Two days later, the Oniwabanshu received word from the shogun’s estate: Kozuki Oden had shown up at the Isshin Forge in Ringo. Captain Kin’emon shot a furious glare at Hyougoro and Ashura Jakun, who were playing both sides like it was a game.

Storming off with his Oniwabanshu squad toward Ringo, Kin’emon seethed. He already despised those two, but the mission came first. He’d settle the score later—find a way to sabotage Hailou Town and those backstabbers when the time was right!

As the Oniwabanshu vanished into the distance, Hyougoro and Ashura Jakun exchanged smirks of disdain.

"Hmph, Wano’s days under Kozuki rule are numbered. Soon enough, Brook-sama will have it all—and who knows? Maybe Flower Capital will fall under our watch too."

Ashura Jakun snorted with a grin. He was a bandit from Kuri’s mountains at heart, with zero respect for the shogun or the nobles. Hell, he’d love nothing more than to wipe those pompous lords off the map!

"This time, Brook-sama might finally clash with Kozuki Sukiyaki for real. We need to prep—beef up our defenses and get ready to strike if the moment hits."

Hyougoro bumped Kuri’s alert level up a notch, just in case war broke out without warning and caught them flat-footed.

"Kozuki Sukiyaki doesn’t have the guts to start it. It’ll come down to whether Brook-sama pulls the trigger. Plenty of samurai still bow to the shogun’s estate, after all."

Ashura Pengan wanted to march on Flower Capital too, but they weren’t quite there yet on public support. He had no interest in sparking a full-blown civil war that’d tear Wano apart.

For now, the play was to keep chipping away at the Kozuki clan’s influence. Ametsuki Maiken in Udon was already leaning toward Kuri’s Hailou Town, and the two daimyo of the Shimotsuki family were drifting neutral.

Give it another year or two of steady pressure, and the Kozukis’ prestige would crumble to nothing. Then they could force Sukiyaki out peacefully—or box him in as a puppet.

...

Isshin Forge!

After three grueling days of forging, the Gungnir Steel, two Nidai Kitetsu blades, and the Shichiseiken had been fused into a single, battle-hardened double-edged sword, tempered a thousand times over.

It was thicker and broader than the original Shichiseiken, perfectly scaled to Brook’s height—radiating an even fiercer aura!

In the original tale, the Shichiseiken’s wielder was Saga, about Zoro’s size. Now, reforged, it was a flawless match for Brook!

Gripping the sword blank, Brook felt it click like an old friend. Custom-made was always the way to go—no one knew your swing like you did!

He couldn’t help but wonder why Enma shrank in Zoro’s hands. That blade was nearly two meters long, forged for the 3.8-meter-tall Kozuki Oden. Even at 2.7 meters, Brook found Enma a bit unwieldy. How the hell did 1.8-meter Zoro make it look like a natural fit? They were both taller than him!

At that length, it was like Yoru to Mihawk—pure overkill. Oda must’ve just been doodling panels and skimped on the measurements!

Brook even dug into the lore and confirmed it: the current wielder of Supreme Grade Yoru was a 3-4 meter-tall great swordsman, lord of Swordmaster Island in the front half of the New World. Stronger than a standard Marine HQ vice admiral—quasi-admiral level!

He’d have to swing by and test the waters against that giant someday.

...

The Shichiseiken’s soul thrummed in Brook’s hand, eager to bond with its new form—especially since chunks of its old blade were woven right in!

The blank vibrated wildly, like the fusion hit a snag.

Blood offering~

A voice whispered in Brook’s ear. The Shichiseiken soul craved a flood of vital energy to merge with the fresh steel.

Brook decided his Yomi blood would be the sword’s first taste. He slashed his arm, letting the crimson flow seep into the new Shichiseiken.

The blade drank it like a sponge, draining him dry in seconds. Brook bolted into the dense forest behind the Isshin Forge.

Life Sense activated—he spotted beasts and cut them down. Sacred Wano creatures: komainu lions, komainu deer, komainu monkeys, komainu foxes... all fell to the new Shichiseiken!

Soul offering~

The sword’s will echoed again. Brook unleashed a chunk of his ghost army, sacrificing them to the blade. This new Shichiseiken was getting downright sinister.

It out-eviled the original Shichiseiken and the Nidai Kitetsu combined—bloodthirsty, soul-hungry, mind-bending. A full-on demon sword, cursed blade!

Brook figured no one else could tame it. Just him.

After devouring countless souls, the new Shichiseiken glowed blood-red, seven crimson stars blooming along its edge!

"Master~ I love this new body!"

The Shichiseiken’s voice purred with satisfaction. A spectral child materialized, wreathed in bloody mist and soulfire—like a demonic infant.

Trouble incarnate, clear as day!

Why was the Thousand Sunny’s ship spirit Merry so sweet and cuddly, while his Shichiseiken soul was a pint-sized terror?

"From now on, you’re the Seven Star Sword. And you? You’re Shichi."

Brook reached out, stroking the ethereal form. The demon sword infant melted into it like a kitten, face blissed out, all innocent and content—accepting the name without a fight.

Maybe she wasn’t all surface-level evil.

"Alright, let’s head back and craft that hilt and sheath. Time to make you the strongest, sharpest demon sword around!"

Brook hefted the transformed Seven Star Sword and returned. Crimson veins snaked along its length, those seven ominous blood-stars pulsing with eerie light. No mistaking it—this was a demon blade through and through!

"Let’s test the edge."

Brook swung casually. A blood-red slash howled out, toppling ancient forest giants hundreds of meters away!

"Not bad—way stronger than before!" Brook chuckled.

"Master, try it with Haki~"

The sword soul’s voice bubbled up, laced with kid-like impatience, dying to show off her full glory.

"Yohohoho! Alright, let’s see your real bite!"

Crimson lightning crackled. Brook channeled his peak Conqueror’s Haki Coiling, gazing up at the thunderheads. Two-handed grip, power building—he unleashed a slash that shook heaven and earth!

The gale flattened the forest behind him.

"The sky’s splitting open!"

Kuri Town’s folk gaped in horror at the dense clouds, cleaved in two and peeling apart like a bad haircut. Even Redfield inside the Isshin Forge froze, staring at the massive rift overhead!

It wasn’t just a split—it was a sky-high part job for Wano’s storm front!

Brook blinked at the devastation. His new sword’s doing.

This topped any Yonko greeting—bigger scale, flashier impact. Straight-up bisected the damn clouds!

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+400 Chapters on p@treon/tambeerg