Chapter 78: Adrian vs. Koushirou

Adrian looked at his remaining experience points and then at his skill list. After thinking for a moment, he decided to evenly distribute them between his Armament Haki and Observation Haki, bringing both to Level 3. To level them up further now would require millions of experience points.

"I still have 51 skill points left," he thought. "I'm just a few points away from maxing out one of my Hakis, but I think I'll wait a bit longer. My Haki levels are good enough for now. Besides, I'm not sure if I need to spend skill points to unlock Haki's advanced abilities. That's a bit of a headache."

While Armament Haki's advanced abilities were not particularly prominent in the original story, Observation Haki was a different story. {I am blinking way too fast but still I cannot understand this.}

Red Count, Patrick Redfield's [Mind Reading], [Thought Disturbance] of the 'Fish-Man Princess' Otohime, while both terrifying, fell under the natural domain of Observation Haki, and the panel might not show them.

红伯爵 (Hóng bójué) 

莱德菲尔德 (Lài dé fēi dēng) 

的 (de) 

看穿人心 (kàn chuān rén xīn) 

鱼人王妃 (yú rén wáng fēi)

乙姬 (Yubi)

的 (de)

思维干扰 (sī wéi gān rǎo)

The [Future Sight] of Charlotte Katakuri is different!

This is definitely a realm that can be cultivated!

The system considers it highly probable as a derivative ability!

"Future Sight, skill points... Forget it, let's not think about it for now. I've almost wrapped things up on the East Blue side, and I can get ready to leave."

After packing his things, Adrian took the Yubashiri and headed towards Shimotsuki Village.

As he entered the Isshin Dojo, he was greeted by several people.

"Good morning, Mr. Momoya!"

"Good morning, Mr. Momoya!"

Adrian replied to each greeting.

Soon, he found Shimotsuki Koushirou, who was guiding a swordsmanship apprentice.

"Master Koushirou..."

Adrian addressed him as "Master" because he had received his guidance without reservation, not because he had formally become his disciple.

"It's Momoya!" Koushirou still had a weak and peaceful expression on his face, smiling with squinted eyes. "I wonder what brings you here. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"I have successfully comprehended the Breath of All Things!" Adrian said. "I am preparing to leave the East Blue, but before I leave, I want to ask Master Koushirou for guidance! I wonder if Master Koushirou would be willing to fight me?"

Koushirou was slightly surprised, but then shook his head slightly. "That is the way of a swordsman...Would you mind if there were a few spectators?"

"If you don't mind!"

...

Behind the Isshin Dojo, there was a dense grove of trees.

On a clearing in the forest, Adrian and Koushirou stood facing each other, swords in hand.

On the top floor of Isshin Dojo, a number of children were peering out the windows, looking down at the two men in the forest below.

The battle between swordsmen was very fierce, and even the residual sword energy an intense battle was not something that ordinary people could endure.

Koushirou naturally wouldn't allow his disciples to watch up close, but watching from a distance was still acceptable.

Koushirou took a deep breath, slowly drew the Wado Ichimonji from his waist. Nestled in the calm waters of the East Blue for who knows how long, he hadn't battled with a swordsman of the same level in quite some time. Surprisingly, his inner passion began to slowly boil at this moment.

With a crisp sound of blades clashing, Shimotsuki Koushirou was the first to launch an attack, transforming into a black shadow and pouncing towards Adrian.

"Good, come on!"

Adrian showed no fear at all, raising his sword.

Under the influence of the Three Thousand Flows, although he had never encountered the swordsmanship of the Isshin Dojo before, he still discerned some clues.

Clang!

Adrian's timing was spot on as he swung his sword, and his sharp Yubashiri just managed to block the Wado Ichimonji in midair.

The first slash didn't work, and Koushirou reacted quickly. He flicked his wrist, and the Wado Ichimonji slowly slid down with his movement. He then flipped his body and unleashed a vicious thrust to Adrian's stomach.

Adrian held his sword up to his side to block, and there was another crisp clang as the blades collided, sending sparks flying.

"Such a treacherous move doesn't seem like something Koushirou-sensei would know," Adrian said.

"Swordsmanship is a killing art, whether it's dark or not! A true evil swordsman would know, would he?" Koushirou replied.

The two swordsmen, who were of similar build, began to exert their strength against each other.

However, the standoff only lasted a moment.

Both sides used their strength to move backward, each taking a few steps and returning to a standoff.

On Adrian's panel, Koushirou's level information updated.

"Level 76, which is to be expected. Agility is the highest, followed by intelligence, and strength is slightly weak, but it's still within the range of an ordinary person. Although I may have a slight advantage in attributes, Koushirou may still have Haki, or even 'Ryūō', which is something I need to be cautious of..."

{In Wano Country, Busoshoku is known as Ryūō (流桜, Ryūō?, literally meaning "Flowing Sakura"), founded on the concept of inner flow. - according to fandom wiki}

In an instant, many thoughts flashed through Adrian's mind, and his eyes became extremely calm, entering a state of combat focus.

Koushirou swung his sword again, and Adrian countered.

Downward slashes, upward slashes, horizontal slashes, each sword was fierce and sharp, and even the released aura left densely packed holes in the surrounding grass and trees.

The clear sound of metal colliding never stopped, and red sparks scattered everywhere.

In just a few minutes, this beautifully landscaped small forest had been turned into a mess.

Looking at Koushirou, whose forehead was slightly sweating, Adrian said, "Master Koushirou, I'm going to start taking it seriously now!"

The Armament Haki began to flow on Yubashiri, the blade hummed, and the snow-white blade was gradually dyed a deep black.

"Armament Haki? Then... as you wish!"

Koushirou also used Armament Haki, and the Wado Ichimonji was dyed with a black metallic luster.

"Moon Sword: Frost Kill!"

Koushirou once again attacked, his cross-shaped slash flying towards Adrian. The impact at the edges even carved out icy grooves on the ground.

From a distance, it looked like a frosted meadow under the moonlight.

"Rushing Slash!"

Adrian also swung out a fearsome Sword Power.

The two powerful Sword Powers collided in the air, and the violent gusts of wind raged in the sky. The intense shock waves spread out rapidly in all directions, turning the surrounding dead branches and leaves into powder. The blackish-brown soil layer below was also stirred up with countless mud spots.

The two sides charged at each other again, and the two famous swords covered in Armament Haki collided again.

Clang!

"Master Koushiro, your Haki seems a little different!"

Adrian felt the Haki power coming from the other side, as if it had penetrated through the Yubashiri and headed straight for his real body, but was instantly dissolved by the power of his Ghost Body.

"This is a technique called 'Ryūō'!" Kozaburo confessed, gradually removing the Haki that was attached to the Wado Ichimonji.

Adrian looked slightly puzzled, "?"

Kozaburo waved his hand, sheathing his sword, "Let's not fight anymore, let's not fight!"

Both sides had already revealed their respective Armament Haki powers, and continuing the fight would likely spiral out of control.

Koushiro knew that fighting with a swordsman of this level would not be over in a short period of time. Once they really started fighting, not to mention anything else, his own little forest would definitely be destroyed.

In addition, the battle between swordsmen was too dangerous. If one was not careful, it could be a life-and-death battle. If he won, that would be fine, but if he lost…

Koushirou did not want to think about the terrible consequences, even if it was just an imagination.

Adrian was a little helpless. He didn't expect Koushirou, who had been so fierce in the battle just now, would simply quit!

This feeling of being left stranded was something familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. It was really uncomfortable!

Adrian suddenly had a desire to put Yubashiri on Koushirou's neck and force him to continue fighting!