Chapter 41: The Clash of Legendary Blades

Chapter 41: The Clash of Legendary Blades

The next morning.

Inside the Marine Forge.

Hitoru Tenguyama and Kozaburo Shimotsuki faced off, their intense gazes locked, while Chiba observed with a knowing smile.

"The most crucial element in forging is the material," began Tenguyama.

"As a blacksmith, our task is to draw out the material's innate energy, to manifest its spirit," Shimotsuki added. "Only then can we create a blade capable of cutting through anything."

"The quality of the material defines the quality of the blade," Tenguyama continued. "The reason my Third Generation Onitoru lacks the power of the Second and First Generations is simple—there weren't materials worthy of it. It's not a matter of forging skill, unlike that old codger Shimotsuki Kozaburo's craft."

Kozaburo snorted in response, but Chiba interrupted, lifting a cloth to reveal the item they'd been waiting for.

"Here it is, Senior Feiche," Chiba announced. Beneath the cloth lay a thick, two-meter-long black dragon horn, smooth and crystal-clear, catching the light in gleaming waves.

"Senior, this black dragon horn is incredibly rare," Chiba explained. "I combed through every vault in Marine headquarters and found only this. Most of them are lost treasures now. Please handle it carefully."

"Enough with the lecture," grumbled Tenguyama Feiche, eyes shining with excitement. His hands, trembling slightly, traced the contours of the dragon horn. "I know better than you the worth of such a material."

"Yes, yes… this power, this potential… it's perfect."

As Feiche marveled, Shimotsuki Kozaburo's voice cut through, cold and clear. "A sword's true purpose is to protect those who matter. If a blade is forged with only the material's will, it can become too powerful, unruly even—such a weapon might turn against its wielder. This goes against our blacksmith's purpose."

"A true legendary blade," he continued, "embodies its creator's protective intent. The stronger the blacksmith's will, the stronger the sword becomes. Crafting a sword is a way to forge oneself—a cycle of mastery."

"One day, even the humblest materials, in the hands of a skilled enough smith, can be shaped into legendary blades."

Turning to Chiba, he asked, "Are you ready with the 10,000 catties of refined iron?"

Chiba nodded, lifting a second cloth to reveal several massive pieces of iron, each the size of a human head.

"Enough talk," Feiche growled. "Let's see who crafts the superior blade."

He grabbed the dragon horn, tossing it into the blazing forge. Sprinkling a special liquid over it, he began hammering it meticulously, his hands cloaked in Armament Haki. Every strike directed the residual dragon energy in the horn, forcing it toward the center of the material.

Meanwhile, Shimotsuki Kozaburo melted the refined iron, pouring it into a unique spherical mold. Coating his hammer in Haki, he began striking the metal, embedding his spirit into each blow. With each strike, a layer of Haki infused the iron, gradually merging into the forming blade, increasing its resilience and hardness.

Chiba watched in awe. He could project Haki onto surfaces, but these masters were weaving Haki into the very heart of the metal, shaping it into a sword. Their precision and mastery left him speechless.

As the hours turned into days, Chiba dismissed the Marines, forbidding any interruptions. The two blacksmiths hammered away relentlessly, without rest or pause, their faces drenched in sweat and their breathing ragged.

Hina, concerned, wheeled a cart of food over, urging, "You two need to eat something—take a break."

They ignored her, focused solely on the task. Hina attempted to persuade them again, but Chiba stepped in. "Forging requires absolute dedication. Any pause could disrupt the material's balance, collapsing the blade's energy."

"But they'll die if they keep this up," Hina protested.

Chiba frowned. "The black dragon horn and refined iron make it nearly impossible to forge a complete sword embryo without interruption. Go get them some foundation elixirs."

Hina returned with two bottles, discreetly slipping the straws between the old men's lips. The elixirs revitalized them, soothing muscles, healing hidden injuries, and reinvigorating their strength.

As Feiche felt the elixir's effects, he muttered, "Is this Chiba's creation? Far better than any tonic I've tried… I feel like I'm back in my youth. With this, I can definitely forge a truly sharp blade."

Their hammers fell with renewed vigor, each impact echoing with deeper resonance. The dragon horn's energy condensed, taking on a faint, blade-like form. Meanwhile, Shimotsuki's refined iron molded into a sharper shape, its core infused with Haki that solidified the blade's essence.

For another half a month, the two masters toiled, with no sign of stopping. The forge pulsed with the unyielding rhythm of hammers striking steel, as two legendary blacksmiths poured their very souls into their blades.

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𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙟𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙮. 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚!

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼:

• 𝘽𝙤𝙜𝙙𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙪

• 𝙅𝙘𝟭𝟮𝟬𝟮

• 𝘼𝙝𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙟𝙖𝙝

• 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗯 𝗠𝗼𝗲𝗲

𝗔𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸:

• 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝟴𝟱+ 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚.

• 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁-𝗢𝘂𝘁: 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩!

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝗺𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗲𝘁, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀!

👉 𝙅𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙣𝙤𝙬: 𝙋𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣.𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧