One Piece: Starting with Creating the Strongest Character Design

Chapter 115 Victory! (Please Subscribe)

After several rounds of pursuit and fighting, Kitahara Tsune seemed to be running out of energy.

His breathing seemed to become slightly rapid, and even a fine layer of sweat seeped from his forehead; his steps were not as light as before.

Shimotsuki Koushirou seized the opportunity precisely, raising his Wado Ichimonji once more, and appearing behind Kitahara Tsune as if by teleportation.

This time, Kitahara Tsune seemed not to have reacted at all, letting Shimotsuki Koshiro unleash a huge slash of sword light.

A burst of azure light erupted from the Wado Ichimonji. The people in the audience were blinded by the sudden flash of light.

Some people instinctively covered their eyes with their arms, while others gasped and leaned back.

Kitahara Tsuneo's unyielding figure was also swallowed up by the sudden burst of light.

"Did we win?"

"We will win!"

"I can't see that navy man anymore, where is he?"

The flashing blades ignited a frenzy of emotions in the audience.

The audience, having recovered, turned their attention back to the center of the arena, trying to see what had happened there.

However, what they saw made their jaws drop.

Kitahara Tsune remained standing in place, the astonishing slash seemingly causing him no harm whatsoever.

Before him, the already dilapidated arena floor was now afflicted with an even deeper, more massive crack.

It is obvious that this huge crack was caused by Shimotsuki Koushirou's previous slash.

"Did it miss?"

"But I clearly saw the knife hit him."

"What exactly happened?"

The audience's eyes widened in astonishment at this scene.

Some of the people who had been standing and cheering slowly sat back down, their excitement turning into disbelief and blank stares.

Even Shimotsuki Koshiro, who was standing behind Kitahara Tsune, was stunned.

Judging from the sensation from the blade, he was 100% certain that his strike had landed squarely on Kitahara Tsune.

"What exactly is going on?"

Shimotsuki Koshiro's grip on the hilt tightened slightly; for the first time in many years, he had a moment of doubt about his own swordsmanship.

Inside the VIP boxes above the arena.

Evan Thorpe frowned, his eyes filled with disbelief.

The saying goes, "Those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly."

Shimotsuki Koshiro, standing in the center of the arena, may not have realized that he was completely unaffected by the sudden burst of sword light. He clearly saw that Kitahara Tsune had taken the entire slash without a scratch.

This navy officer's Armament Haki and physical strength have reached an astonishing level.

Given such powerful Armament Haki and physical strength, what's the best way to deal with them?

Evan Thorpe began to think about his next move.

His fingers tapped lightly on the hilt of his sword unconsciously, his mind racing through every attack method he knew, yet none of them felt quite safe.

Finally, he turned to look at Cyrus, who was standing to the side with his eyes closed in deep thought, his mind racing.

Meanwhile, seeing Kitahara Tsuneo completely unharmed by this slash, Shimotsuki Koushirou quickly retreated, creating a safe distance.

He thought that as long as he waited for the right opportunity, he could deliver the decisive blow and win the game.

Unexpectedly, the rhythm of the battle was always in the hands of the opponent from beginning to end.

"As expected of Shimotsuki Koshiro, your swordsmanship is indeed formidable."

Kitahara Tsune slowly turned around and faced Shimotsuki Koshiro.

The strike he just delivered was almost as powerful as the one that wounded Ember.

Fortunately, his physical strength and Armament Haki, through years of training and skill enhancement, have reached an extremely terrifying level.

Unless the power is terrifying enough or it is imbued with Conqueror's Haki, it is almost impossible to break through his defense.

"Thank you for the compliment. Your swordsmanship is also quite good."

Upon hearing this, Shimotsuki Koushirou nodded slightly and replied.

His gaze lingered on Kitahara Tsune for a moment, as if he were re-evaluating his opponent.

The other person was completely unharmed, not even a tear in their clothes, as if the earth-shattering blow just now was merely a gentle breeze.

Now he finally realized that the guy's previous fatigue was completely an act.

This composure stirred a long-forgotten sense of defeat in Shimotsuki Koshiro, not because he was not strong enough, but because his opponent was stronger than he had expected.

So far, neither of them has covered their weapons with Armament Haki; they are only using Armament Haki for defense, and their swordsmanship is purely a contest.

It now seems that if both sides fight with all their might, Shimotsuki Koshiro will soon be defeated.

Just then, Kitahara Tsune flicked his long sword and slowly strolled to the other side of the arena.

His steps were neither hurried nor slow, and the soles of his shoes made a soft rustling sound as they rubbed against the gravel.

The sound was exceptionally clear in the quiet arena, as if it were stepping on the very heart of everyone present.

Kitahara Tsune's back cast a long shadow in the sunlight, slowly sweeping across the arena floor as he moved.

The posture didn't look like that of someone in battle; it was more like someone leisurely strolling in their own backyard.

Hearing the light footsteps, Shimotsuki Koshiro felt a long-lost tension.

The next moment, a barrage of attacks came crashing down on Shimotsuki Koshiro.

Horizontal slash, vertical cleave, thrust, chop —

Kitahara Tsune unleashed all his sword techniques in those few short seconds.

For a moment, even Shimotsuki Koshiro, who possessed superb swordsmanship, was somewhat unable to withstand the attack.

Several times, Shimotsuki Koshiro was unable to defend himself against Kitahara Tsune's attacks. The long sword slashed holes in his kimono, and tattered pieces of cloth fell to the ground in the wind.

One of the cuts nearly grazed his arm; the blade sent a chill through him as it brushed against his skin.

At this moment, Shimotsuki Koshiro felt like a small boat in a storm, about to fall into the water at any moment.

"Does this Mr. Kitahara Tsune have inexhaustible stamina?!"

Shimotsuki Koshiro was slightly out of breath; his stamina was starting to falter.

His arms felt sore and numb, and each block was more difficult than the last.

In contrast, Kitahara Tsune remained completely at ease, as if the previous fierce attack was merely a warm-up.

Just as Shimotsuki Koshiro's defensive stance faltered, a glint flashed in Kitahara Tsune's eyes.

He suddenly sheathed his long sword, then stepped forward, and the figure in the white suit vanished from Shimotsuki Koshiro's sight.

Shigetsuki Koushiro's pupils shrank suddenly.

The Observation Haki had already detected Kitahara Tsune's figure the instant he disappeared—

Right behind him!

However, at this moment his stamina was starting to falter and he was not keeping up with the pace of the battle.

Kitahara Tsune captured this very moment.

"Tap, tap, tap—"

The sound of Kitahara Tsune's light footsteps echoed behind Shimotsuki Koshiro.

The long sword had been sheathed at some point.

"No, my body can't keep up—"

Shimotsuki Koshiro frowned, trying to rouse his already slightly tired body.

His feet gripped the ground tightly as he tried to turn and meet the attack, but his movements were a beat slower than usual.

"Oh no, it's too late!"

Feeling the chilling aura emanating from Kitahara Tsune behind him, Shimotsuki Koushirou sighed inwardly.

"Itto-ryu·Iai."

Kitahara Tsune gripped the sword with both hands. The ordinary longsword in his hands now resembled a famous blade, reflecting a chilling gleam in the sunlight.

With a soft shout from Kitahara Tsune, the massive slash erupted instantly, engulfing Shimotsuki Koushirou entirely.

The air was torn apart by the flash of the blade, producing a sharp whistling sound.

The force of the energy once again created a shallow groove on the arena floor, scattering gravel everywhere.

The light was even more dazzling and sharper than the previous slash from Shimotsuki Koushirou, as if it would split the entire arena in two.

The atmosphere inside the private room became heavy.

King Rick still had a smile on his face.

Meanwhile, Olivier covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes wide open, whether from shock or excitement, it was hard to tell.

"I feel like I've seen this scene somewhere before."

"Is it the same move that samurai used to attack the navy?"

"Did he learn that on the spot?!"

The bewildered audience members were now buzzing with discussion, wondering if Kitahara Tsune's move was an imitation of the samurai's earlier attack.

Kitahara Tsuneo simply shook his head slightly as he listened to the audience's comments.

The two moves look similar, but they are completely different.

Kitahara Tsune didn't know how Shimotsuki Koushirou had managed to teleport like that, but he had actually relied on the high-speed burst of his leg speed to appear behind Shimotsuki Koushirou.

Evan Thorpe grimaced and gasped as he watched the astonishing slash.

I thought Shimotsuki Koushirou's slash was already amazing enough, but I didn't expect the Navy to use the same tactic against him.

"Did the samurai of Wano Country lose?"

"Great! Mr. Kitahara Tsuneo has won!"

"An opponent of this caliber doesn't even qualify Kitahara Tsuneo to use his full strength."

After the smoke cleared, the audience looked towards the center of the arena, and after a brief silence, a deafening roar of cheers and applause erupted.

Regardless of who wins, this battle was indeed exciting and deserves applause from all the viewers.

Some people whistled, some clapped their hands so hard they turned red, and even a few audience members who originally supported Shimotsuki Koshiro stood up to cheer for Kitahara Tsune.

Kitahara Tsune's long sword was already positioned before Shimotsuki Koshiro's neck.

He deliberately missed his strike slightly, so as not to cause serious damage to his opponent.

Looking at the blade tip so close at hand, Shimotsuki Koushirou let out a deep breath.

"I lost."

Shimotsuki Koushirou spoke up.

At the same time, my tense body gradually relaxed.

He slowly sheathed the Wado Ichimonji in his hand, the blade disappearing into its scabbard with a crisp sound.

The sound wasn't loud, but it seemed to announce the end of the battle.