"Hmm?"
Maya and Saka both looked up, staring eagerly at Kong Tai. "You have a way?"
"Yes!"
Kong Tai nodded, smiling at Saka. "When have I ever lied to you!"
Saying this, he stepped forward and waved his right hand to the right.
Instantly, Maya and Saka's bodies were gently lifted aside by an invisible force.
Gazing at the Seven Stars Sword lying in the sword coffin, a smile touched Kong Tai's lips.
"The way you spoke of, it isn't this sword, is it?"
Just then, Saka, who had sat up, looked at Kong Tai's back and asked in surprise.
His gaze then fell upon the Seven Stars Sword, a deep sense of dread flashing in his eyes.
"I don't know what this sword is, but if you hadn't arrived in time, I think I might have been controlled by this thing by now."
As he said this, a hint of recollection flashed in his eyes, and he continued, "This sword was like a devil, tempting me, making me want to touch it."
"Devil?"
"So what if it's a devil? Before me, they are all the same."
Kong Tai withdrew his gaze and looked at Maya. "Sister-in-law, tell me! What is the deal with this sword?"
He only remembered that this sword seemed to be able to control people's minds and possessed immense power, allowing one to quickly recover from injuries. In the original story, Saka's crippled right hand was healed by this sword.
In the original story, Saka's hand was gone, yet it was repaired. Here, Saka's hand was merely crippled, not lost, so it should be even easier to repair.
Maya held Saka, first glancing at Kong Tai, then at the Seven Stars Sword. After a moment's hesitation, she finally spoke, "This sword is called the 'Seven Stars Sword.' Legend has it that thousands of years ago, the islanders were terrified of the appearance of the red full moon. To dispel their fear, the gods bestowed a shield and the Seven Stars Sword upon the king of the island. However, when the Seven Stars Sword and the red full moon appeared together, darkness would dominate the entire land."
She paused and continued, "The nation on this island was also destroyed because of this sword. Therefore, after the kingdom's demise, our ancestors sealed it within this palace. It is our clan's mission to protect it and ensure it never reappears in the outside world."
"A curse."
Hearing this, Saka's gaze towards the Seven Stars Sword became even more wary.
Suddenly recalling something, he looked up at Kong Tai and said sternly, "Kong Tai, perhaps... we should just forget about it. This sword is so dangerous. I've only lost the use of one hand, not my life. Although I might not be able to wield a sword again, I've at least saved my life, haven't I?"
"Haha!!"
Kong Tai glanced at Saka and chuckled, "Don't you trust me yet?"
"Let alone a curse, even if a true devil were to appear, he would have to leave behind the medicine for healing injuries when he came to me."
With that, he turned around, staring at the Seven Stars Sword. Starlight swirled in his pupils, and a mocking smile played on his lips.
Whether it was sealed or due to some other reason, he felt no threat from this sword.
There were too many inexplicable things in this world. If it were the unsealed Seven Stars Sword, he might have been more cautious. After all, it controlled the soul, and he had no idea what was inside.
But...
Now!
With a thought, a bright, transparent space enveloped him and the Seven Stars Sword.
Then, the Seven Stars Sword automatically levitated and lay flat before Kong Tai.
"Kong Tai, is it really okay?"
Maya watched Kong Tai's back and the Seven Stars Sword glowing green before him, her face etched with deep concern.
Although she had witnessed Kong Tai's power firsthand, this Seven Stars Sword was, after all, the cursed sword that their clan had guarded for millennia. They knew better than anyone how dangerous it was.
"Don't worry!"
"This is Kong Tai!"
"A man who is not a god, yet surpasses gods!"
Saka patted Maya's hand, gazing at Kong Tai with complete trust in his eyes.
"It's just a sword! How could it possibly trouble Kong Tai?"
"Mm!"
Hearing the confidence in Saka's tone, Maya could only temporarily set aside her worries and watch Kong Tai in silence. Although the worry on her face began to fade, her hands gripping Saka's arm tightened further.
Paying little attention to Saka and Maya beside him, Kong Tai stared at the Seven Stars Sword before him. He reached out, hesitated for a moment, and then unhesitatingly grasped the hilt.
The instant Kong Tai grasped the hilt.
The Seven Stars Sword seemed to come alive. As its green light intensified, an extremely chilling aura coiled around Kong Tai's hand from the sword, attempting to creep up his arm.
However, it was blocked by a black aura that emerged from Kong Tai's arm.
Kong Tai stared at the greenish stripes on the back of his hand, writhing like a living snake, a cold glint in his eyes.
"Demonic power?"
He had felt a similar power when he extracted Enel's Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
However, the demonic power within the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was more violent, yet lacked consciousness.
The power within this sword, while not as strong as that of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, seemed to possess consciousness. It was just that it hadn't fully awakened yet, and its actions were purely instinctual.
"This world is truly interesting!"
It was said that this sword was bestowed by the gods. What gods were these? They were likely demons themselves!
Thousands of years ago, this sword destroyed the kingdom on this island, presumably to absorb the life force of its people.
It was only later that Maya's ancestors, by some unknown means, managed to seal it.
And the power of such a seal was something he completely did not understand.
"A formation?"
"Or perhaps something from an alien civilization?"
Thinking of this, Kong Tai couldn't help but recall the brief sense of oversight and crisis that occurred when he unleashed a casual strike on Sky Road.
"Hmm... similarly, it's an inexplicable matter."
"Kong Tai, are you alright?"
Seeing Kong Tai holding the sword motionlessly for a long time, despite his trust, Saka couldn't help but call out.
"Ah!"
Kong Tai snapped back to reality, shook his head, dispelling the chaotic thoughts in his mind. He then turned towards Saka and held up his hand, smiling. "See! There is indeed an interesting power within this thing, but it's still under control."
"Oh..."
Hearing Kong Tai's words, Saka breathed a sigh of relief. At the same time, he looked at Kong Tai's sword-wielding hand and, seeing the green patterns constantly moving, asked curiously, "Is this the thing?"
"Yes!"
Kong Tai nodded, raising the sword to his eyes. Looking at the green patterns on his hand, he said with a relaxed tone, "Although I don't know what this thing is, there is indeed a strong power within it, and also a faint consciousness that seems to be still dormant."
"But all of that will disappear soon."
"Disappear?"
Saka and Maya both looked at Kong Tai with curiosity.