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"The Cursed Holy Sword, the Seven Star Sword?" Shiryu fell silent. "I've heard of this blade..."

"Captain, the weaklings who cannot master a famous sword often blame the blade itself. That kind of thinking is as foolish as the kings who lost their kingdoms over a war for a beautiful woman—"

"—After the kingdom falls, they call the woman a femme fatale... And when they can't master a famous blade and are wounded by it, they insist it's a cursed sword. The two are one and the same."

"Good. In that case, we'll head to Asuka Island now and take that Seven Star Sword," Arthur said.

For such a treasure to be without a master was a colossal waste.

The Seven Star Sword was rumored to be cursed, requiring a blood sacrifice. It was a sword born for the slaughter. Could there be a more perfect match for Shiryu?

"In this world, there isn't just an encyclopedia of Devil Fruits that have appeared. There's also an encyclopedia of famous swords, which records every relatively well-known blade to this day," Shiryu slowly explained.

"The Seven Star Sword is ranked among the very best in that encyclopedia. According to historical legend... wherever it appears, it brings endless slaughter and destruction."

"Whether it's a Great Grade or a Supreme Grade sword, no one knows. No one can tell. Some even say it has transcended the category of Supreme Grade Swords and is a more sinister Demon Sword."

Shiryu smoked his cigar, his expression unreadable, but Arthur could sense his desperate desire to possess the Seven Star Sword.

"Slaughter and destruction... that pleases me even more than the Raiu."

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Asuka Island was located in the middle of the fourth magnetic track in the first half of the Grand Line. If the [Thor] crossed the Calm Belt and flew at its maximum speed, they could arrive within a day.

It had to be said, with its ability to fly, the [Thor] was arguably the most suitable vessel for travel on the seas.

Roger's execution was in three days, which meant the Thunder God Pirates had to make a round trip in that time.

Asuka Island was one of the oldest islands in the entire world, with a history spanning several thousand years.

"According to the legends of Asuka Island, the Seven Star Sword was a holy sword bestowed upon the islanders by the Gods thousands of years ago for their protection. How it became cursed, no one knows..." Shiryu said, sharing what he knew.

This holy sword was completely different from the famous swords of the sea. It was a double-edged sword, its blade engraved with enigmatic, indecipherable patterns, and it possessed a history of several thousand years.

A legend had always been passed down on Asuka Island: thousands of years ago, the islanders were terrified of the appearance of a red full moon.

To quell their panic, the Gods bestowed upon the island's King a shield and the Seven Star Sword. However, when the Seven Star Sword and the red full moon appeared at the same time, darkness would rule the land.

'Created by the so-called Gods?' Arthur sneered.

The Seven Star Sword possessed a sinister power, and the so-called Gods were perhaps just more powerful individuals.

The people of that time attributed all incomprehensible natural disasters to the power of the Gods, praying for their forgiveness.

If Arthur were to go back a few thousand years, wouldn't his Rumble-Rumble Fruit ability make him a God?

Lightning represented the Wrath of Heaven, punishment in the name of the sky.

The laughable Celestial Dragons still called themselves Gods, but besides the World Government, who paid them any mind?

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"That's the place. Let's go." Arthur grabbed Shiryu and leaped from the [Thor], landing on Asuka Island.

He had chosen not to bring World and the others. On one hand, he wanted to test their loyalty. On the other, he found it too troublesome to have too many people around.

In reality, Arthur was overthinking it. A man like Vasco Shot was easily satisfied. As long as he had wine, coupled with the gratitude of being saved from Impel Down, the possibility of betrayal was very small.

Catarina Devon and Avalo Pizarro had been crushed by him, body and soul. They had no desire to be his enemy. Betrayal was out of the question.

As for World, learning that Arthur had, in just a few short years, caught up to Whitebeard—a man he himself considered unstoppable—he had no thoughts of betrayal either.

Naguri was a pirate with his own moral compass. A man like that would choose to keep his promise.

So Arthur had left them on the [Thor] to see if anyone would violate the oath of submission they had made in Impel Down. If anyone betrayed him, even if it wasted some time, Arthur would hunt them down and kill them, no matter where they were in the world.

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Walking through the lush jungle, surrounded by mountains and forests, the entire Asuka Island was covered in green trees.

At the edge of the island was a huge lake. The scenery was beautiful. The village on the island had only a hundred or so residents, and they worshipped a stone statue of a beautiful Goddess.

The Seven Star Sword was hidden in an altar in the center of the island.

Neither Arthur nor Shiryu spoke. They walked silently toward the towering altar. The altar had several levels—and the evil sword was sealed in a stone coffin on the highest floor.

"Is this the God the people of Asuka Island believe in?"

From a distance, Arthur saw a statue of a woman carved into a stone wall. Her hands were in a strange posture, and a ribbon was wrapped around her body—

Below the statue, a short old woman in a priestess's outfit was praying devoutly, serving the statue and muttering incomprehensible words.

"Shiryu, go on up yourself. The Seven Star Sword is in the coffin in the stone chamber on the top floor. You have to offer it blood to take it out," Arthur said calmly, pointing to the top of the altar.

"Be careful. That sword is extremely evil. If you can't control it, it will control you..."

"Captain, a sword is ultimately a dead thing. The only reason it is forged is to be mastered and used for slaughter. The so-called cursed and demon swords are nothing more than a reflection of the human heart. Please believe me... I will not disappoint you again." Shiryu's eyes, beneath his pilot's cap, were extremely resolute.

His understanding and attitude toward swords were not something Arthur could comprehend, because Arthur didn't use a sword.

"Go on. I'll wait for you here."

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"HALT! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!" The old, stooped priestess discovered the two intruders. The villagers praying below the statue also looked at Shiryu and Arthur with disgust.

"They're pirates, aren't they?? Another group trying to steal the Seven Star Sword!"

"Asuka Island does not welcome you! Please leave!"

"For evil pirates to enter here is the greatest insult to our God..."

With a clatter, they picked up various farming tools as weapons, their personalities extremely fierce.

Every year, pirates would come here, hoping to steal the elusive Seven Star Sword. Most left disappointed, and so the sword became the stuff of legend.

In recent years, perhaps only that pirate who died in Impel Down had ever touched it—

"Hm?"

Arthur glanced over, and an invisible wave of Conqueror's Haki radiated out, instantly knocking the defenseless villagers unconscious.

And Shiryu, step by step, ascended the altar and entered the pitch-black stone chamber.

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