52. Utterly Toyed With! Tashigi in a Duck-Footed Seated Pose!

Whoosh—whoosh—
Whoosh!

At the command of the Overlord Chu, the Sandai Kitetsu struck forward in response.

"Good girl."

The Overlord Chu smiled and flicked the blade of the Sandai Kitetsu.

Clang~

Though they were slender and delicate fingers, the impact against the Sandai Kitetsu produced the booming roar of colliding metal.

"Such formidable fingers!"

Tashigi’s lovely eyes widened as she stared fixedly at the Overlord Chu’s long, fair fingers.

Perhaps it was just her imagination.

She somehow felt that the very 'soul' of the Sandai Kitetsu was trembling under that single flick from the Overlord Chu!

Only.

It was merely a sword; could such a thing as a 'soul' truly exist within it?!

"Its hardness is barely acceptable, enough to last you quite a while. Catch it, Zoro. From now on, this sword is your partner."

The Overlord Chu nodded with a smile, considering it an acknowledgment of the Sandai Kitetsu joining them.

The moment he first touched the Sandai Kitetsu, the Overlord Chu had sensed the strangeness within it.

This blade indeed possessed a soul!

In the myths and legends of the island nation, an evil sword spirit resided inside the Sandai Kitetsu, capable of eroding human minds!

Ordinary swordsmen were simply unworthy of wielding the Sandai Kitetsu; they would only gradually lose their minds, head toward self-destruction, and ultimately be reduced to nourishment absorbed by the sword.

Therefore, only a swordsman stronger than the sword spirit itself could master this blade, or else they would be devoured by the spirit and meet an untimely death.

To prevent the malevolent spirit dwelling within the blade from harming Zoro, the Overlord Chu naturally had to step in and give it a slight beating.

"This sword feels somewhat bizarre!"

Zoro’s expression turned stern as he received the Sandai Kitetsu from the Overlord Chu’s hands and examined it closely.

The eerie purple demonic glow, cast upon his face by the shop's lights, sent a chill through Zoro’s heart.

It was indeed a fine blade!

To miss out on it would be a lifelong regret.

"Shopkeeper, if we add this Sandai Kitetsu, what is the total price?"

Zoro looked toward the shopkeeper, whose breathing had inexplicably grown somewhat rapid.

"Logically speaking, I shouldn't cause you to lose face. However, we truly cannot sell this sword..."

The shopkeeper was panicking inside: "To tell you the truth, starting from the Shodai Kitetsu, the entire Kitetsu lineage of swords has been exceptionally crafted, but every single one of them is a cursed blade!"

"Many renowned master swordsmen met tragic ends after wearing a Kitetsu, and nowadays no swordsman in the world uses a Kitetsu anymore! It not only brings disaster to the wielder, but also wreaks havoc upon their traveling companions!"

The shopkeeper was clearly an honest person.

She had acquired this sword from a retired, somewhat lecherous-looking male shopkeeper.

It wasn't that she didn't want to sell the Sandai Kitetsu at a high price, but rather that she refused to scam anyone!

The notorious ferocity of the Sandai Kitetsu had long since been proven by time!

Every swordsman who had ever controlled it met a grim fate!!

Lowering her head, she resembled a timid quail, secretly glancing up at the overwhelmingly handsome Overlord Chu.

I'm sorry, Mr. Overlord, but I truly don't want to let you face even the slightest possibility of getting hurt!

The Overlord Chu looked at Zoro and asked softly, "Can you master this malevolent blade?"

Zoro exchanged a smile with him and replied with confidence, "Of course. I can't possibly disgrace you, old master! I like this sword very much."

Both the shopkeeper and Tashigi were left dumbfounded.

These master and disciple acted entirely without regard for the consequences—that was a cursed blade from the Kitetsu lineage!

"This sword is genuinely problematic, even though I'd love to get rid of it..."

The kind-hearted shopkeeper still harbored concerns: "If you die because of this, wouldn't that mean I killed you? No one can withstand the curse of a cursed blade!!"

Zoro hardened his resolve.

This was a weapon specially chosen for him by the Overlord Chu; even if it cost him his life, he would challenge it with his own hands!

"Then let's do it this way!"

With a steadfast expression, Zoro declared, "I'll pit my luck against its curse to see which of them is sturdier."

Huh?

While the shopkeeper and Tashigi looked on in bewilderment, Zoro tossed the Sandai Kitetsu into mid-air with a single hand.

Spin~spin~
Spin!

The Sandai Kitetsu spun as it plummeted, completely tugging at the heartstrings of the two young women.

At that moment, Zoro slowly extended his left arm!!

"Could it be... stop right now."

Tashigi’s expression also changed drastically: "The Sandai Kitetsu is a sharp weapon that can cut through iron like mud. Has this guy gone mad? Is he actually using his own arm as a wager?!"

Yes.

This was the gamble Zoro spoke of.

If the Sandai Kitetsu acknowledged him, this left arm would naturally remain safe and sound!

If the Sandai Kitetsu refused to acknowledge him, he would pay the price of losing an arm for his arrogance!!

The worldly-wise shopkeeper, however, kept her gaze locked immovably upon the Overlord Chu.

"Mr. Overlord, I am truly curious what methods you used to take such a ferocious swordsman as your disciple."

Zoro’s courage and dauntless spirit were undeniably admirable.

Yet she cared even more about this enigmatic, handsome man before her!

She could no longer fathom it.

What kind of charismatic charm did the Overlord Chu possess to cultivate a swordsman with a mind as hard as iron like Zoro?

Zoro was indeed exceptionally talented, but the shopkeeper believed that the Overlord Chu, who had cultivated such a swordsman, was even more terrifying!!

Just imagine.

If the Overlord Chu were weak, how could an outstanding swordsman like Zoro willingly bow to him as his master?!

Swish~swish~
Swish!

The Sandai Kitetsu continued its descent.

The hilt spun past his left arm, while the blade perfectly missed Zoro’s limb!

Clang!

The sharp Sandai Kitetsu plunged a full half-foot into the hard granite floor.

One could easily imagine that if this blade had brushed against a human body, its razor-sharp edge would have cut a person cleanly in half at the waist!

"It... it succeeded! He actually won the acknowledgment of the cursed blade!"

Tashigi was clearly terrified by Zoro’s lunatic stunt; she sat flat on the ground in a duck-sitting posture, looking completely dazed and broken.

Are you men all this crazy?!

The Overlord Chu crossed his arms over his chest and smiled at the shopkeeper: "It seems my unruly novice disciple indeed bears a prosperous martial destiny, and he has already gained the approval of the Sandai Kitetsu. That being the case, we will gladly accept this cursed blade."

Zoro casually pulled the Kitetsu out from the ground, maintaining a calm exterior while rejoicing wildly within:

"Many thanks to Master Overlord for bestowing this sword. Zoro will engrave this in his heart and will surely not disappoint your expectations."

Though usually carefree, he possessed a remarkably meticulous mind and naturally caught the note of appreciation in the Overlord Chu's words.

Novice disciple?!

After working hard for so many days, have I finally been promoted from an unregistered disciple to a novice disciple?!

This is truly a momentous stroke of good fortune!!

Only then did Tashigi snap back to her senses, looking at the Overlord Chu with a face full of shock:

"A swordsman as formidable as Mr. Zoro is actually only Mr. Overlord's disciple?"

"Then just how terrifying must the prosperous martial destiny he carries truly be?!"