Chapter 220: Tashigi's Disheveled State

"I didn't die at all! But it certainly scared me to death; this guy is truly too barbaric, and he wasn't even afraid of actually hacking me to death!"

Speaking of this, Ipponmatsu was furious, glaring at Uchiha Feiyu:

"You bastard, do you know that my heart almost stopped beating at that moment!"

"Have you ever thought about what would happen if you hadn't subdued that Sandai Kitetsu and had hacked me to death?"

Uchiha Feiyu sheathed the Sandai Kitetsu and shrugged lightly:

"What would happen? Nothing! It's not like I'm the one who got hacked to death anyway; at worst, I'd just take on a bounty and run away."

"Hey, hey, hey, what do you mean by 'not the one who got hacked to death'! Am I just a target for you to test your blade on?"

Ipponmatsu's eyes were wide open, saliva spraying from his mouth, causing Uchiha Feiyu to involuntarily step back twice:

"Alright, alright, aren't you fine? Now you should admit that I am capable of using this Demon Blade Ghost Cutter!"

"Hmm..."

Ipponmatsu fell silent for a moment, glancing at that Demon Blade with a complex expression in his eyes:

"Indeed, given the bloodthirsty ferocity and sharpness of that Ghost Cutter, to be able to graze my hair and clothes without harming my skin, you have truly mastered this Demon Blade completely."

"No, to be precise, this Demon Blade in your hands seems just like an obedient little child... I just have a feeling that you'll become a character who slaughters thousands or tens of thousands in the future, and I don't know if giving you this blade is the right thing to do..."

Uchiha Feiyu rolled his eyes and opened the box in his hand; the Berries, emitting the scent of ink, captured Ipponmatsu's attention almost instantly.

"3 million Berries, this is already three times the price of a standard Ryo Wazamono. One price, just tell me if you're selling or not!"

"Uh... fine, anyway, all blades are meant for cutting people once sold; as long as I don't get hurt, it has nothing to do with me, the shopkeeper..."

Upon seeing the money, Ipponmatsu immediately changed his tune, took the 3 million Berries handed over by Uchiha Feiyu, placed them in the counter drawer, and then respectfully handed over a wooden box, which was specifically used for maintaining blades.

The value of a Ryo Wazamono is only 1 million Berries, and for a Wazamono like the Sandai Kitetsu, being able to sell it for 300,000 Berries would already be good. Uchiha Feiyu was paying ten times the price this time, and for the sake of the money, Ipponmatsu immediately forgot the unpleasantness from just a moment ago.

On the other side, that naive Marine Master Sergeant, Tashigi, was already staring blankly, finally having figured out the blunder she had made.

"Sorry, sir, I shouldn't have suspected you were a murderer... but this kind of blade-testing behavior is wrong! Life is not something to be trifled with!"

"Ah, yes, yes, I know, I know."

Uchiha Feiyu nodded with a perfunctory expression; this insincere reply caused Tashigi to immediately puff out her cheeks, looking angry:

"Sir, I feel like you don't have any sense of remorse at all... By the way, I still don't know your name?"

"How could that be? Actually, I have been reflecting very seriously... As for my name, you can call me Uchiha Feiyu."

"Master Sergeant Tashigi, this blade in your hand looks quite good too!"

Hearing the question about the blade, Tashigi was immediately distracted by Uchiha Feiyu and excitedly held the blade up:

"The full name of the blade in my hand is Koyuki Shigure; everyone usually calls it Shigure. At night, dew like raindrops condenses on the blade, hence the name."

"Koyuki Shigure is one of the 50 Ryo Wazamono, a famous blade very suitable for women to use... My greatest wish is to collect all the famous blades from the hands of villains!"

"Oh, a few days ago I heard that the world's greatest Great Swordsman, Dracule Mihawk, came to the East Blue. Why didn't you go find him to collect Yoru?"

Tashigi: "..."

Are you trying to get me killed? Go directly to the world's greatest Great Swordsman to collect his personal treasure blade? Wouldn't that be a case of 'try and die'? If you don't know how to chat, just shut up!

"Alright, I'm just joking... but based on your performance just now, I think the most likely outcome is that you'd be delivering a blade to someone else, right?"

"Hmm... I know my performance wasn't very good... I will work harder on my training in the future."

Tashigi lowered her head in great shame, and after she lowered her head, her line of sight happened to land on the Sandai Kitetsu in Uchiha Feiyu's hand.

She took a look, then another, and then a third. A moment later, Tashigi finally couldn't hold back and spoke:

"Can you let me see the Sandai Kitetsu in your hand? This is a legendary Demon Blade; it is said that its pure quality is even above that of a standard Ryo Wazamono."

"Fine... but be careful. You almost sent yourself away just holding a regular Ryo Wazamono; with the Sandai Kitetsu, you really need to be careful with your own life."

"What do you mean! That was just an accident!! I will be very careful!"

Tashigi puffed out her cheeks again, reached out to take the Sandai Kitetsu handed over by Uchiha Feiyu, and drew the blade. A look of obsession quickly appeared on her face:

"As expected of a legendary Demon Blade, the blade pattern is a typical flame-patterned steel tempered edge, forged by folding; there isn't even a blood groove on the blade, yet it faintly exudes a bloody aura..."

Perhaps because she was leaning in too close, her glasses, which had already been slightly damaged when she fell to the ground earlier, fell to the ground with a *clatter*. In an instant, this female Marine, who had just been wearing an expression of obsession, became panicked:

"Oh no, my glasses, I can't see anything!"

As she spoke, Tashigi took two steps, and with a *crack*, the glasses were immediately crushed into pieces.

Feeling the vibration under her foot and the crisp *crack* sound, Tashigi went completely stiff and lifted her head pitifully:

"Um... was that what I just stepped on..."

"Correct, it was your glasses."

Uchiha Feiyu was not surprised by Tashigi's performance and calmly gave her the answer.

"Oh no!!"

Hearing this answer, Tashigi was incredibly dejected; she moved her foot away and then lowered her head, wanting to see if her glasses could still be saved.

As a result, when she bent over, the Koyuki Shigure at her waist suddenly bumped into a blade hanging on the wall behind her. With a soft sound, the blade hanging on the wall slid down, and with a *swish*, the edge grazed Tashigi's back.

"Ahhh!! Who is it! Who is attacking me!!"

As the cold edge grazed her back, Tashigi immediately bristled, waving the Sandai Kitetsu in her hand wildly, charging forward blindly. She ran seven or eight meters, crashed into the counter she had previously split, and only then stopped to turn around:

"Who is it? Mr. Uchiha Feiyu, is it you? Teasing girls is not a good habit!!"

"It wasn't me... forget it, it's truly not easy for you to have survived until now."

"There is one more thing; you had better put down the blade in your hand. You just hacked the weapon shop owner!"

Just as Tashigi was charging forward blindly and waving the Sandai Kitetsu, Uchiha Feiyu, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire, dodged to the side.

Then, standing behind Uchiha Feiyu, the poor shopkeeper Ipponmatsu was hit on the spot, getting his head shaved by the Sandai Kitetsu, losing a small piece of scalp, and taking a hit on his shoulder as well.

If Uchiha Feiyu hadn't seen that the situation was bad and pulled this shopkeeper Ipponmatsu aside, I fear this original owner of the Demon Blade would have become a new achievement for the Sandai Kitetsu today.

Ipponmatsu was covered in cold sweat, shivering, and almost unable to speak. He hid behind the counter, not even daring to show his head.

The blood on his shoulder trickled down, almost soaking through his arm, and the blood slowly seeping from his head made the shopkeeper look covered in blood, appearing incredibly disheveled.

"Ah, ah, ah, sorry, sorry, I'm sorry!!"

Tashigi hurriedly tried to sheath the Sandai Kitetsu, but she forgot that she wasn't wearing a scabbard for the Sandai Kitetsu at all. Furthermore, because she put it away too hastily, the result was that the blade sliced through Tashigi's belt and the clothing underneath; her pants, along with her panties, immediately fell down, revealing her two fair, long legs.

Tashigi's body stiffened slightly, and feeling a light Wind against her lower half, the expression on her face was almost on the verge of tears:

"Mr. Uchiha Feiyu, please don't look!"

As she spoke, the young girl seemed to want to step back, but she tripped over the pants at her feet, fell to the ground with a thud, and the Sandai Kitetsu in her hand flew out once again, stabbing toward Uchiha Feiyu.

Uchiha Feiyu raised his scabbard, and with a *clang*, the Sandai Kitetsu was easily sheathed. Uchiha Feiyu stylishly spun the sword once and returned it to his waist.

Unfortunately, the two people in the shop—one being the severely nearsighted and flustered Tashigi, and the other being the shopkeeper Ipponmatsu, who had just been scared out of his wits and didn't even dare to show his face—meant that Uchiha Feiyu's display was like winking at a blind man.

However, Tashigi's fall had left her completely exposed, giving Uchiha Feiyu quite a view. If it weren't for Tashigi's expression of extreme shame and indignation, he would have whistled.

Tashigi, who had fallen to the ground, had a blank mind. After a while, she finally reacted, hurriedly reaching out to cover herself below, and then said tremblingly:

"You... you saw it all, didn't you?! Mr. Uchiha Feiyu?!"

Uchiha Feiyu was silent for a moment, and finally said cautiously:

"Um... would you like me to say 'thanks for the treat'?"

"Sob sob sob, you really saw everything, it's over, I'll never be able to get married! Sob sob sob..."

"Uh, rather than crying here, I think you should change your pants and glasses first. Also, you should compensate the shopkeeper; he was almost killed by you just now."

"I... I know... Mr. Uchiha Feiyu, please turn around, don't look!"

Uchiha Feiyu shrugged and turned around. After a minute or two, he heard Tashigi make a sound indicating she was ready.

Turning his head to look at this muddled girl, he saw her holding up her pants with one hand and carrying her crushed glasses in the other. Her severely nearsighted eyes were filled with a look of confusion, looking just like a pitiful little puppy.

"Miss Tashigi, reach out your hand. I'll lead you as we walk, so don't cause any more trouble."

Tashigi, who was currently a bit distraught, heard Uchiha Feiyu's words, hurriedly put down her glasses, and then reached out her hand. Uchiha Feiyu took her hand and turned back to say to Ipponmatsu:

"Say, Mediterranean... bald shopkeeper, hurry and find a doctor to get treated! As for the compensation, I will bring this Marine Master Sergeant back to discuss it with you later!"

"Go, go, hurry and take that little ancestor away! Nothing good ever happens when I run into these Marines!"

Ipponmatsu poked his head out from behind the counter, shook his arms, and shouted loudly twice.

Ever since Smoker arrived in Loguetown, Ipponmatsu's business had plummeted. This Smoke-Smoke Fruit user was practically a dimensional strike here in the East Blue; any Pirate with a bit of intelligence wouldn't dare stay in Loguetown, and Ipponmatsu couldn't sell his weapons.

As a result, running into this "chivalrous" female Marine Master Sergeant this time almost sent him to his grave. Ipponmatsu felt that he must be cursed by the Marines; otherwise, why would he only have bad luck whenever he encountered them?

As for the compensation, Ipponmatsu didn't take it too seriously. Tashigi didn't recognize Ipponmatsu, but Ipponmatsu knew who Tashigi was.

This Marine Master Sergeant, Tashigi, held a rank from Marine Headquarters, which was equivalent to a Marine Captain in the branches. To the average commoner, this was already a very high official.

Moreover, Tashigi often patrolled in Loguetown. Although she had a clumsy personality and often caused trouble, her strength was actually much higher than the average Marine, and she was quite famous in Loguetown. How could Ipponmatsu dare to provoke such a person?

Leading Tashigi out of Ipponmatsu's shop, Uchiha Feiyu put his own coat on Tashigi. The Marine girl's back had also been sliced open by the blade, and her entire top was almost split in two, completely revealing her fair back.

Although women in the One Piece World generally didn't care much about such things, and those wearing even more revealing outfits were everywhere, just like the difference between underwear and a swimsuit, Tashigi was clearly very unwilling to go out in such a disheveled state.

Feeling the coat draped over her, the Marine girl's face immediately showed a look of gratitude:

"Thank you, Mr. Uchiha Feiyu, you really are a good person!"

"Tsk, giving me a 'good person' card right away? What a rude little girl."

"Ah!?"

"Nothing, just an old, rotten joke. By the way, where are you going? Do you want me to take you to the Marine base?"

"Then thank you very much. Take me to the dormitory inside the Marine base! I usually live there, the room number is 13, and I have spare glasses there."

"Alright, follow me!"

Uchiha Feiyu nodded, took Tashigi by the hand, and walked toward the Marine base.

(End of this chapter)