Chapter Forty-five: Duel with the Swordmaster [Second Update]

"This next chapter was written at the airport!"

"Then don’t let me down."

Shu Mingyuan spoke with calm indifference, vanishing from the cell in a swift movement. Instantly, a fierce slash followed, splitting the icy ground thirty meters ahead clean in two.

"Hey! This one’s a handful," someone remarked.

Faced with the direct slash, Shu Mingming summoned all his strength and shattered it with a single palm.

"What was that sound...?"

"Look, that kid’s fighting someone again!"

"That silhouette... it’s the swordmaster, Alfred! They say he once split a mountain in half with a single stroke!"

"Tsk, tsk. Are those two about to fight? This should be good—though I wonder if it’s another one of that kid’s schemes."

A few pirates recognized Alfred, causing quite a commotion.

Alfred gripped his self-forged sword and stepped out of the cell, his gaze locking with Shu Mingyuan’s across a distance of ten yards.

"Alfred, is it? It seems your reputation precedes you, but you’d best not hold back. You should know by now—your slash just now is useless against me."

Shu Mingyuan spoke lightly, his confidence soaring compared to a month ago; his physical strength and overall power had grown immeasurably.

Alfred’s brows knit together. He dared not underestimate this man—anyone capable of killing Closter was a threat. As a swordmaster, his sword was everything. Devil Fruit users could be subdued with sea stone cuffs, but martial artists like them faced harsher torment, their bodies suffering more. Even his sword hand was pierced by iron spikes. He was in no better shape than Closter had been—perhaps even worse.

"This kid’s body can stand up to Closter. All I can rely on now is Haki," Alfred resolved, determined to end this quickly, as he lacked the stamina for a drawn-out fight.

"Armament Haki—Hardening!"

A mysterious force surged within him, and his sword became wreathed in a black aura, its hardness and cutting power greatly amplified.

"Ah, so you’re finally using it," Shu Mingyuan observed, unmoving, his strange, almost demonic eyes analyzing every shift of energy within Alfred’s body.

The Six Styles of the Navy weren’t techniques just anyone could learn. Only those whose physical strength met the mark—at least at the officer level—were eligible. In terms of difficulty, mastering them should be on par with Haki. Yet even after mastering the Six Styles, Shu Mingyuan had not sensed that special energy known as Haki.

As a devoted fan of pirates, he knew that Haki was a unique ability inherent to every person—a latent power from birth. Except for the innate Conqueror's Haki, which couldn’t be trained, the other two—Observation and Armament—could be developed through rigorous training. Haki was intimately tied to one’s physical strength; the more powerful the body, the more potent the Haki.

Observation Haki allowed one to sense attacks, Armament Haki strengthened offense and defense, countered Devil Fruit powers, and Conqueror’s Haki could even intimidate or directly knock out opponents.

Conqueror’s Haki was typically innate—unable to be acquired by training. On this vast sea, it was called the mark of a king; even in the latter half of the Grand Line, home to countless powerhouses, those who possessed it were rare.

Observation and Armament Haki, though, were far more common, especially in the New World, where their users were everywhere—Haki had become a standard force.

Hence the saying, "He who lacks Haki is doomed to remain an insect."

Shu Mingyuan saw a unique force flowing ceaselessly from Alfred’s body—a special kind of "aura," if it could be likened to anything. This aura suffused every part of Alfred—flesh, bone, muscle, skin, even his internal organs. It was akin to human potential, refined through constant training, stimulating the body to produce this energy.

Of course, without sufficient strength, pursuing this power recklessly would only backfire, and if the body couldn’t withstand it, it might collapse entirely.

"So this is the origin of Haki? Born from one’s own flesh and blood, honed through endless training, making it ever harder—until it can be wrapped around or hardened."

Murmuring to himself, Shu Mingyuan watched the flow of Haki within Alfred, a sudden, thunderous revelation exploding in his mind—a clarity as if clouds parted to reveal the sun. The confusion that had plagued him for so long finally vanished.

His martial prowess had surpassed even his mastery of ninjutsu in just a few months. Truly, he was gifted in physical arts. After all, there was nothing quite as satisfying as pummeling someone with your own hands, compared to bombarding them with ninjutsu from afar.

A sharp slash tore through the air, mightier than before, carving an even deeper rift in the ice. Its power had nearly tripled from the previous attack.

Even Shu Mingyuan dared not meet it head-on with his bare hand.

"Shave!"

With a thought, he vanished, the slash crashing through his afterimage.

"The Navy’s Six Styles, eh? Kid, you may be fast, but not faster than a swordmaster’s eye!"

"Single Sword Style—Iaido!"

Alfred bent low, his blade flashing out—a ten-meter crescent of sword energy cleaved through the air, the arc stretching a hundred meters ahead, scattering the falling snow in its wake.

Forced out of hiding by the slash, Shu Mingyuan barely dodged again with Shave. Had he not, even he would have been wounded.

"A true swordmaster—your skill and perception are unmatched," Shu Mingyuan praised. To defeat such an opponent required either a powerful Devil Fruit, exceptional physical strength, blinding speed, or mastery of the sword.

Otherwise, how could one even get close?

"Fire Style: Great Fireball!"

Shu Mingyuan flashed through hand seals, spewing a massive fireball at Alfred. But Alfred merely raised his sword and split the fireball in two, reducing the flaming orb to harmless halves.

He had not moved from his spot—all it took was a simple slash to keep Shu Mingyuan at bay. While his speed may not have matched the Navy’s Six Styles, he was supremely confident in his skill and killing intent.

"Kid, my sword can cut through anything. Let’s see how long you can keep dodging!"

[Thank you to Smiling at the World, Fading Memories, Divine Emperor Shitian, Su Mu, and Only Wish to Protect for your votes! Cute author begs everyone for votes, bookmarks, and tips!]