One Piece: Ulquiorra Template

Chapter 75: A Draw with Rayleigh!

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Even at over seventy years old, Rayleigh could swim across the Calm Belt, traversing from island to island, even slaying a colossal Sea King hundreds of meters long in the process.

Could such physical prowess be considered weak? Certainly, to normal individuals, he was a monster.

The aging process affected even the strongest. Whitebeard, Sengoku, and even Rayleigh had experienced some decline in their physical abilities. Garp, however, was an anomaly.

His strength remained undiminished, a testament to his unwavering mentality.

Yet, their final stands, their last bursts of power, were the most terrifying of all. With nothing left to lose, their hearts free from fear, they fought with a ferocity that surpassed even their prime.

"Your constitution is remarkable, like a machine with an inexhaustible energy source..." Rayleigh gasped, addressing Ian after catching his breath.

Was this the power of a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit?

He sheathed his sword. "Your Busoshoku Haki rivals my own, and your swordsmanship is that of a highly skilled swordsman. However, to further improve, sparring with me alone is insufficient. You must face a variety of opponents, honing your skills and Haki through constant battle."

Haki and swordsmanship were like unrefined stones, shaped and polished through clashes with different individuals, especially those stronger than oneself. Ian, however, was like a perfectly cut gem, his skills already refined.

Ian sheathed his own sword. "Indeed, my progress has plateaued recently. It seems I require some whetstones to sharpen my blade."

His focus remained on souls, the essence of power. Swordsmanship and Haki were merely tools, methods of channeling that power. A sword in the hands of a child was vastly different from one wielded by an adult.

Rayleigh smiled. "The New World is teeming with powerful individuals, far surpassing those in Paradise. It's time for you to venture into those dangerous waters."

Ian stood motionless, sword in hand, lost in contemplation.

"That strike... it wasn't simply Sword Pressure... or rather, it was Sword Pressure mastered to its pinnacle. A single swing containing the force of a thousand, yet those thousand were unified as one. And from that unity... arises something else... Sword Intent?"

Ian murmured, his voice laced with newfound understanding. Vista's flower sword, Kin'emon's Foxfire Style...

He was on the cusp of mastering the way of the sword, his powerful soul and keen intellect propelling him forward.

If he couldn't grasp the essence of swordsmanship after such encounters, he might as well abandon the path altogether.

"I always believed Sword Pressure was a force projected outward, but the true essence of swordsmanship lies in imbuing it into every direction, filling the entire domain of the slash, then compressing that boundless pressure into a single, focused strike."

"A single swing, capable of manipulating the very fabric of space. That's how one can deflect attacks from stronger opponents."

He had sensed it before, a vague understanding, a glimpse behind the veil. He knew he was close to unlocking the secrets of swordsmanship, even before his battle with Rayleigh.