Kutsk Island, edge of the battlefield.

Among the members of the Black Flag Bandit Group, there was a suffocating silence at this moment.

They could all see the figure slowly appearing behind them.

He was tall and straight, with a head full of white hair.

From his back, a pair of pitch-black wings drooped naturally.

And in his hand, along with the sharp edge of a pitch-black tachi, an oppressive aura radiated outward, enveloping the entire block.

“Th-The three leaders were…”

“Hey, you’re kidding, right?”

The members of the Black Flag Bandit Group looked incredulously at the path the figure had taken.

In that single strike just now, their leader, the dictator of this island, ‘Black Flag’ Kandera, had died silently.

Even his corpse had vanished under that slash; where he originally stood, only a pool of blood remained.

If it were normal times, they would inevitably roar and rush forward to avenge their leader—not out of loyalty, but because in such a situation, whoever avenged the leader would naturally gain the ‘right of claim’ to become the next leader of the Black Flag Bandit Group.

But now…

“…”

Sweat dripping down, they didn’t dare to move a muscle.

Just from that figure passing by them, they felt that powerful oppressive aura almost making them faint.

“Human-Human Fruit… Model: Shimotsuki Ryuma?”

They had naturally heard what that swordsman said just now, and were instinctively muttering it.

And it wasn’t just them at this moment.

“Ugh… these three monsters…”

Kid, struggling to sit up, was panting heavily.

The wounds on his body that had just been bandaged not long ago had split open again from the collision just now.

Blood flowed out, but Kid couldn’t care about that right now.

“Did that slash… kill that guy Kandera?”

Watching the enemy who had hunted him countless times over the past years die, a flash of pleasure crossed Kid’s eyes, but at the same time, there was an indescribable horror.

‘Black Flag’ Kandera, having ruled this island for so many years, was naturally not a nobody.

At least in the South Blue, he was a true powerhouse, and his bounty also exceeded 30 million.

But in front of that suddenly appearing swordsman, he died without making a splash—crushed like an ant.

“To think there are such monsters on the sea…”

Like the Straw Hat Pirates before.

Kid felt that he had seemingly glimpsed the ‘truth’ of this sea.

But right now…

“Shimotsuki Ryuma… I think I’ve heard this name before!?”

Killer beside him stood up, helping Kid retreat into the distance, and said in a low voice.

“Is it the legendary dragon-slaying swordsman from Wano Country, the one known as the ‘Sword God’?”

“Haha… I think I’ve heard those two stinky old men mention it too…”

Kid also said while panting: “That’s a legendary figure, right? Said to be the strongest ‘Great Swordsman’ of that era, even hailed as the strongest in all of history.”

Yes.

Although the two of them were not samurai or swordsmen, they were also people obsessed with battle and strength.

And almost anyone chasing strength had heard of this ancient name, ‘Shimotsuki Ryuma’.

That was a swordsman who appeared during the period when Wano Country was not yet isolated, known as the ‘Country of Gold’ and under the world’s attention.

Legend has it that at that time, relying solely on himself and one sword, he repelled countless pirates and World Nobles who tried to come to Wano Country to plunder gold.

The concept that ‘there are powerful samurai in Wano Country’ was even spread throughout the world through the individual Shimotsuki Ryuma alone.

It is said that he once slew a real flying dragon in the sky above the capital of Wano Country, and thus became a ‘legend’ of the sea, hailed as undoubtedly the world’s number one great swordsman of that era, and even considered by some to be the strongest great swordsman in history, crowned with the title of ‘Sword God’.

Of course.

In this current era, Wano Country has been isolated for many years.

Although the legend of Ryuma the ‘Sword God’ still exists across the entire sea, it can no longer be considered widely known.

Kid and Killer knew about it entirely because they had a good relationship with those two old men from Wano Country.

But no matter what…

“Human-Human Fruit, Model: Shimotsuki Ryuma—a truly existing, long-dead legend turned into a ‘Fruit’? No matter how you look at it, that’s very strange, right?”

“Mm, and even calling himself ‘Sword God’… is he an admirer of Ryuma?”

Kid and Killer’s views were clearly aligned.

They naturally didn’t believe the other party had actually eaten some ‘Human-Human Fruit, Model: Shimotsuki Ryuma’—that was too absurd.

But…

“Pardon our intrusion…” (x2)

At this moment, those two old men from the ‘Shimotsuki Clan’ of Wano Country spoke up in unison.

The auras on their bodies were fully unleashed, and their gazes locked onto the figure in front of them like sword blades.

To be exact, locked onto the sword in the other party’s hand.

“That sword in Your Excellency’s hand—is it the Black Blade ‘Shusui’ of our ancestor Ryuma?”

“This is the ‘National Treasure’ of our Shimotsuki Clan, enshrined in the Northern Cemetery of Ringo. Why would it appear in Your Excellency’s hands?”

They said in deep voices.

A distinct coldness was already carried within their words.

Yes.

As descendants of the Shimotsuki Clan, it was naturally impossible for them not to recognize that legendary ‘Black Blade’, one of the very few in the entire world.

“This one said, this one is the ‘Sword God’ of this era.”

And at this moment, the Sword God had slowly stepped in front of the two.

“Shusui will naturally find its master.”

He slightly raised Shusui in his hand, emitting a piercing sword hum.

“This one knows of you—samurai who went out to sea for adventure with Shimotsuki Kozaburo more than fifty years ago, but ultimately, due to being bellicose and loving battle, chose not to stay in the East Blue with Kozaburo.”

“Today this one comes here to borrow you… as whetstones.”

“…” (x2)

As these words fell, the others present were also stunned simultaneously.

Whetstones?

What kind of talk is this?

But…

“…I see.”

Hearing these words at this moment, the two old men suddenly smiled.

“What Your Excellency pursues is indeed that title of ‘Strongest’.”

As swordsmen, or rather as ‘powerful swordsmen’.

They naturally understood the other party’s meaning.

A swordsman’s sword, like a king’s spirit, is not something that can be forged out of thin air.

Sword techniques cultivated behind closed doors can reach perfection, but cannot become the ‘Strongest’.

Just like Shimotsuki Ryuma facing enemies from the entire sea to protect Wano Country in the past.

Just like ‘Hawkeye’ Mihawk still constantly roaming the sea today, seeking out powerful swordsmen.

If a swordsman wants to pursue becoming the strongest, they need to use other top-tier swordsmen as ‘whetstones’.

The more one hones, the more one fights to the death, the sharper the sword will become.

In fact, the main reason the two of them left Wano Country was also this—they were also ‘Great Swordsmen’ who created their own sword styles, but lost in swordsmanship to the fellow Great Swordsman ‘Shimotsuki Ushimaru’.

So if they still wanted to make progress in swordsmanship, they couldn’t stay in Wano Country, but had to go out to sea to seek more ‘whetstones’.

So…

Hoo…

They exhaled a deep breath of stale air, their gazes fixed on the Sword God.

“To have a ‘Match’ with Your Excellency, the two of us are naturally willing.”

The old man who had been smoking a pipe earlier said so.

And the old man who had been drinking tea also spoke: “But this old man doesn’t understand—with Your Excellency’s muscle strength, spirit, and sword skills, you are inherently a powerful swordsman unmatched on the sea. Why impersonate an ancestor’s name and steal the ancestor’s weapon?”

“So, the two of us only have one request.”

“If we win, could we ask Your Excellency to return Shusui to Wano Country?”

Clearly, they also completely disbelieved the nonsense about the ‘Human-Human Fruit, Model: Shimotsuki Ryuma’.

Hearing this, the Sword God didn’t mind.

“Return? Shusui is originally this one’s sword; where does ‘returning’ come from?”

He just shook his head and raised Shusui in his hand: “However… if you two can win, then it will all be as you wish.”

The words fell.

But the conviction in his words could be heard by everyone present.

This man never thought he would lose.

But none of that mattered.

“Good.”

Because at this moment, the two old men had raised their swords again without hesitation.

“Then… we shall seek your guidance.”

For a swordsman, having a reason to swing the sword is enough.

Thus, in just an instant.

BOOM!

The figures of the two old men suddenly moved.

The auras on their bodies continuously soared again at this moment.

Ryuo surged, and the wrinkled yet still vigorous and powerful arm muscles of Shimotsuki Jirobo instantly tensed.

His body seemed to turn into a flowing, raging wave at this moment. Blood continuously surged and coursed through his body, and the sword he swung was even more like a continuous giant wave.

That made the slash he unleashed not just one, but a series overlapping like waves.

[Raging Wave Style · Great Secret Technique · Thousand Fold Waves]

Where the scattered slashes passed, the air was frantically squeezed and cut.

And on the other side.

Sslash!

Shimotsuki Tenga’s figure also appeared on the other side of the Sword God—his movements were different from Jirobo’s ferocity.

While his figure moved forward, his feet parted slightly, and his breathing was long and profound, actually carrying a trace of tranquil, Zen-like calm.

The long tachi in his hand swung out, its momentum equally measured.

But the Haki and power around his body were all gathered within that blade edge—so much so that where the slash passed, the entire ground rolled up along with it.

[Rock Heart Style · Great Secret Technique · Immovable Mountain Slash]

“These two stinky old men…”

Seeing this scene, Kid’s eyes widened.

Killer beside him also couldn’t help but breathe heavily—he carefully watched the slashes executed by those two Great Swordsmen.

They knew these two old men were very strong, but never thought it would be to this extent.

They had no doubt that a casual strike from either of these two old men at this moment would be enough to kill them.

And the truth is indeed so.

Whether it was Shimotsuki Tenga or Shimotsuki Jirobo—just as mentioned before, they were both Great Swordsmen who created their own sword styles, like Shimotsuki Koushirou’s ‘One Sword Style’.

BOOM! (x2)

The two slashes, one left and one right, one hard and one soft, completely surrounded the Sword God standing in the center.

The intense sword qi cut everything around; even the clouds in the sky shattered along with it.

The two Great Swordsmen clearly knew their weaknesses—time had made them old, and their muscle strength, physique, and Haki were constantly weakening.

So when they attacked, they used their full power directly.

But…

In the center of the storm surrounded by slashes.

The Sword God’s expression remained calm.

“Not bad slashes.”

“As whetstones… not bad.”

He evaluated as such, and then raised his sword.

“!!!” (x2)

So at this moment, the expressions of the two Great Swordsmen changed simultaneously.

Because they clearly saw.

At this time, on the ‘Black Blade’ Shusui in the Sword God’s hand, renowned throughout the sea, its pitch-black blade was clearly ‘flowing’.

That wasn’t an illusion.

“Shusui… woke up?”

Both Shimotsuki Tenga and Shimotsuki Jirobo knew.

So-called ‘Black Blades’ were not black from the beginning.

On the contrary—they were all ‘honed’ by their users through countless intense battles, integrating their own powerful Haki into them, ultimately fusing the Haki permanently with the blade, before slowly forging a Black Blade.

What is needed is the fusion of the user’s ‘spirit’, ‘body’, and ‘Haki’—a unique signature.

The owner of every Black Blade is almost always the ‘Strongest Great Swordsman’ of that era—because only the strongest who have defeated all swordsmen of that era and experienced countless ‘honings’ can forge their sword into a Black Blade.

But at the same time, a forged Black Blade naturally has a unique property.

That is—the permanently fused Haki on the blade can only be ‘activated’ by the master of the sword itself.

Even if others obtained the sword, they could unleash the sharpness of the Black Blade, but couldn’t mobilize the Haki within it.

But now…

In the hands of that man calling himself the ‘Sword God’, the Black Blade belonging to Shimotsuki Ryuma had actually ‘woken up’.

The flowing Haki on it was proof enough.

Even though the hearts of the two Great Swordsmen were firm, a trace of wavering couldn’t help but arise within them.

However, before they could continue thinking.

The next moment, they saw… the ‘Sword God’ moved again.

He assumed a stance.

“!!!” (x2)

Thus, the pupils of the two Great Swordsmen shrank even further.

Because…

“That stance is…”

They recognized that stance—or rather, all swordsmen of the Shimotsuki Clan would recognize that stance.

That was the sword style all descendants of the Shimotsuki Clan would learn, but no one had ever been able to master.

In fact, including themselves—whether it was the One Sword Style, Raging Wave Style, Rock Heart Style… almost all sword styles of the Shimotsuki Clan’s Great Swordsmen originated from that very technique.

That was the sword technique belonging exclusively to that dragon-slaying swordsman, exclusively to ‘Shimotsuki Ryuma’.

Its name is…

“Shimotsuki Style · Dragon Slash!”

The next instant, a dark blue, frost-colored slash like a soaring dragon shattered the torrent and the rock heart.

The swordsman dressed in white held the famous sword Shusui, stepping forth upon the flying dragon.

That was a scene identical to the ‘Legend’.

“Th-this sword technique, he… he is really…”

The wavering in the hearts of the two Great Swordsmen almost materialized in this moment.

“Ancestor Ryuma!?”

☆☆☆

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