"Beri doesn't interest me. But if possible, I'd like to borrow the sword on your back for half a day to study it."
"No problem," Hawk Eyes replied without hesitation.
Although Samor was a seasoned blacksmith, truth be told, there wasn't much left for Ryuuzaki to learn from him. All that remained was to continue forging blades and refining his skill through practice.
To create better weapons, Ryuuzaki needed to study legendary swords.
With 142 blacksmith talent points at his disposal, he took Hawk Eyes' Supreme Grade sword, Black Blade Yoru, in his hands and examined it carefully. The craftsmanship was superb, and the materials used were top-tier. The pitch-black blade was a masterpiece, its edge forged with a chaotic hamon of dazzling beauty.
He had heard stories before, but only when holding Yoru himself did Ryuuzaki truly feel the extraordinary nature of a Supreme Grade sword.
He studied the weapon the entire afternoon and returned it to Hawk Eyes by evening.
Having forged nonstop for days and just finished examining Yoru, Ryuuzaki's understanding of blade crafting deepened significantly.
But he was exhausted.
That night, he collapsed into bed and immediately fell asleep.
Makino didn't question him. She simply and gently unwrapped the bandages on his arm, applied fresh medicine, cleaned the wounds, and redressed them.
As for Hawk Eyes, he didn't stay in Foosha Village for long. He found a small boat and quietly set off again, the small dagger Ryuuzaki had forged now hanging from his neck.
At first, Hawk Eyes thought it was simply a well-made knife, nothing more. That is, until,
Drifting with the currents under the night sky, eyes half-closed, Hawk Eyes suddenly opened them wide.
"Strange," he muttered, lifting the dagger in his hand. "Is this thing... vibrating? No, not a physical vibration. It's... spirit resonance?"
He was puzzled, but quickly turned to look into the distance.
Despite the low visibility, Hawk Eyes sensed a ship not far away.
Approaching it, he leapt aboard in a single bound.
"Who's there?" a crewman shouted, alerting the rest of the ship.
"Relax. I'm just here to find someone."
"Find someone?"
Ignoring the crew, Hawk Eyes strode toward the stern, where a man stood, about thirty years old, holding a cane.
"Were you looking for me?" the man asked.
"That's right. You're a swordsman, aren't you?"
"A swordsman?" The man chuckled softly. "I'm just a blind man."
"No. You're definitely a swordsman."
The blind man frowned slightly. After a pause, he said, "May I ask why you're looking for me?"
"Naturally, to test blades."
"It seems you won't take no for an answer. Very well. There's a deserted island over there. Let's head there for our duel."
Hawk Eyes hesitated, following the man's pointing finger, but saw no island in sight.
Only after sailing in a small boat for some time did Hawk Eyes realize how far it really was. His own Observation Haki hadn't even registered it.
Once ashore, Hawk Eyes grew more excited. This blind man was strong, his Observation Haki was terrifying.
He hadn't just sensed the island's location, he had deduced that it was uninhabited. And he was completely correct. There were no people, and even wild animals were rare.
"I am Issho. May I know your name, sir?"
"Dracule Mihawk. People call me Hawk Eyes."
"I have one question: how did you know I was a swordsman?"
Hawk Eyes smiled. "Defeat me, and I'll tell you."
"Then forgive me."
This man, Issho, would later become Admiral Fujitora of the Navy, promoted outside the traditional chain of command during the World Military Draft. A monster of terrifying strength. But now, he was still traveling the world, quietly honing his skills.
Because this was a sword duel, Issho didn't use his gravity-based Devil Fruit ability. Even so, his swordsmanship held its own against Hawk Eyes.
"Such strength… and yet, you remain unknown across the seas," Hawk Eyes sighed. If not for that little dagger, he might have missed a duel with such a worthy opponent.
Now, he finally understood the true power of Ryuuzaki's dagger.
Unlike the cursed swords of legend, this one could sense the aura of powerful swordsmen nearby.
Originally, Hawk Eyes had thought Ryuuzaki was simply a talented young blacksmith.
Now, he was convinced the kid was a monster-tier prodigy.
Because the duel was a test of skill, not a life-or-death struggle, both held back their full power. They clashed for three hours.
Issho eventually said, "Your swordsmanship is masterful. I concede defeat. Shall we call it a day?"
"I didn't beat you by much," Hawk Eyes replied, sheathing Yoru.
"A swordsman like you… how are you not known far and wide?"
"I have no interest in fame."
"I see." Hawk Eyes glanced at Issho's cane-sword. "You protected it with Armament Haki, but the blade itself is subpar, and it's damaged, isn't it?"
His Black Blade Yoru was one of the twelve Supreme Grade swords. But Issho's weapon, as far as Hawk Eyes could tell, was of poor quality, likely not even a Grade Sword.
Though he respected Issho's technique, he couldn't help but pity the man for his weapon.
"I know a blacksmith. You should seek him out and have a sword forged."
"If you speak so highly of him, he must be a true master."
"A master?" Hawk Eyes chuckled. "You'll see for yourself. Go to the Goa Kingdom, to a village called Foosha. The blacksmith's name is Ryuuzaki."
Hawk Eyes was still young, but in a short time, he'd encountered a monster blacksmith like Ryuuzaki and now a swordsman like Issho.
He sighed, marveling at how vast the world truly was, always someone stronger out there.
And with growing ambition, he swore to challenge every top-tier swordsman across the world.
He touched the dagger at his neck. With this blade, he'd never miss sensing a powerful swordsman again.
After parting ways with Issho, Hawk Eyes muttered to himself.
"This dagger is no ordinary blade. It's worth more than even a Grade Sword. It should have a name."
He paused.
"I'll call you, Ryugan."
The small boat drifted across the waves, vanishing into the dark horizon.
Issho continued his travels. Though his Observation Haki was overwhelmingly strong, the fact that he was blind made things difficult when it came to navigating by name alone.
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200 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter