"He was a tough one, that 300 million berry bounty," Junshi said, wiping the blood off his sword.

  "You're saying that after beating him to a pulp… I almost felt sorry for him," Scotch commented.

  "He was a power type. One hit would have been fatal. It was only natural to take him down without letting him counterattack," Junshi replied nonchantly.

  Junshi and Scotch were reminiscing about their recent battle while enjoying lunch on the deck.

  The Demon Warrior Pirates, who had ruled Mystoria Isnd, were now completely decimated, their bodies scattered across the isnd. Lunch amidst a battlefield wasn't appealing, so they had returned to the ship to clean up before eating.

  The isnders, aware of their victory, were watching the ship from a distance.

  “What should we do? Should we make this isnd our base?” Scotch asked.

  “It’s not a bad location, but it’s a bit small. It’s fine for our territory, but a bit cramped for a base,” George replied.

  Most of the isnders made a living by trading with the rookie pirates who arrived in the New World.

  They were mostly merchants, and the isnd didn’t produce many goods. It wasn’t ideal for a base. More importantly, they couldn’t secure enough food.

  Procuring food on this isnd would be much more expensive than other isnds.

  “Kanata, how long does it take to fill the Log Pose on this isnd?”

  “It takes about half a day on every isnd in the New World. But we won’t be filling the Log Pose here. We’re going to Hachinosu using an Eternal Pose. We’ll leave tomorrow morning, so spend the afternoon gathering information,” Kanata instructed.

  “What? We’re not staying…? Well, fine. What kind of information do you need?”

  “I need to know if there have been any changes in the power bance in the past two weeks. And if there are any dangerous areas we should avoid during our voyage.”

  With the recent wars, the power bance could shift rapidly, even within a short period.

  They had to keep a close eye on Shiki and Linlin’s movements. They were undoubtedly gathering information about Kanata and her crew as well. They couldn't let their guard down.

  It was also a good idea to choose unexpected routes to throw them off.

  “Just the basics are fine. We’ll know about any major events from the newspaper,” Kanata said.

  “Right. Then I’ll focus on information gathering… and finding a pce with cute girls who serve drinks,” Scotch decred.

  “You just want to drink with girls?!” George excimed.

  Scotch nodded solemnly, and George almost agreed, then realized that they didn’t need a pce that served drinks to gather information.

  It was true that pces with high traffic were good sources of information, though.

  “Gather information quickly and rest. We’ll be setting sail again tomorrow,” Kanata said.

  They acknowledged her instructions and dispersed.

  Ultimately, they didn’t gather any significant information.

  ***

  Hachinosu – Pirate Isnd.

  This was the isnd where the Rocks Pirates were founded, and where the ‘Davy Back Fight’, a game between pirate crews, originated.

  A massive skull-shaped rock formation dominated the center of the isnd, surrounded by stone buildings.

  The buildings were still standing, but the isnd was deserted, a ghost town.

  The harbor, though old, was still usable, so they anchored their ships there. Kanata, along with Dragon, headed towards the center of the isnd, consulting the nautical chart Shakky had given her.

  “A nautical chart with the isnd’s yout… where did you get this?” Dragon asked.

  “Shakky gave it to me in Sabaody,” Kanata replied.

  Shakky had said it was a meaningful chart for Kanata.

  Nautical charts were primarily used for navigation, so they usually didn’t include the isnd’s interior. But this chart… it depicted the isnd’s structures in detail.

  The stone buildings, though old, seemed usable, and the residential area was spacious. It might be a suitable location for a base.

  Garp knew about Kanata’s connection to Octavia. This isnd, however, might attract unwanted attention.

  “The climate’s simir to a summer isnd, currently in spring. It’s pleasant, but we might have trouble procuring food and water,” Kanata observed.

  “There was a fairly rge isnd on our way here. We could procure supplies from there if it’s close enough to Hachinosu,” Dragon suggested.

  “That’s a good idea,” Kanata agreed.

  As its name implied, this isnd had been a pirate stronghold. The outer perimeter was littered with cannons and other remnants of past defenses.

  The gunpowder was damp and unusable, and the cannons were old and rusted. They would need to repce their defenses.

  The harbor was also old, but with some renovations, they could accommodate a rge number of ships. They needed a carpenter.

  After surveying the isnd, they finally reached the skull-shaped rock formation at its center.

  “…It’s bigger than I expected,” Kanata said, looking up at the imposing structure.

  “How did they even make it this shape? It looks unstable. Maybe a Devil Fruit user was involved,” Dragon specuted.

  “It’s possible. I’ve encountered a Devil Fruit user who could merge with rocks,” Kanata replied.

  She recalled the Devil Fruit user she had fought in the West Blue, a man with the ability to assimite with rocks.

  This skull formation was too oddly shaped to have been carved conventionally. It was best to assume a Devil Fruit user had been involved.

  Devil Fruit abilities weren’t just useful for combat. Some, especially Paramecia types that could create substances, could be used for production and industrial purposes.

  They entered through a rge door at the front. The interior was dusty, the air stagnant.

  Kanata frowned, opening the windows to ventite the space. They would need to clean it thoroughly.

  She covered her face with a handkerchief, creating a makeshift mask to avoid inhaling the dust, and continued exploring the building with Dragon.

  “…It’s here,” Kanata said.

  After comparing the nautical chart with their surroundings, they found a hidden door, concealed behind several other doors. They had finally reached their destination – a staircase leading underground.

  It seemed bringing a ntern had been the right decision.

  The entrance to the basement was massive. Perhaps it was natural, considering the average human, even in the Grand Line, was considerably rger than those in the other seas.

  “Is there enough ventition? I’d rather not suffocate down here.”

  “There’s a draft. We should be fine,” Kanata replied.

  There was a faint breeze, indicating an air vent somewhere. Perhaps opening all the windows on the upper floors had created a draft.

  She touched the walls. There was no sign of mold. Basements, with their poor ventition, usually suffered from dampness and mold. It was strange, Kanata thought.

  Considering this was a summer isnd, the conditions should have been worse.

  They carefully descended the stairs, finally reaching the bottom.

  “…This is…”

  “A Road Poneglyph? But why here…”

  The basement had a soft glow emanating from moss growing on the walls and floor.

  It wasn’t bright enough to repce the ntern, but it illuminated the space, revealing a Road Poneglyph standing in the center.

  The entrance to the basement had been rge, so it was possible to bring the Road Poneglyph down here, but… why was it here in the first pce?

  Had the pirates who once used this isnd brought it here? Or was it here from the beginning?

  No, this was a basement. It couldn’t have ended up here without being moved intentionally.

  “Did Rocks, or perhaps Octavia, bring it here?”

  “I don’t know the reason, but… it seems there’s something else here as well,” Dragon said, pointing towards an object near the Road Poneglyph.

  It was a stick-like object, and as they approached, they realized it was a sword, stuck into the ground.

  It seemed odd to leave a sword in this environment… perhaps it wasn’t particurly valuable, Kanata thought. She handed the ntern to Dragon and retrieved the sword, unsheathing it.

  “…A beautiful sword.”

  The bde had a slight curve, thin and sharp, its ridgeline was high and sturdy.

  Its pattern, known as gunome midare, with its irregur wave pattern, gave it an alluring charm.

  And most importantly – it was a “bck bde.”

  “I’ve heard rumors of bdes so sturdy they wouldn't bend even if a dinosaur stepped on them, but this is the first time I’ve seen one in person,” said Dragon.

  Weapons imbued with Armament Haki turned bck, but this bde was naturally bck, even without Haki. It had become a bck bde.

  “Can you tell its name?” Kanata asked.

  “I’m not sure. I’m not that knowledgeable about swords,” Dragon replied.

  They had reference materials on their ship, and there were crew members who were knowledgeable about swords. George, for example, seemed to possess an abundance of information about all sorts of things.

  Fortunately, the bck bde didn’t seem to be rusted.

  “Whoever left it here, we’ll be taking it.”

  They retrieved the sword, leaving the Road Poneglyph untouched. It wouldn't be found here.

  Besides, they didn’t know how to read it anyway. They had no choice but to leave it. They concealed the entrance to the basement, leaving it as they had found it.

  The sword, stuck into the ground, seemed to be guarding the Road Poneglyph.

  Kanata and Dragon returned to the ship with the sword in hand.

  “Welcome back. Any luck?”

  “Yeah. You’re knowledgeable about swords, right? Can you tell me about this?”

  Kanata, returning from the basement, spotted George near the harbor and showed him the sword.

  “Hmm, interesting,” George said, unsheathing the bde and carefully examining its craftsmanship and pattern. He seemed to recognize the distinctive pattern.

  “This is… unbelievable.”

  “It’s a good sword, I think. What’s its rank?”

  “‘Good sword’ doesn’t even begin to describe it. This is one of the ‘Supreme Grade Twelve Craftsmen’ bdes.”

  Swords were categorized into five ranks based on various factors.

  The ranks were: ordinary swords, Wazamono, Ryo Wazamono, O Wazamono, and Saijo O Wazamono.

  There were only twelve Saijo O Wazamono bdes in existence, most of which were lost to time.

  Finding one here would be a major discovery. It was a priceless treasure, impossible to estimate its value.

  “Can you tell its name?” Kanata asked.

  “Yes – its name is ‘Muramasa’. The bde that was once called the ‘God Syer’.”

  A Saijo O Wazamono bde – Muramasa.

  Whoever had wielded it, it was an extraordinary weapon.

  However, there was a problem with using it.

  “This bde, just like the ‘Shodai Kitetsu’, another Saijo O Wazamono, is known as a cursed sword… You don’t use swords, so who’s going to wield it?” George asked.

  “A cursed sword, huh? I figured it might be,” Kanata replied.

  It was a captivating bde. She understood why it was called a cursed sword. It wasn't a bde that led its owner to death, but rather, a bde that drove its wielder to seek death on the battlefield.

  It was a sword that turned its owner into a killer.

  It was human nature to want to test a powerful, beautiful weapon, but this sword’s allure was far too potent.

  “I’ll keep it. I’ll dispy it in my room,” Kanata decided.

  “A Supreme Grade Twelve Craftsmen bde as a room decoration… It’s a shame to not use it, but I guess there’s no other choice…” George reluctantly returned the sword.

  Kanata told him he could use it if he wanted, but he refused. A cursed sword that was said to “change its wielder with every swing” was too dangerous for him.

  Those with weak willpower would be consumed by it. It was best for Kanata to keep it.

  Kanata then changed the subject. “We’re considering using this isnd as a base. We found a suitable isnd nearby on our way here. We can procure supplies from there.”

  “That’s a good idea, but… are we preparing for that now?”

  “No… We’re considering a war with Shiki and Linlin, but I think we should visit Roadstar Isnd first,” Kanata expined.

  “So, we’ll use this isnd as a base and move from there… I see,” George said.

  It was a pn for the future, not an immediate concern. Besides, Kanata enjoyed exploring new pces, discovering the unknown.

  “This means we’ll fill the Log Pose on this isnd and head to the next isnd.”

  “Yes,” Kanata confirmed.

  They could prioritize any location they wanted to visit. Their ultimate destination was the same, so it didn't matter if they took a detour.

  As they were discussing their pns, Zen, having overheard their conversation, approached them.

  Heehin, he neighed, raising his hand, indicating he had something to say. “I heard your conversation! I have a suggestion!”

  “Let’s hear it.”

  “Why don’t we go to Zou? It’s my homend.”

  He also wanted to visit Wano Country.

  He wanted to greet Kozuki Sukiyaki, who had once taken care of him, but they didn't have an Eternal Pose for Wano Country. They would have to head to Zou first.

  “But how do we get to Zou? Do you have an Eternal Pose?” George asked.

  “No. You can’t reach Zou by following the Log Pose,” Zen replied.

  He then took out a piece of paper.

  A vivre card – also known as a “Life Paper.”

  It was a mystical paper, made from a piece of someone's fingernail. When pced on a ft surface, it would point towards the owner of the fingernail. It was said that if they followed the vivre card, they would eventually reach the owner.

  It wouldn't be damaged by fire or water, but it could be torn into smaller pieces.

  By following this card, they could reach Zou.

  “Such a useful thing exists?”

  “Vivre cards only exist in the New World. It’s a surprise for those who come from other seas,” Zen expined.

  Zen was from the New World, and so was Feiyun, who hailed from Elbaf. They might visit their homends on this journey.

  They would visit those pces eventually. For now, they would head to Zou, Zen’s homend.

  The next day – they set sail for Zou, the isnd where the Mink Tribe resided, the isnd where the Mokomo Dukedom was located.

  But before that, they had a slight detour to make.

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