[Host: Ryukawa]
[Strength: 106 (+11)]
[Speed: 104 (+10)]
[Stamina: 111 (+12)]
[Skills: Swordsmanship Lv.19 (+1), Iai: One-Slash Draw Lv.16 (+3)]
[Total Sword Swings: 7,612]
Ryukawa withdrew his wooden sword and carefully examined the changes on his status panel.
After a moment, he let out a long breath. His eyes shimmered, and a faint smile spread across his face.
As expected—
He had grown stronger again.
This feeling of constantly getting stronger…
Truly intoxicating.
"With my current strength, in all of East Blue, I can basically say I no longer have any real opponents.
At least not counting those hidden old monsters like the dojo master."
"If I converted my strength into a bounty estimate…
I should already be at, or even past, the 100 million berry level."
He thought to himself.
And in East Blue, what did a 100 million berry bounty represent?
A local tyrant level, an absolute powerhouse!
East Blue was the weakest of the Four Seas.
A pirate with a 100 million bounty here was already considered a monstrous figure.
And yet Ryukawa, without making a sound, had already reached the very peak of East Blue's power scale.
As the dojo bustled with students training, each absorbed in their own practice—
Suddenly—
Rumble! Rumble!
Hurried footsteps echoed from outside the dojo, growing louder and louder.
"Master! Master, please—you must save us!"
Several plainly dressed villagers rushed into the dojo, eyes red as they fell to their knees before Koushirou.
"Everyone, please stand. I can't accept such a heavy salute,"
Koushirou quickly helped them up.
Ryukawa paused his sword swings.
Kuina, Zoro, and the other students turned toward the commotion.
"Master, what happened?"
Ryukawa asked as he walked over.
"Calm yourselves first," Koushirou said gently. "Tell us the situation clearly, and only then can we help resolve it."
Encouraged by his tone, the villagers slowly steadied their emotions—though fear and anxiety still clouded their eyes.
"It's West Village… The mountain behind it—
Suddenly a group of bandits appeared!"
"They burn and kill! They took several girls from our village back to their mountain!"
"They killed dozens of our elders and young men… And they stole all our food!"
"The whole village is terrified. We don't know when they'll return.
Master, please—save our people. Please save the girls they took!"
At those words…
The surrounding students tightened their grips on their wooden swords, faces burning with anger.
"Bandits?"
Koushirou's brow twitched.
Shimotsuki Village was usually peaceful—but once in a while, mountain bandits would appear.
Koushirou had dealt with such matters many times before, so he wasn't surprised.
As the only sword school in the region, protecting the villagers from bandits was a natural duty of Isshin Dojo.
Zoro clenched his fists.
"Master! Let me handle those bandits! They're too cruel!"
But Koushirou shook his head.
"You're still too young."
A hundred bandits…
Even if their individual strength was low, the numbers were overwhelming.
And more importantly—
Zoro had never killed before.
Facing real murderers, someone accustomed only to training duels might freeze.
Training was training.
Dueling was dueling.
But killing—that was a different world entirely.
"I'll go."
Ryukawa stepped forward, eyes sharp.
A blade… was meant to taste blood.
Swordsmanship… existed for killing.
"You?"
Koushirou paused, thinking.
If it were Zoro, he couldn't rest easy.
But Ryukawa…
With Ryukawa's current strength, dealing with a hundred bandits would be effortless.
"Very well," Koushirou said, patting Ryukawa's shoulder.
"But be careful."
Ryukawa grinned.
Finally—
A chance to let his sword drink real blood.
He wasn't nervous.
If anything, he was excited.
"Master… can he really do it?"
Some villagers asked weakly.
They didn't doubt Koushirou—
But Ryukawa looked so young!
A minor, facing a hundred hardened killers?
But Ryukawa smiled lightly.
"Since you've entrusted it to me, I'll resolve it for you. Rest assured."
To the villagers, a hundred bandits was a terrifying force.
To Ryukawa?
Even if there were ten times that number—
The result would be the same.
With his current strength, saying he could sweep through the entire East Blue wasn't an exaggeration.
The only thing he lacked…
Was real combat experience.
"Master, I want to go too!"
Zoro looked determined.
"…Fine."
Koushirou nodded after a moment.
With Ryukawa present, he wasn't worried.
This would be a good opportunity for Zoro to temper his swordsmanship.
A swordsman's blade must one day be stained with blood.
"Father, I want to go as well."
Kuina bit her lip but made her decision.
Koushirou was surprised—
But after thinking it over, he did not stop her.
And so…
It was settled.
Ryukawa would lead the team—
with Kuina and Zoro as the two stubborn followers trailing behind him—
to wipe out the hundred-man bandit group occupying the hill outside West Village.
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