"Marine... no, after the marines entered the town, they had unexpectedly come to find Drake, who had been forging a blade.
Smoke had been spewing out from Smoker's mouth, who had been chewing on two cigars at once, and it hadn't delayed Smoker from speaking at all.
"So it was you who forced Crocodile to flee with his tail between his legs, even giving up the casino that he had been operating, you don't look like that kind of person who has that much courage!"
Drake hadn't looked at Smoker, and had instead just been swinging his hammer, forging the blade blank in his hand, and the crisp sounds had been accompanied by the sputtering sparks like music.
Tashigi, who had looked exactly like Zoro's childhood friend behind Smoker, had her eyes shining.
As a sword otaku, she could see how superb Drake's skills had been. Seeing the birth of a named sword had made a blush appear on her face.
But Drake had said without any courtesy, "So are you marines here to vent your anger for your dog?"
Drake hadn't responded to Smoker's provocation, but he had confirmed the fact that he had chased Crocodile away.
Smoker had curled his lip, and there had indeed been a difference in the marines' internal views on justice, but almost all of the marines' views on the Shichibukai group had been the same.
"Vent our anger for those guys? Don't misunderstand! Losing to others is because those guys aren't skilled enough themselves. I should instead be considering whether there's even a need for them to exist anymore!"
Smoker had said "those," and it seemed that he hadn't just been targeting Crocodile, but had been targeting all of the Shichibukai.
Drake hadn't been committal, and this was also why Drake didn't think much of the marines. The marines' attitude had never been able to affect the World Government.
Just as the Five Elders had said to Akainu, who had already become the fleet admiral, in the original plot, his face hadn't been important at all.
He had been talking about him, this fleet admiral, but hadn't he also been talking about the entire marine force!
After Smoker had vented his emotions, he had said to Drake, "So what exactly are you? And why did you have a conflict with Crocodile?"
Drake had slammed down with his hammer heavily, and had then suddenly turned his head, looking at Smoker.
Having been looked at straight in the eyes, Smoker had taken a step back subconsciously, and his heart had then begun to beat rapidly.
Drake had opened his mouth, saying, "I don't seem to have the obligation to answer your questions!"
Smoker had already calmed down, stopping his subordinates, who had been becoming wary, and had looked at Drake deeply, saying, "That's indeed so! But I want to advise you not to do anything too excessive in this country, or we'll send you to Impel Down even if we have to risk our lives."
Saying this, Smoker had left here with Tashigi, who had been unwilling.
After a while, the Straw Hat Pirates had run back. But they hadn't been as clueless as Smoker, and they had been waiting on the side for Drake to finish forging the blade.
But Fall, who they had thought had been a decorative statue, had suddenly spewed out flames, heating the blade, scaring everyone.
The result had naturally been that everyone had worked together, holding back the curious Luffy, preventing him from disturbing Drake.
Having only had two samples, Drake's research progress hadn't been very smooth, and this time had just been an experiment of his research results.
So the forging had been completed quickly, and Drake had decisively sent the blade blank into the quenching liquid. Taking out the hardened katana, Drake had then completed the grinding and assembly, and had only then let out a breath.
Just speaking from the quality, this blade had already exceeded the level of a Ryo Wazamono grade, but Drake could feel that this blade had still been somewhat different from the named swords of this world.
Drake had noticed this point during the forging process. But with the pride of a blacksmith, how would Drake have allowed an inferior work to appear in his hands, so he had used all kinds of techniques that he had mastered to complete this blade.
It was also because of this that the difference between this blade and normal named swords had been even greater, and it had been more similar to another kind of famous sword in this world.
Zoro's eyes hadn't left this blade at all, walking forward, saying, "Drake, can I take a look at this blade?"
Drake had thrown the blade over casually, and Zoro had then wanted to draw it out after catching it, but the blade had been as unmoving as if it had been welded to the scabbard.
Drake had revealed an expression of having succeeded in his prank, saying, "This is a quite proud child, and swordsmen who don't meet its requirements can't draw it out."
That's right, this blade, which didn't have a name yet, was a cursed sword.
The Pirate King Roger had had the talent to listen to the voice of all things, and swordsmen also had to comprehend something like the breath of all things if they wanted to become great swordsmen.
Which was to say that all things had something that had been similar to consciousness, and cursed swords had been swords that had had especially strong and special consciousness.
For example, the Sandai Kitetsu that had been at Zoro's waist had been a cursed sword, and several generations of masters before Zoro had all died unnatural deaths.
Another cursed sword had been Enma, which had once belonged to Kouzuki Oden, and it would take its master's haki on its own accord, and would even drain its master dry.
And the cursed sword that Drake had just forged had been much more gentle, and it would have just refused to be used by swordsmen who hadn't had the qualifications.
As expected, Zoro had been competing with it, and the veins on his arm had been bulging out, and he had just wanted to draw the blade out.
A trace of an expectant expression had also appeared on Drake's face, and as a blacksmith, he had also hoped that the blade that he had forged could run into a suitable master.
And Zoro definitely had the qualifications to be this kind of swordsman, but it would still depend on whether he could obtain the blade's acknowledgement in the end.
Zoro had gritted his teeth, and he didn't have any other thoughts in his mind right now. As someone who had wanted to become the world's greatest swordsman, how could he admit defeat before a blade?
The sound of the blade and the scabbard colliding had been transmitted, and it had sounded like the blade had been struggling like a living thing.
This kind of contest had lasted for a full dozen minutes, and that blade had only then quieted down like a tamed wild horse.
The blade had been drawn out inch by inch, and Zoro had only then seen what the blade had looked like.
It had been the first time that Zoro had seen a blade pattern that had been arranged in such a dense and regular way, and the blade, which had been covered in dragon scale patterns, had also been emitting a strange scorching aura.
Zoro had drawn the blade out completely, habitually doing a practice swing.
What had been placed before him had been Drake's anvil, and after Zoro had swung this blade, a corner of the anvil had clearly fallen off even though he hadn't touched it.
Zoro's pupils had constricted, and he couldn't even cut steel, let alone the flying slashes that only great swordsmen could master. Which was to say that he had done what only great swordsmen could do just by relying on the sharpness of the blade.
This was undoubtedly a heretical path to swordsmen, but he couldn't bear to put down the blade in his hand no matter what.
Drake had also seen his reluctance, opening his mouth, saying, "That had just been a test work to begin with, and I'll give it to you if you like it.
But I want to remind you, a swordsman who relies on this child too much will never truly possess it! Give it a name yourself when you can draw it out at will!"
Zoro had nodded, putting the blade back into the scabbard, but he hadn't stuck it on his waist like the blades that he had been using, and had instead been holding it in his hand.
He had secretly made up his mind that he would definitely not draw out this blade again unless he had become a true great swordsman by relying on his own strength.
Drake hadn't been worried about whether Zoro had the resolve to subdue this blade, turning his head, looking at the others, saying, "Then let's talk about the purpose of you guys finding me!
You guys have also come here for Crocodile, right?"
Everyone had become serious after he had mentioned a serious topic... apart from Luffy, who had been sneaking closer to Fel.
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