"Well, I'm a little thirsty."
Youyu opened his eyes, dazed, feeling his lips dry and chapped.
"Here, Youyu-kun, water."
"Thanks."
He noticed a slender hand offering him a glass of water. He took it without a second thought, gulping it down.
Gulp—gulp—
The cool water cleared his mind instantly.
"Kurenai? Rin? What are you two doing here?"
Youyu looked at the two young women in front of him, surprised, and quickly took in his surroundings.
It was his home.
"You were drunk, Youyu-kun, so Rin and I brought you back," Kurenai murmured, her cheeks reddening.
"Oh, really? Haha, thanks so much for the trouble."
Youyu scratched his head, smiling.
"Well, um… now that you're awake, we'll be heading home," Rin said, glancing out the window, which was now shrouded in darkness.
"I'll walk you both home," Youyu offered, looking out at the darkened sky as he stood up.
"No, no, Youyu-kun, you should just rest!" Kurenai and Rin shook their heads quickly, slipping on their shoes and hurrying out of his home as if fleeing.
Bang
The door closed, leaving Youyu blinking in confusion.
"Is the wine bad, or are they just impossible to figure out?"
After a few seconds of contemplation, he dismissed it with a chuckle.
"Come to think of it, I feel like I'm forgetting something…"
Youyu looked around his home as a memory returned to him.
"Huh? There it is."
His gaze landed on a sword leaning against the wall. His eyes lit up with joy as he walked over and unsheathed it.
Shing—
A brilliant, cold light reflected off the black-purple blade, its sharp edge forming a chaotic inverted "T" with a red zigzag pattern.
"It's heavy," he muttered, swinging the blade and feeling the surprising weight that contradicted its slender appearance.
With each swing, the air around the blade seemed to sing, producing a chilling whistle.
"The Black Sword… Shusui."
A grin spread across Youyu's face as he looked over the magnificent weapon, memories from earlier that day flooding back. This sword, Shusui, was his reward for the spectacle he caused in class, frightening Asuma and leaving the audience stunned.
Shusui was one of the famed 21 Great Grade Blades from the world of One Piece, a legendary black sword that stood as a national treasure in the Land of Wano. It was incredibly tough—so durable that even a dragon standing on it couldn't make it bend.
The legendary samurai "Ryuma" had once used Shusui to slay a massive dragon, earning it fame across the world. Later, Ryuma passed the sword down to Zoro, making it the strongest among Zoro's three swords.
The only other known black sword was Yoru, one of the supreme blades wielded by Dracule Mihawk. Black swords, forged through countless battles and infused with armament haki, represented the peak of swordsmanship.
Shusui, with its unique black blade, was rumored by some to rival even the supreme-grade swords.
It was truly the dream blade of countless swordsmen, and its striking appearance made Youyu even more fond of it.
"Now, this is a great sword."
The more Youyu looked at Shusui, the more he admired it. He took out a cloth he kept for polishing blades and carefully began to clean it.
…
Elsewhere, on a street in Konoha
"Rin, you…"
After leaving Youyu's house, Kurenai and Rin had walked in silence for a while. Finally, Kurenai stopped, her red eyes meeting Rin's with a complicated look.
"Yeah, I… I like Youyu."