"Mist Breathing — Flowing Slash!"
Yoriichi Tsugikuni's strike was one that, in another world, could effortlessly sever the head of any Upper Rank demon. Even the Demon King himself would have had no choice but to accept his fate.
The bamboo sword carried terrifying force as it cut toward Zephyr.
Crack!
The two practice swords collided with a sharp sound.
Zephyr simply raised his own bamboo sword — and effortlessly blocked the horizontal slash.
"Heh!"
"Kid, that's a pretty interesting attack!"
Having easily stopped the strike, Zephyr smiled broadly.
Even though Yoriichi Tsugikuni was using a technique capable of dominating his former world, it was blocked without effort here. Seeing Zephyr's relaxed expression, Yoriichi Tsugikuni immediately understood the massive gap between them.
"Against someone at this level, probing attacks are meaningless."
"I have to go all out from the start."
He inhaled deeply.
With the blades pressed together, Yoriichi Tsugikuni shifted the angle of his sword to redirect Zephyr's strength, then pushed off the floor and closed the distance instantly.
Sun Breathing — Third Form — Raging Sun Mirror!
At point-blank range, he reversed his grip and slashed again. Though it was only a bamboo sword, flames seemed to wrap around the strike.
"A truly fearsome technique!"
Zephyr praised, watching the blade sweep toward his neck — and suddenly reached out with his left hand, grabbing the sword.
"?!!"
Yoriichi Tsugikuni froze.
He had expected Zephyr to dodge or parry — not catch the blade with his bare hand.
Even a bamboo sword, enhanced by his technique, carried immense power. No normal body should withstand it. Yet Zephyr held it effortlessly.
Through the Transparent World, Yoriichi Tsugikuni saw a concentrated energy in Zephyr's hand — unmistakably Haki.
"Kid, you lost focus!"
Zephyr shouted.
Still gripping the sword, he swung his right fist forward. Though holding a weapon, he chose to attack with his fist instead.
The punch came straight for Yoriichi Tsugikuni's face. He leapt back, using Zephyr's grip as leverage to twist midair and kick toward Zephyr's head.
"Hehehe."
Zephyr didn't even dodge. He simply took the kick head-on.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni released the sword and used the rebound to flip back several meters.
Landing with one hand braced against the floor, he stared silently at Zephyr — who still held the bamboo sword.
In just one exchange, he had been disarmed.
Even if Zephyr's method felt a little unfair, there was no denying the truth: Zephyr's power far exceeded any swordsman or demon Yoriichi Tsugikuni had ever faced.
They were on completely different levels.
"Yoriichi, how much strength did you put into that strike?"
Zephyr tossed the sword back and beckoned for him to continue.
"All of it," Yoriichi Tsugikuni replied.
He immediately charged again — this time abandoning flashy techniques and relying purely on speed and precision. His sword flashed in a storm of cuts and thrusts, pushing his body's limits.
In an instant, countless blade shadows filled the space before Zephyr.
Every strike was deliberate. Through the Transparent World, Yoriichi Tsugikuni targeted the openings he saw — but whenever his sword reached them, Zephyr's blade was already there, erasing the weakness.
The dojo echoed with rapid, rhythmic strikes.
Despite the relentless assault, Zephyr looked completely at ease, even offering commentary.
"Very good!"
"Your angles are tricky — purely in terms of technique, I might even be worse than you."
"But your flaws are obvious too. Your strength is too low. Your speed is too slow."
"You could handle small-time pirates, but against stronger opponents, you'd struggle."
As he spoke, Zephyr suddenly shifted from defense to offense. With a powerful swing, he struck Yoriichi Tsugikuni's sword.
The impact surged through the bamboo blade. Yoriichi Tsugikuni's grip faltered — and the sword flew from his hands.
It spun through the air, slammed into the wall, and blasted straight through it with a thunderous crash, leaving a large hole.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni stared at the opening, speechless.
He had heard Zephyr's evaluation clearly.
He didn't know what Zephyr meant by "slow" or "weak." The strength Zephyr called small could lift a giant beast's leg with ease. And the speed Zephyr called slow had just unleashed hundreds of strikes in a single breath.
Zephyr walked over, smiling even wider, and patted his shoulder.
"Kid, you've got a long way to go."
"You're still far too weak."
"In the coming days, you'll need to train hard. Don't slack off."
He laughed heartily.
At that moment, the dojo doors slid open. A young Marine officer rushed in, looking alarmed.
"Instructor Zephyr! What just happened?!"
"There was a bamboo sword that suddenly—"
Zephyr waved it off.
"Oh, Victor. It's nothing."
"I was just sparring with my disciple."
"Let me introduce you — this is Yoriichi Tsugikuni, my student."
"Yoriichi, this is Victor, one of the academy's sword instructors."
Yoriichi Tsugikuni nodded politely.
Victor, however, glanced at the hole in the wall with a twitch of his brow.
What Zephyr didn't know was that the flying sword had nearly hit Victor outside — smashing into a large stone and shattering. He had almost been killed by accident.
"Please… try not to 'spar' like that in the future," Victor muttered, still shaken.
His gaze lingered on Yoriichi Tsugikuni. Even without knowing the full story, he could tell this new disciple was extraordinary.
"Instructor, is he here to study at the academy?" Victor asked.
"Study? Ah — no, you won't be teaching him… I mean, I'll handle his training myself!"
"He's still too young and too weak. Maybe in the future. Hahaha!"
Zephyr laughed, clapping Yoriichi Tsugikuni on the shoulder.
Victor's cheek twitched again at the phrase "too weak," his eyes drifting back to the hole in the wall. Still, he nodded and left.
"Come on, Yoriichi. Let's test your power index."
"Once I know your level, I can design a proper training plan."
With that, Zephyr led Yoriichi Tsugikuni out of the dojo.