“Actually, Shimotsuki Flow Swordsmanship has no specific techniques.
All high-level swordsmanship doesn’t have specific sword forms or stances.
The sword techniques that echo across the seas were self-created by top swordsmen based on their understanding of swordsmanship.
For example, an ancestor of the Shimotsuki family, Shimotsuki Ryuma, had a move called Dragon Slayer, a strike inspired by cutting down a dragon.
When sparring with a master, deliberate techniques are meaningless.
Only by tempering your mind, sword, and body to the extreme, then condensing them into one, and striking with your own beliefs can victory be decided.”
As he spoke, Koushiro drew Wado Ichimonji and slowly slashed it towards the distant forest.
A flying slash cut through, felling a swath of trees.
He then quickly swung his sword again, but the cotton cloth placed before him remained completely unharmed.
“Do you see?
Swordsmanship is simple to some and difficult to others.
This world has swordsmen who can cut through anything, and swordsmen who can sever nothing.
This is the essence of a swordsman.
Feel your breathing.
When you can cut through steel, your swordsmanship will reach another level.
When you can unleash a truly condensed flying slash, you will have become a swordsman.”
Basic Swordsmanship replaced by Shimotsuki Swordsmanship
Shimotsuki Swordsmanship Mastery 5%
A direct explanation, lightly describing what a swordsman is.
This is the foundation of the Shimotsuki family.
“As for Haki, for Armament Haki, your body isn’t strong enough yet.
Continue to train.
Observation Haki will be naturally understood when you sense the breathing of your sword.
This is the path of orthodox swordsmanship.
This is a secret medicine formula for the next stage.
Handle it yourself.”
Since he decided to continue guiding Noah, Koushiro would not hold back.
A samurai must make their own decisions, sharp like a sword.
“Also, when you have time, go handle some pirates in the nearby waters.
Swordsmen aren’t made through training alone.
I’ll check your progress in a year.
If you’re suitable, I’ll teach you Haki.”
Koushiro said bluntly.
A sword is a weapon, and swordsmanship is a means of killing.
No amount of beautiful words can hide this fact.
His own swordsman realm was forged through killing pirates.
He even secretly went to the Grand Line.
Only opponents there could put him in a life-or-death situation to stimulate his potential.
Once, a swordsman whose sword light was like moonlight traveled the Grand Line.
He left no name but took the heads of dozens of great pirates.
After speaking, Koushiro left.
The path ahead was up to Noah.
No swordsman is taught hand-in-hand.
The communication and dialogue with Koushiro helped Noah understand the positioning of the strong on the sea.
Through Koushiro’s description of swordsmanship realms, Noah also set his own analysis ability realm.
Master-level swordsmanship is swordsman level, perfect-level swordsmanship is top swordsman, and beyond level is great swordsman.
Basically, the level of the future Four Emperors and Three Admirals will have at least one aspect at the beyond level, and even more than one.
At that level, they generally leave no weaknesses for themselves.
It is now the year 1504, and there are 5 years until the Mary Geoise incident in 1509.
His goal for his strength in these 5 years is to break through to swordsman level in swordsmanship, and at least reach mastery in Haki.
If he could break through to master level, that would be even better.
Noah now has many movie and anime works in his mind.
Coming up with a few crazy training methods would surely be easy.
Let the memories of his previous life become the nourishment for his advancement in this life.
Combining the ideas from his past world and the reality of this world, he developed training methods that even Koushiro marveled at.
His method for hardening his body began with waterfall punches, inspired by the Saint Seiya series.
Saint Seiya needs no introduction – a group of fighters whose fists tear through the sky and feet can crack the earth, protecting the goddess.
Practicing punches under a waterfall, as represented by the Libra Saint who overturned Mount Lu.
Originally, Shimotsuki Village had no waterfall, so even if he came up with this idea, he couldn’t implement it.
But this world isn’t so scientifically accurate!
After inviting Master Koushiro, he stood by the river at the back of the island and, with an astonishing flying slash, created a waterfall.
Shimotsuki Swordsmanship mastery increased to 6%.
Practicing punches under the waterfall, with rolling logs and huge stones occasionally falling from the river, combined with the Shimotsuki secret medicine, had an excellent effect.
Master Koushiro even praised it.
He said that if Noah trained like this, his body would quickly develop Armament Haki.
Because if he couldn’t develop it, he might die in a few days.
His training for Observation Haki also took a unique approach.
His eyes were covered, and Robin used her Paramecia-type Devil Fruit ability to throw pebbles from all directions.
Noah would then try to cut the pebbles with his wooden sword.
This simultaneously trained his swordsmanship, his Observation Haki senses, and Robin’s Devil Fruit ability – killing three birds with one stone.
Initially, Noah was covered in bruises, and Robin sometimes couldn’t bear to continue.
However, after being reassured, she persevered with the training.
Later, when he could cut every pebble with his eyes covered, he then plugged his ears as well, returning Noah to his bruised state.
After a month, he could cut the pebbles by feel, but Observation Haki still hadn’t manifested.
There was only a feeling that it was about to emerge.
Noah realized that this training method had reached its limit.
He needed to seek the answer in life-or-death situations.
Current Panel Data:
Constitution: 30
Strength: 28
Speed: 29
Skills:
Soru: Novice 10% (Physical condition is barely sufficient, not recommended for use)
Conqueror’s Haki 11%~13%
Shimotsuki Swordsmanship Mastery 7%
Wearing a katana disguised as a pirate hunter on his back, Noah appeased Robin and prepared to set out.
This time, he planned to roam the East Blue for a month, seeking a breakthrough.
He boarded a passing merchant ship, and Noah, under the alias Klein Moretti, officially set sail.
This action pays tribute to the great Fool, as a pseudonym was the Fool’s original intention.
Sailing the sea is extremely boring, but Captain Neil of the merchant ship enjoyed it.
The more boring, the safer.
This was a trading ship that sailed around the islands of the East Blue, and it was relatively small.
The sailors on board also acted as guards, so what safety could there be?
He offered to act as a guard in exchange for passage.
Captain Neil hesitated at first, then refused this good offer, because the more experienced you are, the more you understand that nothing comes for free.
However, after the pirate hunter presented an introduction letter from the Sword Dojo Master of Shimotsuki Village, Captain Neil’s attitude changed, and he gladly agreed to let Mr.
Klein board.
Naturally, there was no charge for guard duty.
They had to respect Mr.
Klein’s original intention.
The reason for his change of attitude was that Captain Neil knew the master of the Shimotsuki Village dojo was a capable person.
Occasionally, people from nearby islands would travel by boat to learn from him, and Shimotsuki Village had not been attacked by pirates over the years.
Therefore, captains who operated in this area respected Koushiro, a powerful individual.
By taking this pirate hunter on board, the ship’s safety would be somewhat increased until he disembarked.
Of course, only somewhat; they still had to be cautious.
Being a pirate hunter doesn’t necessarily mean being powerful.
Most pirate hunters kill pirates by tracking low-bounty pirates and assassinating them when they are unprepared using various methods.
For example, sinking ships, setting fires, poisoning, using lime powder, setting traps, and backstabbing.
They rarely engage in direct combat.
The reason they target pirates with low bounties is because their strength dictates it.
Once one reaches a certain level of strength, these despicable tactics become less effective, and the risk of assassination increases.
Pirate hunters are similar to hyenas: they have poor character, don’t mind eating carrion, and are good at bullying the weak.
Most hunters are not very strong.
Wouldn’t it be better to be a pirate if you were strong?
Someone like Zoro is a complete anomaly among pirate hunters.
What pirate hunter chases pirates and kills them head-on?
Captain Morgan humiliated Zoro so much because he believed a mere pirate hunter could be easily captured.
Back to the merchant ship.
Since it was a trading vessel, the internal space was filled with cargo.
Noah had no choice but to lean against the cargo at the stern of the ship.
Watching the distant sea, feeling the rising and falling waves, he silently practiced his blade meditation.
This move was inspired by the Bleach series.
In it, Shinigami communicate with their Zanpakuto through blade meditation to unleash incredible power.
Since he couldn’t train conventionally, Noah decided to try this training method, unsure if it would be effective.
His eyes glazed over, the sea breeze blew, and listening to the cries of the seagulls, his mind gradually calmed, leaving only the sound of his own breathing.
Inhale~exhale~, inhale~exhale~.
At this moment, he seemed to sense something flash past on the distant sea.
He focused his gaze, but there was nothing.
Yet, deep down, he felt a colossal presence approaching.
Although he saw nothing, Noah trusted his intuition more.
He grabbed his sword and stood up, ready to defend himself.
“Mr.
Klein, is something the matter?”
“There’s danger.”
Afterward, Noah ignored the commotion from the sailors and focused all his senses to their maximum.
After five minutes of waiting, the sea remained undisturbed.
The sailors dispersed and went about their business, secretly thinking that this pirate hunter was unreliable.
“They’re here!”
With a bang, a dark silhouette broke through the surface of the sea, casting a shadow that enveloped the entire merchant ship.
A sea monster!