"Is it really okay to just give me wado ichimonji like this?"
Zoro held the famous sword in both hands, his eyes still filled with disbelief.
"It's fine. Nero-sensei said that my focus will be on longswords from now on, and katanas like wado ichimonji will soon be phased out."
Despite her words, Kuina's gaze lingered on wado ichimonji with reluctance.
"For my future development, Nero-sensei will find me a new sword, and I need to start adapting to it now."
However, since she was about to leave, Kuina bravely waved her hand, pretending not to care.
Yes, she was leaving with Nero. Unlike Zoro, whose training was purely physical and only required bodily conditioning,
Kuina was learning Nero's swordsmanship, and its core principles couldn't be mastered in such a short time.
"Hmm, what do you think of Mihawk's greatsword?"
On the ship's bow, Nero, hearing Kuina and Zoro's conversation below, asked Hathaway with a hint of guilt.
"Ah, Mihawk would undoubtedly fight to the death," Hathaway replied decisively.
"That's not what I was asking... Never mind, I'll make one for her first." Nero turned back and said, "Hmm, following the appearance of the Primal Fire, I have enough materials in my collection."
"Ah, in that case, Kuina will surely be delighted."
"Hathaway, why are you talking nonsensically today?"
Nero pouted and turned to look at the two youngsters below; their farewell seemed to be nearing its end.
"Then, let's meet again when we've each made a name for ourselves on the high seas!"
Zoro raised his fist, "Next time we meet, I won't lose again, so... don't lose to anyone other than me!"
Kuina's eyes widened slightly, then she smiled, "No, the 2002nd, and the 2003rd time will still be my victory."
"No way, I'll definitely win next time!"
Their fists met, the still-childish boy and girl looking into each other's eyes, both with smiles and determination.
"Whoosh! How youthful! Is this what they call childhood sweethearts?"
Nero leaned on the bow, whistling playfully, "Hmm, I suppose my childhood sweetheart would be Hathaway, wouldn't it?"
"Your Majesty, our relationship is not quite appropriate to describe with that term."
Hathaway was serious; the term was too ambiguous for an emperor and a maid.
"Why? I've known Hathaway since I can remember," Nero looked at Hathaway's face, puzzled.
"No, it's nothing..."
She almost forgot, Nero never cared about such things, especially concerning herself and the people of Nicuss.
No matter how many years passed, her nature always made one worry. Seeing Nero had already turned her head, Hathaway still stared at the back of her head, somewhat lost in thought.
Stepping onto the ship, Kuina said her final goodbyes, and the golden rose began to pull away from the port.
"Hmm~ From now on, you'll be the ship's chore girl. Work hard!"
It wasn't until Shimotsuki Village was completely out of sight that Nero announced this to the reluctant Kuina.
"Eh? What the hell is a chore girl? Am I not your disciple, Nero?"
Kuina's eyelids drooped, feeling as if she had entered a shady company.
"Hmm, that means disciple *and* chore girl!" Nero pretended to think for a moment.
"Why do you have to add 'chore girl'?"
"You're now at a stage where you need a balance of work and rest; you don't need to train constantly."
"Did I not make myself clear? Why do I *have* to be a chore girl?"
"We can't have Hathaway doing all the work, can we? Some dirty, inconspicuous chores will be handled by you, the lowly chore girl."
"...And I've been demoted?"
"Besides, you don't seem to have your own sword yet, do you?" Nero narrowed her eyes like a fox, speaking with a mischievous grin.
"The sword isn't... you said you'd give me one..." Kuina was confused, *I gave wado ichimonji away, and now you're playing games with me?*
"Relax! I'll definitely prepare a sword for you, but I didn't say it would be free! You wouldn't want to eat and drink for free and take things for free from me, would you?"
Nero covered her mouth, looking at Kuina incredulously, her expression as if to say, *you wouldn't be that shameless, would you?*
"Of... of course not!" Kuina's face flushed, feeling that entrusting the sword to Zoro had been a bit hasty.
Nero patted her chest after hearing this: "That's wonderful, I thought I'd encountered a shameless swindler."
Kuina was on the verge of tears.
"However, since your father entrusted you to me, I won't charge you for food and lodging. For forging the sword, you only need to pay for the materials."
"red bean paste?" Kuina looked up at Nero, full of hope.
How much could materials alone be worth? A good sword might cost tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of Berries, but materials might only be a few hundred thousand or a million.
"Hong dou!" Nero led her to her collection room: "I'll tell you about the materials now, so you don't go back on your word later."
"Don't worry, I'll repay the cost of the materials, no matter how much," Kuina quickly promised.
"Hmm, actually, it's not much money! But even for a child, it's not good to always eat and drink for free, which is why I suggested this."
Pushing open the door, gold and silver treasures, along with seemingly expensive antique vases, paintings, and calligraphy, filled the room.
Kuina's breath hitched, feeling uncertain about Nero's material fees: "The materials here won't be marked up, will they?"
"Don't worry, I guarantee there won't be much difference from the prices outside."
Nero stopped in front of a treasure chest in the corner. Opening it, she revealed various ores, looking like a pile of junk and scraps, completely out of place among the other surrounding collectibles.
"Hmm... Let's see, this top-grade Tamahagane is 100,000 Berries... Sikuria's precious bright stone is 60,000 Berries... Nicuss's unique extraterrestrial meteorite fragment is 1.7 billion Berries... And deep-sea platinum..."
"Wait! Wait! It seems something incredible got mixed in!" Kuina raised her hand to stop Nero from continuing her introduction.
Nero blinked, completely puzzled: "Hmm, what did you say?"
"Nicuss's meteorite! Why does that thing cost 1.7 billion? Is it necessary?" Kuina rolled her eyes and shouted loudly.
"Oh, that! It's a rare item. With this, the sword has a 20% chance of becoming a Supreme Grade Blade. Don't you want it?" Nero shook the black meteorite fragment.
Kuina: "...I need it..."
There was no swordsman in this world who could refuse a Supreme Grade Blade, even if Nero only said there was a *chance*.
"Then this... only needs..."
"Yes!"
"And this thing..."
"Add it!"
"..."
"Hmm, so the total is 2,367,520,000 Berries. I'll round it down for you to 2,367,500,000 Berries."
Nero waved her hand grandly, giving Kuina a discounted price: "You'll earn 10,000 Berries a day as a chore girl. At that rate, it will only take you less than sixty-five years to pay off my debt."
Hearing that number, Kuina felt her heart beat erratically: "...A slave contract?"
"No way~ It's an investment! Once you become strong, just capture a pirate Four Emperors, and the remaining money will be almost enough to buy another one."
"...Master, you really are a king!"
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