Chapter 27: Zoro's Divine Assistance – Forcing Everyone to Kneel with His SwordTashigi only then noticed the massive Samehada sword Luffy was carrying on his back, and the katana at his waist.
Her shyness instantly gave way to excitement, and she eagerly asked, "Are you a swordsman too?"
Luffy stroked his chin, glanced down at the menacing Samehada and the ordinary katana in his hands, and replied ambiguously, "Well... sort of?"
If anyone saw him wielding a sword like this, he'd probably be drowned in spittle from a proper swordsman. After all, who uses a sword purely to parry?
"Hmph, he's a true powerhouse that even Hawkeye Mihawk swore to surpass, the future world's greatest swordsman!"
Just then, Zoro stepped forward with a serious expression, solemnly endorsing Luffy's false identity.
It seemed that Zoro became exceptionally serious whenever it came to something as sacred as swordsmanship.
Especially since he considered Luffy the ultimate boss he had to surpass, he couldn't tolerate anyone underestimating Luffy.
Luffy's lips twitched, staring speechlessly at Zoro, inwardly cursing: "Are you out of your mind?! You actually believed this nonsense?! And you said it so seriously?!"
"What! My god! You're actually that amazing?!"
Tashigi covered her mouth with both hands, looking at Luffy with adoration, her eyes sparkling.
Luffy: "..."
Oh no, this idiot actually believed it! Now he's in a bind.
On the streets of Loguetown.
Tashigi, like a curious child, kept chattering around Luffy, her excitement unstoppable.
"When exactly did your epic duel with Hawkeye take place? Was there any recording?"
"What exactly does that legendary supreme sword intent feel like? How is it executed?"
"I've heard there are three levels of swordsmanship. I'm clumsy, and I've only just barely touched the first level!"
"Those two swords you're holding have such unique designs, they look so menacing. Are they also from the Great Grade Swords series?"
"Actually, my dream is to reclaim all the famous swords in the world that are in the hands of villains. But if I really reach that 'no sword in my heart' level that you mentioned, wouldn't my dream become meaningless?"
The usually shy and quiet Tashigi, who wouldn't even dare to speak loudly, instantly transformed into a chatterbox bee the moment the topic of swordsmanship and famous swords came up, buzzing incessantly in Luffy's ear.
Luffy, at this moment, just wanted to die. He glared fiercely at Zoro, who was pretending to be deep in thought beside him.
Damn it!
Give me back my quiet, naturally naive girl!
Unfortunately, Zoro, whose emotional intelligence is practically nonexistent, completely missed Luffy's train of thought. Instead, he looked back at Luffy with a puzzled expression: "Are your eyes twitching? Why are you staring at me like that?"
Luffy: "..."
Finally, just as Luffy's mental state was about to collapse from all the questioning, the group arrived at the old shop where Tashigi usually had her sword "Yoru Shigure" serviced.
"This is it. Although the owner is a money-grubber, to be fair, his sword-sharpening skills and the quality of his weapons are among the best in town."
Tashigi pointed to the worn-out, peeling signboard and earnestly explained to the two of them.
Luffy looked up and, sure enough, this was the origin of Zoro's Sandai Kitetsu from the original story.
"Welcome! Please feel free to browse and choose whatever you like. My family has been a reputable shop for 200 years, honest and fair to all!"
The shop owner, with his bulbous nose, greeted them with a shrewd smile, rubbing his hands together.
"Boss, these two are my friends. They want to buy two good swords."
Tashigi pointed at Luffy and Zoro.
"Please, shopkeeper, recommend two good swords with good value for money," Tashigi said pleadingly, clasping her hands together. Then, she suddenly pointed at Zoro and began to unleash her astonishing imagination. "Look at my friend here! His eyes are filled with the hunger of someone who hasn't eaten in days. He definitely has an elderly mother bedridden at home who needs care, and maybe his wife ran away because he's poor. He's left alone to raise five hungry children. So pitiful!"
Zoro: "???"
Luffy, unable to contain himself any longer, leaned against the wall, laughing so hard he couldn't stand up straight. Tashigi's storytelling ability was second only to Usopp, the prophet, in the world of One Piece.
"Anyway, considering how pitiful he is, please give him the best possible price!"
Tashigi's face was sincere, her eyes resolute.
The fawning expression on the face of the man opposite her froze instantly, then turned into disdain: "Turns out he's a pauper... So how much money did you bring?"
Zoro, his face dark, slammed the bounty he'd received from the Marines onto the table: "Enough nonsense! 1.3 million Berries!"
The shopkeeper's previously dim eyes lit up at the mention of the amount. He'd assumed Tashigi was dirt poor after her pitiful performance, but this guy was a big spender!
"I want two! The quality has to be top-notch!" Zoro held up two fingers.
The shopkeeper was secretly delighted, thinking, "Looks like a clueless sucker! Has no idea how expensive things are in Loguetown right now."
The items Zoro had seen in other shops were basically their prized possessions, hence the exorbitant prices.
The shopkeeper, with his bulbous nose, rolled his eyes and mysteriously pulled a ostentatious, gold- and silver-inlaid sword from a cabinet behind him. "Brother," he exclaimed, "you look like a man destined for greatness! This is my family's heirloom, a priceless treasure passed down through generations. We're destined to meet, so I'm selling it to you at a rock-bottom price! Only one million Berries! A sword comparable to a Great Grade Sword—you'll make a killing!"
Zoro stared at the flashy contraption in the shopkeeper's hand, his face darkening. As an expert, he could tell at a glance that this sword, besides its intimidating appearance, was utterly useless; it probably couldn't even cut bone.
Tashigi, standing nearby, frowned deeply. She pulled out her meticulously filled sword encyclopedia from her robes and searched for a long time. "Sir," she said, "this isn't right," she continued, "I've checked the Twelve Supreme Grade Swords, the Twenty-One Great Grade Swords, and the Fifty Good Grade Swords, and this so-called treasure isn't even listed."
The shopkeeper, seeing Tashigi's earnest expression, was thoroughly exasperated. He could only manage an awkward, dry laugh: "I already said it's comparable! Comparable, understand?! I never said it was a genuine masterpiece!"
Just then, Luffy was already rummaging through a pile of dusty, broken swords in the corner by the door, finally pulling out a long, jet-black sword.
The sword had exquisite decorations on both the tip and hilt, and the tsuba (handguard) was a unique cross shape. Although it looked simple, with sharkskin and anti-slip strips wrapped around the hilt, and from a distance it appeared rusty and like scrap metal, a closer look revealed a sharp, piercing edge.
It was none other than one of the fifty fine swords, the legendary cursed sword—Sandai Kitetsu!
Zoro's eyes lit up at the sight, as if he had seen a stunning beauty. He excitedly strode over and grabbed the sword.
Tashigi, filled with admiration, recited the history and forging techniques of the Sandai Kitetsu with perfect clarity.
The shopkeeper was initially startled, then his face showed intense struggle: "This sword… I won't sell it! Put it back!"
"Huh? Why? Open the shop but not do business?" Tashigi frowned at the shopkeeper.
Zoro swung the Sandai Kitetsu in his hand; the feel was perfect, and it felt increasingly natural in his grasp.
"That sword… is a cursed demon sword!"
The shopkeeper sighed and finally told the truth, "The Kitetsu series swords are indeed incredibly sharp, but every swordsman who wielded them throughout history has died mysteriously. Now, no swordsman in the world dares to use the Kitetsu anymore. I can't harm you."
"W-No, that's not right," Luffy casually interjected, "If I remember correctly, the Five Elders' first generation Kitetsu is still in service."
The shopkeeper was stunned, completely clueless about what Luffy was talking about regarding the Five Elders. Luffy didn't give him time to think, continuing, "Shopkeeper, since you're afraid of harming people, let's make a bet. I'll use my unique swordsmanship to test the curse on this sword. If my swordsmanship can suppress its evil aura, you'll give this Sandai Kitetsu to my friend, how about that?"
The shopkeeper was dumbfounded: "How can you test this? The curse is invisible and intangible."
Without another word, Luffy reached into Zoro's hand, grabbed the Sandai Kitetsu, and without even drawing it, swung it straight at Tashigi's head!
With the terrifying speed boost from the "Blitz King" template, the Sandai Kitetsu appeared like a ghostly phantom before Tashigi's terrified, wide-open eyes in an instant!
"Damn it! What are you doing!?"
A thunderous roar suddenly erupted from outside the door.
A black shadow, billowing white smoke, rushed into the shop with terrifying speed, blocking Tashigi's path. With a resounding "snap," both hands precisely clamped down on the incredibly powerful Kitetsu.
The shop owner, startled by this sudden turn of events, collapsed to the ground, his face deathly pale.
Tashigi, even more terrified, staggered backward, looking completely shaken, her glasses askew.
Everyone stared intently, and the burly man who had caught Luffy's attack was none other than Smoker, the Marine Captain stationed in Loguetown, known as the "White Hunter"!
"Yo, pretty quick reaction, hello there."
Luffy chuckled, snatching the Kitetsu from Smoker's grasp.
Smoker, enraged, hurled a fist, shrouded in smoke, at Luffy: "You bastard! Who are you? You want to kill her? This is a society governed by law!"
Luffy effortlessly sidestepped, his movements fluid and graceful, easily dodging Smoker's powerful white fist.
"Don't get agitated, sir. I was just demonstrating my swordsmanship to the shopkeeper."
Smoker, upon hearing this, flew into a rage: "Bullshit! You're using innocent lives to demonstrate some rubbish swordsmanship? I'll arrest you today, you dangerous element! You despicable pirate!"
"Stop! Hold on! Who said I was going to use lives to demonstrate?" Luffy innocently raised his hands to stop Smoker.
"If I hadn't rushed in and caught the sword in time, Tashigi's head would be gone by now..."
Luffy interrupted Smoker, his eyes playful: "Are you sure... you really reacted quickly and caught it?"
"Of course! I did..."
Smoker was about to retort confidently when he suddenly froze, as if he remembered something amiss.
Wait a minute... given the distance and the speed at which the sword swung down, how could he possibly have crossed that distance in an instant and caught it?
A moment of panic washed over him, then he felt an irresistible, strange force act upon him. His body, like a puppet on strings, was involuntarily teleported to Luffy's sword, his hands automatically clasped together, gripping the longsword…
Smoker looked at Luffy with a mixture of shock and disbelief, a cold sweat breaking out on his back.
Zoro, standing nearby, slapped his thigh, suddenly realizing, "So that's it! This is the legendary Supreme Sword Intent! Forcing the enemy to disarm!"
Everyone was utterly bewildered. What on earth was this Supreme Sword Intent?
Zoro looked at Luffy excitedly and said, "I never thought I'd see such divine sword intent again! I thought you stopped using this kind of technique after you sheathed your sword and went into seclusion."
Zoro was deeply moved: "Was it all to win me that great sword? This captain may be unreliable most of the time, but he's so touching in a pinch!"
Luffy, however, maintained a mysterious air and nodded, saying, "That's right, my swordsmanship is the merciful sword of non-killing! No matter how sharp, how alluring, or how sinister a sword may be, it will never harm anyone in my hands."
Because they will only force those around them to kneel on the ground, devoutly holding my sword, praying for my forgiveness.
Everyone stared at Luffy in utter bewilderment, their eyes like they were looking at a madman who had just escaped from a mental hospital. They had lived for so long, and had never heard of such a bizarre swordsmanship.
Seeing the crowd's faces clearly saying "I don't believe it," Luffy didn't bother to explain. He raised his sheathed sword again and swung it at the empty air.
The next second, something jaw-dropping happened. Tashigi suddenly seemed possessed, kneeling on one knee with a thud, her hands raised high, precisely catching Luffy's descending sword, Kitetsu.
Everyone: "???"
For the next few minutes, it was like a giant magic show. Luffy swung his sword like a conductor, while everyone else lined up like obedient actors to catch it.
The shop owner, Tashigi, Smoker, and even the proprietress who had just come downstairs, took turns kneeling before Luffy, repeatedly clasping their hands together to catch the sword.
Luffy, like a charlatan, looked down at the kneeling crowd and said, "How is it? Did you feel the compassion of this sword intent? Have you understood it?"
The shop owner nodded frantically, tears welling in his eyes: "Understood! Completely understood! Please, stop swinging! My knees are going to swell up like buns if I keep kneeling!"
Zoro, looking utterly exasperated, twitched at the corner of his mouth: "Fine, you demonstrate, and they don't believe you, but I have 100% faith in your swordsmanship! Why are you asking me to catch a sword?!"
Luffy thought to himself, "Damn it, this is a 100% bare-handed sword-catching (single-target) causality skill!"
The system's judgment is just that unsolvable. I just swing my sword; which unlucky person catches it is purely a matter of luck, randomly selecting a lucky audience member. I can't control that!
Smoker was also completely bewildered, questioning his existence. He's a Logia-type Smoke-Smoke Fruit user!
Earlier, when Luffy swung his sword, Smoker had clearly already transformed into elemental smoke, but his body inexplicably reformed and uncontrollably rushed to catch Luffy's Kitetsu.
This made Smoker seriously suspect that this guy might be a Devil Fruit user with some kind of control-related ability.
At this moment, Luffy chuckled, secretly pleased: What kind of cursed sword is this? As long as it's a melee attack, it'll all be sidelined against my causality skill. They'll all have to kneel down and sing "Conquer!"
Luffy's playful mood returned, and he swung Kitetsu again.
The shopkeeper screamed in terror: "Stop swinging! Sir! I believe you! This sword is yours, and I'll even give you my most treasured ancestral sword! Please spare me!"