"The Most Evil One...?"
Yemu paused for a second, then caught on. Seeing the shopkeeper's flustered expression, he stepped inside and said,
"Looks like the Marines gave me some strange title. Boss, care to explain what that's about?"
The shopkeeper blinked, then quickly ducked behind the counter and pulled out three wanted posters, offering them with a forced smile.
"Sir, please take a look—these were issued by the Marines ten days ago. For you and your companions..."
"Oh!"
Yemu's eyes lit up slightly as he leaned in. Sure enough, the posters bore the photos of himself, Enel, and Tiger. The bounty amounts weren't bad either.
"Good photo... The bounty—500 million... not bad. But this title, 'The Most Evil One'... kind of plain, don't you think? Boss, I'm taking these posters with me. You don't mind, do you?"
"O-of course, of course!"
The shopkeeper chuckled nervously, rubbing his hands together before trying to flatter him.
"So, Captain Yemu, what brings you to our humble shop?"
"Obviously, I'm here to buy swords."
Yemu followed the usual routine and pulled out a pouch of gold.
"Bring me your best—your most expensive blade."
"Right away! Right away!"
Beaming, the shopkeeper turned and headed into the storeroom behind the counter.
Meanwhile, Yemu turned to inspect the nearby barrel of swords. If he remembered right, Sandai Kitetsu should be around here. He wasn't a professional swordsman, but he could still tell the difference between a good sword and a common one.
"Got it."
He reached in and drew out a long blade with a deep red scabbard.
"Sir—wait!"
The shopkeeper, returning from the back, spotted him and panicked. He rushed over, arms full of seven or eight other swords, shouting,
"That sword's not for sale!"
"Oh?"
Yemu turned to look at him.
"Why? Because it's a Cursed Sword?"
"Eh? You know about that, sir..."
Yemu ignored him and calmly approached. Under the man's nervous gaze, he examined the swords in his arms one by one. None of them were impressive.
Then, fixing his eyes on the middle-aged man, Yemu suddenly said,
"Boss, don't tell me these are your best blades."
"Of course, sir! These are all Meito-grade swords. While they may not be as good as your Shishimaru or that cursed blade, they're definitely fine weapons..."
But Yemu didn't respond directly. He instead asked, tone cool and pointed,
"Boss, you're not being honest with me, are you? Looks like you're holding back your best swords."
"Wha—no, not at all! You must be joking, sir. I sell swords—if you want to buy, of course I'll sell."
Yemu stared at him coldly, then suddenly asked,
"Boss... have you heard of a country called Wano?"
Truth was, Yemu had suddenly realized something was off.
What kind of ordinary weapon shop would have both Yubashiri, one of the 50 Skillful Grade Blades, and Sandai Kitetsu, a Cursed Sword steeped in killing intent?
Not to mention, Sandai Kitetsu was no ordinary blade—it was the product of endless battles and bloodshed, said to carry a curse. Incredibly rare.
Even Yubashiri, though a lower-grade Meito, was ranked among the top 100 swords in the world.
Yet both were here, in the same shop.
And then there was the shopkeeper.
In a world of wildly varied styles, his appearance was unmistakably Wano.
"Eh!!!...Guest... Guest, what are you talking about? Wano Country? What kind of place is that...?"
As expected, the moment the name "Wano Country" was mentioned, the boss's reaction betrayed him. Though he covered it well, the subtle shift in his emotions didn't escape Yemu's Observation Haki. And that presence... unmistakably a swordsman.
"Hmph..."
Yemu didn't press the matter.
"Forget it. But since you clearly know your swords, I have a few questions for you..."
Beads of cold sweat visibly formed on the boss's forehead. Still forcing a smile, he rubbed his hands nervously.
"What would you like to ask, guest... If it's something I know, I'll definitely tell you..."
"First question. Among all the swords you know, are there any that aren't affected by high temperatures or flames? Or better yet, can absorb flames?"
"Well... not really... No matter how strong a sword is, it's forged in high heat. It just depends on how hot the flame is. As for absorbing flames, I've never heard of that. Absorbing Haki, though—that I've heard of..."
"I see. Second question—if I wanted to forge a sword like that, do you know any master craftsmen you'd recommend?"
"Uh... well..."
The boss hesitated for a long time, staying silent. Seeing this, Yemu decided to raise the stakes.
"I once saw Kozuki Oden aboard the Pirate King Roger's ship."
"Eh!!!"
Finally, as if all the air had left him, the boss turned his face away and spoke.
"I... I understand... There are currently three master swordsmiths I know of in the world. First, there's Kaijin, the master smith from Fish-Man Island. But he's quite old now—I'm not sure he can still forge swords. Second is Luke, the master from the Kingdom of Tontatta. He's a pure-blooded dwarf, but he's extremely skilled at crafting cursed blades. And lastly, there's Tenguyama Hitetsu from Wano Country. He's a descendant of the legendary smith Kuchu and the one who forged that Sandai Kitetsu you're carrying..."
"I see. Got it. Thanks for the info."
As Yemu spoke, he tossed the bag of gold from his waist over to him.
"Consider this your payment—for both the info and the Sandai Kitetsu. Now, just one last question... Do you know any restaurants in Loguetown that aren't too crowded but serve good food?"
"Yes, I do..."
Hearing that Yemu was finally about to leave, the boss quickly answered.
"Keep following this street straight ahead. At the end, you'll see a run-down inn with a tattered sign. Don't let the appearance fool you—the food's fantastic, and it's nice and quiet."
"Thanks."
Yemu thanked him, then walked out of the weapon shop.
Once Yemu's figure was out of sight, the shop owner let out a long breath of relief.
Just then, a slightly chubby woman came out from the back of the store and quietly asked her husband,
"I thought you didn't want to be a swordsman anymore. If that's the case, why didn't you sell Yubashiri to him? With his reputation, he wouldn't tarnish the sword's name, and we could've made a fortune."
Hearing his wife, the boss shook his head, his expression solemn.
"You don't get it. That pirate, Yemu, isn't a true swordsman. He doesn't love swords. All he seeks is power. I want to find someone better for Yubashiri..."
"You... you... Whatever. Still, he's really generous. That gold's enough to buy out our whole shop. Doesn't seem as evil as the Marines make him out to be..."
The boss didn't comment further, instead putting on a grin.
"What do you know... Anyway, we made a big haul today. Time for a proper meal... Hehe..."
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on [email protected]/PinkSnake (50 Chapters Ahead).
You can also follow as a free member to read few advanced chapters.