Aokiji was the first to emerge from the sea, creating an ice path on its surface as he pursued Bege. Akainu also leaped onto the ice path, rushing forward furiously.
The two chased him relentlessly. Bege, being the sly fox he was, pulled a small Flying Waver from his internal castle and soared higher into the sky.
After chasing for some distance, both Admirals gave up. They knew clearly that with their current level of physical skill, they couldn't sustain a long-distance aerial pursuit of Bege.
Akainu roared in fury, magma erupting and boiling the sea, turning hundreds of meters of the ocean surface crimson, with hot water churning.
"It seems Instructor Zephyr was right. We all need to strengthen our physical conditioning."
Aokiji's face was equally grim. Bege had slipped through his fingers twice now, leaving him extremely displeased. At the same time, he keenly recognized their shortcomings in terms of raw physical prowess.
All three Marine Admirals had this weakness. Their top-tier Logia Devil Fruits granted them immense destructive power, leading them to focus more on developing their fruit abilities, over-relying on them while neglecting their physical conditioning.
After evading Akainu and Aokiji's pursuit, Bege nonchalantly continued his hunt for fierce beasts.
One day, he made a brief stop on a small island called Broccoli Island. Two of his men went to the town on Broccoli Island to purchase necessities. Upon their return, the men excitedly approached Bege.
"Godfather, I heard a very interesting rumor in Broccoli Town today!"
"Let's hear it," Bege said casually, lying on his deck chair without moving.
The crewman hurriedly reported, "I heard there's a cursed sword on this island!"
"A cursed sword?!" Bege immediately sat up, took off his sunglasses, his interest piqued. "What cursed sword? Is it a Kitetsu? Which generation Kitetsu?"
"What's a Kitetsu? I don't know its name. I just heard the villagers say that legend tells of a cursed sword enshrined at the summit of Broccoli Mountain. Anyone who wields this sword will die tragically and eventually turn into a mummified corpse. It's said this cursed sword has been enshrined on Broccoli Mountain for over forty years now." The crewman didn't know what a Kitetsu was and just blurted out everything he had heard.
"A cursed sword... I wonder if it's a Kitetsu. It would be great if it were the Nidai Kitetsu, or even the Shodai Kitetsu," Bege thought with anticipation. The Sandai Kitetsu was likely still in Loguetown in the East Blue, and the Shodai Kitetsu was very possibly in the hands of the Five Elders. The Nidai Kitetsu had never appeared, though some speculated it might be the sword wielded by Shiliew of the Rain, but that possibility wasn't high. Bege wondered if this rumored cursed sword on Broccoli Island could be the Nidai Kitetsu.
He pondered but couldn't be sure, because the Kitetsu series wasn't the only type of cursed sword.
"Let's go. We'll head up Broccoli Island and see if there really is a cursed sword," Bege stood up, preparing to investigate.
Bege inquired about the cursed sword in the village and learned that it had appeared on Broccoli Island forty years ago. Anyone who touched it was bewitched by the sword and turned into a murderous demon. Later, an enlightened monk came to Broccoli Island. He took the cursed sword to the mountaintop, saying he wanted to purify it. He hadn't come down for forty years, and the townspeople didn't know what had become of the situation.
Knowing the cursed sword was at the summit, Bege, along with a few of his men, headed straight for Broccoli Mountain.
Broccoli Mountain was a very tall, cone-shaped peak, famous for the abundance of broccoli growing on it. From the foot to the midway point, it was covered in lush green broccoli. Further up, broccoli became scarce, replaced by dense thickets of mountain bamboo, as thick as an arm, which grew profusely from the mid-slope all the way to the summit.
The section of Broccoli Mountain from the foot to the mid-slope wasn't steep and was covered in broccoli fields cultivated by many people. Above the mid-slope, however, the mountain suddenly became precipitous, more than twice as steep as the lower section. Apart from a small stretch of bamboo forest just above the mid-slope that showed signs of human activity, there was nothing further up.
The villagers cultivating the broccoli fields kindly warned them that the bamboo forest was home to highly dangerous Green Bamboo Snakes and Bamboo Rats. The Green Bamboo Snakes were extremely venomous and favored living in bamboo thickets; it was said their venom was produced through a chemical reaction in their bodies involving the non-toxic green skin of the bamboo. The greener the snake's skin, the more potent its venom, and the lushest green bamboo groves were certain to harbor these snakes. The other danger was the Bamboo Rats, which lived in colonies. Their teeth were incredibly sharp, capable of easily biting through bamboo, and could tear a chunk of flesh from a person just as easily. Encountering a large swarm of Bamboo Rats in the forest would undoubtedly be a major problem.
As they moved through the bamboo forest, they could hear squeaking sounds from various corners. Bege unleashed his ferocious aura. The bamboo forest rustled, and a large swarm of fist-sized grey rats fled in panic. Green Bamboo Snakes coiled around the bamboo stalks quickly slithered to the very top. In the eyes of these Bamboo Rats and Green Bamboo Snakes, Bege was the most terrifying beast of all.
Near the summit, within the bamboo forest, there was a small path. Following it with his gaze, Bege could vaguely make out a row of bamboo houses encircling the mountaintop amidst the trees.
Upon getting closer, they found the bamboo houses had been deserted for a long time and were now overrun with Bamboo Rats. No one had lived there for ages.
The four of them split up to check if anyone still resided in the row of bamboo houses.
"Godfather, there's someone here!" Before long, Bege heard one of his men shout.
To one side of the bamboo houses was a thatched hut, very simple. A few square meters of land next to it had been cultivated as a vegetable patch. Under the eaves of the hut, an old monk with a white beard and eyebrows sat cross-legged on a dust-covered mat.
From his appearance, he seemed to be the enlightened monk the villagers of Broccoli Island had mentioned.
Bege walked over, pressed his palms together respectfully, and said, "Master, greetings."
Bege then observed the old monk more closely. There were two large scars over his eyes; he was blind. His face was a dense network of wrinkles and furrows, a weathered visage that made it impossible to guess his exact age. His body was covered in fallen leaves and dust. If not for the occasional, faint rise and fall of his chest, one might not have known he was still alive.
The old monk himself awoke from his meditative state.
"Almsgiver, greetings. This humble monk is Konghai." Master Konghai showed no surprise at all, instead speaking with a benevolent expression. "Honored almsgiver, your body is overflowing with a violent aura. You are no ordinary person. Have you come seeking the cursed sword?"
Bege was taken aback for a moment, then replied, "That is correct, Master Konghai. I have indeed come in search of the cursed sword. I heard that after Master Konghai took it to the mountaintop forty years ago, it has not been seen since. I wonder if the cursed sword truly exists, and if it is in Master Konghai's possession."
Konghai uttered a Buddhist invocation. "Humans may possess aspects that harm their kin; objects may bear reputations for overcoming their masters. The cursed sword inherently carries a curse, an ominous power. It overcomes its master, harms oneself, and harms others. Almsgiver, please do not lead yourself astray. Please descend the mountain."