Chapter 14 - Ryuo

As soon as Kozaburo dropped to the ground. A young man ran out of the crowd.

The man had long silky black hair attached in a ponytail, round glasses and a grey kimono with the Shimotsuki symbol engraved on its back.

I immediately recognized Shimotsuki Koushirou, son of Shimotsuki Kozaburo and the man who would later become Zoro's teacher.

Thinking the man was about to attack Mihawk, Yasopp unstrapped his rifle and aimed it at the running mans head.

I lifted my palm in a hurry signalling for Yasopp to wait, if he dared dishonour his fathers duel with Mihawk. Then lead it would be.

But as expected he ran past Mihawk and rushed to his bleeding fathers side, quickly looking for any signs of life. After placing his head on his father chest he could hear the weakened but still beating heart of his father. A rain of tears filled with relief streamed out his dark eyes as he started crying by his fathers side.

" Your father fought with the honour of a Samurai! But it is not his time yet, so stop your crying and hold your head high. Such tears would only dishonour a man of his stature." Mihawk said solemnly without turning around to stare at the crying Koushirou.

My excitement that had been building up from the start of the fight couldn't be held any longer. So with a quick burst of wind I took flight in the direction of Mihawk.

Flying down to the battlefield, I flew right into Mihawk tackling him to the ground in the process.

"Yoooshaaa! Nice Job Mihawk!" I shouted in joy.

Mihawk being too tired to deal with me simply went with my antics. As I stood up and lifted his arm into the air.

"To The new greatest Swordsman in the east! Let's celebrate!" I exclaimed in joy while lifting Mihawk's arm into the air.

"To Mihawk!" I shouted.

"To Mihawk!!" The villagers all repeated in joy the tension of the previous fight completely forgotten.

This gesture not only allowed us to celebrate Mihawks victory, but more importantly spread Mihawks name and new title as the strongest in the East Blue.

To obtain a title, it must not only be backed up with enough might but also with a reputation that precedes you. And who better to spread the word around than an entire village.

~~~~~~

It was currently our second day into our celebration and as we were partying. We were joined by a bandaged Kozaburo and all of the Ishin dojo students.

The party momentarily stopped as the villagers were expecting some sort of clash between our groups.

As the silence and tension filled the room.

I walked up to meet the group of swordsman, with a bottle of sake in hand.

Placing my hand holding the bottle in front of me, I held out the liquid to Kozaburo.

The tension prevailed as he silently took the bottle from my hands, and bit down onto the cap. Pulling on it with his teeth until it *popped* open.

*Gulp* *Gulp* *Gulp*

Downing all the bottle in one go, "Why are you stopping let's keep this party going!" Kozaburo asked with a smile on his rugged face.

"Yeeeaaah!" The villagers quickly returned to the previous joyous mood as they were joined by the students of the dojo.

~~~~~

A couple of hours later and a lot more drinks into my system, I spotted Kozaburo drinking while seated in a corner of the room.

Walking up to him, I let myself plop next to him. With an empty cup of sake in my hands.

"*Hip* H-Hey old man!" I exclaimed drunkenly.

Kozaburo simply raised an inquisitive eyebrow in my direction to let me know he was listening.

"Wh-What was that *Hiccup* that thing you used during your fight with Mihawk?" I asked.

I could see in his eyes that he didn't understand what I was talking about so I continued.

"I've never seen anyone use Haki like that?" I asked as I brought my hand forward and turned it black, coating it with armament Haki.

"Haki? Are you talking about Ryuo?" He asked.

As he too turned his hand black in armament or Ryuo as they called it in Wano.

"No-No I'm not talking about that? I-I want to know how you *Hiccup* how you managed to have it coat your hand?" I asked.

" Oh, you mean this." He said this time coating his already blackened hand in an bright orange aura.

"Yesss!" I exclaimed. Garnering the attention of Mihawk, Yasopp and Koushirou.

Seeing the orange aura on Kozaburo hands they all approached us curiously trying to listen on our conversation.

"Mhm, how can I explain this to you?" Kozaburo asked to no one in particular before continuing. "When you try to get Ryuo as a protective armour. You simply clench it around your body. But if instead you try to let it flow out of you. Then Ryuo can be project out of the body allowing you to hit without necessarily touching your opponent's." He explained.

"Mhm, so to let it flow." I repeated while looking at my blackened arm.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes in concentration before feeling the haki inside me. Taking that warmth I directed it into my already covered arm but instead of clenching it around my hand I simply let it flow out.

Opening my eyes, I looked at the purplish blue aura covering my hand in wonder.

*CRI*CRACK*

Without any notice the sake cup I was holding in my hand completely shattered. Which distracted me and made me close the flow. The purplish-blue aura quickly disappeared and returned back into my arm.

"Bahahhahhaha!" I exclaimed in joy, "guess I held the cup too tightly!" I exclaimed as I drunkenly stood up to get another drink.

~~~~~~

The three eavesdroppers stood shell shocked at Sinbad display and raw talent. But the person who was the most shocked of them all was none other than Kozaburo who had noticed that the cup didn't break due to Sinbad holding it too tightly but simply because his Ryuo broke it from the inside out.

'What a monster!' Kozaburo thought as he started at the back of the purple haired young man.

(A/N I'm trying a new Sinbad Laugh what do you guys think of

Laugh:

Bahahaha-> Sinbad

Wahahaha -> Mihawk

Yahahaha -> Yasopp

Age:

Sinbad -> 12 years old (5'7")

Mihawk -> 19 years old (6'1")

Yassop -> 23 years old (6'0")

)