[S-Class Gift Box Opening... Rolling, please wait.]
Upon selecting the golden, glowing treasure chest in his inventory, a line of text popped up in the left-side information panel.
"Rolling first?"
Nao was a bit surprised. He glanced at his inventory and noticed a blue, square-shaped die that had suddenly appeared in front of the screen. Each side of the die bore a label.
Before the die began spinning rapidly, Nao made sure to remember each side's inscription:
Attribute Points
Consumables
Weapon
Skill Scroll
Defense Item
...and Egg.
"That last one seems out of place," Nao mused. While the earlier options were all standard, seeing the last inscription made him pause in thought.
"Though it sounds weird, it probably just refers to a pet egg? Like one that might hatch into a hawk or a shark or something?"
That seemed like the most reasonable guess. Still, Nao wasn't particularly keen on pet-related rewards. But as long as the roll didn't land on anything terrible, he'd be content with any of the other categories.
[Rolling Complete]
A new message appeared in the panel, and the blue die slowed to a stop.
[Gift Box Reward: Weapon]
"Weapon?"
Nao instinctively glanced at the Konpira, the large blade he had borrowed from Gion.
He'd been using Gion's blade these past few days and had grown accustomed to it. The thought of returning it soon and going back to using a standard Marine sword filled him with a sense of loss.
So if his reward was a sword—especially a good one—it'd be more than welcome.
"Just don't let it be something like a battle axe or a spiked club... that'd clash with my style."
Holding his breath, Nao watched as the treasure chest slowly opened. As the golden glow faded, a pair of familiar-looking twin swords appeared before him.
[You obtained: Yone's Twin Blades]
[Name: Wind Sword / Azakana Blade]
[Type: Weapon]
[Quality: Epic]
[Description: The Wind Sword was once a finely crafted sword made by a mortal master. After returning from the Spirit Realm with Yone, it underwent a profound transformation. The Azakana Blade, forged from malevolent entities, possesses the terrifying power to sever souls.]
[Note: The full potential of these blades has yet to be unlocked. Find a way to restore them!]
["I once chased untamed winds. Now, I hunt the storm that has taken form."]
[One blade purges evil, one blade soothes the soul.]
"Yone's Twin Blades?" Nao was surprised. The name rang a bell—wasn't Yone Yasuo's older brother from that game universe?
Before crossing over into this world, Yone was only briefly mentioned in background lore, so Nao didn't know much about him.
But that didn't matter. What did was the sword's quality.
Glancing at the ship's helm where T. Bone—ah, T Bone—was steering, Nao stealthily slipped to the back of the ship, drew out the twin blades, and faced the sea breeze.
One sword, sheathed, was the Wind Sword. It was slender and exquisite, its white blade gleaming in the sunlight. Even a casual swing stirred up a sharp whistle of wind.
The other, the Azakana Blade, was longer and broader, its blade a deep crimson like molten lava or blood. Near the hilt, it darkened into black with five silver runes etched along the edge.
"These are incredible swords," Nao thought, admiring the craftsmanship. As a swordsman who'd trained since childhood, he could sense the exceptional balance and resonance of these blades just by holding them.
"This is a huge win."
With a grin, he took up the twin swords—one in a forward grip, the other in reverse—and assumed a classic dual-wield stance. Closing his eyes, a sharp, focused aura rose around him.
A moment later, his eyes snapped open like stars in the night sky. With a shout, he slashed forward at the sea!
Whoosh!
A sharp wind tore through the air. Years of sword training paid off as Nao unleashed a flurry of strikes. Sword light danced wildly, and faint ripples of sword energy surged forth, causing waves to rise and cascade against the ship.
Splash!
Saltwater soaked the deck, but Nao didn't care. Completely immersed, he continued his practice, wave after wave.
Overhead, the afternoon sun glowed warmly. A lone news coo flew across the blue sky as the dark-haired youth, a swordsman wielding twin blades, cut through the sea breeze aboard his small, lonely vessel.
Time passed unnoticed.
By the time his limbs were weak and his clothes soaked through with sweat and seawater, Nao finally stopped. The sky had darkened.
After catching his breath, he spread his arms and laughed loudly at the setting sun.
He admired the twin blades for a long while before sheathing them.
"I've made progress again," he murmured, satisfied.
He had begun to occasionally unleash thin streams of sword energy during his strikes—proof of his dedication and the insights he had gained from Ryoma's Swordsmanship Notes. With steady progress like this, the day he could consistently cut with flying slashes, and become a true swordmaster, was fast approaching.
He gazed at his new blades once more. Only today did he fully grasp one truth:
For a swordsman, there is nothing more important than having a blade that resonates with them.
Gion's Konpira, while a top-tier weapon, always felt slightly off in his hands. But these twin swords—obtained from the gift box—felt like an extension of himself. Their weight, balance, and spirit aligned perfectly with his style.
Whether in training or battle, it felt as though he could enter a state of perfect harmony with these blades at will.