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โข~~~โข~~โข~~~โข
"Are you two old men looking for trouble?"
A group of Marines clenched their fists, ready to teach the two elderly men a lesson.
Chiba raised a hand to stop them. "Show some respect to these master craftsmen."
He approached the two elders, cupping his hands with a respectful nod. "It's an honor to meet you, Master Tenguyama Hitetsu and Master Shimotsuki Kozaburo."
"Hmph," Hitetsu scoffed. "I hear you had that old fool Sengoku mobilize the entire Marine force just to drag me here."
"I intended only to invite you both. It seems my subordinates misunderstood. If I caused you offense, I apologize," Chiba replied humbly, but the faces of the two elders remained unsoftened.
"Enough with the fake courtesy, kid. You forced us here to forge weapons for you, didn't you?" Shimotsuki Kozaburo squinted at him. "But as you can see, we're too old to hold a hammer, even if we wanted to help."
Hitetsu was even more direct. "If you think I'll forge weapons for the likes of you, you're out of your mind."
The surrounding Marines bristled, but Chiba held them back, deep in thought.
After his initial outburst, Hitetsu turned his gaze to Kozaburo, eyeing him with an appraising look. Kozaburo met his stare, and an unspoken tension built between the two.
Chiba's Observation Haki picked up on their shift in mood, and an idea struck him. Both of these men were legendary blacksmiths, each responsible for forging Great Grade Swords. Men of such talent were bound to have a competitive spirit, and the sight of one another would no doubt spark it.
An opportunity presented itself, and Chiba decided to fuel their rivalry.
With a sigh, he muttered, "The Hitetsu lineage has indeed declined. The First Generation Kitetsu made the Supreme Grade Swords list, but the Second Generation dropped to the Great Grade Swords, and the Third Generationโฆ didn't even make the list. It seems that Master Kozaburo is truly the finest blacksmith here."
Kozaburo smirked slightly, despite himself, while Hitetsu's face turned red with indignation. "Rubbish! The Third Generation Kitetsu isn't on the list because it hasn't found the right master yet."
Chiba rubbed his temples. "Excuses. Master Kozaburo, on the other hand, has never needed them. That's why his Wado Ichimonji and Enma hold esteemed places among the Great Grade Swords."
"Little brat," Hitetsu snarled, "I'll slice you to pieces!" He raised his blade, aiming for Chiba's head.
Chiba met his strike with his whip, a loud boom echoing as Hitetsu was forced back, while Chiba remained rooted in place.
Kozaburo's eyes widened as he reevaluated Chiba's strength.
Glancing at his whip, Chiba saw a deep gouge from the clash. Rather than anger, he felt a spark of excitement. This old master's skill was genuine.
He sneered, "So, after all that boasting, you're going to run now?"
Seeing Chiba's tactic, Kozaburo cautioned, "Kid, he's provoking you."
Chiba grinned. "That's right, don't take me seriously, Master Hitetsu. You don't need to face reality if you'd rather cling to excuses."
Turning to Kozaburo, he added, "Master Kozaburo, obviously, doesn't need to lower himself to those excuses. That's why he's a real master."
Furious, Hitetsu pointed his finger at Kozaburo. "I've wanted to settle this for years. Today, let's finally see who's the true master blacksmith!"
Kozaburo took a drag from his pipe and sighed. "You fool. The kid's just playing you."
"I don't care! I want to prove I'm better than you once and for all!"
Kozaburo exhaled a cloud of smoke, his own competitive spirit stirring. "Fine. You want a contest? Let's settle it."
He might not want to be manipulated by Marine, but he couldn't deny the old rivalry brewing between them. When they finished, he figured he'd simply destroy the weapon to keep it from Marine's grasp.
Seeing the two masters hooked, Chiba's smile grew. These old lions weren't so hard to provoke after all.
[๏ปฟโขโโโโขโโโขโโโโข]
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