Chapter 148: Facing the Fierce Blade! Patterns Emerge
Toki couldn't hear Kozuki Sukiyaki's inner thoughts.
She merely frowned slightly, looked calmly at the old man before her, and spoke in a steady voice.
"Since you're asking how I know,"
"I don't mind revealing my name to the elder."
"I am Amatsuki Toki. Pleased to meet you."
As her words fell.
Kozuki Sukiyaki's pupils contracted sharply. He immediately retreated several steps and collapsed to the ground.
"Amatsuki Toki?"
"How is it possible that someone from the Amatsuki clan still exists?!"
The shock in his heart was simply beyond words. Everyone knew that the Amatsuki clan had been hunted by the World Government for a full century.
Though Wano's branch of the Amatsuki clan had been completely massacred,
To be safe, the World Government had still turned Wano upside down.
They even took the Poneglyphs there. Afterward, they continued hunting for any trace of the Amatsuki clan for nearly a hundred years—only stopping after confirming the clan had been utterly wiped out.
Kozuki Sukiyaki quickly realized his loss of composure. A bitter smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he slowly stood up, looking at Toki ahead.
"Sorry—I was just too shocked earlier."
"But if you truly are from the Amatsuki clan, why are you asking about the reason for their destruction? Shouldn't you know that better than we do?"
Sukiyaki spoke after regaining some calm.
He wasn't someone who easily believed others' words. Even if this girl claimed to be from the Amatsuki clan, Sukiyaki would remain cautious until her identity was confirmed.
Looking at Sukiyaki before her.
Toki merely sighed and said.
"I am not from this era. I came here from Wano Country eight hundred years ago using the Time-Time Fruit—yet I never expected such changes to have occurred."
"If you need proof, I do have something."
She removed the sword at her waist.
"This blade was crafted by the Shimotsuki clan using ancient methods. It is only ever given to members of the Amatsuki clan."
"If the person earlier was indeed the daimyo Shimotsuki Yasuie,"
"He may recognize it."
Toki handed over the sword.
Kozuki Sukiyaki took it and examined it carefully from several angles.
After putting it away, he looked up at Toki with a trace of helplessness.
"Very well. Once those two finish fighting,"
"I'll have Shimotsuki Yasuie take a look for you."
If the girl before him truly was from the Amatsuki clan, then without question Kozuki Sukiyaki would treat both of them with the utmost respect.
This was no joke.
The continued existence of the Amatsuki clan might be a massive threat to the World Government, potentially bringing renewed retaliation upon Wano.
But for the four clans,
The Amatsuki clan was undeniably their benefactor.
Otherwise, generation after generation of Wano's shoguns would never have passed down this knowledge.
Because the leaders of the four clans at that time understood perfectly well
That without the Amatsuki clan's self-sacrifice, all of Wano might have ceased to exist long ago. Even after centuries, this fact could never be forgotten.
But due to the World Government's threat,
It could only be transmitted orally among successive shoguns of Wano.
Toki's lips curved slightly upward upon hearing this.
"I think if there's no outside interference, that daimyo from the Shimotsuki family is no match for my cheap captain."
"Swordsmanship has never been the most terrifying thing about my captain."
She smiled playfully.
This caused Kozuki Sukiyaki to show a puzzled expression. That masked man was clearly a swordsman—did he have some hidden Devil Fruit ability? But if so, why hadn't he used it from the beginning?
While he was puzzled in his heart.
A massive boom suddenly echoed from the sky.
Shimotsuki Yasuie's figure was abruptly sent flying dozens of meters before stopping.
He stared warily at the masked man ahead, subconsciously tightening his grip on his sword hilt.
"It seems your confidence isn't baseless after all."
"In terms of swordsmanship and Haki mastery alone,"
"There is probably no one in all of Wano who can steadily overpower you."
The opponent's sword style was ever-changing and unpredictable.
Logically, that water-flow-like swordsmanship should have been countered by him.
But in just a short moment.
Lotte's swordsmanship suddenly shifted to blazing sun-like radiance carrying terrifying heat.
It instantly shattered his sword momentum. Moreover, the power carried on it made the now-aged Shimotsuki Yasuie sigh inwardly.
Even at his own peak,
Defeating the masked man before him would have been extremely difficult.
Let alone now.
Lotte gripped his dual hilts, lightning crackling along the blades. The move that had just repelled Shimotsuki Yasuie was the signature technique of Thunder Breathing.
Thunder Flash.
It was one of the fastest sword moves Lotte currently possessed.
He could feel his Sun Breathing constantly improving in this moment—he only needed a bit more stimulus to break through to a new level!
But the stimulus Shimotsuki Yasuie provided was still insufficient to awaken it!
So Lotte raised an eyebrow and sneered coldly.
"Is this all the skill Wano's samurai have?"
"Shimotsuki Yasuie, the pressure you're giving me is still not enough. But I've heard the Fierce Blade of the Flower Capital is also an outstanding swordsman."
"It's a bit of a shame I haven't seen him yet."
"Could it be that my displayed swordsmanship has scared him off?"
Lotte made no effort to lower his voice.
His words immediately sparked discussion among the many civilians and samurai of Wano.
"This outsider is way too arrogant!"
"Damn it! If the daimyo of Hakumai weren't past his prime, this guy wouldn't dare act so cocky!"
"If Ryuma were still alive, this masked man would be nothing more than a corpse under his blade!"
In their eyes,
Lotte's swordsmanship was indeed terrifying now.
But against the legendary Ryuma of old, he definitely wouldn't last a single exchange!
Yet being stepped on like this was simply too humiliating. Was there really no one who could stop this outrageously arrogant masked man?!
"Hmph! Quite the smooth talker!"
"Shimotsuki Yasuie, has your swordsmanship declined so much that you can't even defeat this brat?!"
"Fine then—let me teach this kid a lesson!"
A cold snort.
Exploded like thunder in midair.
Immediately after, a figure soared into the sky, charging straight toward Lotte!
It was none other than Kyoshiro of the Flower Capital—the one known as the Fierce Blade!
Unlike his aged self in the future, the current Kyoshiro had a burly build.
He had flame-like hair and a goatee, and wore the same signature glasses as in later years.
Lotte burst into hearty laughter upon seeing him.
He swung his dual blades to meet the attack head-on.
Faint, indistinct patterns began to emerge along his neck!
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