One Piece: Gold And Fire

A red light seemed to be seen by others as a sword-cutting sound came inside the close-off weapon shop. Ragna's actions were so surprising that he shocked both Tashigi and the shopkeeper.

Before they could even do anything to stop him, he picked up the spinning sword and slashed at his own hand. He wasn't so fast that he would lose his hand, but he put enough power to hurt himself.

However, just as Ragna felt pressure on his hand, he waited until some sort of pain surged inside him, but there was nothing. Slowly opening his eyes he saw that the blade was resting on his forearm. But, there was no blood like what both Tashigi and Shop Keeper thought.

The red light which they saw earlier was nothing but their illusion because of the slightly red tint of the sword's blade.

"This…" Both Tashigi and the old man were agape and frozen in their places.

Ragna's flat lips slightly turned up as he saw the side of the blade which came in contact with his forearm was the non-sharpen side. Usually, a Katana had only one side sharp, unlike the long sword used in the Western Medieval kingdoms.

It was on his luck to pick which side he held the sword once he spun it, depending on that he would either have a big injury which might take him few months to heal from or he get this sword.

Mouth upturned, he slowly raise his sword, only to see a red mark on his forearm where the sword struck and then he turned to the shopkeeper.

Suddenly both Tashigi and The Owner felt like they were encountering something bigger than they thought here. Something that they might remember all their life.

"I'm not a swordsman, but I'll become one. And no sword of my will control me." His voice was loud and resolute.

"I am the master of my fate and I alone am responsible for all my actions…" He said leaving both the girl and the old man speechless.

He can't take the sword if the old man doesn't want to sell it, he can only hope this stunt was enough to change the old man's mind. "I'll be taking the…" He was saying that was when he heard something.

He perked up, all attention went to this distinct sound. 'This sound again,' he had heard this sound before.

He didn't even see the old man who was earlier looking at him like he saw a ghost smash the counter and ran inside upstairs, after telling both of them to wait there.

He didn't see Tashigi still looking at him with a dazed expression on her face. He only cared about this sound that he heard.

"Tashigi…" He called out, almost shouting, jolting the poor girl out of her dream-like state.

"What !"

"Do, do you hear this sound?" He asked as he pointed his finger around like the sound was coming out from outside.

"Sound? What sound." Tashigi was taken aback.

"I-I don't know, Drums, Saxophone." He said as he felt the sound had 'Overtaken' others in the area, he looked confused, not sure how to express it, it wasn't just one sound but like someone playing multiple instruments.

"Umm no, there is no…," Tashigi was saying but that was when the old man came back and brought something with him. It was something inside a blue cloth.

'The sound is increasing,' Ragna was still occupied with the sound when the old man smashed the counter yet again to draw everyone's attention.

He soon removed the cloth only to reveal yet another sword, this was one blue.

"Its sheath is black lacquer and there are uneven patterns along the edge of this sword." The man said with a loud voice, there was pride in this tone.

"It's a famous sword," He unsheathed it and showed the tempered edge of the blade.

"There are only 50 of its kind in the world…"

"This is Ryo-Wazamono, Yubashiri… one of the best swords I have in this shop and my most precious sword." The old man said and then glared at Ragna with intensity.

This almost made Ragna take a step back, finally, the mysterious sound was dying down, however, there was an even more strange thing in front of him.

An invisible aura, he can feel it, he can't say about others but he can feel it. He saw the same gleam in the old man's eyes that he saw earlier in Tashigi's when she told him about her dream.

He can't explain this unlike the earlier sound, but he can feel it, it was almost like someone's spirit was materializing.

'As soon as I get used to one unusual thing, this world puts another in front of me to digest…'

"Young man, have this sword…" He said with a serious look on his face.

"…" Ragna blink with confusion.

"What ?" Tashigi felt like her stomach upturned. Not only one but two famous swords were right under her nose and both somehow found this young man. She looked back at Ragna again, and a complicated feeling started to rise inside her.

"No thanks, I like this one." Ragna shook his head and denied it.

"Take that too, take both of them."

'What? What kind of situation is this? Earlier he didn't want to sell me and now he asking to take both.'

"Sorry I don't have that much money, just sell me one." Ragna shook his head again.

"No need for money, just take the swords."

"Pardon ?" Now Ragna felt like the old man had lost his mind, he didn't know the value of these two swords but by just how the old man described both the sword and Tashigi's expression he could tell that these swords were expensive.

If so, then why give it for free? It was beyond him. He was again about to refuse, after all, he only gonna use one sword anyway, what was the point carrying an extra?

'Role-Play a as Witcher ?'

Strange thoughts started to appear in his mind and he immediately shook his head. He was about to say something when the old man spoke again.

"I don't care if you are not a swordsman, I can tell by just your attitude that you will one day become a big swordsman. These two swords are rotting here, only a future swordsman like you can use them to their absolute limit.

Consider it my bet on your era…

Young Man, Use this sword to crave your path forward in this sea." Said the man with passion reflecting in his eyes.

'Did my stunt earlier really be that effective ?' Ragna had a sweat drop by now, he really wanted just one.

He was about to refuse the old man, since he couldn't use two, taking both would really be a waste, not only for the old man but also any other swordman who could use it better than him.

However, just as he was about to open his mouth, a sharp pain rang through him. He snaps his head down only to see his toe crushed by sandals.

"Tashigi…" Ragna felt a shock in his body, the urge to right now curse the seven hells was at its zenith. But he held himself back, looking at the girl with red eyes.

"What are you doing idiot, the man is giving you such a gift and you are frozen in one place, quickly take that sword." However, she rather snapped at him, for the first time he saw the quiet girl's fangs as he threateningly looked at Ragna with those dark blue eyes behind her glasses looking at him and making him shudder.

'What happens to the sweet marine recruit ?'

"I-I'll take the swords, thank you…" He open his mouth and with hesitation let out these words.

"Good, I hope you'll not let down the fame of both of these swords…" He smiled.

Tashigi too smiled at him on the side…

'Just like I thought, girls are scary in this world,'

And so, both got out of the shop without even paying a single beli while still acquiring two Famous Swords for free.

As soon as they stepped outside, Tashigi's calm facade was broken replaced by the child-like gleam she had earlier.

Ragna found the blue sword from his side gone, he only was holding the red one now.

"A real Mito, Ryo-Wazamono Sword, I can't believe it…" She was all but salivating by now, it was a little awkward.

"You are very lucky you know." She said with an almost annoyed expression on her face.

"Haha." Ragna just laughed awkwardly.

"If you like it that much then why not just have it ?" He said, as he looked at the Blue Sword, it was a good sword he could tell, but a distinctive feeling inside him that it wasn't for him like the sword itself didn't want to be with him.

"What ! idiot do you know what are you talking about ?" Tashigi was shocked at how casually this annoyingly lucky guy gave away this treasure, he was giving it to her but still, it was annoying.

"This sword here is worth 10 million beli, do you understand that, even that other sword you have is only a million beli at best." She said with a huff.

"Oh," Now he was really surprised, he knew that swords gonna be expensive but dang…

He started to feel bad for the old man now. Sigh.

"Finally having second thoughts ?" Tashigi raised her eyebrows, though while saying this, she still was hugging the sword like a baby.

She won't deny that she wanted it, more than anything but it wasn't her's. She knew that.

"No, though the prize surprised me but still I don't mind giving it to you. I can only use one sword anyway and I love this sword… Huh, what was his name again ? damn it we forgot to ask that old man…

Whatever, I like the red one here better than the blue one…so you can have it." Ragna shrugged.

Tashigi was dump-founded.

'Does this guy don't understand what he is saying, do he really don't understand the value of this sword ?' Tashigi can't help but feel like she heard him wrong.

And as if he heard her inner thoughts, he continued.

"Don't think too much, I can't use two swords, even if I'm not a swordsman right now, I can tell that I'm not gonna dual wield in the future.

That old man gave away the sword so that they don't rot away in some dark corner, but if they remain with me, I can certainly say one of these swords will not escape that fate.

You are more likely to use this sword better than me in that regard, just like the old man said, consider it like my bet to your era…" Ragna smiled and pushed the blue sword 'Yubashiri' which Tashigi was handing him over towards her.

"This… are you for real ?" She almost stuttered. Can't believe what just happened.

"Of course…"

"But, but I can't pay for this…" She replies with a small voice.

"Wawawawa, if I wanted money then I could have just auctioned it out, as you say it could fetch a good prize right. Just take it, consider it a gift from a friend."

"Friend…

"Ah, I thought we were friends, though it's only like an hour that we met but I consider you one. Whatever, why you are so indecisive, just take the sword already." Ragna huffed, feeling tired already. 

Tashigi didn't reply after this, she was just looking at the sword in her hand, feeling overwhelmed with emotions.

Ragna didn't say anything, only now he realized just how much she liked swords, in this regard, he was like her.

'Maybe that's why I gave it to her, I see that same longing for a good sword which I had when I was a child…' Smiling he kept on moving suddenly feeling hungry and wanting to eat.

"Ragna !" But that was when suddenly a loud yell from the girl startled him.

"Yes ?"

"I have decided…" She said with a resolute tone.

"Hmm okay, what you decided ?"

"I'm gonna take the sword and will become a great swordsman with it…" He said with resolution in her eyes.

A smile broke out on his lips, "Great."

"And From now on I'll be teaching you swordsmanship"

"Good…W-w-wwait…

"What…

Xxx

[Word Count: 2100]

Hope like the chapter, I wonder what will Zoro use after this though, poor Zoro.

At last he is save from Nami's 3x times interest, or maybe not ?

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