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The technology to imbue an object with a Devil Fruit's power... as far as anyone knew, only Vegapunk possessed it. Arthur had a piece of it, but that was from Vegapunk himself.

The Elephant Sword, the Castle-Castle bracelet, the Bazooka that ate the Dachshund Fruit, and now, the Sacred Jewels that had eaten something like a Barrier Fruit.

However, such technology must have been rare even in ancient times. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many Devil Fruits still in circulation, and Vegapunk wouldn't be the only one who possessed it.

And perhaps, Vegapunk's technology actually came from ancient times.

The level of ancient technology far surpassed the present. Take the Ancient Weapon Pluton, for example. A superweapon for which blueprints still existed. Without those blueprints, modern science wouldn't even know how to begin constructing it.

One could only imagine how glorious the world was back then.

'Thousands of years ago, the 'Gods' gave Asuka Island a Shield and the Seven Star Sword. The shield was shattered, leaving only the sword.'

'Then, hundreds of years ago, the Seven Star Sword was cursed, and the Sacred Jewel Barrier was born. In that case... the Seven Star Sword, with its strange abilities, might not be a Devil Fruit weapon at all.'

Arthur thought with a frown.

Thousands of years ago, forget the technology to give objects Devil Fruit powers, it was doubtful if Devil Fruits even existed. Therefore, the probability of the Seven Star Sword being a Devil Fruit weapon was extremely low.

He put the Sacred Jewels away and continued to wait for Shiryu. As long as he came out, he would know.

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A barrier is something that is completely isolated from the outside world, forming something akin to a new space.

However, the strength of the barrier layer needed to be developed.

The Sacred Jewels that had eaten this fruit obviously had no development ability, so the barrier it formed was extremely weak. A complete waste of a Devil Fruit.

It wasn't like the Castle-Castle Fruit. When the Castle-Castle Fruit was eaten by pure gold, the internal space it formed could be used regardless of its size, which was extremely convenient.

The Sacred Jewels could also be used directly, but that barrier layer was simply too weak. Whether it could even trap a person was a question.

He turned his gaze back to the stone cave at the top of the altar and waited quietly.

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"Ugh... ughh..."

A broken, low sound, like the roar of a wild beast, clearly reached Arthur's ears from the stone cave. Shiryu was fighting against the mind-corrupting power of the Seven Star Sword.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!"

With a sound like an explosion, a mass of green sword energy, like a ghostly fire, flew out of the cave and landed on the prayer plaza outside, blasting a huge crater.

The power of the Seven Star Sword, even in the hands of an incredibly weak person, would erupt with immense might. What if the person who wielded it was even stronger? It would undoubtedly be amplified to an incredibly terrifying degree.

"ROAR..."

Shiryu, inside the stone cave, had gone completely berserk. His eyes, which would turn red when he was bloodthirsty, had now become as crimson as blood. He roared in anger, a sound that was no longer human.

"CLAAAAAANG!!"

"BOOOOOOOOOOM!!"

An unconscious slash of sword energy shot through the sky. The towering altar was split in two by this terrifying slash. The rampaging sword energy did not stop, but instead chopped down towards Arthur, who was standing in the plaza.

Arthur stood his ground, motionless, allowing the demonic fire from the Seven Star Sword to come before him. Under the pressure of his overwhelmingly powerful aura, it crumbled to dust—

Arthur's face was extremely grim. Shiryu was clearly losing the battle in his heart against the Seven Star Sword.

"Shiryu..."

He had no intention of going up to help, because Shiryu would not choose to accept his help. He wanted to subdue the Seven Star Sword with his own power.

This was the pride in a strong man's heart. Arthur respected Shiryu's choice. This was the path he had chosen for himself.

"ROAR!!"

An Island-shaking roar came from the shattered altar. In the billowing dust and smoke, a pair of blood-red eyes, evil to the extreme, shot out red light, as if a demon had descended.

Shiryu, holding the brilliantly glowing Seven Star Sword high, appeared in front of Arthur in an instant. The blade cut through the air and chopped down on his head.

Arthur did not dodge, did not evade, did not speak a word. He only stared with a firm gaze into Shiryu's now-inhuman eyes.

"Ugh... ROAR!!"

As if feeling Arthur's unparalleled confidence in him, the blade, which was inches from his head, already touching his forehead, hesitated, not falling.

The blood-red eyes flickered continuously, one moment clear, the next filled with the desire for slaughter.

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"Cap...tain..." Shiryu's trembling hand began to be unable to suppress the bewitching desire for slaughter.

"Shiryu, do you remember what I once told you? The New World is the stage where you belong. Is your path going to end in a place like this?" Arthur said, allowing the Seven Star Sword to remain above his head, the sharp edge making his scalp tingle slightly.

His words formed the sharpest of spears, piercing directly into Shiryu's soul.

"URAAAAAGH!"

The struggle had reached its final moment. Shiryu seemed to have exhausted all his strength, forcibly holding the Seven Star Sword. The shimmering green light flickered on and off, as if it would dissipate at any moment.

He stood there, motionless, his eyes tightly closed. Only the twitching of his eyelids showed the fluctuation of his inner state.

The moon slowly disappeared. The twinkling stars lost their luster. The sun rose from the sea level—

During this time, Arthur once again knocked out the awakened villagers of Asuka Island, standing guard by Shiryu's side.

The sun gradually rose, and the time reached noon.

Shiryu's face grew paler and paler. His body swayed, as if he would fall at any moment.

Another hour or two passed.

"SWISH!"

Shiryu opened his eyes, which had been closed for an entire night. A bloody light shot into the clouds, the whites of his eyes filled with blood vessels—

"Shiryu?" Arthur asked in a low voice.

If the one who had awakened was the Shiryu controlled by the Seven Star Sword's desire for slaughter, then Arthur would act immediately.

"Captain... I didn't disappoint you."

With great difficulty, he spoke his last words. Shiryu revealed a smile, then his eyes closed, and his tall body fell backward, his hand still tightly gripping the now-dull Seven Star Sword.

The extreme mental exhaustion had made him unable to hold on any longer, and he fell into a deep sleep.

"I was never disappointed in you," Arthur said, his face also wreathed in a smile.

After waiting for a day and a night, Shiryu had not failed his expectations. The words he had just spoken were the best answer. He had subdued this sword that represented slaughter and destruction.

"Two days... I hope there's still time to see Roger off—"

Arthur grabbed Shiryu's body, and the electromagnetic force instantly attracted the iron sand on the ground, which converged and carried the two of them into the sky towards the [Thor] parked outside the island.

Returning to the [Thor], World, Pizarro, and the others immediately gathered around.

"Captain... did you get the Seven Star Sword?"

"We got it." Arthur nodded and then commanded, "Vegapunk, give me full speed! We have to reach Loguetown before Roger's execution!"

"Understood."

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