After breakfast, Vir followed Roy to the back hills to continue yesterday’s training.
Vir was surprised to find that, in just one night, he had managed to overcome his instinct to close his eyes. He was delighted, thinking he had an exceptional talent.
But Roy casually told him that this was normal; the training wasn’t very difficult, and after a night of adaptation, the body had already overcome its instincts.
Today, Roy brought two bamboo swords instead of wooden ones. He handed one to Vir and told him to attack with all his might.
Having been beaten by Roy all afternoon yesterday, Vir didn’t hold back.
Swinging the bamboo sword wildly, Vir attacked Roy, who easily blocked the attacks and tapped Vir’s forehead with his bamboo sword.
Bam! Vir cried out in pain, clutching his forehead.
Roy nodded, “Good, you didn’t close your eyes. Now we can move on to other training.”
Vir glared at Roy.
“You made me attack you just for this? Couldn’t you have warned me so I’d be prepared?”
“If I had warned you, it wouldn’t be a proper test. Now, stop whining. Next, I’ll teach you the correct sword grips, strikes, blocks, and thrusts. From now on, you’ll spend most of your mornings practicing these moves. If you don’t pass, you’ll continue in the afternoon,” Roy explained, beginning to teach Vir various sword techniques and footwork.
After seeing Roy’s sword grip, Vir didn’t immediately imitate it. Instead, he gestured to Roy to wait and quickly ran back to the dojo.
Roy watched in confusion as Vir ran off, wondering what he was up to. Soon, Vir returned, holding two bamboo swords.
Roy teased, “So you want to be a dual-wielding swordsman? Dual-wielding is cool, but it reduces each sword’s power. Are you sure about this?”
“Dual-wielding is the romance of men,” Vir replied cryptically and began learning the proper sword grip.
Throughout the morning, Roy alternated between explaining techniques, mocking Vir, and hitting him with the bamboo sword, helping Vir grasp the basic moves.
Roy explained that learning these moves wasn’t difficult; the challenge lay in developing muscle memory and adaptability in battle.
Agreeing to take a break, they went to the same restaurant as the previous day because the food was really good.
While ordering, Vir noticed Roy lingering over the drinks menu and asked if he wanted some wine.
Roy sternly refused, saying he couldn’t drink because he still had to train Vir in the afternoon.
In the two days he had known Roy, this was the first time Vir saw such a serious expression on his face. It left Vir puzzled but also thinking Roy must have a story.
After lunch, they returned to the back hills. This time, Roy didn’t make Vir run until he passed out. Instead, he showed Vir various training equipment behind the dojo.
Roy introduced each piece of equipment and then had Vir start training.
First was arm strength training, essential for any swordsman, followed by balance training, chest muscles, and so on.
“Every swordsman needs excellent arm strength, but arm strength alone isn’t enough. You need balance and overall body strength. A swordsman who only trains arm strength has no future,” Roy explained while correcting Vir’s form.
Without the exhaustion, Vir found today’s training much easier than yesterday’s. It seemed the “Lightning Stimulus Technique” was effective in recovering fatigue. Motivated, he trained even harder.
Roy was astonished. This kid, who was exhausted yesterday, was now full of energy. He must have great potential. So, Roy increased the training intensity, adding five-kilogram weights to each of Vir’s legs.
In the intense training, Vir felt himself getting stronger. It wasn’t an illusion but a real improvement. The “Lightning Stimulus Technique” greatly enhanced the effectiveness of his training.
Vir sensed his training was three times more effective than yesterday.
This meant that as long as he didn’t slack off, his training results would be three times better than others.
Smiling, Vir felt genuine hope. Even with all his previous confidence, there were moments of self-doubt.
As he trained enthusiastically, Roy called him for dinner.
Vir was taken aback by how quickly time had passed. Checking his black pocket watch, he saw it was already past six.
After dinner, knowing he still had sword lessons with Adonis, he went to the dojo’s central room and knocked.
“Come in,” Adonis’s voice came from inside.
As expected, Adonis was in the room. Vir wondered what he did in there all the time. Sitting cross-legged on a cushion before Adonis, Vir asked,
“Master, what will you teach me tonight? Some advanced techniques?”
Adonis glanced at Vir.
“Would you understand advanced techniques? It’s better to teach you the basics of swordsmanship first. We’ll talk about techniques later,” he said, handing a sword to Vir and asking him to draw it.
Looking at the sword, which resembled a katana from Earth, Vir felt it looked familiar. The scabbard and hilt were black, with a row of purple flower-like patterns.
Drawing the sword, he saw the blade was entirely black, with red, fang-like patterns along the edge.
“What comes to mind when you see this sword?” Adonis asked, interrupting Vir’s thoughts.
“I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere before,” Vir replied instinctively, regretting it immediately.
“Oh? Where have you seen it? Tell me,” Adonis asked, visibly excited, even standing up.
Vir didn’t expect such a reaction from Adonis and, unsure of what to say, could only be honest.
“Uh… I forgot,” Vir said awkwardly.
Adonis’s usually stern face twisted in a pained expression, looking like he had been forced to eat something unpleasant.
“Fine, try to remember. Maybe you saw it in some information your mother sold when you were younger. If you remember, tell me immediately. It’s very important to me, and I won’t let you go unrewarded,” Adonis said, clearly disappointed.
“Let’s not dwell on this. I might be too obsessed. Let’s talk about swordsmanship,” Adonis resumed, regaining his usual demeanor.
“Do you know the stages of a swordsman?” he asked.
Vir shook his head, curious. He had never heard of such stages in the One Piece world.
“A swordsman has six stages, each with varying levels of proficiency: Beginner, Proficient, and Expert. I’ll explain these stages.
The first stage is Enlightenment. It’s when an ordinary person starts becoming a swordsman. Not everyone who picks up a sword is a swordsman. You’re currently at the beginning of this stage.
The second stage is Cutting Iron. At this stage, a swordsman can cut through iron with a normal sword, feeling the object’s breath and rhythm to cut it. I am at this stage.
The third stage is Elemental Attack. This involves adding elemental power to sword techniques. This stage is special because it depends on two conditions:
First, ordinary swordsmen must reach the Cutting Iron stage to perceive elemental attacks. Elemental attacks are impossible without cutting iron, except for rare cases like the Mink Tribe or famous swords.
Second, Devil Fruit users can add elemental attacks even at the Enlightenment stage due to their unique abilities.
“Do you know about Devil Fruits, Vir?” Adonis asked.
Vir nodded.
“That’s all for Elemental Attack. Next is the fourth stage.
The fourth stage is Cutting Harder-than-Iron Materials, like Seastone or Diamond.
The fifth stage is Cutting the Void, which I don’t fully understand. It’s literal. This stage is too distant for me to explain.
The sixth stage, if it exists, is the ultimate dream of every swordsman: Cutting Anything. I don’t know if anyone has achieved it, but reaching this stage means attaining a new level of mastery.
These are the six stages of a swordsman: 1. Enlightenment, 2. Cutting Iron, 3. Elemental Attack, 4. Cutting Harder-than-Iron Materials, 5. Cutting the Void, 6. Cutting Anything.”
After talking for so long, Adonis called a student to bring two cups of tea. He sipped his tea, and Vir thanked him. He found the tea delicious and finished it in one gulp.
Adonis scowled at Vir.
“You brat, this tea costs ten thousand Berries per ounce, and you gulp it down like water. Next time, I’ll give you plain water,” Adonis said, taking another sip.
Despite the earlier awkwardness about the sword, Vir felt closer to Adonis. At least, Adonis wasn’t being fake polite anymore. Feeling encouraged, Vir asked,
“Master, what does Cutting Iron mean? How do I achieve it?”
“For you, it’s too early to think about Cutting Iron. You need a solid foundation first. A weak foundation will hinder your future growth. Cutting Iron isn’t just about hard training; there are faster ways to achieve it. We’ll discuss it when you’re older,” Adonis said with a mischievous smile.
Vir felt the same unease he had with Roy’s “surprise” the previous day, sensing something unpleasant was coming.
“It’s late. Go to bed. For next month, don’t come here unless you have questions. If your body can handle it, continue training at night. Learning swordsmanship through practice is more effective than just talking about it. Off you go,” Adonis said, smiling as he saw Vir’s anxious expression.
Bidding Adonis goodnight, Vir returned to his room to rest for the next day’s training.
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