G-5 Branch Medical Office
"Hiss... easy there! I still need these hands for forging in the future."
"Ow! Hey, what exactly are you putting on that wound?"
The military doctor was treating Hammer's injuries, but for some reason these wounds were extraordinarily painful, causing him to cry out repeatedly.
"Is it really that painful?"
"Back when Whitebeard beat you up, I never heard you complain once."
Sakazuki looked helplessly at the grimacing Hammer, feeling that he was exaggerating.
"I'm not faking it, Dog Bro."
"That blade has an attribute called Intensified Pain. Do you understand?"
"Anyone wounded by that sword will end up just like me."
"Ow! Brother, a little gentler!"
At this moment, Hammer felt as if both of his hands no longer belonged to him.
How should he describe it?
Pain.
Real, unbearable pain.
Looking at Hammer's reddened, twisted face, everyone in the room, including Vice Admiral Morris, felt a chill run down their spines.
'A single sword?''
'Could it really make someone suffer to this extent?'
'What kind of cursed blade was this?'
'No, even cursed blades couldn't compare to it.'
"Sakazuki, I really messed up this time."
"That damned blade... Why didn't I realize sooner that it was Cinnabar Steel?"
"And why would G-5 even have that stuff?"
'Cinnabar Steel?'
A huge question mark appeared in everyone's mind.
"Cinnabar is a crimson-colored ore."
"It contains toxins, but it's also a forging material."
"But if it's fused with certain metals, such as Lead Steel..."
Hammer's face grew increasingly gloomy, so much so that he nearly forgot the pain.
"The toxicity multiplies several times over."
"Both materials contain mercury-based components, which greatly amplify their mental toxins."
"The moment I started forging, I was already being influenced by the poison."
"In the end, the shockwave released when the blade was completed blasted me away and snapped me back to my senses."
Everyone felt a chill after hearing his explanation.
"The most critical part is that I gave that blade some terrifying abilities."
"And on top of that, it developed a certain degree of intelligence."
"It is absolutely a demonic blade."
'A demonic blade?'
The phrase alone sent shivers down everyone's spine.
Monster.
Demon.
A demon was far more terrifying than a mere monster.
"What attributes did you give it?"
As the first beneficiary of a custom weapon, Sakazuki understood exactly how important powerful attributes could be.
"Demonization... Bloodthirst..."
"Whoever obtains that blade will be influenced by its demonic nature and become a murderous monster."
Hammer suddenly recalled the system notification from the moment the sword was completed.
The final line had perfectly described the blade:
[Demonic Blade Muramasa... Source of All Evil...]
"Sakazuki, my Den Den Mushi was destroyed during the clash."
"Get me a new one."
"I need to contact Headquarters immediately."
"I need to find that blade and destroy it as soon as possible."
"Otherwise..."
Hammer didn't finish the sentence.
But everyone present knew exactly what he meant.
New World, Ridgerichled Island
"Hey, Rakuyo, what are you doing?"
"Pops called. He wants us back immediately."
"He's in a hurry to drink."
A man wearing a gentleman's hat casually ate an apple while urging his companion.
This man was none other than one of the Whitebeard Pirates' Division Commanders, Vista.
"I know, I know!"
"I'm moving it already!"
"Vista, could you stop standing there eating apples and come help?"
Another Division Commander, Rakuyo, looked at Vista helplessly.
Suddenly, both men froze.
They simultaneously looked toward the sky.
"What's that?"
The rest of the Whitebeard Pirates reacted similarly.
A crimson streak crossed the heavens and shot directly toward Ridgerichled Island.
BOOM!
A bizarre crimson blade slammed into the ground.
Even the surrounding earth was stained red.
It was the Demonic Blade Muramasa.
"A sword?"
"A red sword?"
"Vista, can you tell what kind of blade that is?"
Rakuyo's expression grew serious.
He could actually feel a terrifying pressure coming from the sword.
As a swordsman, Vista's expression became even uglier.
He could sense overwhelming ominous energy radiating from it.
"Retreat!"
"Leave the island immediately!"
Vista immediately issued the evacuation order.
The crews of both divisions began running toward the shore.
At that moment, Muramasa moved.
The blade trembled slightly.
Then it rose from the ground and shot directly toward Vista.
"Damn it!"
"Rakuyo, get back!"
Vista immediately drew the twin swords at his waist.
Armament Haki surged across their surfaces as he assumed a defensive stance.
CLANG!
CRACK!
The moment Muramasa collided with his twin swords, both Haki-coated blades were instantly destroyed.
Their blades shattered piece by piece.
"Impossible!"
Vista couldn't believe what he was seeing.
His swords had accompanied him for years.
After being nurtured by his Armament Haki for so long, they had long surpassed ordinary weapons.
Yet against this mysterious blade, they couldn't even provide resistance.
"Vista!"
Seeing Vista about to be struck, Rakuyo cried out and rushed forward.
His meteor hammer flew toward the demonic blade.
Unexpectedly, Muramasa showed no intention of harming Vista.
Instead, it shattered his swords and flew directly into his hand.
The moment Vista grasped Muramasa, his eyes instantly turned crimson.
A feral roar erupted from his throat.
"ROAAAR!!"
The inhuman howl generated visible shockwaves.
Even Rakuyo, who had been rushing to help, abruptly stopped.
For some reason, Vista's presence now felt completely unfamiliar.
And it carried a hint of murderous intent.
"Go... run..."
Vista held the sword in his right hand while clutching his head with his left.
His brows were tightly furrowed, and his expression was filled with agony.
"Vista, what's wrong with you?!"
"Rakuyo, go!"
"Don't stay here!"
No matter how many times Rakuyo asked, Vista repeated only one thing:
Leave.
"ROAR!"
Another savage roar echoed out.
Vista slowly raised Muramasa.
A twisted grin spread across his face.
The sight immediately made Rakuyo feel that something was terribly wrong.
"Kill..."
"Kill..."
Vista muttered to himself.
Then he began walking toward Rakuyo.
"Damn it, Vista, what exactly, "
"Get back!"
SWISH!
Before Rakuyo could finish speaking, Vista had already swung his blade.
A crimson flying slash soared through the air straight toward Rakuyo's face.
The distance was far too short.
There was no way to dodge.
Rakuyo could only coat both his arms and his meteor hammer with Armament Haki in an attempt to block it.
But how could he possibly stop a slash from the Demonic Blade?
CLANG!
"Damn it!"
The sound of metal snapping and Rakuyo's scream rang out almost simultaneously.
The crimson slash carved a massive wound across his chest.
Blood immediately sprayed into the air.
"Commander Rakuyo!"
"Damn it! Get the Commander back!"
The retreating crew members rushed forward to support him and hurriedly withdrew.
Meanwhile, Vista's own subordinates stared at him in disbelief.
"Commander Vista!"
"What are you doing?!"
"We're comrades!"
Perhaps the cries of his companions restored a shred of his sanity.
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!"
"Run!"
"I can't hold on any longer!"
Pain once again appeared on Vista's face.
His left hand desperately grabbed his right arm, preventing himself from swinging the sword.
Meanwhile, the Demonic Blade emitted wave after wave of eerie crimson light.
The sight made everyone's hearts skip a beat.