As an Admiral of the Headquarters, Zephyr naturally had the authority to apply for resources from the Navy Headquarters.
Although famous swords are rare, any Navy Captain with excellent service records can apply for one. And for someone like Zephyr, who has served the Navy faithfully for so many years, it's even less of an issue.
The newly appointed Fleet Admiral Sengoku, although unsure why Zephyr needed to request a famous sword, didn't question it much and quickly approved the application.
When Zephyr tossed the long sword to Wood, he carefully caught it and drew the sword from its scabbard.
"This is Tenku, one of the fifty Skillful Grade Swords, with a blade length of 1.3 meters and a width of 8 centimeters, featuring a chaotic flower pattern on the blade.
It was actually one of the spoils of my early days. Its previous owner was a pirate with the skills of a swordsman.
Although this sword might not match up to Gion's Kinpira in terms of grade, it should be more than capable of holding its own against it."
As soon as Wood received Tenku from Zephyr, he could immediately sense that this was indeed an exceptional sword, even without Zephyr's introduction.
Tenku's blade was slightly longer than an ordinary sword, but it felt very light in his hands. Upon holding it, Wood was struck by a strange sensation from the sword.
"So, it's a cursed sword..."
A swordsman is naturally sensitive to their blade, and when Wood first grasped Tenku, he could clearly feel the ominous aura emanating from it.
A "cursed sword," though also a famous sword, is different from a regular famous sword. A cursed sword brings misfortune to the swordsman who wields it.
While it is a famous sword, controlling a cursed sword is far more challenging than handling a regular famous sword.
It's like trying to tame a wild and untamed horse: strong and powerful, but at times it can throw its rider to their death.
"Indeed, Tenku is a cursed sword. Due to the recent establishment of Navy branches in various places, some of the resources from the Headquarters' warehouse have been allocated to these branches.
Currently, the only famous sword left in the Navy Headquarters' inventory is this cursed sword.
Although it's a cursed sword, it's only a Skillful Grade blade, so using it in a single battle shouldn't pose any issues."
Zephyr didn't deny that Tenku was a cursed sword. He had originally applied for a Great Grade Sword, but this was all that was left in stock.
"Instructor Zephyr, I have a request. If I manage to defeat or at least draw with Gion in this sparring session, could I be allowed to keep Tenku as a reward?
Or perhaps be permitted to purchase it from the Navy Headquarters at market price?"
Hearing Wood's request, Zephyr, with his arms crossed, was visibly surprised.
"You know Tenku is a cursed sword, yet you still wish to possess it, even intending to buy it?"
If Wood had been unaware of its nature, it would have been one thing, but the fact that he recognized it as a cursed sword the moment he received it and still wanted to own it was astonishing.
"A sword is a weapon meant to kill, inherently an ominous object. As a swordsman, if you can't even tame your own sword, how can you aspire to become a swordsman?
It's the swordsman who wields the sword, not the sword that controls the swordsman. The moment I took hold of this blade, I knew it had chosen me, and I felt that it was the perfect sword for me!"
Holding the sky-blue hilt of Tenku, Wood swung the slender blade through the air, leaving a silver trail. A sharp sword aura immediately flew across the ground, leaving a deep trench in front of Wood.
The cursed sword Tenku is named so because it drinks the blood of its victims. When drawn, it must taste blood—either that of its opponent or the blood of its wielder.
Wood's casual test strike made Gion shiver with excitement. She had indeed guessed correctly—Wood had the swordsmanship level that would allow her to go all out in battle.
Being able to release external sword energy with such power indicated that Wood was not just a swordsman but one of considerable skill.
Without waiting for Zephyr to announce the start of the sparring, Gion, unable to contain herself, immediately drew her Kinpira and, in a flash, appeared right in front of Wood.
With both hands on her sword, Gion delivered a powerful downward slash aimed directly at Wood's head, and in the blink of an eye, Wood raised Tenku horizontally to block Gion's strike.
The clash of Kinpira and Tenku sent sparks flying, and the two quickly separated, launching into a blindingly fast exchange of sword strikes.
The sound of blades clashing echoed continuously, and the onlookers could only see the two figures standing in place but couldn't make out their swords.
The reason? Both of them were moving their blades too fast for the naked eye to follow.
The chaotic sword energy ravaged the surroundings, and the slashes, emblematic of a swordsman's level, carved deep trenches into the ground.
While the crowd wasn't surprised by Gion's prowess—she had always been the most talented and skilled among their cohort—they were utterly shocked by Wood's strength.
In their memories, Wood had always been an average student, one of the weaker ones left among the elite.
Yet here was this "bottom-tier" student displaying incredible power, not only matching Gion, who they considered unbeatable, but even beginning to push her back as time went on!
Although both were swordsmen and their speeds were comparable, Wood had a natural advantage in strength and stamina as a man, especially given his rigorous physical training over the years.
A blue slash grazed past Gion's hair, leaving a trench several meters long in the ground beside her.
This was the first time since the sparring began that Gion had dodged Wood's attack instead of blocking it with her Kinpira.
Gion wasn't stubborn; once she realized she was at a disadvantage in strength and stamina, she immediately switched tactics, moving swiftly on her long legs to avoid direct confrontation with Wood.
"One-Sword Style: Iai Slash – Leaping Rabbit!"
Gion's rapidly moving figure blurred into a series of afterimages as she ran faster and faster around the field, resembling a rabbit darting around, leaving afterimages in the air due to her incredible speed.