119. Go to East Blue
119. Go to East Blue
"Of course not. He is also the one that teach me about the advanced version of Armament Haki. You should know that he made some top grade swords in the past. But he won't make sword just because you ask him to. You need to convince him to make a sword for you."-Dragon
"Hmm, i hope he want some challenge with new materials."-Jon
Jon is really excited right now, because he have searched a good swordsmith to make a sword. His plan is to customize his Kusanagi with that customization card. Then he will make another one with chakra metal.
Chakra metal is lighter but a lot stronger than normal steel. Jon hasn't find any metal stronger than chakra metal except seastone in this world. There is a metal named Liquor Iron, but he hasn't see it himself, so he doesn't know just how strong it is. Beside, he will still use metal chakra even if that metal is better.
Chakra metal still compliment his chakra flow better than anything. Even the normal chakra blade with small portion of chakra metal make chakra flow better already. Not to mention a blade purely made of chakra metal.
Even so there are some grades in chakra metal. The ones he gave the Amazon Lily girls are the normal grade. Because the higher grade is more expensive and hard to process. The toughness is almost the same anyway, but the higher quality have better chakra flow. The girls didn't use chakra and only need the hardness, so it's okay.
Also, higher grade chakra metal is very hard to be processed, that's why Jon hasn't found a swordsmith that can process it. It will be easier if Jon mix it with other metal like iron, but he want the pure chakra metal sword. When Dragon said there is a top tier swordsmith, he's very excited.
Chakra metal need to be fused with chakra when the sword is being made to make it tougher. Usually, swordsmiths use their chakra or someone else's chakra, to make it tougher and have better chakra flow. They fuse it at the molten form, to make the hard form tougher.
The higher quality chakra make the sword tougher too. Jon have one of the best quality chakra possible to use, the nine tails chakra. But Kurama said that he need to use his own chakra too. Jon need to use all chakra affinity he have, and need to use each with the same amount. It's hard, but Kurama can help Jon, so no need to worry.
The ship sail, and they leave Alabasta toward East Blue. They will sail through Calm Belt, that's also why Dragon join them. Even if they have seastone coating at the bottom of their ship, it's not an assurance for their safety.
"Hey old man, if a ship didn't have seastone coating, how'd the go through calm belt?"-Jon
"Then they need to fight all those seakings. They're lucky if a few people still alive after that."-Dragon
"Then how normal ships go to the blues from grandline? There are many ships going back and forth from Grandline to blues right?"-Jon
"Well, they can climb the red line under Mary Geois if they're just merchant ships. They can use the WG's transportation to climb the wall, but they need to change ship. Pirates can't use that access at all, they can only pass through Calm Belt. So they need a strong crew or try to minimize the seakings attack."-Dragon
"How?"-Jon
"By sailing very near with the Red Line, they can minimize Seaking attacks. Seakings didn't reside near Red Line, so it's safer. Usually, they will also move together with other crew to strengthen their power."-Dragon
Dragon also explain that not many pirates will go back to blues after going to Grandline if they don't have strong crew. The ones that go back & forth from Grandline & Blues are merchants, Marines, or WG. Marine & WG ships use calm belt more than red line, because it's faster and didn't need a lot of procedure.
Jon & the Revolutionaries sail for a few days before they reach Calm Belt. They enter the Calm Belt and use the machine to run the ship. Jon keep training on the ship while looking around for any Seaking.
It's been 2 days since they sail through Calm Belt, and no Seaking come out to attack them so far. But then in afternoon, there's a giant Seaking come out and see their ship. It immediately try to attack, and Dragon want to repell it.
"Wait, old man! I want to try fighting that thing."-Jon
Dragon let Jon try, so Jon immediately jump from the ship and run on water. He take out his Kusanagi that still have it's original appearance. He fuse Kurama's chakra on Kusanagi and slash it down with both hands while extending the sword.
*SWISH*
Jon grind the chakra like wind chakra, but Kurama's chakra is hot, so steam start to generate. The sword cut down the giant Seaking. It cut the head, but then got stopped by the bone in the body. Still, with the head splitted into 2, the Seaking is dead.
"Sigh, still didn't have enough power to cut all of that monster. Even with Kurama's chakra, the power is still not enough."-Jon
'You're still not proficient with kenjutsu and my chakra. It will have better result if you just use your wind chakra or lightning chakra.'-Kurama
"Is that so?"-Jon
'Just try it later if you meet another fish. Also, i want to try fighting one of that thing.'-Kurama
"Sure."-Jon
Jon go back to the ship and they leave that place hurriedly. The carcass will bait more Seakings to come. The next day, they meet a Seaking again, and Jon did what Kurama said. He use wind chakra and it cut better than yesterday. At afternoon, another Seaking appear and Jon use lightning chakra. The wind chakra gave better result, altough he still can't cut it clean.
They sail unhindered after that until the 6th day. 2 Seakings appear at the same time, and Kurama want to fight. So Jon summon Kurama in giant form, surprising everyone there. Kurama didn't care and go to fight the Seaking.
"What's that, kid?"-Dragon
"Nine Tails Fox."-Jon
"I can see that, i mean why it suddenly appear? Is that your power too?"-Dragon
"Nah, he's a sentient of himself. He's the real Nine Tails Fox, and he live in my body. I can get him out for some time before he need to go back."-Jon
"You never said this to us."-Robin
"Because i just got him. You know about Mythical Zoan fruit, Inu Inu no Mi: model Nine Tails Fox right? I got it in Impel Down and it manifested into that giant that live in me. My chakra affected the fruit and change it, but i doubt it will happen again."-Jon
The others are sceptical about Jon's explanation, but they don't have other reasoning. Kurama ask Jon to leave, he want to play with the Seakings right now. So Jon & the others leave, and they arrive in East Blue at noon. Kurama also automatically get summoned back to Jon's body after an hour.
They go to the place that the swordsmith live, Shimotsuki Village. Jon & Robin are surprised, because they know Shimotsuki Village is Zoro's village. He never said anything about a reknowned swordsmith.
They arrive in Shimotsuki village, and go to a dojo. This is Isshin dojo, they train kendo, and this is the dojo where Zoro train. Dragon meet a middle aged man with long hair and wear glasses, his name is Shimotsuki Koushiro. Then they leave and Dragon tell Jon to follow him.
"Hey old man Koushiro, are you Zoro's teacher?"-Jon
"Yes, he trained here while he was young."-Koushiro
"Are you the one that teach him to use 3 swords too?"-Jon
"Ahaha, no, that is his own way to use swords. He used to thought that the number of swords affecting his power."-Koushiro
"Hmm, so he's stupid since young. So where did we go?"-Jon
"To meet the swordsmith, he is Koushiro's father, Kozaburo."-Dragon
Sometime later, they arrive in a traditional japanese house on top of a hill. There are a lot of trees and bamboos around the house. Koushiro come inside while Dragon & Jon wait outside.
Sometime later, Koushiro come back with a wrinkly old man. He has spiky hair with topknot, and his hair has turned white. His nose is large and he looks to be in his 80s or 90s. Even so, he still look healthy and strong for his age.
"Dragon, you want me to make sword? Don't you know i'm already too old for this. Did you want to make me die faster?"-Kozaburo
"Uncle, you still look strong enough for me, and it's not me that want to make sword, it's my student."-Dragon
"You take a student? How rare of you to take another student other than Sabo."-Kozaburo look at Jon up and down, like judging him.
"Oioi grandpa, don't stare at me like that, you look creepy."-Jon back off
"A rude brat, i see, just like you. So, you want me to make a sword for you brat?"-Kozaburo
"Well, old man Dragon said that you're the best smith he know, so yeah, i want to ask you to make a sword for me."-Jon
"Why should i? I know Dragon, but i don't know you, why should i make it for you?"-Kozaburo
"Did you only make swords for your acquintances? No wonder you look poor, not a good businessman, aren't you?"-Jon have judging expression while holding his chin, make Kozaburo have tickmark, and the other sweatdrop.
"So you don't want to make the sword huh? Then leave!"-Kozaburo
"Hmm, so you're afraid, old geezer? I have a metal that you never saw before. If you miss this chance then you'll never see this metal again until you die. At most you will live for a decade again right? Then it will be your regret of a lifetime if you miss this chance."-Jon have a smug expression
"Metal that i never saw? Hahaha, don't belittle me brat, i've seen a lot more than you've seen your whole live. I'm a dedicated swordsmith, and i've seen almost all metals for swords."-Kozaburo
"Almost right? Not seen everything."-Jon smirk
"Tch, alright, let's make a deal, if you really have a metal that i've never saw, then i will make the best sword that i can make right now, for free."-Kozaburo
"Alright, it's a deal."-Jon
Jon then take out a chakra metal ingot with highest quality. It has silver-white colour and very light for an ingot this size. Kozaburo look at the metal ingot and got immersed at it. He keep inspecting the ingot, and even use his Haki on it.
"It's very light, but it's also very tough, tougher than most metal. But the best property is the Ryuo flow on this metal, it flow easier than any materials i know."-Kozaburo
"Ryuo?"-Jon
"That's how people from my father's country call Haki. It's just different in naming."-Koushiro
"Oh, alright. So how is it, old geezer?"-Jon smirk
"What kind of sword did you want to make?"-Kozaburo
"Huh?"-Jon
"Father?"-Koushiro
"Hurry up, what kind of sword?"-Kozaburo
"A-ah, a ninjato."-Jon
"Specification?"-Kozaburo
"Straight sword, and i want it to be longer than normal ninjato, because of my height. I want to make the handle about 40 cm, and the sword length is 60 cm, width 3 cm, and thickness 3 mm. I have my own design, so can you make it like that?"-Jon
"That's a long ninjato and it have long handle too. It's almost like katana, but you are tall, so it's suit you. I don't have any problem with your design. Just give it to me and i will finish it in a week."-Kozaburo
"Geezer, actually i need to help you while making this sword."-Jon
"Huh? Don't look down on me, brat!"-Kozaburo
Kozaburo got angry and look at Jon with fierce expression.