Chapter 87
The loose robe of Shimotsuki Ryoma fluttered in the wind, his words carrying the sharpness of a blade's edge—an effect of years spent honing his swordsmanship.
"You want to teach me something, right?"
Zixu stood before the legendary Ryoma Shimotsuki, not daring to be too presumptuous. This was the swordsman Ryoma in his prime—far stronger than when he had been under Moria's control.
During his lifetime, he had been known as the Dragon-Slaying Samurai, revered as the God of Swords by the samurai of Wano. It was his name that had once warned the pirates of the world that Wano Country was not to be trifled with. This was why Wano, known as the Golden Country, had remained untouched by foreign pirates for so long.
But after Ryoma's death, that all changed. The hometown of the Dragon-Slaying Warrior was now ruled by a dragon.
Ryoma exhaled, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword. "I won't lie to you—I've spent my entire life on the path of the sword. I'm not much of a teacher, but if there's one thing I can pass down, it's my understanding of the blade." He planted Kurohō (Autumn Water) into the ground, his intent clear—he would teach Zixu swordsmanship.
Before beginning, however, Ryoma bowed slightly. "Before we start, let me ask you something."
Zixu stiffened. His thoughts raced. The man before him was the Dragon-Slaying Samurai, and he... he himself carried the blood of a dragon. More than that, he had a deep connection with Kaido, the very being who would one day rule Wano.
Had Ryoma already sensed something?
"I can feel the presence of a dragon on you."
Ryoma's eyes sharpened, a piercing gaze that seemed to condense into a thousand steel needles. It wasn't just pressure—it was an outright warning. The air around them froze, heavy with unspoken tension.