The Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) were resolute in their stance, and Rowen dared not disobey their orders.
At G-10 Branch, on the grand training ground, Rowen stood still with a cigar in hand. Not far away, slightly out of breath, was Quinn·Dante, the current highest-ranking member of the Quinn Family, stationed at the branch but carrying the title of Rear Admiral at Marine Headquarters.
Over the past year, Rowen hadn’t bothered with the affairs of the G-10 Branch. Nevertheless, Dante managed things with precision and efficiency. With his exceptional management skills, he garnered high praise among the Vice Admirals at Headquarters, who saw him as a promising talent with a bright future ahead.
It’s worth noting that many recruits didn’t join the G-10 Branch for its high benefits or the fact that Rowen, the formidable “Soryu (Azure Dragon)” of the Marines, was stationed there.
Instead, it was Dante’s personal prestige that attracted these enthusiastic young individuals, making them believe that they could unleash their potential and fight against pirates here. As a result, they flocked to the branch.
As of now, despite Dante raising the screening standards repeatedly, the G-10 Branch has a massive army of thirteen thousand soldiers! Such a number was unimaginable in other branches!
Setting aside matters of compliance, with the annual military budget that the G-series branches received, even maintaining a force of five thousand from top to bottom would mean scrimping on essentials.
Even if one were to exploit and manage the common people within their jurisdiction, there wasn’t much to gain from the average person. It was impossible to allocate so much money to support the force.
Maintaining an army was not the same as taking care of refugees— feeding them was not enough. To ensure that an army was combat-ready, one couldn’t cut corners.
Fortunately, Rowen wasn’t short of money!
As long as you passed the screening, he could provide funds for additional weaponry, food, medical supplies, and so on.
Moreover, since he was the Base Head, everyone saw through the unspoken agreement, and no one would bother the G-10 Branch. Who would be foolish enough to pick a fight with Rowen, who was practically a confirmed Admiral?
Due to his travel restrictions, Dante seized the opportunity to repeatedly challenge Rowen to sparring matches.
This was the ninth time, once a week, and he had never missed one.
Clang!
As the Moonlike Stream echoed, Dante’s sword had somehow transformed into a 21 Ō Wazamono-grade Moonlit Spring. Executing the Moonlike Stream Sword technique, the white sword shadows shattered and bloomed before Rowen’s eyes, ultimately forming a white rainbow, slashing towards his neck.
Bang!
Raising his Thunder Dragon Crescent-Sided Halberd lightly, Rowen remained motionless, allowing the terrifying Sword Energy to scatter in all directions, overturning the onlookers.
“Fancy moves…”
Rowen’s mouth curled in a slight disdain as his arm shook with force, sending Dante repeatedly backward. But at this moment, Dante’s lips curled into a triumphant smile, once again lifting the Moonlit Spring and striking downward.
Slash!
“Huh?” With a soft exclamation, Rowen turned his head to look.
A vacuum slash flew towards him from behind, tearing through the air with a sharp whistle. At the same time, a white slash burst forth from the front, leaving almost no room for evasion.
“Bird Returns?”
“Momousagi’s Sword Technique?”
Rowen immediately discerned the true nature of this move. As the strongest swordswoman in the Marines, Momousagi’s Bird Returns was her signature move.
Used frequently by her before she became a Great Swordsman, many renowned swordsmen had fallen to this move.
However…
“You think you can make me surrender with just this level of skill? How naive!”
Rowen grinned maliciously as his Thunder Dragon Crescent-Sided Halberd moved at lightning speed, striking down both slashes almost simultaneously.
Even though he couldn’t move his feet, use the Goro Goro no Mi (Thunder Thunder Fruit), or fight at full strength due to his injuries, as far as Rowen’s current physical strength was concerned, breaking through Bird Returns was a piece of cake.
But that wasn’t all. Dante deeply understood how far the Soryu (Azure Dragon) who had emerged alongside him had grown. He didn’t pin all his hopes on someone else’s technique, choosing instead to dive forward at this moment, a fierce and malevolent aura sweeping through the entire arena.
Soru! Moonlike Stream Murdering Sword: Biting Moon!
This was a draw sword technique— seemingly unremarkable, yet capable of inducing the illusion of being plunged into a pitch-black, moonlit night, deprived of light.
It was a Sword Technique that disrupted the five senses!
Snick…!!
Rowen was similarly affected. However, the spark that suddenly burst forth in the darkness instantly shattered the illusion, and the grating noise of steel rubbing together sounded like a thunderclap, dispelling the hallucination in an instant.
Feeling the pain radiating from his arm, Dante raised his blades, looking up at the painted pole blocking the Moonlit Spring, his expression frozen.
“You weren’t affected by the illusion?”
“No, I was…,” Rowen grinned, exerting force in his arm once again.
Swoosh… Bang!!
“So fast!”
A headlong collision sent Dante crashing into a distant building, creating a large hole in the wall. Dante’s mouth twitched, and he raised the Moonlit Spring once more, shaking his head.
This gesture signified his defeat.
In the ninth challenge, Dante couldn’t even make Rowen shift his stance.
After being assisted back by the soldiers, Dante, with a face full of unwillingness, asked, “Why were you able to withstand my attack even though you were affected by the illusion? Is it Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki)?”
“No, it’s just pure instinct,” Rowen replied casually, exhaling a smoke ring. “Even if I can’t see anything, hear anything, have no sense of touch or taste, I still know when and where there’s danger.”
“Many strong individuals possess this kind of instinct. It’s a danger sense that surpasses Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki). Creating illusions with Sword Technique is a formidable ability, but it’s not invincible… You should prepare in advance. What would you do if you encountered an opponent who isn’t afraid of illusions?”
“At the same time, instead of blindly following in the footsteps of your ancestors, it’s better to think about how to forge your own path.”
“Forge my own path?”
This seemingly commonplace statement made Dante furrow his brow. It was easy to say, but how difficult was it to actually achieve? However, he believed that Rowen wasn’t speaking without purpose. It was time to seek change in his Sword Technique.
“What a strong killing intent in that sword!”
At this moment, a voice of admiration suddenly came from the sky. Dante turned around instantly, gripping his weapon tightly.
“Shichibukai, Fujitora Issho, what are you doing here?”
“He’s here to see me, stay calm…” Rowen patted Dante on the shoulder to signal him to relax a bit, then approached. “Is everything arranged, Fujitora? I’m counting on Century City to make money for me now.”
“Century City has already had its grand opening, and everything is going smoothly…” Fujitora wore a gentle smile on his face. He walked towards the fortress of the base alongside Rowen. Halfway there, he suddenly remembered something and turned to address Dante.
“Oh, Rear Admiral Dante. Sword Technique emphasizes mastery, but it’s more about intent…”
“Whether your trained Sword Technique is exquisite or rough, it all comes down to one move.”
Dante raised an eyebrow. “And which move would that be?”
“The one that could kill back then.”
After saying this, Fujitora paid no attention to the contemplative Dante and followed Rowen into the main fortress.
…
“The move that could kill back then… That’s an interesting way to put it.”
“But you don’t seem like a swordsman who kills for the sake of killing…”
In the office, Rowen poured tea for Fujitora, biting his cigar as he looked at him.
“More accurately, it’s the strike that achieves the desired result at that moment…”
Fujitora smiled and shook his head.
“I heard this from an opponent when I was young, and later, I saw the same understanding in someone else. I happened to pass it on to Rear Admiral Dante.”
“You don’t blame me for unnecessarily steering your subordinate towards the path of slaughter?”
“No, that’s just the way he is. I’m more curious about the other person you mentioned… Let me guess…”
Rowen tapped the table, and after a long while, he locked eyes with Fujitora Issho.
“Hawk Eyes, Mihawk!”
Mihawk’s Sword Technique was simple and sincere, and it looked as if he could effortlessly wield a sword. Among all the swordsmen in the world, only he possessed that kind of sword intent that could achieve his goal with just one strike.
This wasn’t a difference in skill level but a different understanding of the Sword Technique.
After all, when it came to all known Saijō Ō Wazamono, the “Black Blade” Yoru was by no means the first choice for any swordsman. It was too heavy, too large, and too difficult to control.
Give it to Zoro, and he’d probably have to be careful not to accidentally slice off his own head while swinging it.
Only “Hawk Eyes” Mihawk, who believed in “One Sword Suffices,” could handle the “Black Blade” Yoru with ease. The sword chooses its wielder, and the best one is the one that suits you.
…
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