If one wished to cut through something without harming it, how should one do it?
Hiroto asked himself again, and then the answer naturally surfaced in his mind.
A sword is an inanimate object, a sharp weapon. When it cuts, it will inevitably result in either cutting or not cutting. Therefore, it cannot achieve 'nothing can be cut, nothing cannot be cut'.
But what if the sword in hand is completely integrated into one's will, becoming an inseparable collective?
Then, what difference is there between a sword cutting down and a person throwing a punch?
A sword cannot control itself, but can a person not control themselves?
Injecting will into the sword, letting will become an extension of the limb, and finally making the sword and will one.
If one doesn't want to cut, then don't. The blade merely touches.
If one wants to cut, then cut with all of their might. With just a light touch, the killing weapon can slaughter the 'life' pulsating before it.
Just as a person dies when killed.
"The so-called Breath of All Things is such a thing."
Hiroto opened his calm eyes, and Wado Ichimonji slashed down sharply.
The blade flashed, like smooth objects rubbing against each other, ending with just a slight unusual sound.
He looked at the railing at the bow of the ship, reached out and gently pushed it. The resistance gave him the answer.
Breath of All Things—it was done.
[Entry: Breath of All Things (Blue) acquired!]
[Entry: Breath of All Things]
[Quality: Blue (Upgradeable)]
[Type: Special]
[Effect: With sword in hand, I am the blade. Nothing is uncuttable.]
[Cost: Stamina]
[Note: From today onward, you are worthy of the title swordsman.]
The message faded.
As for the "upgradeable" tag, Hiroto wasn't surprised. He had only grasped the core of Breath of All Things—taking himself as the blade.
He could see the "breath" of steel, cleave it like a living foe, yet still fail against diamond. His training was insufficient, his understanding of Breath of All Things still shallow.
In the original story, after learning the technique, Zoro had aimed to cut diamond. That showed the skill demanded lifelong refinement.
The "upgradeable" label only confirmed it.
Still, this was a qualitative breakthrough. In the coming duel with Zoro, he now had the edge in swordsmanship.
'I can't wait.' Hiroto itched for the fight.
Meanwhile, a two-masted ship sailed the sea.
"Captain, there's a civilian boat ahead—dead on course." The lookout reported.
The owner, Binmock, frowned.
After a moment, he strode to the second mast.
A mild, spectacled man was paying a News Coo—transaction complete.
To any observer, he looked like an ordinary, kindly uncle.
Yet…
Binmock hurried closer, servile. "Koushirou-san."
Before he could finish, the man raised a silencing hand and Binmock shut up at once.
Koushirou scowled at the newspaper, tucked inside lay a sheaf of bounty posters.
Topmost showed a green-haired man with three dangling gold earrings in his left ear.
"Have you fallen, Zoro?"
Binmock peeked, then gaped.
[Pirate Hunter Zoro]
[Bounty: 9 million berries]
[Dead or alive]
A huge sum—another near-ten-million pirate in the East Blue?
Binmock's merchant instincts bristled. Pirates meant bad business. One might be singing over hot-pot with wife and kids when raiders burst in.
"You… know him?"
"My pupil."
Koushirou folded the paper. "What did you want?"
"A civilian ship's heading straight for us."
Binmock swallowed his curiosity, smiling. "You know this cargo's my life's investment, borrowed heavily. If anything happens, I'll have to jump overboard. That's why I begged you to sail with us—better safe than sorry."
"Very well. If they're pirates, I'll act. But after this, your grandfather's debt is repaid."
When the Shimotsuki branch left Wano Country they owed Binmock's grandfather a favor. That debt had lingered.
"Of course." Binmock nodded hastily.
Koushirou moved to the bow, hand on sword, watchful.
No foe in the weak East Blue warranted concern.
Binmock bought another paper from the News Coo. He slipped it open and again saw Zoro's poster.
'Another big pirate—times are tough. But if he's Koushirou-san's student, maybe this is my chance?'
He flipped to the next poster and froze, blood turning to ice.
"F-forty million berries!?"
When had the East Blue birthed such a monster?
He rushed the poster to Koushirou.
"Look! A 40-million bounty in our seas—no hope of survival if we meet."
"I think—"
Koushirou cut him off, voice odd. "We already have."
"!?"
Binmock jerked his gaze up, the civilian vessel was now alongside.
He saw the figurehead standing proud—the face matched the poster exactly.
"Head-Chopping Swordsman Hiroto!?"
His vision blackened, how could fate be so cruel?
Koushirou's face hardened—not over the 40 million but over the sword at Hiroto's hip: Kuina's blade, the Wado Ichimonji he had given Zoro.
Remembering Zoro's poster, he gripped his sword's hilt, eyes cold.
Meanwhile, on the single-masted sloop, Hiroto met the murderous aura.
Looks familiar...
Koushirou?
A scion of Wano's Shimotsuki now in the East Blue, founder of Shimotsuki Village.
In the original tale, he dealt with the Revolutionary Army.
Zoro's swordsmanship—Breath of All Things, flying slash—came from him.
The man was at minimum a swordsman who could launch flying slashes.
Swordsmen, too, have tiers.
And right now, the man's killing intent was aimed at Wado Ichimonji.
"Carina, wake Zoro. Nami, drop sail."
Hiroto raised both hands toward the approaching brig in the classic French military salute. The gesture sliced the murderous pressure in half.
Then, Koushirou vanished and a gale slammed from the sky.
Wind passed, and the lean swordsman stood before him, hand on hilt.
'As expected—master of such a pupil, and ally of revolutionaries, no simple hermit.'
Hiroto jerked a thumb astern. "Zoro's coming, he had night watch."
"More importantly, why is my daughter's sword in your keeping?" Koushirou's calm voice carried the weight of an approaching tsunami.