If Roya had tried to figure out what the so-called Breath of All Things was based solely on his memories of the scene where Zoro comprehended it, he estimated that he would have had to expend an enormous amount of effort before he could understand it.
However, the Essence of Swordsmanship explained the Breath of All Things with astonishing clarity.
The phrase “Breath of All Things” sounded rather vague and confusing, but if this state were described using another word, it would become incredibly simple.
That word was…
Focus.
Yes, it really was that simple.
But although it sounded simple, actually achieving it was extremely difficult.
Ordinary people found it difficult to concentrate their minds completely, free themselves from distracting thoughts, and focus entirely on a single matter or object.
When one’s entire mind was completely concentrated and focused on a particular object or a single point, one could experience an entirely different sensation.
That was the so-called Breath of All Things.
“So that’s how it works.
Absolute focus on the sword, absolute focus on the act of cutting.
In that state, one can unleash a power completely different from an ordinary slash…”
Roya looked at the detailed explanation of the essence of a Swordsman in the Essence of Swordsmanship.
An expression of realization appeared on his face as he muttered to himself.
It made sense.
After all, this material came from the Marine Headquarters archives.
It had undoubtedly been organized and refined by countless people, making it extraordinarily detailed while also presenting the concepts in the simplest and clearest way possible.
However, understanding something didn’t necessarily mean being able to accomplish it.
Swordsmen weren’t common as dirt.
It wasn’t something that just anyone could accomplish.
Even if ordinary swordsmen understood that the difference between themselves and a true Swordsman lay in this state of Focus, they would still find it extremely difficult to empty their minds and maintain that concentration.
Many swordsmen had to spend years, or even decades, practicing swordsmanship continuously, gradually suppressing their distracting thoughts, before they could completely concentrate their minds on the act of cutting and enter the state of Focus.
The first threshold to becoming a Swordsman was enough to stop countless swordsmen in their tracks.
“Focus?”
Roya looked at the material in his hands.
After reading through this section in its entirety, he closed his eyes and carefully recalled what he had just learned before placing the Essence of Swordsmanship aside.
Normally, maintaining Focus and concentrating one’s mind completely on the act of cutting required countless repetitions of swinging the sword.
Through repeated practice, one would gradually enter that state and begin to touch its threshold.
But Roya felt that he might not need to take that approach.
“An empty mind…”
Roya closed his eyes and muttered inwardly.
At the same time, he began adjusting his breathing and regulating his thoughts, gradually suppressing the countless distracting thoughts within his mind.
Roya was different from ordinary people.
He had already died once.
After coming to this world, his soul had fused with the Sword Soul, and his spiritual power had become far stronger than that of an ordinary person.
With such a powerful soul and mental strength, Roya didn’t need to rely on the slow, painstaking method that ordinary people used.
Instead, he could take a more forceful approach and forcibly gather his mind!
At first, forcibly concentrating his mind wasn’t easy.
Countless distracting thoughts kept surfacing, constantly interfering with Roya.
But Roya’s mind didn’t follow any of them.
One by one, he suppressed and eliminated every distracting thought that surfaced.
Gradually…
At some unknown point, Roya’s mind became completely tranquil.
It was like a cloudless blue sky.
Even when the wind passed through it, not the slightest ripple appeared.
Silently, Roya slowly opened his eyes.
His gaze was as clear as water.
There wasn’t even the slightest trace of distracting thought in his eyes.
Everything between Heaven and Earth seemed to have fallen completely silent.
There were no sounds.
The only thing echoing in his ears was the beating of his own heart.
It was an extremely strange state.
This wasn’t simply daydreaming.
Rather, Roya could clearly observe his own thoughts, while his consciousness had completely condensed into a single line, preventing any distracting thoughts from surfacing and interfering with him.
“So this is the state of having no distracting thoughts, this completely tranquil state?”
This was Roya’s first time entering such a state, and for a moment, he couldn’t help feeling somewhat amazed.
But he quickly returned to his usual calm.
This state itself wasn’t Focus.
Rather, the state of Focus extended from this state of complete tranquility.
Roya began trying to concentrate his mind completely on the objects around him.
Vaguely, he seemed to be able to hear the breathing of the table, the chair, the teacup, the floor…
“Is this Observation Haki?”
While in this state, Roya suddenly became suspicious.
This sensation seemed somewhat similar to the descriptions of Observation Haki.
He inexplicably felt that if he directed his completely concentrated mind toward cutting, he would enter the realm of a Swordsman.
But if he moved in another direction, it seemed that he would instead reach Observation Haki.
This state might even be the embryonic form of Observation Haki.
However, Roya hadn’t yet obtained any Observation Haki training from Garp.
Still, he knew that being able to enter this state meant that, in terms of his realm, he had already caught his first glimpse of the Swordsman’s level.
“Focus.”
Roya’s gaze returned to his Great Grade Blade, Engetsu.
He gently drew Engetsu from its sheath.
Then he casually picked up a sheet of paper.
His gaze was clear as he watched it before tossing it into the air.
“A sword that can cut anything is the sword of a Swordsman.
And if you want to cut anything, you must first learn how to cut nothing…”
“Let’s give it a try.”
At this moment, Roya’s mind was completely concentrated on the sheet of paper slowly drifting downward through the air, as well as the Great Grade Blade Engetsu held firmly in both his hands.
Swish!
In the next instant, Roya’s sword suddenly swung out.
A faint sound of displaced air rang through the room as an intensely sharp edge erupted from the blade and struck the falling sheet of paper.
The paper…
wasn’t cut.
Cutting an ordinary sheet of paper was naturally an extremely simple matter.
But striking it with a powerful sword and having the paper remain completely uncut was an entirely different realm.
“This is it!”
When Roya saw that his slash had left the falling sheet of paper completely unharmed, a brilliant glint suddenly flashed through his clear eyes.
At the same time, he exited the state of Focus.
“Is it really this simple?”
Roya returned Engetsu to its sheath and picked up the sheet of paper to examine it.
After a moment, he gently shook his head.
“No.
I entered that state under completely peaceful conditions.”
“To enter it at will during battle and maintain that state continuously isn’t going to be easy.”
With that thought, Roya stood up.
A look of determination flashed through his eyes.
As expected, this method of forcibly gathering his mind and entering the state of Focus was viable for him!
The most basic method of comprehending Focus was to swing one’s sword day after day, allowing one’s heart to gradually become one with the sword, following the sword wherever it went, until one finally comprehended and mastered the state completely.
There was another special method as well—the one Roya had just used.
It approached the problem directly from the mental side.
This method was also recorded in the Essence of Swordsmanship, but very few people were capable of successfully cultivating through it.
Roya happened to be perfectly suited to this method of training.
“Then next, I need to try entering the state of Focus freely under any circumstances and maintaining it at will, until I stabilize this realm completely!”
“Though… it still seems pretty easy.”