Chapitre 66: [66] The Legendary Shimotsuki

[2335 words]

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Damien and Toki made their way to Ringo, slowly leaving the borders of the Flower Capital.

Thankfully, unlike most girls, Toki was not the type of woman to take seven different suitcases for a few days-long trip, thus they were able to leave right away.

The duo had been given a small scroll that documented the words of the Shogun, granting them full authority to pass through any region of Wano.

*Neigh*

The steeds proudly whinnied, charging to the far North, pulling the carriage carrying the two guests.

Along the way, Toki could not help but chime in.

"Ringo has a heavy wintry climate and it is always snowy," she introduced the region. "It is said to be so cold that people buried there do not decompose, and their bodies are preserved, something known as 'Eternal Grave'."

The girl went off in an attempt to show off her knowledge of her home island.

"Over a decade ago, Ringo was a barren and uninhabited land, but under the rule of the current Daimyo, it became livable and prosperous. What an amazing person!"

She clapped her hands in delight at the current reality of Ringo.

Damien hummed, though he remembered the one thing that Ringo was known for.

"The unforgiving cold grants it an ideal place for the dead, I believe Hyogoro called it the 'Northern Cemetery'."

Toki nodded, though her eyes were drawn to the slowly whitening ground as the snow had begun to appear.

"Since the bodies can be preserved for hundreds of years, it is the resting place of fallen samurai, along with katanas they have carried since birth as grave markers."

Damien thought it was quite poetic. The very sword they perfect throughout their lives accompanies them beyond death.

"Unfortunately, such a place is forever plagued with grave robbers," he commented.

Toki frowned at the thought, but she could not refute it. "That's terrible, stealing a Samurai's weapon after their death is beyond shameful! Thankfully I've heard that the current Daimyo is very strict on the graveyard's care."

Damien nodded in agreement while playing around with the Shogun's scroll. If not for this, his carriage would probably be cut apart the moment they neared the burial site.

*Fwooo*

White vapour was soon forming at their breaths; the cold slowly seeping into the rickety carriage.

Damien did not feel any discomfort, but that couldn't be said for the other person inside.

He gently placed his right hand on the walls of the carriage. The air seemed to shudder as Damien's arm took on a gray tone with white cracks popping out.

*Rrrrr*

The wooden planks creaked, previously they had hardened quite a lot due to the cold, yet now they began to slightly expand, losing their coldness.

Toki took in a breath, feeling the lost warmth return.

"Damien-san, did you do something? It's so cozy now."

The young pirate raised his hand as it returned to its original appearance, though it had a layer of frost formed over it.

*Crack*

The pirate flexed the muscles in his right arm as the icicles shattered apart.

"I just deprived the carriage of its coldness, it beats wearing a thick jacket inside, no?"

The words seemed to fascinate the girl as she heard of such an ability.

"Devil fruits never cease to surprise me!" she excitedly said. "I wonder just what other amazing things exist in our world."

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[Twelve Hours Later]

The late evening had gone by.

A bright moon graced the cold and barren land of Ringo, bringing about an icy chill. Any normal person would turn into an ice sculpture in moments if exposed to such temperatures.

*Clack* *Clack*

Yet in the silent cold, a thumping noise resounded.

Two vigorous steeds ran through the fresh coat of snow that had blanketed the ground. Even under the chill, they seemed relaxed; bred to conquer any climate.

Soon they and the carriage they hauled arrived at a small settlement. A few guards stood in the way of the charging steeds, their blades ready.

*Krrr*

The horseshoes dug into the dead soil below the snow and came to a stop. The carriage wheels were frozen and lacking grip, taking nearly a minute for the entire vehicle to come to a halt.

Meanwhile, guards surrounded the carriage, ready to strike if necessary.

The frozen doors then opened.

A warm air that felt blazing hot in comparison to the chill of Ringo met the faces of the guards. Their bodies sang in delight, though they reined in their surprise and examined the two possible intruders.

"Hmm?"

Their gazes were met with a piece of paper with a black stamp in the shape of the Kozuki Crest, easily distinguishable even in the current snowy conditions.

The swords were returned to their sheaths with a click while they bowed their heads.

"Please come with us to see the Daimyo," they announced in unison.

Though one looked up with some confusion.

He saw the green-haired girl had thrown on a warm and cozy jacket alongside a hood and mittens, and yet the young man was only wearing a casual yukata.

"..." They chose not to ask as the guest seemed unbothered by the chill, instead, leading the way in for them both.

Damien and Toki also took the chance to breathe in the surroundings. The tundra-like geography was a huge change compared to the pleasant Flower Capital.

However, the small village had its charm.

…

They were soon brought to a decent-sized building that took on the appearance of a Japanese design, nothing out of the ordinary in Wano.

[Image (in Discord)]

Small fires lit up the nearby area. Walking in you'd see the same thing. Torches were lit with a small flame while a large fireplace was used to heat up the indoors.

A man with an imposing presence sat on a cushion, a few scrolls before him. It seemed that he was in the process of writing a report with his inked brush.

He had a pronounced nose and dark blue hair that was somewhat spiky in the front and gathered into a large, bushy bun at the back. Sporting a stern expression with sharp eyes. Two swords leaned on the table before him, unassuming yet within hand's reach.

"Welcome to Ringo, guests from afar," he said with a deep yet welcoming voice. "My name is Shimotsuki Ushimaru."

Toki gave a curt bow as she met the Daimyo.

"Thank you, my name is Amatsuki Toki."

Her companion simply replied with a single word, "Damien."

[Ushimaru Image (in Discord)]

The swordsman nodded without saying much more, he seemed to be a reserved man.

Damien, however, could not help but narrow his eyes in thought.

Ushimaru looked very similar to a certain directionally-challenged moss-headed pirate. 'Looks like Zoro has a strong relation to Ushimaru and possibly even Ryuma as they share the same surname,' he deduced.

"Ushimaru, I'm here to study the famed swords of the fallen Samurai," Damien frankly said.

The Daimyo nodded, "Very well. The dead are a reminder to all of us Samurai that our rest will come one day. We direly protect their mementos; their very weapons are a source of Wano's greatest history."

He then turned his head to the hallway nearby.

"Onimaru, take them to the Cemetery."

At the drop of his words, a small fox with a flame-like mane and tail ran out. He ran straight to Ushimaru's hand, asking for a pet.

The Daimyo acquiesced to his beloved pet, giving him a rub; its fiery tail went side to side.

Toki seemed quite enthralled by the fox as she could not help but ask, "Wow! I've never seen such a magical creature before…"

Ushimaru smiled as if reliving some memories.

"He is a komagitsune, a very rare fox that I was fortunate enough to encounter in my younger years."

[Onimaru Image (in Discord)]

Ushimaru repeated his words, "Go, lead them to where they wish to go."

…

[The Northern Cemetery]

Thousands of graves.

Rows upon rows, column upon columns with neatly arranged plots for every burial.

A weapon, whether katanas, swords, scythes, glaives or machetes, any weapon conceivable, could be found at the head of every grave.

It was both peaceful and lonely at the same time.

*Vvooo~* The bitter chill left everything in relatively pristine shape and quality, to the point where the blades themselves have yet to go dull.

However, every passing wind would be sliced apart in a symphony of melodies. It was as if the blades were singing in memory of their wielders!

The fox ran through the max of graves, carefully not stepping over any of them, but rather around them. It was obvious the mammal had great intelligence.

Damien and Toki followed closely.

It took three minutes to reach a grand burial site and It was far beyond anything nearby.

A giant obelisk stood tall, not a single ounce of frost on it. Large kanji were printed upon its body, reading out three sentences:

[Here rests the greatest Hero of Wano.]

[A man revered for slaying a dragon and protecting his home with his black blade.]

[The Sword God—Shimotsuki Ryuma.]

Under the plaque was a simple grave and embedded as a gravestone was a katana, Shusui.

Shusui was a black blade that had a distinct reddish-purple reverse wave hamon pattern. Its scabbard lay flat under the glorious blade.

The exposed sharp edge was constantly cutting the air around it with a soft hum.

[Shusui Images (in Discord)]

Toki was enraptured by the beauty of the blade.

Meanwhile, Damien was trying to listen to its voice, though was unable to hear anything; Shusui had gone silent over the years as if resting with its master for hundreds of years.

"A Black Blade has had its user's Haki seep into its very core over endless battles, raising its rank even further. Therefore it can be considered to rival a Supreme Grade Sword," Damien concluded.

He traced his index finger over the flat part of the blade, sending in his own Haki to see the very make-up of the sword.

'It's just like my Black Bones, I wonder what kind of a man Ryuma was to achieve such a result,' he thought.

Damien was also quick to understand what Raizen meant.

Every sword was essentially created for a specific user, allowing them to fully release the weapon's potential.

Though it seemed that good enough swordsmen like the future Zoro could do the same after enough training, it probably was not possible with Damien as he was no swordsman.

'As far as concentrating my powers, it would be a waste if my weapon couldn't display its might; it has to be perfect,' the Sin Incarnate thought with conviction.

He clenched his hand, almost as if envisioning the very weapon in his palm. Regardless of the method, he needed it soon.

The good news was that he was in Wano… the land of artisans! The answer lay in this very country, he just needed to look around a little more.

…

Damien and Toki eventually made their way back to the Daimyo's residence after looking over many other graves and weapons.

"Good boy," Damien said as he petted the fox.

Onimaru gave out a dull whine in enjoyment.

"Onimaru is quite picky with letting others touch him," Ushimaru's deep voice resounded. "I thought I was the only one he would allow to touch him."

Damien stood up and smiled, "I'm good with most living things."

They then walked back into the main hall and took their seats.

"Ushimaru-san, are you by any chance related to Lord Ryuma?" Toki asked from the side.

The man returned a nod.

"Ryuma is my direct ancestor," he answered. "It's quite the name that my sister and I had to live up to."

Toki brought out a book and began to take notes as Ushimaru gave a small list of his fellow relatives.

It turned out that Usimaru's sister, Shimotsuki Furiko, had left Wano recently to see the outside world.

"Though leaving the borders of Wano is a grave crime," Ushimaru admitted. "She called this place her prison… I could not help but relent to Furiko's request and even helped her depart."

A look of shame and ambivalence arrived on the weathered swordsman's face and he looked to the floor. The image of a young woman with long blue hair came to mind, forcing Ushimaru to shut his eyes. "I wouldn't even know if she's still alive..."

Toki smiled at the man's worry, "I have seen both the beauty and the flaws of the outside seas. All my life I imagined Wano as a paradise."

The girl shook her head, "As beautiful as Wano is, it also has its flaws."

Subconsciously, Toki glanced at Damien and bloomed with a bright smile.

"Maybe Furiko-san also wanted to explore the outside world, you should not feel ashamed for breaking her chains."

Ushimaru heard the candid words and widened his eyes. "Usha-haha! You certainly match the grace of the Amatsuki Clan!"

…

The party of three then enjoyed a small yet fulfilling meal under the cozy walls of the building.

Ushimaru liked drinking so Damien brought out some of his favourite alcoholic beverages to convey the taste of the outside world.

After the hearty meal, it came time for the pirate's true purpose.

"I take it you got what you came here for?" the slightly drunk swordsman asked the pirate.

Damien nodded, though with a hint of uncertainty.

"Ushimaru, since you come from the Sword God's clan, do you have any clue on where and how I can craft a quality weapon?"

The Daimyo nodded as if expecting the question.

"If you seek a proper craftsman then I suggest you ask my distant cousin. He is a Daimyo as well and has a large array of knowledge when it comes to weaponsmiths."

Damien was drawn into the words, awaiting the answer.

"He is the Daimyo of Hakumai. They call him 'The Hedgehog'—Shimotsuki Yasuie."

To Be Continued…

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Author's Corner.

Here's an image of Zoro's family tree which matches the musing of Ushimaru depicted in this chapter.

Images are available on Discord alongside other niche details: https://discord.gg/aJHHHPvb6q

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Chapitre 67: [67] A Samurai's Welcome

[2135 words]

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"He is the Daimyo of Hakumai. They call him 'The Hedgehog'—Shimotsuki Yasuie."

The figure of a cackling old man came to Damien's mind, a product of the Smile Fruit that plagued the people of Wano.

"We'll take our leave then, " Damien said, standing up. "Thank you for your help."

Ushimaru stood up as well and nodded in return, "Your horses have been fed and ready; farewell."

…

[The Next Morning]

It took a good eight hours to reach Hakumai which was located North-East of the Flower Capital.

Unlike the snowy landscape of Ringo, Hakumai was much more pleasant. It fashioned an autumn-like environment with many maple-like trees that were perpetually orange and yellow. The roads were decorated with colourful homes and buildings, showcasing the usual curved roofs.

[Hakumai Image (in Discord)]

A carriage had recently arrived at the very front of the Daimyo's building.

The scroll was printed with the Kozuki crest and further stamped with Ushimaru's stamp, it was evident that the guests were quite significant.

The guards were exceptionally welcoming, even choosing to introduce the novelties of the region to the inquisitive woman onboard.

...

Damien looked at the distinguished building flying the banner of Ringo in the autumn wind with some interest.

Toki was ever-lost in the change of scenery from what she had felt from the boisterous capital to the cold yet tranquil Ringo, and now the colourful and hearty Hakumai.

"Uhm, welcome, guests! Yasuie-sama is waiting for you!"

The two glanced down to meet the small servant. He was quite timid and servile at first glance, playing with his hands as if afraid to reach out.

"Aren't you too young to be a servant?" Toki asked.

The boy sheepishly smiled, doing his best to remain calm; hunched over, toothy smile, closed eyes, all the qualities of someone faint-hearted.

"Not at all! Yasuie-sama took me in as a servant, my name is Orochi!"

He bowed quite far, his puffy purple hair hiding his face.

Damien inwardly scoffed at the two-faced boy who was stemming with vile thoughts and had the air of a snake.

[Orochi Image (in Discord)]

"Lead the way," Damien firmly said, not too interested in entertaining the servant.

"Y-Yes, right this way!"

…

A man sat before a wide table.

He had a blue afro, some facial hair and a round face of age thirty. Donning a red kimono with a sword to his hip to showcase his stern nature.

"My name is Shimotsuki Yasuie, the Daimyo of Hakumai," he stated as he greeted the seated guests.

[Yasuie Image (in Discord)]

Damien nodded at the man.

Toki took the lead to introduce both of them, bringing to light the 'intruder' aspect of their arrival.

Though Yasuie was a staunch supporter of the Kozuki Clan, naturally he had his thoughts too. "Amatsuki… no wonder Ushimaru was so open in his letter," the man commented with a look of intrigue.

"What can I do for you?"

Damien was about to speak until an ear-rattling yell resounded through the entire town.

"WHERE IS HE!?"

"I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU, COME OUT!"

It was evidently a male yelling at the top of his lungs.

Every word reverberated through the region as distant rumblings shook the earth below.

Yasuie face-palmed while Orochi disappeared to hide somewhere, leaving Damien and Toki being forced to go outside and see what had happened.

It did not take long to see the huge trail of dust following a far show nearly 200 meters away.

The trail spanned nearly a kilometer away; the person en route was quite energetic, refusing to slow down whatsoever.

The man at the center of the cloud of dust leaped over toward Damien, a wide grin etched on his face.

He then squatted down while grasping the two swords at his hips.

Boom!

The ground below the man cracked as he shot across the air, leaping over entire buildings.

Shing!

The blades were incredibly sharp, cleaving the very air from their simple removal from their sheaths. They were directed up and back as if readying to be slashed down.

"I'VE HEARD OF YOUR TALES ALL OVER WANO! YOU SMELL LIKE A BEAST!"

His face was further warped with a wide smile as he tightened the muscles of his arms, fueling his blades with Haki.

Damien gazed at the shadow in the air which was bubbling with pristine usage of Armament Haki.

*Fwooo!* The air howled as the man rocketed through like a shooting star, blasting straight at the pirate.

*Fwwm*

A dull beat escaped Damien's body as both his arms were wrapped in a thick coat of Haki; they glistened a bright purple glint, armoured up.

The man in the air chuckled, bringing down the twin swords in a blazing arc.

BOOM!

The immediate impact of the twin blades clashing onto the crossed arms of the pirate was momentous.

The collision of the masterful Haki unleashed incredible amounts of devastation.

Copious amounts of air were shaken up as tornado-like currents were birthed from the exchange, alongside a rumbling of the earth below.

*Tremble*

Cracks and crevices appeared all over the land right in front of the Daimyo's Estate, spreading further and further out.

The attacker felt his body slowly lose momentum; his blades running dry and unable to break through his self-proclaimed challenger's defense.

"Wahaha! My name is Kozuki Oden, the exiled son of Lord Shogun! I'm glad to finally meet you!"

Damien heard the energetic roar and saw the striking smirk of Oden.

"You have quite the interesting interpretation of a Samurai's welcome."

The words provoked a chuckle from the Noble Son of Wano as he retreated from his frozen position.

This also gave Damien a chance to examine his attacker.

Oden was a large and very muscular man of towering height, standing twelve and a half feet tall (3.82 meters).

He had long, wild hair, black in colour, that was gathered into a large, flat, circular plane at the top. The bright orange kimono was quite eye-catching, though not so much as his imposing and wild presence.

[Oden Image (in Discord)]

The swordsman clenched his grip over his beloved blades: Enma and Ame-no-Habakiri, both Meito of impeccable quality.

[His Swords Image (in Discord)]

"..."

No words needed to be said as he shot forth once more, bringing about bold and swift attacks.

Clang!

Boom!

Bam!

Each flurry of hits was met with the immovable wall that was Damien's Haki-clad arm. Each collision would leave sparks in the air as their Haki was quite masterful.

"Hehe," Oden grinned, once again jumping to the sky.

He twirled around, running the centripetal force in his favour and slashed down both his swords in a vertical descent.

BOOM!

A familiar shockwave burst out in all directions, unsettling the integrity of the entire nearby area. The buildings around them had already begun to cry out in failure.

Oden did not waver, instead, he raised both swords in the sky, pointing away from his body.

"!!!" Though before he could even think to execute his attack, his stomach was met with a powerful punch.

"Gahh!" he grunted as the air in his lungs was forcefully expelled from the fist digging into his liver.

The towering samurai was shot through the air, his orange attire leaving a bright trail.

He crashed through three separate buildings before coming to a stop.

*Clatter* Loose debris shook under the man's denial of his condition, stepping out from the dust.

He unloosened a chain of coughs while wiping away a trail of blood.

"What the hell was that!?" he questioned himself, remembering the punch that arrived the split-second where he could not react.

""Oden-sama!""

Two young voices bellowed out in the direction of the fallen buildings, laced with concern. The two young men ran through the debris, looking to find their master.

"Wahahaha! Kin'emon, Denjiro, stay out of this! That guy is awesome!"

Oden paid no mind to his retainers, once again rushing straight toward Damien, his sandals clanging over the cracked soil below.

On his way over, he crossed his right arm over his face, directing both his swords antiparallel to his line of sight.

"Oden Two-Sword Style…"

*Purrup*

The stream of Haki was soon directed to the weapons, though this time with a completely new coat, one bubbling in a gentle red colour.

Oden's speed suddenly increased to the point where the naked eye could not keep up.

"Paradise Waterfall!"

Damien saw the coming attack and in return, raised his left hand.

*Purrup*

The already dense Haki was once again covered, though this time swelling with a visible, red bubble.

Satisfied with the application of emission, Damien slammed his right foot into the ground to gain leverage and smashed his fist at the coming attack.

BOOM!

A grand explosion overtook the shaken Hakumai, this once far greater than the previous ones.

*Vvoooo!* The rippling waves of shock and raging winds were enough to pick up and sweep away the spectators, taking them to the sky!

The ground below was eviscerated, leaving dust and pebbles in the wake of the clash.

Oden's face twisted into a stubborn scowl as if trying to put every ounce of his strength in. His mighty attack was met with a relatively relaxed punch which was enough to fuel him with endless spirit.

*Crack*

The air shattered under the raging Ryuo that was emitted from both their attacks, slowly taking Oden away with them.

A casual voice soon broke out, one that overshadowed the raging torrents of wind.

"You know, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

The words echoed in Oden's ears as he felt the overpowerful Haki sweep him away.

The powerful current had begun to seep into his arms and chest, damaging it from the inside, and creating a lot of internal wounds.

"Augh!" he roared out, though his tenacious spirit wanted to continue, his body could not help but be shot back once more, this time with far greater velocity.

Boom! *Clatter* Bang!

The Kozuki heir rammed through building after building, wall after wall, obstruction after obstruction; unable to stop.

BOOM!

A distant rumble soon went off as the trail of dust had gone from the Daimyo's Estate to the borders of the village.

""Oden-sama!"" the two men yelled out, chasing after their disappeared master.

…

Damien relaxed his arm, calming his Haki down.

He was quite pleased with his first real test of the newly-attained Emission!

Though he recalled his setting and turned to the dusty Daimyo, "Yasuie, apologies for the mess."

The samurai reputed as the Hedgehog shook his head, turning to the long tunnel of man-shaped holes.

"It's alright, Damien-dono, this is not the first time Oden has caused such trouble..."

Toki was also just as surprised as she remarked, "The exiled son's tales underestimated his nature… No wonder Sukiyaki-san was tired of Oden's antics."

She took out her little journal and jotted down some words.

Yasuie then gestured to his men to start the cleanup, at least by examining the injured first.

…

"So tell me, what brings you here?"

Damien once again sat with Toki, sipping on some tea.

"Ushimaru directed me to you, I'm here looking for a weaponsmith to create a blade for myself," he said.

Yasuie nodded, recalling the overwhelming power he had been shown moments ago.

"I would send you to our best craftsman open for orders, though I doubt they can properly grant you a weapon worthy of your power. However, there is one man…"

Damien glanced at the man's frown as he seemed lost in thought.

"Someone troublesome?"

Yasuie gave a wry smile and admitted, "There is one old man. He is the best of the best. A direct descendant of the ones who crafted many renowned swords."

The Daimyo then shook his head with a defeated sigh, "His age far outnumbers anyone in Hakumai, probably even Wano. Though very stubborn, his skill of smithing is beyond doubt."

Damien hummed at the explanation.

He visualized a senile and grumpy old man who did not listen to anyone, busy with his own devices.

Meanwhile, Yasuie continued, "He is also the mentor of Shimotsuki Kozaburo, the man who crafted two of the Twenty-One Great Swords: Wado Ichimonji and Enma!"

"Oden, who you just met, is the current wielder of Enma. I'm sure you can imagine the skill of the man who trained the craftsman responsible for such a weapon."

Damien deeply nodded with a hint of surprise, "I'll find a way to convince him, where is he?"

Yasuie shrugged his hands, not going to talk Damien out of the meaningless endeavour.

"You can find him to the far North of Hakumai; he lives alone and prefers it that way," the Daimyo answered. "His name is Shimotsuki Katsuyoshi."

To Be Continued…

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Author's Corner.

Kozaburo is Koushiro's grandfather and Kuina's great-grandfather. Katsuyoshi is an original character who is the teacher of Kozaburo.

Note: Orochi is around 14 and Oden is around 19 as of now.

Images are available on Discord alongside other niche details: https://discord.gg/aJHHHPvb6q

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