Chapter 44: It Had Better Be You
"Faster! Even faster! Skipped breakfast? Want me to feed you my Love Iron Fist?"
Ryuji roared; the sprinting swordsmen shuddered, then pushed themselves to the brink.
"Waaah... is the Pillar of Fist a demon?"
"My bones feel like they're falling apart..."
Apart from the future Pillars, every other swordsman was somehow still on their feet—something Ryuji hadn't expected.
Since training began, not a day had passed without tears.
A month of brutal drills and Ryuji's "loving" fists had tormented these gifted swordsmen.
Yet the results were undeniable.
The soon-to-be Pillars had already mastered Total Concentration; constant was almost within reach, and the rest could at least activate it.
"Hah, still works like a charm. So, Big Brother Uzui, why'd you come looking for me?"
Ryuji glanced at Uzui Tengen beside him, arms folded.
"How very flashy."
Uzui Tengen smiled, arms still crossed. "It's not me—it's the master. He wants you; probably a mission."
"A mission, huh?"
Ryuji nodded, then barked at the runners: "Run your laps and you're done. If I catch anyone slacking… heh."
The swordsmen ran even harder.
Last time someone had loafed, the outcome had been… memorable.
And this Pillar excelled at surprise inspections.
He'd claim he was leaving, then never actually leave—no one dared be fooled.
"All right, let's go. Can't keep the master waiting."
"Mm."
The two sped to the Oyakata Residence and met Ubuyashiki Kagaya.
"Several places have lost or injured too many members; I'd like you two to investigate."
Ryuji frowned. "Separately?"
Ubuyashiki nodded. "Yes. Shinjuro and Gyomei can't break free, and there are many regions…"
"Understood—leave it to me, flashily!" Uzui declared, brimming with confidence.
"I'll complete the mission—flashily!"
Ryuji merely nodded.
Ubuyashiki produced two maps and handed one to each.
"These two areas report the most casualties. Investigate only—no reckless heroics, clear?"
He looked pointedly at Ryuji.
Uzui glanced at the fine print on his map and instantly understood.
"Yes, master."
Ryuji studied his own map and answered gravely.
Outside, Ryuji murmured, "Big Brother Uzui, did you notice the master's scar has worsened?"
"Indeed—those un-flashy scars are taxing his health," Uzui replied, then grew serious. "Remember: recon only—no charging in!"
"Got it. I'll gear up."
"Good. I'll head off first—time for a flashy start!"
Ryuji watched Uzui vanish in a flicker, then returned to the training ground.
Sure enough, no one had dared slack.
When he finally granted them leave, the swordsmen wept for joy.
"Hey—hold it!"
Ryuji stopped; that tone left no doubt who it was.
Only the fiery red-pepper himself.
Shinazugawa Sanemi arrived still catching his breath, tossing Ryuji a wooden sword.
"Come—let's spar!"
The surrounding swordsmen buzzed with excitement.
"How long will Sanemi last this time?"
"I say fifteen seconds—last round he managed ten…"
"Whatever happens, watching the Pillar school someone is fun."
Ryuji caught the bokken and flicked it. "I'm in a hurry—watch yourself."
Sanemi planted his blade in the dirt, eyes blood-shot. "Even better!"
He inhaled sharply. "Wind Breathing—Total Concentration!"
He shot forward, blindingly fast.
Smack!
Sanemi stared at the blue sky, veins redder than ever.
One-hit KO!
Was this the real gap?
Ryuji looked down at the fallen Sanemi and smirked; this wasn't yet the savage Wind Pillar of later days—still green, a one-shot was normal.
"Later."
With that, Ryuji vanished.
Back in his room he picked up the hand-guards from the table and slipped them on.
They were thin, glove-like, unremarkable.
When Tetsugane Iwao had first handed them over, Ryuji had thought they were cloth.
Later he learned they were woven from pliable metal, hardened Ore plating only over the knuckles.
The instant Ryuji donned them they turned violet; Tetsugane could only sigh.
"System—open panel."
Ryuji exhaled the command in his mind.
[Host: Ryuji]
[Age: 14]
[Post: Ensign, East Sea Branch]
[Abilities: Breathing Technique (Fist), Armament Haki (mastered), Navy Six Styles: Paper Arts (rudiment), Observation Haki (rudiment)]
[cultivation points: 300]
[military merit points: 1,500]
[Items: marine recruit training manual (Zephyr), nichirin blade (hand-guards), jade necklace]
[Evaluation: A Marine who has mastered Armament hardening; can hold his own against wash-outs back from the Grand Line!]
He eyed the saved-up points—this month hadn't been idle.
Today, Armament Haki would reach its peak Rank!
He pictured himself fully clad, Blood Demon Arts bouncing off uselessly while demons gawked.
"System—dump points into Armament!"
[Insufficient cultivation points.]
The cold synthetic voice gave him pause, though he wasn't truly surprised.
It felt… expected.
If the System skimmed points, it wouldn't let him leap straight to top-tier Armament.
Logical—utterly logical.
"How many more do I need?"
he asked.
[Before "mastered": 100 points per Rank. After: 5,000 per Rank; difficulty snowballs.]
Sensing his silence, it added:
[cultivation points are time-credits; they bridge talent gaps.]
Plain talk: no talent? Pay with time.
"Got it—dump into Observation, then."
[Point added—100 consumed.]
[Point added—100 consumed.]
[Point added—100 consumed.]
"Next time, condense the spam, okay?"
Ryuji grumbled at the triple mechanical ping. "Even web-novels hate filler…"
[Through relentless training your grasp of Observation Haki has deepened!]
[Congratulations—Observation Haki officially mastered!]
[Observation Haki (mastered): you can clearly sense surroundings and read enemy Moves in combat; beware, strong emotion or inattention still leaves you open to ambush.]
In that instant, silence fell—then a radar-like awareness bloomed, mapping the area in every direction.
"Demons are in for a treat now. Dual Haki plus the Moves I've cooked up pounding these swordsmen…"
Red light flickered in his eyes as he read the fine print on the map:
"Doma—it had better be you."
The map noted that most missing members were women.
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