The Fateful Duel: Takeda vs. Itō Tōsai

The man sitting cross-legged on the dinosaur-like creature had sharp eyes and no unnecessary movements. Just tilting his head in their direction brought immense pressure.

Yajuro's expression shifted slightly as he looked at Takeda beside him. Gritting his teeth, he asked, "Master, do you really want to fight someone like this?"

Sensing the atmosphere, Takeda grinned, his eyes filled with fighting spirit. "Of course!"

"Meeting someone like this is a battle destined by fate!"

With that, he removed the long sword from his waist, slung it over his shoulder, and took a few steps forward, standing face-to-face with Itō Tōsai.

"Itō, our encounter today is fated!"

Itō Tōsai looked at the young man emerging from the grass, a hint of confusion on his face. Hearing the youth's words, he became even more perplexed.

"A strange young man," he muttered, evaluating Takeda.

Takeda unsheathed his long sword and pointed it directly at him. "Fight me, Itō Tōsai!"

"You're challenging me?" Itō raised an eyebrow and laughed.

"It's not a challenge. I will defeat you," Takeda replied with a calm smile.

"You're confident, strange boy. In my life, I've met many young samurai like you, and they all ended up losing their lives," Itō said evenly, his expression unchanged.

Takeda maintained his stance, the long sword pointed unwaveringly at his opponent.

Yajuro watched nervously from the side. While he knew Takeda was exceptionally powerful, even unfathomable, Itō Tōsai's reputation far exceeded that of his master. Moreover, the age difference between the two was vast—his master was far too young!

A gentle breeze rustled the grass that reached their waists, causing their robes to flutter.

"It seems you're firm in your choice. Then don't blame fate if you die here!" Itō's expression grew serious, a glint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

Takeda laughed heartily. "Let's begin, Itō!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he launched himself forward, leaping high into the air. In an instant, he was above Itō, wielding his sword with one hand, slashing directly down toward him.

"Don't underestimate me!"

The long blade carved through the air, creating a sharp pressure that enveloped both Itō and the dinosaur beneath him.

Itō's pupils contracted as he felt the force of the strike. His long sword instantly left its sheath, blocking overhead.

Clang!

The clash of metal rang out, sending brilliant sparks flying. Simultaneously, the immense force of the blow caused Itō's expression to change as the ground beneath him gave way.

The dinosaur beneath him let out a mournful cry, its four limbs collapsing to the ground, raising a cloud of dust and debris.

When the dust settled, Yajuro saw Takeda standing with one hand holding his sword, pressing down on Itō Tōsai, who was completely pinned.

"You might die, you know!" Takeda grinned, looking down at the serious-faced Itō, laughing loudly.

He then retracted his sword, twisting his waist sharply to spin in place. The long blade swung in a circular arc, its force slicing toward Itō's neck.

Itō reacted swiftly, stepping back and bending low to dodge.

Whoosh!

The blade's energy surged forward, cutting through the grass in front of Takeda, leveling everything within a hundred meters.

Takeda advanced, launching continuous slashes. Itō raised his sword repeatedly to block, the sound of clashing metal ringing out incessantly, accompanied by flashes of sparks.

The powerful blows made Itō's expression grow more serious as he retreated step by step. He couldn't comprehend how this young man's body could contain such overwhelming strength.

Each of Takeda's strikes was sharp and carried immense force. His blade was imbued with Armament Haki, adding an oppressive weight to his attacks.

Watching from a distance, Yajuro was utterly stunned by the unfolding battle.

"Master Takeda is suppressing Itō Tōsai!"

Then, excitement filled him.

"He's so strong!"

"If this keeps up, Master Takeda really can defeat him!"

Yajuro clenched his fists, focusing intently on the fight.

On the battlefield, Takeda wielded his sword with one hand, laughing continuously. He unleashed the full power of his body, each strike executed with the instinctive skill he had inherited from Ryuma.

The angles of his strikes, the paths his blade carved, and the points they reached—all were natural and sharp.

"This feels great!" Takeda exclaimed.

"Itō Tōsai, against a strong opponent like you, I can finally attack freely without worrying about killing you in one strike!"

Each swing of his blade caused the ground to quake, sending up clouds of dust and slicing through the surrounding grass effortlessly.

In mere moments, the area around them was covered in sword marks.

"I underestimated you, boy," Itō said seriously, retreating.

"Your strength is immense, your sword intent is profound, and your blade is overpowering and fierce. Which school of swordsmanship do you come from?"

Swordsmanship in Wano Country had distinct lineages and traditions, but the style and aura of this young man's strikes were unfamiliar to Itō.

"Which school?" Takeda chuckled.

"Take this next strike. If you can block it, I'll tell you!"

With that, he sheathed his long sword. All the sharp, overwhelming energy disappeared, hidden within the scabbard.

"What?!" Itō's pupils contracted in shock, his heart filled with astonishment.