean he had a weapon that did not need replacing and could grow? It was practically the template for a divine artifact!

I'm really looking forward to it!

The merchant ship sailed steadily onward. Before long, the sun had reached its zenith, and the scent of food drifted across the deck...

After eating and drinking his fill, Wright yawned and returned to his room. He planned to meditate to train his spiritual power and, while he was at it, try infusing Ashes with Holy Light Power. On one hand, it would train his Holy Light Power; on the other...

"Doctor...! Is there... a doctor here?! Save... save us!"

"?"

The commotion outside the cabin caught Wright's attention. He spread his Observation Haki and saw that the people who had been eating with him not long ago were now foaming at the mouth and collapsing to the ground. It seemed they had been... poisoned?

Arriving in the cabin, Wright quickly found the person calling for help. A Purification Spell instantly restored him to normal. It turned out that the man was a kitchen assistant in the merchant ship's dining hall. He trained regularly, which was why he had managed to hold on long enough to call for help. Wright also finally learned what had happened.

A bizarre incident: poisonous fish had accidentally been mixed in with the merchant ship's ingredients. Unfortunately, they had ended up in the soup served to the passengers, so the passengers and crew who drank the fish soup were all poisoned. Even more unfortunately, the ship's doctor was especially fond of fish soup and had drunk a little extra. He had already passed out from the poison...

And Wright...

"Luckily, I've always only eaten fish. I don't like fish soup."

Stopping the man from tearfully thanking him, Wright instructed him to gather the poisoned people who had collapsed in their rooms, the cabins, the deck, and elsewhere. He himself headed for the dining hall.

Holy Light Power was also exceptionally effective at detoxification. Fortunately, under the perception of Observation Haki, Wright could clearly sense every poisoned person regardless of where they were and had them promptly moved to his side.

After Wright's swift treatment, the poisoned people aboard the ship finally returned to normal.

Although he stopped the enraged crowd from tossing the trembling head chef into the sea, Wright still received the fervent gratitude of everyone on board.

"You are so young, yet your medical skills are so extraordinary. It is truly unbelievable!"

"A miraculous doctor! Young Master Wright, thank you for saving our lives!"

"The bunch of so-called miraculous doctors back in my hometown aren't even worthy of carrying your shoes! You cured so many people with unknown symptoms so quickly—now this is what a miraculous doctor should be!"

"Miraculous doctor! Please allow us to repay you!"