Caesar was unsure how the Marines taught Haki, but for pirates, whether it was Armament Haki or Observation Haki, one thing was indispensable: taking a beating.
Armament Haki required getting hit to adapt to, guide, and master its power.
Observation Haki, on the other hand, demanded keeping a calm mind amid the blows to expand one’s perception.
To grow stronger, you had to endure the most brutal beatings imaginable.
However, taking a beating alone wasn’t enough to push this power to the next level.
Thanks to his extraordinary senses, Caesar had awakened Observation Haki far faster than Armament Haki, yet the difficulty of advancing them was completely reversed.
The advanced forms of Armament Haki—emission and Internal Destruction—relied on precise control, a process requiring intense concentration.
Observation Haki’s ability to see into the future required not just focus, but an indescribable instinct.
For someone simple-minded like Yamato, that instinct might be easier to grasp than the technical control needed for Armament emission.
For a materialistic transmigrator like Caesar, however, anything intangible and abstract was as difficult to learn as a book written in invisible ink.
Caesar didn’t believe he could master such a technique in a single battle like Luffy.
So he simply blindfolded himself, intending to perceive the world like Issho as a blind man, training this power by keeping Observation Haki active every second of the day.
Aside from his lack of future sight, Caesar had discovered another issue.
Weapons.
It wasn’t that he lacked one.
Sandai Kitetsu, which had been hidden away in Loguetown, had entered his collection years ago.
But although it was a cursed sword, it was merely a Grade Sword, and using it felt strangely off.
It was as if the blade didn’t belong to him.
Whenever he swung it, an unmistakable sense of awkwardness nagged at him.
A sword chose its master.
That was what the shopkeeper, Ipponmatsu, had told him back when he added Sandai Kitetsu to his collection.
From a craftsmanship standpoint, there was no noticeable gap between the Twelve Supreme Grade Swords and the Twenty-One Great Grade Swords.
Historically, their rankings had shifted multiple times; the distinction depended heavily on the user’s strength and fame.
For instance, after Whitebeard died and Murakumogiri was left behind, fading into history, its spot would eventually be replaced by another famous blade.
Conversely, if Zoro became the world’s greatest swordsman, his Wado Ichimonji would rise alongside his strength and reputation, taking the place of some long-lost Supreme Grade Sword.
Unlike those top two tiers, however, there was a massive gap between Great Grade, Skillful Grade, and standard Grade Swords.
Sandai Kitetsu was a blade forged by Kozuki Sukiyaki, Kozuki Oden’s father, in his youth in imitation of Nidai Kitetsu.
Its craftsmanship was slightly lacking, but because it belonged to the Kitetsu line, its sharpness was second to none despite not making the Fifty Skillful Grade Swords.
According to the system’s evaluation, Sandai Kitetsu was uncopyable, meaning it possessed a certain degree of self-awareness.
Caesar had always assumed he couldn’t tame the blade because he lacked strength.
Yet now, taking the sword out again, he found that the awkwardness hadn’t disappeared.
If anything, his Observation Haki made the mismatch feel even more pronounced.
Besides Sandai Kitetsu, Caesar had also collected Ipponmatsu’s family heirloom: Yubashiri, one of the Fifty Skillful Grade Swords.
It was likewise uncopyable and felt much easier to handle than the Kitetsu, though its hilt felt a bit short—a flaw Sandai Kitetsu shared.
It was worth noting that both swords received an A-rank collection evaluation.
The first one, Sandai Kitetsu, granted Caesar the reward “Swordsmanship Mastery,” putting his skill at a level that could dominate the East Blue, though he still couldn’t cut steel.
Yubashiri, being the second sword of the same tier added to the collection, provided no extra reward.
During his previous battle with Kaidou, Caesar had realized that relying solely on his fists made it hard to establish an advantage over an armed opponent.
Kaidou could swing his club with both hands, unleashing a Death Destroyer strike from above that sent him rolling across the ground.
The force of two arms concentrated into a single weapon was something a single fist could hardly match.
When his Haki wasn’t superior to his opponent’s, relying on a single Skillful Grade Sword like Yubashiri would hardly hold up against Kaidou’s Hassaikai, a weapon practically built to beat the arrogance out of people.
A good weapon was an absolute necessity.
At the Shogun’s palace, Caesar summoned Kozuki Hiyori.
Kozuki Hiyori knelt respectfully, bowing her head.
“Hiyori greets Lord Caesar.” “Rise.” Caesar waved his hand lightly.
“I heard you had Yamato release the prisoners from the quarry?” “Yes.” Hiyori nodded slightly.
“Among those people were samurai who once followed the Kozuki clan, as well as men of vision who resisted Kurozumi Orochi.
Now is a time when we need capable hands.
I can assure you that this will not disrupt the order of Wano.” “I’m not blaming you,” Caesar said with a nod.
“I called you here for something else.
Kozuki Oden’s sword, Enma, should be in your hands, correct?” Hiyori paused, slightly startled.
“If my lord needs it, I can decide to gift this sword to you.” “Gift it, huh…” Caesar smiled faintly.
“Let me take a look at it first.” Before long, a katana with a three-lobed tsuba was placed before Caesar.
Caesar picked up the blade.
Compared to Yubashiri, Enma was noticeably heavier, possessing a thick, weighty texture and a faintly suppressed murderous aura.
Seeing Caesar grip the hilt, Kozuki Hiyori hastily cautioned, “Please be careful, my lord.
This blade drains the user’s Ryou of its own accord.
Aside from my late father, no one has ever been able to tame it.” Before her voice had fully faded, a sharp *clang* echoed through the room.
The long blade left its sheath, radiating an unhideable luster.
Feeling his Haki being ravenously swallowed by the sword, Caesar let out a cold snort.
A faint wave of Conqueror’s Haki radiated outward, causing the blade in his hand to hum violently and return every drop of the Haki it had just absorbed.
Then, Caesar sheathed the sword.
The blade vanished into thin air, transforming into a card in his palm.
[Collected Item: Great Grade Sword · Cursed Blade · Enma] [Rarity: SS] [Collection Value: S] [Achievement Unlocked: Collect a Great Grade Sword] [Achievement Reward: Dao of the Sword Mastery] [Dao of the Sword Mastery: You can always cut your target with precise perfection, though this is by no means the limit of the sword’s path.] Caesar raised an eyebrow.
Its rarity was higher than a Devil Fruit, but its collection value was lower?
It was hard to say.
Whether Devil Fruits or Great Grade Swords, high-value collectibles like these were unique.
Perhaps the difference came down to individual traits.
“As expected, this sword doesn’t suit me either.” With a flick of his wrist, Enma reappeared in his hand, and Caesar handed it back to Kozuki Hiyori.
The system’s attitude toward collectibles was essentially: *It doesn’t matter if you keep it forever, as long as you possessed it once.* It wouldn’t revoke the reward just because an item was taken out, which was quite user-friendly.
“Is my lord concerned about my feelings?” Hiyori quickly spoke up upon hearing his words.
“Although this blade is a relic of my late father, if it is Lord Caesar, I’m sure my father would only be happy even in the underworld.” Caesar burst into laughter.
“You’re overthinking it.
I’m not worried about your feelings; it’s simply a matter of it not fitting me.” Hiyori froze, biting her lip, her expression looking somewhat hurt.
“You need to pay more attention to the land recultivation.
If anyone tries to cause trouble with that, don’t hesitate—have Ulti eliminate them immediately.
We must restore farming at the fastest possible speed.” After giving his instructions, Caesar asked, “Have you encountered any difficult problems lately?” “We had a slight food shortage a few days ago, but thankfully it has been resolved,” Hiyori murmured, biting her red lip as if hesitant to speak.
“Also…
Lord Queen has been pursuing me…” “I can guarantee your safety from harm, but I won’t interfere with normal courtship.
You should talk to Yamato about that sort of thing.” Caesar waved his hand.
“If there’s nothing else, you may go.” Hiyori looked visibly disappointed, bowing slightly before quietly retreating.
Only after she left the room did Caesar let out a barely audible snort.
*Trying to play the seductive trap on me…* Caesar wasn’t some clueless fool; Hiyori’s petty scheme couldn’t hide from him.
Looking at it simply, she might genuinely just want to avoid Queen’s harassment.
But if that were all, having Yamato charge over and beat Queen up with her club would achieve the exact same result.
Yamato might not hold real political power as Shogun, but she certainly held real physical power.
There was no reason to bypass Yamato—who was also female and naturally fond of her—and come complain to him instead, especially when Hiyori still had loyal Kozuki retainers protecting her.
Looking at it deeper, she might be using a beauty trap to incite internal conflicts within the Beasts Pirates, or attempting to turn him to her side.
Either way, it would give the Kozuki clan an opportunity to exploit.
To Caesar, eliminating the Kozuki influence was far more important than defeating Kaidou.
Even if his charm truly were off the charts and had swept Hiyori off her feet, he wouldn’t make the slightest compromise on this matter.
Kozuki Hiyori could live, basking in the Shogun’s light; the Kozuki retainers could live, repaying the Shogun’s favor with loyalty…
But Momonosuke had to die!
Because the Shogun’s position could not be threatened!
— Wano, Kuri, Amigasa Village.
Caesar strolled into the village, a black cloth covering his eyes and Sandai Kitetsu hanging from his waist.
Seeing Caesar, the children playing at the entrance of the village immediately burst into surprised shouts.
“It’s Lord Caesar!” “It really is Lord Caesar!” On the very day Yamato assumed the title of Shogun, Caesar’s face had been etched into the minds of the people through the broadcast.
Seeing him now, even though his eyes were blindfolded, the little ones still recognized him—they recognized the man who had ordered the distribution of grain so they no longer had to endure hunger.
In the crowd, a little girl looked at Caesar worriedly.
“Why is Lord Caesar blindfolded?
Is he injured?” “It’s just for training.” Hearing the girl’s concerned question, Caesar smiled faintly.
“Tell me, does Tenguyama Hitetsu live here?” “Huh?
Lord Caesar came to find Master?” The little girl’s eyes lit up.
“My name is Tama!
The Tenguyama Hitetsu you mentioned is my master!” “So your name is Tama.” Caesar smiled warmly, gently patting the girl’s head.
“Can you take me to see your master?” “Mm-hmm!
Please follow me, my lord!” Tama nodded obediently and led Caesar into the village.
They arrived at an old treehouse in a corner of the village, and Tama pushed the door open.
Inside the room, a short old man wearing a Tengu mask was playing with a wooden doll of a pretty girl, letting out a wretched, giggling chuckle every now and then.
“Master!
Lord Caesar is visiting!
It’s Lord Caesar from the Shogun’s palace!” “Hmm?
Caesar?” Hearing the name, Tenguyama Hitetsu whipped his head around, a fluster of surprise flashing in his eyes.
“Pardon the intrusion.” Though Caesar apologized verbally, he stepped into the room without hesitation, summoning a soft armchair out of nowhere and leaning back into it.
“Tama, go outside for a moment.” Seeing Caesar’s nonchalant demeanor, a flicker of vigilance crossed Hitetsu’s eyes.
He dismissed Tama, his gaze falling onto Sandai Kitetsu resting across Caesar’s lap—the very blade he had forged in his youth.
“I am Tenguyama Hitetsu, a swordsmith.
Has my lord come here to forge a weapon?” “Correct.” Caesar nodded.
“Though before that, I have a few questions regarding weapons.
I hope Master Hitetsu can enlighten me.” Hearing this, Hitetsu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
“Please speak, my lord.” “This Sandai Kitetsu is a cursed blade I obtained from a weapon shop in the East Blue.” Caesar’s tone carried a hint of confusion.
“For some reason, this sword has given me an awkward, mismatched feeling from the very beginning.
I originally thought it was due to a lack of strength, but even as my strength grew, that sense of dissonance never vanished.
I’m wondering why that is.” Upon hearing Caesar’s words, Hitetsu nodded without surprise.
“My lord is likely not a true swordsman, correct?” “You can tell something like that?” Caesar asked with a touch of curiosity.
“My swordsmanship…
should be quite decent, shouldn’t it?” Hitetsu shook his head.
“A swordsman is not defined by the level of his swordsmanship, but rather by…” “Conviction?” “Precisely!” “I knew it…” Caesar let out a soft chuckle.
*This world really runs on sheer conviction!* “Not every powerhouse who uses a sword can be considered a true swordsman.
What a swordsman must possess first and foremost is a heart unshakeable in its devotion to the path of the sword,” Tenguyama Hitetsu explained.
“Swords of the Kitetsu line are powerful, but they are equally difficult to control.
Usually, only exceptionally grand master swordsmen can tame them.
A good blade can feel the user’s heart.
You possess swordsmanship without the heart of a swordsman, so naturally, you cannot fully master the blade in your hand—to say nothing of a wild, untamed thing like a cursed blade.” “I see…” Caesar nodded.
He indeed rarely used swords, and his swordsmanship had all come from system achievement rewards.
Even if he hadn’t experienced it firsthand, he had seen enough of it.
Pure swordsmen like Zoro and Mihawk maintained self-imposed standards that ordinary people could hardly comprehend.
Similar concepts existed in many stories—like how a sword cultivator had to forge straight ahead with absolute resolve.
Naturally, Caesar possessed no such conviction…
“In that case, I’ll have to ask Master Hitetsu to forge a suitable blade for me.
Money is no issue; I only hope it reaches the level of a Great Grade Sword.
How about it?”