Chapter 151: - 151: Golden Lion vs. Ashura
Ashura Jakun hadn’t expected the Kozuki clan to send not one, but two fighters on par with, or even stronger than, a daimyo to strike at Mt. Atamayama. Normally, when the shogun’s forces dispatched elites of this caliber, their first target was always Kuri Castle.
The Ashura clan of Atamayama had always fought in the role of Kuri’s backup, driving back suppression forces led by the daimyos of Kibi and Udon.
If four daimyos ever led a massive army into battle together, even the tough fighters holed up in Kuri Castle would be forced to abandon their post, lying low until the storm passed. Then, once the enemy withdrew, they’d just reclaim the castle again. That trick had worked every time so far.
After all, even now, the strongest daimyo in Wano—Shimotsuki Toramaru—could single-handedly keep both Kuri and Atamayama in check. Even Ashura Jakun himself had no illusions about standing a chance against someone like Toramaru.
"Sha ha ha ha! A duel to settle this? Fine by me!!"
Golden Lion Shiki had already sized up Ashura Jakun. Strong, sure—maybe on par with a top-tier swordsman—but not quite at the level of a true Great Swordmaster. His strength was probably around the same as Kibi’s daimyo.
They were the kind who had hit the peak of swordsmanship... yet couldn’t quite take that last step. And that step? Some would never cross it in their lifetime.
Maybe it was because they lacked worthy opponents to push them. If someone like Jakun spent a few years out in the open sea, surviving death matches... then, perhaps, they’d finally break through and reach that Great Swordmaster level. Without that high-level killing field, how could anyone smash through their limits?
Right now, in Wano, only Toramaru—the sword-obsessed maniac—had stepped into the Great Swordmaster realm. And even then, he’d hit a plateau, stuck with no worthy rivals left in this closed-off country.
Shiki figured that even Ochoku from the Rocks Pirates, who’d just recently reached the Great Swordmaster stage, would probably beat Toramaru—simply because Ochoku had way more experience in real death matches, whereas Toramaru lived a relatively cushy life as a daimyo.
"Oi, Shiki. If you lose, you’ll have to explain yourself to Brook. Got that?"
Newgate didn’t bother trying to talk sense into the battle-hungry Golden Lion. He just reminded him—conquering Atamayama was part of Brook’s grand plan, and one stupid gamble couldn’t be allowed to wreck that.