Guardian of the Sword
One Piece Fanfic
The kitetsu sword. It has been said to be a dangerous weapon. No one has been able to wield it. Each one who has tried has met their fate. That is, until one day, a young man is able to conquer the swords curse and wield it. Why do I suck at summaries? You know what, going straight to the story.
Chapter 1-The Cursed Sword
He knew the minute that that sword came into his shop, he was done for. Not only because the dang thing cost him millions of dollars, but because of the stories and rumors he had heard about it. According to the people who shipped it to him, it was close to near impossible to even touch the sword. Each person who had tried lifting it from the ground ended up paralyzed and died seconds later. Then again, the men who tired lifting it were secretly robbers who were trying to get the sword in order to sell it to the black market, so the store man could care less for their fatality. But word soon spread about the incident and since then, the Kitetsu sword was dubbed the Cursed Sword. Nobody dared to enter his shop for fear that they will never come back out alive. And the store manager would have tried to get rid of it but he feared facing the same fate as the others. The monk that brought the sword was the only one able to bring it to him alive and he wasn't even hired to do the job! Apparently, the monk knew very well about the sword and its history. He told him that only the sword choose its owner and no one else could compel it otherwise . However, the store manager couldn't help but find that ridiculous and just paid the man, though it took 4 hours to get him to take the money. Nonetheless, business had continued to go so bad that even his wife had threatened him to sell the store or leave him. Personally, he preferred going down with the ship. Fortunately, today he probably be able to get some new faces into his store. Today was a very special day in LogueTown. It was the day when the famous pirate king, Captain Gol D. Roger, after acquiring all the earth's riches and more, was sent into the gallows, where he made his famous words that have forever be known throughout history. That day, he announced that his treasure, One Piece, was hidden in a secret place and whoever so dared to find it, would be made richest man in the world. Since then, pirates from all over the world had traveled near and far to acquire the treasure. No one had been able to acquire the treasure yet, but the story had provoked much tourism for the small island. Maybe the store manager could finally get a customer. However, just as he was rearranging the boxes of merchandise in his store, he caught a bright life emanating from the sword's blade. That caught him off guard, so much so that the box that he had been holding had landed straight down on his foot.
"Ouch!" cried out the man as he started to tend to his injured foot (sissy)
As he tended to his injuries (again, sissy), he began to wonder what could have made the sword light up like that. Now thinking about the sword, the store manager glared at the weapon, remembering that it was the cause of his pain.
"You stupid sword! Always causing so much trouble!" he yelled at the blade, who in return ignored the old man's ranting
"You have done nothing but made me miserable! Honestly, since you have been here, I have had enough white hairs to be mistaken for my great grandfather!" the store manager continued to ramble on as though he were scolding a child. He did not take any notice of the figure that had entered his shop.
"If I could change time when I was stupid enough to even think about purchasing a sword of such monstrosity as you, I would go back in time and slap myself! Honestly, you can—"
"Excuse me." Replied a deep voice. Caught off guard, the store manager couldn't help but jump at the foreign voice.
"Um, is this a bad time?, because I was wondering whether I can buy some swords here, I kind of need 'em."
Unbeknownst to the stranger who had just entered, the store manager was in a state of shock. Not just because he was caught yelling at a sword, as though it were a human being, but the fact that he had a customer! A real customer! And one that wanted to buy HIS SWORDS, no less!
"Oh yes, yes! of course!" replied the store manager once he got himself composed and decided that this was reality and not a dream. Looking over his customer, he noted that the stranger seemed quite tall, muscular too. He had three earrings clipped to his ear and strange green hair. "Teens and their strange fashion trends. Honestly, the boy's mother must have burst into tears when she saw what her son did to himself. Seriously, where do you get green hair dye? And who would dye their hair green in the first place?" Then again, business was business, so he would overlook the stranger's odd taste in style. For now.
"Which one were you thinking of purchasing, sir?"
"Actually, I need two"
"Two?" asked the store manager as he looked at his customer questionably. It was then that he noticed that he had a sword; it was placed at his hip. He already had a sword. Why would he come in here if he already had one?
"Why would you need two, with that one included, you'd have three" asked the store manager as he continued to study the sword the man had placed at his hip."How can you fight with three swords? That's impossible" saying this, the stranger began to smirk. "Trust me, oji-san, it not as impossible as it seems" the stranger replied, an amusing voice hidden in his sentence. "I would like to buy two katanas for 100,000 beli" the stranger said after he pulled out his money. "100 thousand beli? This guy must be either stupid or broke…"
"100 thousand beli? With that much money, you can only get a lame sword and each of them costs 50,000 beli"
"Anything will do, I'm low on money right now"
"'Anything will do', he says. With that much money, he can only get two lame swords" just as the store manger was thinking this, the swords handle had caught his attention again. "Is that!...No it can't be" . The katana the stranger had was the one and only, Wado Ichimonji! Realizing this, and the sword's value, the store manager tried to trick the stranger into giving him his sword by offering him 200,000 beli, in exchange for the sword. However, the stranger continued to refuse his offers.
"Listen, it doesn't matter what price you offer, I'm not giving you my sword"
"Oh, a business man! I know how to deal with your kind." The store manager answered, "Alright, 650,000 beli, that's my final offer!"
However, before he could get an answer, he was interrupted by a young woman who came into the store.
"Hello" replied the young woman "I came here to pick up Shigure, is he ready yet?" Suddenly, she turned to the stranger he had been trying to negotiate. Apparently, they knew one another. However, peering at the man's face, it appeared like he didn't want her to be there at all. After talking to him for a good few minutes, she got out her glasses and turned to the sword the store manager currently had in his hands.
"Is that Wadou Ichimonji?" asked the dark blue haired girl as she took Wadou out of the greedy store manager's hands. She got out a little book that seemed to have a description on many and different types of swords.
"Damn it, if she tells him about its true value, I'm done for!"
"Look at this!, this sword is worth more than 20 million beli!" the girl said contentedly. Turning to the stranger who came to his store first, she asked "How does a person like you have such a famous Meitou?"
"YOU! BE QUIET ALREADY! ARE YOU TRYING TO RUIN MY BUSINESS!" yelled the impatient store manager. After giving (throwing) the girl's sword back, he directed the green haired stranger to where the 50 thousand beli swords were and told him to get his swords and leave.
"What's his problem?" the green haired man muttered to himself as he looked around the bins. While he was looking though, the girl with the dark blue haired stood around and continued talking to him. However, none of them were aware that at that moment, the sword, Kitetsu, was again glowing.
This Aura. I have never sensed it before.
The store manager began fuming away angry thoughts in his mind. "Of all the people I end up having to give swords too! I hope that after this I never see them again!". Looking up, his thoughts went dead at what his eyes saw. The green haired man finally pulled out a sword, however, his choice couldn't have been more wrong. In his hand was the Cursed Sword, Sandai Kitetsu!
"That sword is the Sandai Kitetsu!" ansered the blue haired woman "It's an amazing sword! It's predecessor is the Nidai Kitetsu, which was one of the Oowaza-mono. And Shodai Kitetsu was one of the Saijou Owaza-mono! You are truly fortunate to find it!" filled with excitement, the bluenette turned back to the store manager "Are you truly selling such an amazing sword for only 50 thousand beli?"
"Out of all the swords…out of all the swords…"
"Actually…"
"I knew it! Such a sword as valuable as this can't be worth 50 thousa-"
"YOU CAN'T BUY THAT SWORD!" replied the store manager panickly
"What? Why can't he?"
Before he could answer, the stranger beat him to it.
"It's a cursed sword."
"What the? How-" but filled with so much panic and astonishment, the store manager finished his sentence out loud. "How did you know?"
"I didn't, I can just sense it" answered the stranger, never taking his eyes of the blade he held in his hand
"Sandai Kitetsu is said to be an excellent sword," the store manager admitted "However, the curse that lives in the sword has prevented many from wielding it. Each one met their fate with the hands of death. I'd of gotten rid of that sword,…if I weren't too scared to have the curse affect me"
"I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have interfered!" answered the bluenette as she bowed her head down in a form of apology. Yet after being warned of the curse, the green-haired man had never let go of the sword. In fact, he didn't seem like he was going to leave it.
This man seems different from the others. I wonder, could he be the one I was waiting on?
Lifting the sword in the air, the green haired man looked the sword over with interest.
"I like it, I'm going to take this one!" the stranger announced
His decision left everyone speechless. Why would someone purchase a dangerous sword, and a cursed one no less!
"You idiot! You can't buy that sword! If you were to die, it would be as if I killed you!" yelled the old man, only to get wacked in the head by his wife.
"You're the idiot around here! Sell the sword already! It's not like you'll be losing much anyways…" his wife answered, knowing very well that they had little gain from her husband's service. What did it matter to her if the sword the man bought ultimately killed him when they had piles and piles of debts yet to pay?
"How about this," replied the stranger "My luck….against this sword's curse. Let's see which is stronger?" Before the store manager could ask what the stranger was thinking, he had already threw the sword in the air, his left arm completely stretched out and exposed to the deadly sword's blade.
"You can't! You'll lose your arm!" yelled the old man, trying to warn the stranger, but it was already too late. The blue haired woman was also left in panic as she watched the sword dance in the air. Yet in their panic, they failed to notice the immense aura radiating through the two beings, the stranger's and that of the sword's.
Hmm…a test he wants. He is quite the risky type. Then again, I am just as curious as he is. Let's see if you are the one worthy of wielding my blade, Ne?
For everyone around in the store, it felt as if time had slowed down as the sword began to lower itself closer and closer to the man's arm. And just as the sword's blade came face to face with the man's arm, the sword turned its position, making the dangerous blade turn the other direction and avoiding the man's arm completely, only to land on the floor near his feet.
"I'll take it" stated the stranger, a confidant smirk gracing his lips as he faced the near-shock driven bluenette and store manager. "A-amazing! No one has ever been able to overcome the swords curse besides that monk! This guy…he's no ordinary human. There is something unique about him…"
"Hey, help me find another sword" the stranger said, addressing to the bluenette girl, who was still too filled with shock and could only answer him with a curt nod.
"Wait! Hold on a second" replied the old man as he ran to an office behind his store. Coming back, he pulled out a black katana.
"The sheath is a black-lacquered long inlay." Taking the blade from its sheath, he lifted the katana up in the air "It's blade is an unraveled edge with a small 'T'. It is one of the Ryou-Waza-mono 50. The Yubashiri!"
"This may not be a big store," the store manager said, now facing his two customers "but it's the best katana I have yet."
"I can't buy it. I told you already, I don't have that kind of money on me" replied the stranger
"I don't want money for it, nor for the Kitetsu," answered the store manager "It has been a long time since I have seen a true swordsman. They say that 'a katana chooses its master'. I never believed that statement until now. I pray you have good fortune" He said as he handed the sword to the green-haired man "Sorry for trying to rip you off earlier"
Smiling, the stranger accepted the man's gift
"Arigatou, I will make sure to give these swords the honor they deserve." The green-haired swordsman replied as he placed the three swords around his hamaraki, leaving the store with the money he had thought he was going to spend.
"I can't believe you gave away a family herimloom like that…"the store manager's wife asked him teasingly
"Silence woman, what is wrong with a man giving his dreams up to another man!" replied the old man. After all, it wasn't every day when you meet a person who could overcome a cursed sword as if it were the easiest thing in the world. Why not place his broken dreams on a man like that?
"Hai, Hai, now then…" the woman replied as she took out a heavy object "take out the trash!"
"Y-yes mam!"
…
Zoro couldn't help but feel content. He finally had got his swords and, best of all, he didn't have to pay a dime!
"Man, it feels good to have three swords again!" Zoro replied blissfully as he walked through the towns streets. Then again, he wasn't the only one that was estatic. The spirit of that inhabited the sword coulnd't help but feel content at knowing that she had finally left that store. Now, her adventure could truly begin and she could find out what her true calling was.
I don't know much about this person, but I can tell there is something interesting about him.
As she thought this, she felt the man lightly grasp the swords handle.
"Sandai Kitetsu," he whispered to it "Guess I'm your new owner now. Name's Zoro by the way." Zoro answered it, a small smile placed on his face "Well then, I don't know much about you, but I can tell that you're a strong sword. With your strength and Yubashiri's help, along with Kuina's spirit, I will become world's greatest swordsmand. Count on it"
As Zoro continued to walk through the streets, the spirit of the sword let all the words Zoro had said sink in.
Zoro, huh? Well then, though I'm not sure what awaits me now, I do know that things will get interesting from here on out….ne? Goshujinsama….
Hope you guys liked the story. I got the idea when I first saw the episode. The tale of the curse made me think so much of Yu Gi Oh and I decided to incorporate the idea of a being living inside the sword from there. I'm sorry that I paraphrased so much of this seen from the actual episode but I wasn't sure of the sword terms and stuff. The next episodes will be more original, hopefully. And I hope to introduce SanjixOC soon in the next three chapters. Till then, bye! :D
