"The sky... lit!"

  "Unbelievable. Is this something a human actually achieve?"

  "With just a light swing, such terrifying power..."

  As they stared at the torn sky, sunlight pierced through the once-gloomy clouds, shining directly ohe sight made him appear divine, like a true god desding, inspiring shod reveren all who wit.

  Even Streusen, Shimotsuki Furiko, and Shimotsuki Kouzaburou couldn't hide their astonishment.

  "Wow, Sister, is El-sama really that strong?"

  On Atntis, a boy of about fourteen or fifteen, his hair tied in a topknot, stared in awe, eyes sparkling with admiration. Looking at El, he decred with determination, "One day, I’ll bee a great swordsman as strong as him!"

  This boy was Shimotsuki Ushimaru, Furiko's younger brother and the heir to the daimyo o. Some time ago, suspicious of his sister’s unusual behavior, he had secretly followed her. When he entered El, he mistook him for arying to abduct his sister. The misuanding was quickly resolved after El effortlessly subdued him with one hand.

  Now, seeing the wonders of Atntis and witnessing El’s strength, this hot-blooded youth, much like his sister, yearo see the outside world.

  Reizing Ushimaru’s impressive swordsmanship talent and his lineage as a direct desdant of the legendary swordsman Ryuma, El saw great potential in him. Even at such a young age, Ushimaru demonstrated siderable skill. With exposure to the wider world—where he could challenge powerful oppos and undergorous training—his abilities would grow expoially. Though being the world’s greatest swordsman, like Mihawk, was unlikely, surpassing someone like the defeated Gale Swordmaster seemed well within reach.

  El didn’t mind taking the young man under his wing.

  "Ushimaru, I know El-sama is incredibly strong, but even I’ve never seen him unleash his true power before," Furiko remarked, her voice full of awe and admiration as she gazed at El.

  "Mamamama! This isn’t even El Onii’s full strength!" Linlin puffed out her chest proudly. "If he went all out, his power would be far greater than this!"

  "What you just saw was the sword drawing in and unleashing his Haki on its own!"

  As a fellow swordsman, Linlin could sehe extraordinary nature of the bde from a distas aura was menag, and the power it released sent chills down her spine.

  "Even strohan this?"

  "And that sword—does it have the same ability as Enma, to release its wielder’s Haki?"

  Upon hearing Linlin’s expnation, both Furiko and Ushimaru were utterly dumbfounded.

  …

  At the fe below, El desded from the sky, holding the massive, ornate sword in his hand. His t form radiated an overwhelming presence, with fmes bzing behind his head like a divine halo.

  "To think I’d have the fortuo withe birth of a true Supreme Grade Bde in my lifetime!" Shimotsuki Kouzaburou, who had spent the past few days assisting El, looked utterly exhausted, yet his eyes glowed with excitement as he stared at the colossal, gleaming on in El’s hands.

  "This sword’s quality undoubtedly pces it among the ranks of the Supreme Grade Bdes," he murmured, voice tinged with awe. "If one day El-sama refes it into a true bck bde, its power will bee even more terrifying."

  "When I delivered Enma to the shogun’s pace, I had the ce to see Ame no Habakiri, a bde reportedly fed by Shogun Kozuki Sukiyaki himself. Iructible, it rivals Enma in quality."

  Kouzaburou tione filled with admiration: "This double-edged broadsword you’ve fed, El-sama, feels like a fusion of Ame no Habakiri and Enma—but even stronger! Only a warrior of your caliber could truly wield it."

  He uood the dangers well. Without overwhelming strength and willpower, any swordsman attempting to wield this bde would be drained dry by its insatiable demand for Haki, leading to their death. It was not just a on of unparalleled power, but also a king’s sword—a bde worthy only of the mightiest warriors.

  Curious, Kouzaburou asked, "El-sama, what name do you pn to give this sword?"

  El examihe massive bde in his hand, satisfied with its weight and craftsmanship. "Its ability to cleave mountains and seas with a mere swing... I’m pleased," he said with a slight smile. "Though it’s no longer an axe, I’ve grown fond of the name. I’ll still call it ‘Barbaric Dragon.’ However, the sword still needs some finishing touches. I’ll refis appearand craft a matg scabbard to plement its grandeur."

  With that, El got to work. Having prepared in advance, he ordered rare and preaterials from Atntis’s treasury to be brought to the fe.

  As Linlin, Gerd, Furiko, and the others desded from Atntis aboard Zeus, El them. It was time to plete his masterpiece.

  Time passed.

  After a brief exge of pleasantries, Shimotsuki Kouzaburou, having realized El’s alicious i, began discussing f teiques with him. As they delved deeper into their craft, Kouzaburou’s initial skepticism turned into astonishment aually admiration. El’s mastery far surpassed his own, leaving even Furiko speechless as she watched with wide eyes.

  Now fully immersed in his work, El meticulously refined and adorhe colossal sword. He embedded rge, multicemstones into the intricately patterned bde. Its wide body was encrusted on both sides with nine differently colored, priceless gems, while the massive hilt featured an array of smaller, vibrant jewels.

  Even the scabbard was vishly decorated with scattered gemstones arrao resemble s angels. The sheer value of these gems alone would drive tless people mad with greed.

  Watg the masterpiee together, Shimotsuki Ushimaru, Furiko, and Kouzaburou were left utterly speechless. From its scabbard to its bde, it was aravaga ominous masterpiece—a on of unparalleled splendor.

  Finally, El stepped bad exhaled deeply. "At st, it’s finished!"

  Exhausted yet satisfied after days of near-sleepless work, he admired his creation with a weary smile.

  "El Onii, let me see!" Linlin’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she rushed forward to take the sword. Though still oversized for her t frame of over teers, her natural strength allowed her to lift it effortlessly.

  "It’s smaller than the Dragon Halberd, but at least several times heavier!" Linlin excimed, thhly captivated as she examihe giant sword.

  "Careful. This bde tends to release Haki on its own. You’re not strong enough to tame it yet," El warned, preventing her from drawing the sword.

  Heeding his caution, Linlin and the others—including Gerd and the Shimotsuki siblings—tinued marveling at the magnifit on.

  "o hold back," El remarked, gesturing toward the remaining mountains of rare and valuable resources. "We still have plenty of materials left. I might as well upgrade your Napoleon, Linlin, and even your Scythe, Gerd!"

  Thanks to the Hell Trading pany, El had an abundant supply of premium materials, enough te several Supreme Grade Bdes with ease.

  "Really?"

  "That’s amazing!"

  Linlin and Gerd couldn’t tain their joy. They beamed with excitement, eagerly anticipating their own upgraded ons. El smiled indulgently, patting Linlin on the head. Then his expression sharpened as he gnced into the distance.

  "By the way, those of you hiding over there... isn’t it time to show yourselves?"

  From the shadows emerged several figures in traditional samurai attire. Leading them was an elderly man with white-streaked hair, wearing luxurious robes.

  "To think I’d withe birth of a Supreme Grade Bde..." the man said in awe as he stepped forward.

  "Taro-sama!?" Kouzaburou’s pupils tracted in surprise.

  The newer was her than Shimotsuki Taro, the daimyo o and head of the Shimotsuki family.

  "Father?!" Furiko and Ushimaru excimed, equally startled by their father’s ued appearance.

  "Ahem, I received reports this m about fn visitors in the area..." Shimotsuki Taro, his plexion pale and slightly sickly, looked up at the t and intimidating El. He managed a polite smile. "Since you seem to mean no harm, we won’t drive you away."

  In truth, Taro, now in his sixties, had bee frail i years. Though traditional and strict, he cherished his children deeply, having fathered them te in life. While he had long been aware of Furiko’s secret sword training, love for his daughter had kept him from reprimanding her harshly. Instead, he had turned a relut blind eye.

  Retly, reports of a massive flying fortress and colossal individuals had reached his ears. ed, Taro gathered his retaio iigate, suspeg his children might be involved. What he fou him utterly stunned: a fner who could fe a Supreme Grade Bde and split the sky.

  "Uninvited and disruptive," El remarked, smiling faintly, his tone indifferent.

  He karo’s courteous attitude stemmed solely from the overwhelming power he had dispyed. Still, the man posed no immediate threat, so El chose not to escate matters.

  As he sidered taking Furiko and Ushimaru under his wing, El chuckled inwardly. Perhaps, in time, Taro might even e to view him as an ally—or perhaps something more, like a son-in-w.

  Bleam