Chapter 18: Issho's Request

**

"It seems something happened here."

The blind man was none other than Issho.

Sensing his surroundings, Issho walked toward Ryuusaki. To be honest, Ryuusaki was quite surprised to see Issho and wondered how this man ended up in Windmill Village.

Most people wouldn't recognize him, but Ryuusaki did. This man, despite being blind, possessed monstrous strength. After the Summit War, Issho was directly promoted to Admiral during the World Military Draft, a clear testament to his incredible power.

To rise from a commoner to an Admiral in one step showed just how terrifying his abilities were.

Moreover, when Ryuusaki took a quick glance at Issho's talents, he found that they were indeed off the charts.

**Issho's Talents:**

- Basic Physique (106)

- Basic Strength (108)

- Basic Combat Skills (93)

- Basic Swordsmanship (109)

- One-Sword Style (102)

- Mind's Eye Style (98)

- Armament Haki (104)

- Observation Haki (134)

- Devil Fruit Mastery (101)

These were the talents of an Admiral, without a doubt!

Issho's Observation Haki talent was particularly remarkable, reaching a terrifying 134, while his other abilities hovered around 100.

With such innate talents, combined with the power of the Gravity Fruit, if Issho went on a rampage, who could possibly stop him?

One meteor? Not enough? How about ten more? He treats dropping meteors like popping candies.

He could toy with the universe if he wanted to!

There's no denying that Issho hid his strength very well.

Unlike some young hotheads who show off the moment they learn a flashy move, Issho remained calm and never boasted. Otherwise, he wouldn't have stayed hidden for nearly twenty years.

As much as Ryuusaki marveled at Issho's overwhelming strength, Issho, too, admired Ryuusaki's kitchen knife.

"What a sharp kitchen knife. Yet, wielding a blade to protect the weak is a chivalrous act, isn't it?"

"Sir, can you actually see?"

Issho chuckled, "I cannot see, young man, but my hearing is quite sharp."

"Oh, I see!"

"Little brother, is this Windmill Village?"

"Yes, this is the place!"

"Ah, then I'm in the right spot! I heard that there's a blacksmith shop in Windmill Village known for its fine craftsmanship and reasonable prices…"

Makino playfully winked at Ryuusaki and said with a smile, "Ryuusaki, he's talking about you!"

Ryuusaki bashfully scratched his head. Issho really knew how to give compliments—so much so that it made Ryuusaki feel a bit embarrassed. Issho was a straight shooter who only spoke the truth.

"Hehe, sir, to be honest, I'm the blacksmith of that shop."

"Is that so? Well, what a pleasure to meet you."

"Makino, I'm going to take a trip to the blacksmith shop."

"Alright, take care."

Makino had to stay and help out at the tavern, which was like a part-time job for her.

After bidding farewell to Makino, Ryuusaki led Issho to the blacksmith shop.

On the way, Ryuusaki struck up a conversation with Issho.

"Are you here to forge a kitchen knife?" Ryuusaki asked.

"No, I need to forge a sword," Issho replied.

"A sword, you say? What kind of sword are you looking for?"

"One similar to this," Issho said as he stopped walking, drawing out his cane-sword.

"I see, a sword hidden within a cane!"

Ryuusaki took one look and understood.

Once they arrived at the blacksmith shop, Ryuusaki carefully examined Issho's cane-sword. The sword was characterized by its straight, narrow, and thin blade.

After discussing for a while and confirming Issho's specific requirements, Ryuusaki decided to craft a sword that would rival or even surpass the Supreme Grade Swords.

If he didn't have the talent, that would be one thing, but since he possessed such extraordinary blacksmithing skills, he couldn't afford to be careless.

"Sir, could you give me six months? Come back in half a year to retrieve your sword."

"Oh, six months? Very well, I'll return then."

Ryuusaki believed six months should be enough time. However, he didn't start forging the sword right away.

He knew his blacksmithing talent was exceptional, but his current skill level wasn't yet top-tier.

To forge a sword that could rival a Supreme Grade Sword, Ryuusaki needed his blacksmithing level to reach at least LV90.

So, Ryuusaki began his preparations.

On one hand, he continued to forge kitchen knives, honing his skills with each creation.

On the other hand, he commissioned Kakarak, a merchant from the village, to help procure rare sword-forging materials.

Of course, it wasn't just materials that Ryuusaki sought; he also asked Kakarak to gather books—any books related to blacksmithing.

For Ryuusaki, physical training remained a constant routine.

A few nights later, as usual, Ryuusaki quietly got up in the middle of the night, used his Marked Door, and traveled to a nearby deserted island. There, he hunted wild animals, cooked them over a fire, and enjoyed a hearty meal.

After eating, Ryuusaki climbed to a high point on the island, gazing up at the starry sky.

That night wasn't too dark; the sky was relatively clear with few clouds, and the moonlight was bright.

Because of this, Ryuusaki noticed a shadow of a ship on the horizon.

Startled, he quickly jumped down from his perch and extinguished the remnants of his campfire.

Then, Ryuusaki used his Air Door technique—Tunnel Door—and hid within a pocket dimension.

He didn't flee but waited quietly.

Not long after, the ship approached the island.

"Ivan, take some men to the island and fetch some fresh water."

"Understood, Dragon. I'll take care of it right away."

"Wait—"

"What's wrong?"

"Let's go together. You might not know where the water source is."

Sea water isn't drinkable, and while sailing, they needed fresh water to survive. The ship had run low on fresh water, so the leader, Dragon, had brought his crew to this island to replenish their supplies.

Yes, this Dragon was none other than Monkey D. Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army and the son of the hero Garp.

Beside him, with a flamboyant grin, was none other than Emporio Ivankov, the King of the Okama.

The two led the crew onto the island. Under Dragon's guidance, they headed to the water source to collect fresh water.

"Hmm? Something's not right, Ivan. Someone is on this island."

"Someone? Are you sure? I didn't sense anyone."

"Indeed, my Observation Haki didn't pick up anyone either, but someone has been here. There's a campfire over there, recently extinguished but still warm."

Dragon's caution was impressive.

However, encountering the power of the Door-Door Fruit would be unfortunate. No matter how strong his Observation Haki was, he wouldn't be able to detect Ryuusaki.

After all, Ryuusaki was hiding in a different dimension.

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