"...Kill with a wooden sword?"
Zoro froze, staring blankly at Ryukawa's back.
Even Kuina was stunned.
Her hands, which were still holding out the Wado Ichimonji, stiffened slightly.
After a few seconds, she silently withdrew the treasured blade.
"This man… seems incredible."
Zack and Kanbal exchanged a glance, awe rising in their eyes as they looked at Ryukawa.
Anyone who dared say such a thing was either insane…
Or truly had the power to back it up.
And clearly, Ryukawa fell into the latter category.
In the eyes of villagers, anyone from the Isshin Dojo was already far stronger than average folk—
but this young man felt like something far beyond that.
"Alright. You two, stay behind and protect them."
Ryukawa waved casually, leaving Zoro and Kuina only the sight of his calm, steady back.
He stepped forward several paces.
The wooden sword hung loosely in his hand as he stared toward the towering mountain ahead.
Based on all the clues they'd found so far, there was little doubt—
This was where the bandits' main hideout was located.
"If not for the risk of harming the kidnapped girls…"
A faint hint of regret flashed through Ryukawa's eyes.
"I really want to see what happens if I unleash my full strength.
How much destruction could I cause with a single blow?"
He was genuinely curious.
But since innocent victims might be inside the hideout, he couldn't simply level the mountain.
A pity…
Still—
A small test wouldn't hurt.
"I've spent days tirelessly swinging my sword…
Let's see how far the power I've accumulated has grown."
Ryukawa looked up at the mountain.
Its steep face towered fifty meters above the ground.
Before such a massive structure, Ryukawa's figure seemed tiny—insignificant even.
Yet—
Under Kuina and Zoro's confused gazes…
They saw Ryukawa raise his wooden sword—
And point it directly at the mountain.
"Huh? Senior Brother… what is he doing?"
Kuina frowned, utterly baffled.
She glanced at Zoro.
He had the exact same expression.
"Is he… planning to attack the mountain?"
Zoro couldn't make sense of it.
Still, he followed Ryukawa's instructions—
He stood guard, focused entirely on potential ambushes, refusing to drop his vigilance.
Unless…
Kuina's eyes suddenly widened.
A terrifying possibility flashed across her mind.
N-no way… right?
He wouldn't—
He couldn't—
"...No. That's impossible."
She shook her head violently.
"Even if Senior Brother is strong…
There's no way he could do something that outrageous."
At least—
That's what she forced herself to berryeve.
At that moment—
Everyone's eyes—Zoro's, Kuina's, and the villagers'—were fixed on Ryukawa.
And then…
They saw it.
Ryukawa lifted the wooden sword—
And slowly swung it down.
"W-Wait—he's actually swinging at the mountain?!"
Zoro and Kuina's minds blanked.
The villagers almost collapsed on the spot.
What kind of madman cuts a mountain with a wooden sword?!
And yet—
Watching his posture…
Watching his stance…
It really looked like his goal was to split the mountain in two!
"Oh my god…"
Kanbal's voice shook.
"Is he… is he serious?!"
Zack's legs trembled uncontrollably.
Just then—
"One-Sword Style—
Iai: One-Sword Slash!"
Ryukawa swung.
In that instant—
The air around him exploded with pressure.
Though he held only a wooden sword, a terrifying killing aura erupted from his body—
sharp, overwhelming, impossible to ignore.
The sheer sword intent radiating from him felt like a physical blade pressing against their flesh.
Kuina and Zoro froze.
They couldn't move—
Could barely breathe—
As if a mountain had dropped onto their shoulders.
"S-such… terrifying pressure…"
Kuina whispered, clutching the Wado Ichimonji so tightly her knuckles turned white.
Zoro wasn't any better.
His heart pounded violently.
Just how strong…
Has Senior Brother become?!
At that moment—
From the wooden sword's downward arc—
A faint crimson gleam flickered.
Sword energy.
Crimson energy rapidly coiled around the wooden blade—
growing thicker, denser, more oppressive—
Until—
With a roar, the sword aura found its release.
BOOM!!!
A tremendous wave of crimson sword energy burst forth—
Tearing away from the wooden sword—
And shooting straight toward the mountainside like a meteor.
Kuina and Zoro's eyes widened to the brink of bursting.
"That's—"
"Sword aura!"
"N-no… not just sword aura—this is projected sword aura!"
Kuina's voice shook uncontrollably.
She had sensed Ryukawa was strong…
But this level?!
This was a realm she couldn't even imagine reaching.
The gap—
Was too enormous.
Looking at Ryukawa's back, Kuina felt a despairing sense of insignificance.
How are we supposed to catch up to someone like this?!
Zoro stood frozen.
Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine Ryukawa had grown this powerful—
powerful enough to produce externalized sword aura…
With a wooden sword.
"Someone capable of projecting sword aura…
That means he's already stepped into the realm of true sword masters…"
Kuina's voice shook.
"B-But when…?
When did Senior Brother reach this stage?"
Her mind felt like mush.
Meanwhile—
The villagers were practically collapsing.
Their legs gave out beneath them.
The pressure from Ryukawa's aura alone nearly crushed them.
"This man's strength…
He's not just strong—he's terrifying!"
"With him here…
The bandits don't stand a chance."
"M-my daughter…
She might really be saved!"
Their eyes were full of awe and reverence—
As though gazing at something divine.
And in that moment—
With crimson sword aura swirling around him, illuminating his form like a deity descending from heaven—
The villagers could only think:
This wasn't a swordsman.
This was a god—
A being capable of anything.
Impossible to look at directly—
Only worthy of worship.
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