ONE PIECE: Lone Sails

At the camp, Noah listened intently as Vic relayed the discovery of a cave suspected to hold treasure. From his equipment cache, he retrieved two diving suits, four oxygen tanks, and a pair of portable searchlights, handing them over with a quiet warning to stay cautious. Vic returned to the mountaintop platform, delivering the gear to Joshua and Anthony. The two suited up, equipped themselves with lights and weapons, and descended into the cave.

Stone steps greeted them at the entrance, spiraling downward. After a dozen steps, they reached the bottom—a cavernous hall marked by the scars of past excavation. Anthony's searchlight swept across the walls, catching on a set of carved words. He brushed away the dust with his dagger, revealing the inscription: "The treasure is half a meter below my feet."

"Joshua," he said, voice low, "the treasure's right beneath us."

"Careful," Joshua replied, unease creeping into his tone. "Something feels off."

Anthony nodded. "We're here now—might as well dig. But not together. I'll start. You keep watch."

Ditching the dagger, Anthony drew his long knife and began scraping away the soil, layer by careful layer. Joshua stood guard, his senses sharp, tracking every shift beneath the earth.

Half an hour passed, and at just thirty centimeters deep, Anthony's blade struck something solid. He scraped further, revealing a glint of gold under the searchlight's beam. "Is this real?" he muttered, prying out a gold necklace. But as he examined it, a chill ran through him. Thin needles, faintly luminescent even after years underground, coiled around the jewelry. "Joshua, stay back. These treasures might be laced with poison."

Joshua swore under his breath. "Who the hell hides treasure like this? That's low."

Using wooden chopsticks, they carefully transferred the finds into the crates brought from above. Over the next hour, they filled twelve boxes, their movements deliberate to avoid the deadly needles. Back on the platform, Anthony removed his helmet, eyeing their haul with a wry smile. "The guy who stashed this was a snake, but these should fetch at least eighty million Berries."

Vic reached for a box, but as he lifted it, the wood cracked. Panicked, he hurled it aside to avoid the needles. The crate shattered on impact, spilling gold, silver, and jewels across the ground.

"Careful!" Anthony snapped. "Don't go near it."

They retrieved an empty crate and, with chopsticks, painstakingly gathered the scattered treasure. Vic split wooden shards and gathered vines from the forest, reinforcing the remaining boxes to prevent further mishaps. As they worked, Anthony's gaze lingered on the crates, a realization dawning.

"What's wrong?" Joshua asked, noticing his pause.

"There are thirteen boxes here," Anthony said, "but we only filled twelve. There's another down there." He cursed softly. "Damn it, I almost fell for it again."

"Fell for what?" Joshua asked, puzzled.

"The wall said 'half a meter below my feet.' I stopped at thirty centimeters when I found the first haul. The real treasure—the last box—must be deeper, at half a meter."

Joshua's eyes widened. "That bastard. Clever and cruel."

They donned their helmets once more and returned to the cave, their vigilance heightened. After another cautious half-hour of digging, they unearthed two small boxes: one long, one square. Wary of further traps, they left them unopened and carried them back to the camp.

Noah listened to Anthony and Joshua's account, his expression darkening. The treasure was a labyrinth of deception, each layer more treacherous than the last. A single misstep could have been fatal. He instructed Ajie to extract the gems, then melt the gold, silver, and poisonous needles in a graphite furnace, separating the precious metals. The intense heat would neutralize most toxins.

Turning to the boxes, Noah drew his tarot cards for divination. The first, the long box, yielded a clear result: "No danger." He opened it, revealing a Devil Fruit nestled within. The crew gasped in unison.

"A Devil Fruit?" Vic muttered.

"What kind is it?" Mary asked, leaning closer.

"We'll check the guidebook later," Noah replied, setting it aside.

He divined the square box next, and the result sent a jolt through him: "50% risk." For someone of his strength, a fifty percent chance of danger was alarming. Whatever lay inside was formidable.

He directed Ajie to construct a graphite chamber. Focusing his Observation Haki on the box, Noah had Ajie's graphite puppet open it remotely. A blade rested within, its presence radiating an ominous aura.

"A demon blade?" Noah murmured.

No wonder the risk was high. A demon blade could wreak havoc if mishandled. A faint voice whispered in his mind: "Pick me up… You'll gain endless power…"

"Endless power?" Noah scoffed. "You're just a blade. Pathetic." His Conqueror's Haki flared like a wildfire, surging into the sword. Gripping the hilt, he drew it forth, his iron will clashing with the blade's malevolent instinct. The sword trembled under the onslaught. "Disappear!" he commanded, his Haki grinding the demonic presence to dust. As the blade's will shattered, Noah infused it with his Conqueror's and Armament Haki, claiming it fully.

"I don't care what you were called before," he said, sheathing it. "From now on, you're Chixin—'True Heart.'"

The others stirred, shaken from the blade's fleeting influence. Anthony, pale with relief, wiped his brow. "I'm glad we didn't open it down there. It was whispering to me—tempting me."

Noah sheathed Chixin and turned to the group, his tone grave. "This is a legendary demon blade. Without enough resolve, it can ensnare your mind and turn you into its slave. Be wary of such things in the future."

Ajie, still rattled, asked, "Brother Noah, what happens if someone's controlled by a demon blade?"

"Remove or destroy it," Noah replied. "That breaks the hold. It's how they later shattered the Seven Star Sword's curse—once the blade's gone, the curse collapses."

The crew nodded, sobered by the encounter, their eyes lingering on the newly tamed Chixin and the mysterious Devil Fruit, both now safely in Noah's hands.