Chapter 138: Cursed Blade Muramasa
Kano Country Capital.
Five days had passed since the decisive battle atop Mount Kano.
Most of the West Blue's powerful warriors had dispersed, but a few remained—invited personally by King Charles.
The Kano Country had suffered catastrophic losses during this period.
Not only had several of its navy commanders perished, but even its legendary guardian Don Chinjao had fallen, leaving the nation at its weakest point in recorded history.
Charles naturally had to scramble to recruit replacements before all the West Blue warriors departed. In his desperation, he'd even momentarily forgotten about the Supreme Grade blade he'd promised Rhodes.
Rhodes wasn't worried about Charles reneging on the deal. His overwhelming strength was his guarantee, and anyone who dared break their word would have to answer to his blade first.
Moreover,
he'd sustained severe injuries from the battle with Don Chinjao—mostly internal damage, making recovery more challenging.
Five days had only achieved partial healing.
Of course, the worst injuries healed fastest, and progressing from partial to complete recovery would likely take only another four or five days.
Therefore, Rhodes wasn't in any rush to claim his prize.
"Rhodes, your appointment as a Warlord of the Sea has been confirmed. The official ceremony will be held on January 1st, Sea Calendar year 1522."
"Understood, Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
Rhodes hung up the Den Den Mushi, his lips curling slightly.
Bureaucratic systems were indeed inefficient in every conceivable way.
"It's probably because I killed Don Chinjao that my reputation skyrocketed. Otherwise, who knows how long they would have dragged this out,"
Rhodes muttered softly, a calculating gleam in his eyes.
This battle had been truly monumental.
It also gave Rhodes a clearer, more intuitive understanding of his current strength.
He'd defeated Don Chinjao. While the legend hadn't been at absolute peak condition and lacked his signature drill-head, Rhodes had defeated him in direct, head-on combat nonetheless.
This meant his strength had reached what he mentally classified as "quasi-Admiral" level.
Quasi-Admiral!
This was a rank Rhodes had conceptualized to bridge the gap between Headquarters Vice Admiral and Navy Admiral strength.
Someone at this level might not be able to crush a top-tier Headquarters Vice Admiral, but they also wouldn't be crushed by a Navy Admiral. They were capable of genuine combat and wouldn't be defeated quickly.
There weren't many people at this level anywhere in the world.
So at this moment, Rhodes had officially entered the ranks of the ocean's truly mighty powerhouses.
"But I'm still at the bottom of that tier,"
Rhodes sighed softly.
Forget about anything else—even that enemy among the Seven Warlords, Doflamingo, could probably suppress him in direct combat.
He needed to improve his strength further. Now was definitely not the time for complacency!
For a transmigrator, Rhodes considered himself quite capable.
In the original timeline, Monkey D. Luffy—after defeating Doflamingo and wreaking havoc on Whole Cake Island—still couldn't withstand a single blow from Kaido of the Beasts. So what right did Rhodes have to be arrogant?
"Now that my swordsmanship has reached the Great Swordsman level, the next step would be Supreme Grade Swordsman. To progress in this area, simple training is meaningless—it's more about enlightenment and breakthrough."
"The lightning power originates from the Thunder Tome. It should evolve after advancing the technique, but there's no rush for that."
"My physical strength and Haki still need substantial improvement. Compared to a true great pirate at their peak, there's still a considerable gap. If my physique and Haki were stronger, I wouldn't have suffered such severe injuries against Don Chinjao..."
After thoroughly reviewing his capabilities, Rhodes gradually formulated a training plan for the coming period.
The path to becoming truly strong was endless!
After climbing one mountain, there were always higher peaks to ascend, to surpass—until he stood overlooking the world, transcending all limitations.
Two more days passed, and Rhodes's injuries had mostly healed, with only minor residual damage remaining.
The Kano Country finally remembered the Dragon Slayer swordsman they owed. Crown Prince Shunai and Third Princess Yuffie came to visit, requesting Rhodes accompany them to retrieve the Supreme Grade blade.
"You need me to retrieve it?"
Rhodes showed a hint of interest.
Obviously, this couldn't be the Kano Country trying to set a trap. They wouldn't dare, nor would there be any point.
It could only mean there was something unusual about this Supreme Grade blade.
Crown Prince Shunai glanced at Rhodes, then bowed his head respectfully.
"Sir Rhodes, this Supreme Grade blade is the cursed sword Muramasa—on par with the demon blade Kitetsu in infamy. It is extremely sinister. An ordinary person wielding it would experience horrifying hallucinations and die of madness within moments."
"Of course, a swordsman as powerful as you can certainly master it."
He kept his head lowered, a calculating gleam in his eyes as he spoke.
There was something he deliberately left unsaid.
The late Don Chinjao had attempted to wield this blade years ago, but the sword had left him mentally exhausted and somewhat disoriented. If not for his powerful Conqueror's Haki, he might have been seriously affected.
Shunai certainly didn't expect the sword to kill Rhodes, but it would be satisfying to see him suffer some mental anguish at least.
It wasn't jealousy, exactly.
The gap between them was simply too vast for that.
When your opponent is slightly stronger, you want to catch up. But when they stand on a cliff a thousand meters above you, you can only gaze up and sigh in awe.
"A cursed blade?"
Rhodes felt genuinely curious.
He knew that the original Kitetsu should be in the possession of one of the Five Elders at the pinnacle of the World Government.
The Sandai Kitetsu was currently sealed in a weapons shop in Loguetown, East Blue. It would soon become Roronoa Zoro's sword, granting him a certain "hell energy" quality.
Such curse blades were usually forged from special materials and had claimed too many lives. Endless blood and countless souls accumulated within them, granting the blade itself a kind of primitive consciousness and overwhelming presence. If the wielder's willpower and strength proved insufficient, they'd suffer backlash.
Similar to the concept of sword spirits from cultivation novels in his previous life.
But he'd never heard of this "Muramasa" before.
"Yes,"
Shunai composed himself and explained in a measured tone, "The forger, date of creation, location, and materials of this sword are all completely untraceable. It is one of the most ancient Supreme Grade blades in existence."
"However, legends do exist."
Perhaps because the Kano Country desperately wanted someone capable of wielding this cursed blade, they'd gathered extensive relevant information. Shunai proceeded to explain in detail.
According to legend, the materials for the cursed blade Muramasa came from the mysterious and unfathomable Sanzu River—the boundary between life and death.
The swordsmith had even thrown himself into the forge on the day the blade was completed, tempering it with his own blood and soul, thus creating this unparalleled cursed sword.
"The Sanzu River..."
Rhodes's eyes flickered with interest.
The existence of souls in the pirate world was undeniable—evidenced by Brook's Yomi Yomi no Mi and Big Mom's Soru Soru no Mi.
After awakening his Conqueror's Haki, Rhodes had also vaguely sensed the existence of spiritual will and souls.
However, whether there truly existed a realm where souls resided after death remained unknown.
"Does a place like the Sanzu River actually exist?"
Yuffie asked with genuine curiosity.
The fate of the deceased had always been an eternal question—one that concerned everyone eventually.
"How could I possibly know?"
Shunai shook his head helplessly.
This could be considered among the world's deepest mysteries. His status and strength were nowhere near sufficient to access such knowledge.
As the three conversed, they slowly approached a heavily guarded steel gate.
This was the royal treasury of the Kano Country.
The steel gate was half a meter thick and tremendously heavy. The royal guards used mechanical leverage to slowly push it open.
Unexpectedly,
there were surprisingly few items within the treasury. It wasn't the imagined mountain of gold, silver, treasures, and precious gems.
Instead, it resembled more of a museum.
On each carefully crafted display stand sat artifacts that clearly possessed immense historical significance.
(End of Chapter)
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