c10: Returning the Sword, Unpredictable Fate
When the sun rose on a new day Dongze walked back from the bandit's den his figure outlined in the first golden ray before dawn.
"Master I've returned the sword!"
"Nah!"
"I'm back!"
"I forgot to tell you before you left there's a Devil Fruit user who recently came from the West Blue!"
Hearing Koshiro's casual remark Dongze couldn't help frowning the gloating tone in his voice made Dongze want to plant a fist straight into his smug face.
If you forgot don't bring it up now! Yet here he was resurrecting the old issue with a smile this man was truly a "swordsman" through and through!
Dongze silently calculated their current combat strength and after struggling internally he finally suppressed the idea of smashing Koshiro's face into the dirt and scrubbing it back and forth.
But if he couldn't beat the master he could still deal with the disciple with ease today he planned to take Kuina down a peg.
Of course he didn't voice these reckless thoughts instead he calmly said, "Fortunately thanks to your daily guidance, Master I was able to retreat unscathed!"
To his credit Dongze played it well those words instantly made Koshiro's expression tighten with faint embarrassment. If Dongze were truly his pupil he'd feel proud but the truth was, he hadn't actually taught the boy much and that one sentence meant to be flattery hit him like a hidden blade.
The thirteen-style basic swordsmanship taught in the dojo was as common as the bricks on Loguetown's streets in fact, in the larger towns across East Blue bookstores carried dozens of modified versions.
As for Haki or advanced sword styles Koshiro had never passed such things to his students he had intentionally kept the dojo low-profile.
Pretending not to catch the implication Koshiro quickly changed the subject, "So how was the Mountain Bandit village?"
Dongze chuckled.
With a knowing tone he answered, "It was fine!"
"Even so I still need to say this thank you."
Koshiro narrowed his eyes his thoughts deepening" So he really saw through it! What terrifying observation!"
"Where! It was just my duty!"
"By the way would it be alright if I consult you on something in a while?"
Koshiro raised an eyebrow in slight surprise while Dongze's current strength far surpassed any of the students in the dojo,it was still too early to challenge him seriously. Koshiro was a renowned swordsman, a master in his own right not quite Yonko Commander level but once considered a rising star in Wano's sword circles. Though not Mihawk's match he was no mere stepping stone for a novice seeking enlightenment.
"Dongze as a swordsman you must understand the gap between us. This isn't a distance you can close with just one or two techniques."
Dongze raised his hands casually" Don't get me wrong! I meant forging techniques not swordsmanship if it's about crossing blades I'd say I'm still a few years away from qualifying to spar with you."
Before the words had fully landed Koshiro's pupils twitched and a weighty, chilling presence immediately locked onto Dongze like a drawn blade.
He didn't reveal it but Koshiro's heart was pounding this boy knew something he shouldn't something deeply buried.
Because Koshiro was born of the Shimotsuki family the noble sword lineage from Wano and had come to East Blue to escape the hidden turmoil that had once shaken the Land of Samurai.
His father Shimotsuki Kozaburo had not only been a great swordsman but a legendary swordsmith, known for crafting supreme-grade weapons.
The famed sword Wado Ichimonji Kuina's blade was personally forged by Kozaburo in Wano before he left the isolated nation over fifty years ago.
"Kid who are you really?"
As Koshiro's aura pressed down on him Dongze's expression grew tense but inwardly he knew he had chosen correctly by cutting to the heart of the matter because in this world there truly wasn't a blade that could match him without intervention.
According to his own convictions the weapon he would wield to pursue the path of swordsmanship was a katana, not a Western-style blade. In other words.the Supreme Grade swords among the Twelve Saijō Ō Wazamono, the Great Grade among the Twenty-One Ō Wazamono, and the Skillful Grade among the Fifty Ryō Wazamono none of those famed Meitos truly suited his intent.
To unlock the full extent of his own combat potential he needed a weapon forged in resonance with his own spirit.
But sword-forging was not something one could simply pick up unlike regular blacksmithing, the art of Meito-forging demanded precise control over steel's spirit and breath it was a fusion of craftsmanship and willpower akin to the breath of all things described by swordsmen like Zoro.
Shimotsuki Kozaburo was a master among masters hailed as a world-class swordsmith one of the few known to have forged Supreme Grade blades. Though Koshiro hadn't inherited the full breadth of that technique the knowledge and materials left behind were enough to help Dongze ignite his path. With such a treasure trove close at hand how could he turn away from it?
"Me? It's better to say it's everyone in the dojo!"
"In a chaotic world what are we but ants?"
"To pursue the pinnacle of swordsmanship is to seek something far beyond ordinary life!"
"And I Dongze a student of Isshin Dojo will not falter!"
…
After a brief silence Koshiro retracted his spiritual pressure. Dongze's gaze had not wavered once there was no deception no hesitation. In the presence of a true swordsman those who harbor shallow ambitions are always exposed.
So this time Dongze chose transparency there was no need for guile between them.
"Heh! Such a bold aim!"
"Come see me in three days I've never forged a sword but my father left his manuscripts behind along with his old forge I'll grant you access!"
Dongze bowed deeply, his tone reverent: "Thank you, Master!"
Hearing that Koshiro's eye twitched slightly " Of everything we talked about today that was the one thing that finally sounded proper!"
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
"By the way! The old man is about to meet an important guest he's fond of geniuses. Want to meet him?"
Dongze's eyes narrowed he could guess who the guest might be there weren't many who'd warrant such respect from Koshiro at this time and place.
But still this wasn't the moment. In this world only strength held weight. Without sufficient combat power even ambition forged like a blade could be shattered before it struck.
So Dongze simply waved his hand and departed.
…
"What an amusing little fellow!"
The sun climbed higher as more and more students gathered within the dojo—UU reading www.uukanshu.com their daily training underway. Koshiro's attention to each of them was minimal not from apathy but because only a few ever displayed the aptitude for true growth. To divide his time equally would waste both his effort and their potential.
But turning around he noticed neither Zoro nor Kuina were present. Curious he inquired among the students and learned Kuina had been summoned by him earlier while Zoro had not returned since the previous night.
Recalling Zoro's relentless training Dongze quickly guessed where he might be.
By noon he'd likely be collapsed somewhere still swinging his swords under the midday heat.
But the fact that Koshiro summoned Kuina puzzled him.
Given Koshiro's rigid standards he had nearly barred Kuina from advanced swordplay altogether. Dongze had long since dismissed the idea of her joining the Revolutionary Army because of that.
Suspicious he casually drifted beside a large tree and with a light leap landed high among its branches. Feeling the sturdiness of his limbs and sinews Dongze couldn't help but marvel.
Only in this world where even baseline exercises carved monstrous physiques could one shape such a formidable body. Let alone those who practiced monstrous martial arts or wielded Devil Fruits this world's "humans" were a race of monsters.
After standing motionless for a moment Dongze quietly activated his Kenbunshoku Haki, which at this stage was the most refined form of his Haki repertoire.
Slowly it spread across the dojo every step measured and delicate carefully avoiding the room where Koshiro was entertaining guests.
Dongze understood one truth with certainty in this world knowledge could be as fatal as ignorance. Without sufficient strength knowing too much could spell your end.
Suddenly his heart pounded violently in his left chest.
He had located Kuina in the shadowed stillness of the old warehouse.
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