In a secluded alley, there were few pedestrians.
Under the black streetlight, two people stood a few meters apart, each drawing their bamboo swords and assuming their starting stances.
"Begin!"
Junichi shouted in a low voice, instantly breaking the silence. His body moved swiftly, and his bamboo sword darted out like a nimble snake, its momentum fierce, accompanied by a whooshing sound.
Snap!
In the next moment, Junichi stared blankly at the bamboo sword that had fallen to the ground.
When did that happen?
"Would you like to try again?"
"Again!" Junichi gritted his teeth, picked up the bamboo sword, and gripped it tightly.
He had held back earlier, intending to test the waters. If he had gone all out, surely he wouldn't have...
Snap!
The bamboo sword fell from his hand once more.
After a few tumbles, it came to rest right at Junichi's feet. He stood there in a daze for a long time, his knees gradually bending until he half-knelt on the ground, staring despondently at his bamboo sword.
How... how is this possible?
At the Isshin Dojo, he was the strongest among the students of the past two years, almost equivalent to the position of the senior disciple. Sometimes, he even took on the role of an assistant instructor, helping Koshiro teach the younger children.
If it weren't for that.
He wouldn't have been so confident, venturing out alone to Asakura Island, trying to win the swordsmanship tournament and restore the prestige of the Sakuraba family.
But...
The burly youth in front of him was clearly two years younger.
Yet, his mastery of swordsmanship had already reached a level that Junichi couldn't comprehend, like an insurmountable mountain.
One move, just one move.
He had been utterly defeated, not even qualified to see the trajectory of the opponent's blade or to parry it.
At this moment.
He felt as if his confidence in swordsmanship was shattering like broken glass, piece by piece.
On the other side.
Xiano sheathed his bamboo sword, his gaze sweeping over Junichi's reaction, taking it all in.
Tsk, did I hurt him too much?
But telling him the truth now, that I actually don't know any swordsmanship, would probably hurt him even more.
I'll wait until after the competition, and if there's a chance, I'll explain it to him then.
"Let's go."
Xiano gently patted Junichi's shoulder as a form of comfort, then led the way toward the inn.
On the way.
Junichi remained in a state of shock, his head bowed in silence, while Xiano focused on the system panel he had just opened, his eyes filled with contemplation.
[Name: Xiano (Siano)]
[Age: 13]
[Height: 176cm]
[Strength: 2.2]
[Agility: 2.0]
[Endurance: 2.1]
[Mental Power: 1.4]
This was the first time he had checked his current panel data after finishing his intense training session in the afternoon.
All his basic attributes had significantly improved compared to before his breakthrough.
"2.0 seems to be a critical threshold. Those who can cross it are no longer like ordinary people in this vast sea."
Xiano made this deduction.
Compared to Junichi, the biggest gap was in strength, which we'll set aside for now.
Just in terms of muscle reaction speed and dynamic vision, they were already on completely different levels.
From the moment Junichi drew his sword to the moment he thrust it, all his movements seemed to Xiano as if they were in slow motion.
Frame by frame, he could always find the perfect moment to pause, switch from defense to offense, and break his opponent's momentum.
In the manga, the battle between Zoro and Hawkeye at the Baratie Restaurant was somewhat similar to this.
Before Hawkeye drew out the Black Blade Night to show respect, his skirmish with Zoro using a small knife could hardly be considered a duel between swordsmen.
From Zoro's perspective, Hawkeye's swordsmanship was so transcendent that he could easily defeat him with just a small knife.
But from Hawkeye's viewpoint, it was the same as how Xiano now defeated Junichi—it had nothing to do with swordsmanship. It was simply a higher-dimensional being delivering a crushing blow to an ordinary human.
Whether it was a small knife, a toothpick, or even his own fingers, it didn't matter.
When the gap is too vast, sheer force can overcome all techniques.
...
Xiano closed the system panel and glanced at the frail young man behind him, who looked as if he had been brushed by Perona's ghost. He pondered in his heart.
"Although Junichi has been immersed in swordsmanship since childhood and is a bit single-minded, he's not the kind of person who lacks self-awareness."
"The fact that he said he wants to compete for the championship isn't just empty talk—he truly has the confidence to back it up."
He could easily defeat Junichi with a single strike, relying on the immense physical gap between them.
So, it was likely that the gap between him and the other competitors would be just as vast.
After all, the East Blue is the weakest of the seas.
Not a single true Master Swordsman remains here.
No matter what dark horses emerge in this year's swordsmanship tournament, he should be able to handle them with ease, without worrying about his mediocre swordsmanship being exposed.
By spending just one day, he could effortlessly earn five million Berry and, at the same time, help Junichi. It was a win-win situation no matter how he looked at it.
————
One day and two nights passed in the blink of an eye.
Before he knew it, the day of the competition had arrived.
At seven in the morning, Junichi finished getting ready and stepped out of his room, only to find a figure already training in the empty courtyard downstairs.
"Three hundred, three hundred and one... Oh, you're awake."
Xiano brought his legs together, flipped back, and landed steadily. He picked up a towel to wipe his sweat and smiled, "I've got everything ready too. Shall we go?"
"Yes!" Junichi nodded vigorously.
From the night before last until now, his mindset had gradually recovered.
Especially yesterday, when Xiano went to the beach to train at the crack of dawn and didn't return until midnight. His dedication was something even Junichi couldn't help but admire.
If Xiano had been living like this since childhood and also possessed a talent for swordsmanship, then being defeated in a single move didn't seem so hard to accept anymore.
Junichi took a deep breath, his eyes shining brightly as he gazed at the distant, faintly visible giant banner.
There was no way he could compete with Mr. Xiano for the championship, but today was a day he had been dreaming about for a long time. He had his own battles to fight!
...
Asakura Island was higher in the north and lower in the south. The Seven Great Dojos were all located in the northern part of the city, arranged in a line along the terrain. At the end of this line was the wide, crescent-shaped plaza in the city center.
At this moment, the plaza was already bustling with activity, filled with people.
Nearly a hundred temporary wooden platforms were scattered around, and the registration area was packed with long lines. Staff in dojo uniforms were busy running back and forth.
The giant banners hanging at the four corners, the ubiquitous light pink decorations, and the cherry blossoms falling in the wind created a strong festive atmosphere.
On the second floor of a nearby café, two cups of cappuccino steamed on the table.
"Boss, that kid is here," the tall Swordsman wearing the White Fox Mask on the right side of the round table spoke in a low voice, his gaze fixed on Junichi, who was closely following Xiano into the square.
"Hmm, I see."
The middle-aged man sitting across from him, dressed in luxurious attire, glanced briefly before averting his eyes.
He tapped the table lightly with his knuckle and said indifferently, "That muscle man with him—he looks quite young. Have you figured out his identity yet?"
(End of Chapter)