"You know this guy?!" Calliope shouted as the two swordsmen were clashing. Quickly, the two separated from one another and landed a distance away
"Yeah. I know him. Pier McBane. Where was the Last Time we saw one another?" He gave a cocky smile. The helmeted man spoke in a deep tone "Don't you mean when?"
"It's been some years, Masamune." McBane, stood straight. Whipping his rapier to the side. It was an elegant weapon, Great Grade. Its basket hilt was ornate with many twists and turns like vines. Even across its blade there were fine carvings. Rose vines etched into its silver. This was the Blade known as Thorn
"Had to be, 4 years ago? Right?" The Duelist pondered "Don't know. Honestly Surprised I even remember you."
"Oh don't be brash. Seems like we both found our ways onto powerful Crews in the End. But didn't you say you were solo?" McBane cocked an eyebrow
"Let's just say a light lit another path." He unsheathed the IV and readied it at his side "But enough talk. You can explain between our blades. I wanna see how far you've come since last."
"How far I've come? Last time we fought–" McBane was interrupted as Kale dashed forward and slashed both of his blades forward! Pier quickly blocking, his feet grinding deep into the concrete "You didn't even have a bounty. That Little spar we had was nothing more than that!"
Clash! A horizontal slash, then a downwards! Sparks flew as they collided their steel "Yeah, but did you ever have a chance to fight The Strongest?"
"Hannibal? Don't tell me…" He grit his teeth "He gave quite the beating. But I've come a long way since then!"
"Quicksilver, Thorn Drop!" Leaping up he shot his blade down, where his blade extended and warped through the air! Expanding and shooting forward
Senkusha grinded against the metal, orange embers flying out from the friction against the metal "A Devil Fruit? Did you have that last time?"
He leapt up on the silver and dashed up! Straight towards McBane! "I did. But it wasn't worth using on you at the time. But this blades power isn't that of a Devil Fruit!"
"Thorn Nail!" Kale had leapt up and was about to land to blows right into the side of McBane! But the sword began extraordinary thin like a nail and zipped through! Piercing through Kales shoulder! "Ever Hear of Devil Sap?"
"Found a Smith that was capable of imbuing that stuff into it. Or so he said." The attack caused Kale to be sent flying backwards and slaying through multiple blocks of buildings!
"Kale! You better handle this!" Cali said, furrowing her brow as she leapt up and out of the way, leaving the first mate to his battle
"Ugh…" Blood dripped from his split forehead. Fingers wiping it away 'I don't know if he was this strong before or not. That fight lasted barely a few minutes…And I lost…'
"I think It might've been the Sap. But I have heard that there's other ways to curse a blade. And Since its power increased, its rank went up. From a Skillful. To a Great. Courtesy of that very Smith. I'd take his word for it. He was a qualified appraiser after all."
Appraisers. Individuals that were trained in determining the 'Level' of a 'Meito'. A Selection of blades that had been determined to be far better than any other and worthy of a Rank. There were thousands of Meito. Mainly in the Grade rank. Hundreds of Skillful, dozens of Great, and only a handful of Supreme.
What went into a Blades Rank was many things. Craftsmanship was the main thing. The Quality of the steel, its ornament, how it was smithed. All of these determined the force that the blades could withstand. Even a Swordsman capable of shattering steel could use a blade made of steel without damaging it. Virtue of its smithing process. After that came its power. If it had been cursed with a supernatural power by some means could also determine its rank.
"Cursed huh?" Kale spoke aloud. Looking at Kikumori. Thinking back to how the shop keep all that time ago said that it too was cursed. That it would cause great agony to those who fought with it.
And that it did. It seemed every time he was in a fight, he ended up on death's door. But ever since he defeated Curtana. That seemed to have lessened. Without even realizing it, he had tamed it.
But if that was the case…What was the Balance that came with it? Was there a power within this blade that came with it? A positive to its negative?
Could it be more cutting power? He'd been able to cut through diamonds. But nothing except his strength had felt different.
"So just how do you know if Cursed Blade has a Power?" Kale asked as he stood to his feet.
"Didn't you say that we were done talking?" Well. This was certainly Deja Vu. "Just answer the damn Question!" Kale snapped
"Alright Alright. Jeez kid." He tilted his head to the side as he passed through the smoke and soot of destruction. "Lemme guess. You also got a Cursed Blade?" He cocked a brow, to no answer. Rolling his eyes he continued
"Most Cursed Blades, 90% of them. Have something 'Wrong' with them" He used quotes with his fingers "This is due to any number of things. From making a wielder get lost or increasing their bloodlust"
"But in these 90% these blades also have something else to them. Something brought out when the user has tamed it. Because if a blade has a power, you just earn it. Be worthy of it in the mind of the blade "
"I had to deal with this when Thorn was cursed. It required…a lot of my own blood. Its said when a sword is forged, a piece of its forger is put into the blade. And when it's cursed, that will is 'sharp'. Becoming quite unruly. And in other cases, the blade is revolting against its user 'I'm cursed, and you think you're worthy of me?'" He looked to his own blade. Thinking back to how every time he drew the blade, it caused a cut to form on himself
"As for how to activate it? 10% of swords dont need to be named. And come with an additional power. While others simply have an ego…"
"Focus. Like flexing a muscle, or doing something done unconsciously, on command. Will it, and it will obey. Thats just another step in mastering the blade. In literal sense"
"Ugh. You talk a lot. Maybe i shouldn't" Kále rolled eyes in annoyance
"Yeah well you did anyway!"