The Dragon’s Roar: Takeda’s Ultimate Iai Slash

Drawing the Blade!

The stance for this sword technique was unmistakable. In Wano, a land teeming with samurai, the techniques and sword intents of each school were distinct and easily recognizable. However, the Iai Slash stood out as the most unique among them all.

Was it powerful? Undoubtedly! Mastering it to its peak could end any battle with a single strike. Yet, it was extremely difficult to master; some spent ten years training and still couldn't grasp its fundamentals.

Throughout history, few swordsmen had reached the pinnacle of the Iai Slash. Among them, the most famous was the swordsman Ryuma from centuries past.

At the moment the sword is sheathed, all momentum, strength, and sword intent are contained. Upon unsheathing, the spirit, Haki, power, and speed converge in a fraction of a second, reaching their peak.

In an instant, life and death are decided.

In Wano, where samurai were abundant, practitioners of the Iai Slash had become almost nonexistent. However, this did not diminish its strength; the technique had simply been lost over centuries.

Itō Tōsai's style, Tomita's school of swordsmanship, also relied on the principle of ending battles swiftly with a single slash. However, it was fundamentally different from the Iai Slash.

"What a formidable opponent," Itō Tōsai muttered.

Leaning forward slightly, he raised his long sword horizontally in front of him, assuming a peculiar stance.

To onlookers, his posture might seem odd, but Yajuro, watching from the sidelines, recognized it immediately. It was the starting stance of Tomita's sword style. In an instant, all the body's strength would focus and explode in a single slash.

When the sword is swung, it flashes like a meteor streaking across the night sky or a piercingly cold wind, sharp beyond comparison.

This was an instantaneous attack technique, rivaling the Iai Slash.

Standing dozens of meters apart, both Takeda and Itō Tōsai had already entered the realm of their sword intent.

A mysterious energy enveloped both combatants, the dense presence of Armament Haki visible on their wrists and extending to their swords. Their focus, spirit, and even their gazes were locked on each other.

The wind picked up, causing the tall grass to rustle and sway violently.

Yajuro's heart raced. He knew the next move would be the decisive moment in this battle. Both were practitioners of single-slash techniques, concentrating all their power into a single strike.

Suddenly, Yajuro's pupils contracted.

The two opponents moved simultaneously. Their steps blurred as they shot toward each other like streaks of light.

Itō Tōsai leaped high into the air, eyes wide with intensity, and unleashed a slash.

Swish!

The razor-sharp energy of the slash turned into a brilliant, icy-blue arc of light, clearly visible even in daylight.

"One-Slash!"

Meanwhile, Takeda had yet to draw his sword. At this moment, his energy surged explosively.

"Autumn Cicada's Lament, Flowers and Birds Timeless," he murmured.

"Life and death decided in the instant the blade is drawn."

From behind him came the resonant roar of a dragon. A phantom dragon appeared, coiling and roaring, visible to both Takeda and Itō Tōsai.

Sword like a dragon!

Yajuro was stunned, and Itō Tōsai's pupils contracted sharply.

Both understood that the dragon wasn't real—it was an illusion born from Takeda's sword intent, symbolizing the power and mastery behind his slash.

Similarly, as Itō Tōsai's slash descended, a pair of narrow, ghostly eyes appeared behind him, a manifestation of his own sword intent.

Iai Slash!

Takeda finally drew his blade. The motion was so fast it seemed the sword was already unsheathed, cutting through the void. The air itself appeared to shatter in that instant.

The blade's edge, though drawn later, reached Itō Tōsai first. In an instant, it touched his shoulder and chest.

Takeda sheathed his sword as if he hadn't moved at all.

Meanwhile, Itō Tōsai's sword halted just short of Takeda's neck, its light dissipating, unable to advance an inch further.

Spurt!

Blood sprayed as Itō Tōsai collapsed to the ground, his face pale and drenched in cold sweat.

He reacted swiftly, spinning his body and swinging his sword again at Takeda. But this strike was far weaker than the last.

Takedau stepped back, pressing his foot into the ground and leaping high. Unsheathing his sword once more, he struck downward.

Dragon Cleaving Strike!

Behind him, the phantom dragon let out a final roar, splitting as if severed by the slash.

Clang!

The metallic clash echoed. Itō Tōsai froze in place, maintaining his slashing posture. Fine cuts appeared mysteriously across the skin of his upper body.

"Ryūō Haki?" he murmured, faltering slightly. His long sword fell to the ground, and he used it to steady himself.

"For someone your age to have reached such mastery of the sword…"

"It's incredible!"

Takeda sheathed his sword, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Facing a one-slash style like Itō Tōsai's was exhilarating yet immensely dangerous.

Clearly, the ultimate speed and precision of the Iai Slash, inherited from Ryuma, were unmatched.

"I've lost," Itō Tōsai said weakly, collapsing to the ground.

"I never expected you to possess Ryuma's legacy," he muttered before losing consciousness.