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After a bit of effort, Weiwei carried Ayu on her back and made her way to a secluded valley outside Amigasa Village. Guided by Ayu, the two arrived at a hidden treehouse, tucked carefully among the thick woods.
"Master, sorry to bother you," Ayu called out politely. After getting permission, she opened the door and stepped inside. Weiwei followed closely behind.
There sat Tenguyama Hitetsu, a swordsmith clad in a tengu mask and winged robes, mimicking the appearance and mannerisms of a tengu spirit. He sat behind a low table, eyes closed in meditation.
Tenguyama had long intended to take Ayu as an apprentice and pass on his swordsmithing craft, though since Ayu was still young, their master-disciple relationship remained informal for now.
The introduction between Weiwei and Hitetsu happened only thanks to Ayu.
"You want to borrow a sword? Why should I lend you one?" His tone was blunt, the mask concealing his expression entirely.
Although the atmosphere was somewhat stiff, Weiwei kept a straight posture and calmly faced the forge. If she wanted to "borrow" a blade, sincerity was key.
"The shadow of Kaido still looms over Wano. For self-defense, I need a weapon."
She didn't dance around the issue. Mentioning Kaido heightened her internal pressure, but with a weapon in hand, her confidence returned.
"Kaido…" Hitetsu repeated the name that had brought ruin to Wano. His voice turned grave. "You intend to challenge Kaido?"
"I do."
"You won't beat him."
Weiwei replied firmly, "Ten years. Give me ten years, and I will defeat him."
In truth, she estimated Luffy would be ready to fight Kaido within five years. As for whether Luffy would win—she wasn't sure. She hadn't seen the Red Scabbards' battle against Kaido, nor did she know how the fight unfolded. Maybe Luffy would win with a surprise move. Maybe he wouldn't. So she gave herself a ten-year window—if Luffy couldn't do it in five, she would handle it herself. But ideally, Luffy would handle it, and she'd get a free shot at using a legendary sword.
Whether or not she fought Kaido herself, her intent was genuine.
Hitetsu seemed to sense her fighting spirit and gave a small nod.
"…Swords are made to cut. I'm a swordsmith, not a warrior. Leaving a great blade in my forge is a waste. You already have a goal, don't you? If the sword agrees, it's yours. I doubt my ancestors forged these legendary weapons to sit forgotten in the mountains with an old man like me."
As Ayu looked on, puzzled, both Weiwei and Hitetsu turned their gazes to the wall.
There, mounted neatly, hung a long sword with its scabbard wrapped in purple cloth.
As if sensing their attention, a faint crimson glow radiated from the scabbard.
This was one of the 21 Great Grade swords—the Second Generation Kitetsu.
Weiwei had laid eyes on it the moment she entered the room.
Her old sword, Huazhou, had served well—it was a fine blade ranked among the 50 Skillful Grade swords. But compared to the 21 Great Grade swords, it belonged to a lower tier in the hierarchy of weapons.
"This blade is cursed. It brings misfortune. Are you sure you can handle it?" Hitetsu asked with concern.
Weiwei smiled. "Master Hitetsu, you're not a swordsman, so you might not understand. But the moment I stepped inside, this sword began calling to me. It's been waiting—for me."
It might have sounded arrogant, but swordsmiths valued destiny. Hitetsu believed blades chose their masters. Whether this sword had chosen Weiwei, only time would tell.
Weiwei stepped forward and gently lifted the Second Generation Kitetsu from the wall.
Cursed blade? More cursed than a vampire? she thought. A demon sword and a vampire—it's the perfect combo.
She slowly unsheathed the blade. A flash of crimson light rippled across the steel. At the same time, a blood-red glow ignited in her eyes. The aura of the sword and her vampiric presence didn't clash—they merged, resonating like they belonged together.
"Remarkable…" Hitetsu couldn't see the changes directly, but his sensitivity as a swordsmith told him the Second Generation Kitetsu had acknowledged her. The blade had been waiting—and its master had finally arrived.
Weiwei examined the weapon like a trained swordsman.
The blade measured 88 centimeters, with a 22-centimeter hilt. At 180 centimeters tall, it suited her perfectly—neither too long nor too short.
Her vampire form stood at nearly three meters tall, which would make wielding the sword a bit awkward. The mental image of it made her chuckle—it just didn't fit.
Clearly, the sword had been crafted for humans. The ancestors of the Hitetsu lineage hadn't anticipated vampiric giants.
Its tempering bore a distinct flame hamon (temper line), indicating it had been forged using the folding method.
In appearance, the Second Generation Kitetsu resembled both its predecessor and successor. The guard formed a simple cross shape—elegant and restrained.
Weiwei swung it through the air twice. The sensation of cutting through anything was far more powerful than with Huazhou. As she raised the sword high, armament Haki surged around the blade, forming a charged stance—"Nation of Power."
Three seconds later, she released the built-up energy.
The strength of this Great Grade sword was beyond her expectations. Its natural sharpness had even reduced the charge time of her "Nation of Power" technique. More importantly, its cursed qualities perfectly complemented her blood-based control.
What a blade, she thought.
She couldn't help but suspect that this sword had been forged to be wielded by someone with her Devil Fruit powers.
As she secured the sword at her waist, Weiwei felt her confidence rise—not just a little, but significantly.
She restated her vow: in ten years, she would face Kaido and help restore peace to Wano. Then, alongside Ayu, she bowed respectfully and bid farewell to Tenguyama Hitetsu.
…
It didn't sit right with her to just "borrow" a legendary blade and repay the favor with a mere sack of red beans. That felt shallow—disrespectful to the swordsmith's trust.
Ayu couldn't explain the village's issues in detail, so Weiwei returned to the treehouse and asked Hitetsu more about the situation in Amigasa Village.
A single sack of red beans might symbolize generosity, but it wasn't a real solution.
Yes, Kaido was ultimately the root of Wano's suffering. But the distance between Kaido and Ayu was vast. Weiwei didn't need to slay Kaido to help one starving girl.
Kaido's defeat and Ayu's full stomach were not causally linked—at least not yet.
There was room for maneuver between those extremes.
Weiwei couldn't save the whole country yet.
But she could feed a four-year-old child.
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