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Chapter 686: Bloody Blade Watches
The second Swordsmanship Tournament Elimination Round officially concluded.
From start to finish, it only took one week.
Hundreds of Arenas could host nearly a thousand battles simultaneously.
And the number of contestants exceeded ten thousand.
This meant each Arena only needed to host a little over a dozen battles.
Battles between Swordsmen sometimes ended very quickly; with absolute strength overwhelming the opponent, a single opening could decide the outcome of a battle.
Some battles were also very drawn out.
However, no matter how intense the battle, it would end within one or two hours.
By this point, one thousand and twenty-four Swordsmen, representing the elite Swordsmen on The Great Sea, were in place.
Those powerful Swordsmen who had hidden their strength would also exhibit their sharpness.
After all, Swordsmen who could stand out from over ten thousand people and rank among the front ranks were at least outstanding individuals among Sword Masters.
Some of the more outstanding ones could even force out some of the strength of Great Sword Masters.
There were top Swordsmen with widespread reputation.
And young Swordsmen who were rapidly rising and making a push for the peak.
Being able to enter the Main Competition, the young "Red the Aloof" Redfield was already worthy of pride.
Precisely because he was young, in this golden age of Swordsmanship, on a Great Sea with a large number of top Swordsmen, it could be said to be impossible for him to enter the next stage, the Top 64.
But don't forget, he was only twenty years old.
By the next Swordsmanship Tournament, his stage would arrive.
Similarly highly anticipated was "Godspeed" Char, who was already a top-tier monster on The Great Sea.
Having debuted from the Sky Arena, he returned after many years and, after the Main Competition began, exhibited dominant and powerful combat prowess.
Even without using his Devil Fruit Ability, he was an undisputed Great Sword Master.
In the past few years since joining the Flying Pirates, following the Flying Pirates to the peak of Pirates and experiencing one brutal great battle after another, his growth speed was astonishing.
Even if he were to leave the Flying Pirates, among the many monsters in the New World, he could hold his own with his combat strength.
Styx was seen holding his Twin Swords, his blood-colored long hair fluttering around his face, and his demonic Blood Eyes erupting with intense Killing Intent.
A deep red Aura enveloped his body.
And his opponent felt fear rising in his heart, as if he were in Blood Sea Hell.
This was Styx's unique Aura, similar to the Killing Intent of other Slaughter Style Swordsmen, but it contained his Swordsmanship.
It was also combined with Conqueror's Haki.
The dominant will pierced directly into others' minds through Styx's eye; this was a certain application of Conqueror's Haki.
If one couldn't even resist this, they weren't worthy of being his opponent.
Just facing Styx, his opponent's heart was already shaken.
Large amounts of sweat broke out on his body unknowingly.
Even the arm holding his sword couldn't help but tremble.
His body seemed to freeze, stopping in place.
This couldn't defeat him, but there was no doubt he had been affected.
Staring intently at the young figure not far away, his heart was filled with bitterness.
Before the battle even began, Styx's show of force made it clear to him that there was a chasm-like gap between them.
Around the Arena, there were also quite a few competitors watching the battle.
As a young monster and the Son of Hades, Styx was not only highly anticipated on The Great Sea but also an object of attention among many of these strong Swordsmen.
For Swordsmen who aspired to the Top 16 slots in their respective Competition Zones and ultimately the Top 64 slots, Styx was undoubtedly a strong competitor.
Especially for those contestants assigned to the same Competition Zone as Styx.
Higher rankings symbolized status and glory, as well as extremely high reputation.
Most Swordsmen could not ignore these things.
Just the title of "World's Strongest Swordsman" alone had attracted the pursuit of countless strongmen.
After the Swordsmanship Tournament concluded, if one performed excellently, they could become an honored guest in any Kingdom, and becoming a Noble would be an easy matter.
There was nothing they couldn't obtain.
Furthermore, there were various rewards prepared by the Swordsmanship Tournament itself.
Famous Swords recorded in historical records were the pursuit of who knows how many Swordsmen.
Twilight, Nidai Kitetsu, Seven Star Sword.
Now, Wano Country Relics such as Black Blade Shusui, Enma, and Ame no Habakiri were also added.
Obtaining one of these could be something like a family heirloom.
Various precious forging materials were also very attractive.
On the current Paros Island, there was also the Swordsmith, attracting many Swordsmen for sightseeing.
Besides selling swords, their business also included forging weapons for people.
Many famous Wano Country swordsmiths could help those Swordsmen forge suitable Personal Swords.
After all, Wano Country was a thing of the past.
The remaining Wano Country Residents were subdued under the rule of the Tyrant Dragon Pirates, having even forgotten the existence of Wano Country.
The Daimyo of Wano Country and the people who represented Wano Country had all died.
Even if a few seeds were left behind on The Great Sea, it would be difficult to reconstruct Wano Country in the future.
Observing Styx's Fighting Style was also to make more preparations for possibly facing this strong enemy in the future.
Intelligence was also an important part of battle.
However, the result clearly left them somewhat disappointed.
This opponent alone was not enough to force out Styx's strength.
Even so, it was enough to make them pay serious attention.
The small Arena was where many powerful Swordsmen gathered.
Above the Arena, there was also a circle of VIP seats for better viewing of the battle.
"Red the Aloof" Redfield stood quietly in front of the railing, with a large empty space left around him; others dared not approach.
Battles of this level wouldn't normally attract his attention.
But this was Styx's battle.
For Styx, who also possessed the Vampire Race bloodline and whom he had briefly taught for a period, he was clearly closer to and very optimistic about him.
Evidently, he was very satisfied with Styx's performance.
Although he didn't directly make a move, for a monster of his level, he could see many things.
Styx's excellence made him somewhat pleased.
Equally satisfied, of course, was Styx's official Teacher.
Genryusai Shigekuni, who had won the championship of the first Swordsmanship Tournament and obtained the title of "World's Strongest Swordsman".
Although he wouldn't participate, he wouldn't miss such a grand event either.
Moreover, in the Swordsmanship Tournament, there were a large number of Swordsmen from the Sword Dao True Spirit Academy, basically all his students.
Four days before the official start of the Swordsmanship Tournament, he had already arrived at Paros Island.
His Flame Style Swordsmanship was too overbearing, and there weren't many people who could inherit it.
Except for those few Lunarian Tribe members who innately possessed unique talent, in his mind, the most outstanding was clearly Styx.
And he had walked his own path.
And by his side stood a young woman wearing a black kimono.
Long black hair flowed down.
Her Aura was extremely sharp, and her gaze towards Styx was filled with Fighting Spirit.
She was precisely Genryusai Shigekuni's Direct Disciple, Unohana Yachiru, who was hailed as a Swordsmanship Genius seen once in a century.
Proficient in Hundred Schools Sword Dao, she herself was a pure Slaughter Style Swordsman.
She embraced a long saber with both hands.
Supreme Grade Blade · Shura.
As Genryusai Shigekuni's spoils from the first Swordsmanship Tournament, it afterwards became Unohana Yachiru's Personal Sword.
However, as Rocks D.Xebec's Personal Sword, it possessed a ferocity difficult to suppress.
Even she now hasn't completely conquered Shura.
It had to be said that her own Swordsmanship, walking the path of the Slaughter Style, was influenced by Shura.
Powerful Famous Swords would influence their master.
Even Styx was influenced by his own Personal Sword to some extent.
However, this wasn't a bad thing, because they themselves didn't reject it; instead, it would promote their growth.
Why Famous Swords are so precious is because they have reputation, containing the Sword Intent of previous masters, and even the Sword Intent of several previous masters.
For many Swordsmen, these are all precious wealth.
Many Swordsmen broke through their Swordsmanship Bottleneck and became stronger simply because they obtained a Famous Sword.
At the Sword Dao True Spirit Academy, Unohana Yachiru and Styx battled over a thousand times.
And the final result, without exception, was that she lost.
If discussing pure Swordsmanship, Unohana Yachiru was not inferior to Styx, and was even a bit stronger.
But Styx's overall strength was stronger.
The battle ended faster than imagined.
Styx had no intention of prolonging the fight; his opponent, under his deterrence, was full of openings.
Before he could react, a sword landed on his neck.
(end of chapter)
The second Swordsmanship Tournament Elimination Round officially concluded.
From start to finish, it only took one week.
Hundreds of Arenas could host nearly a thousand battles simultaneously.
And the number of contestants exceeded ten thousand.
This meant each Arena only needed to host a little over a dozen battles.
Battles between Swordsmen sometimes ended very quickly; with absolute strength overwhelming the opponent, a single opening could decide the outcome of a battle.
Some battles were also very drawn out.
However, no matter how intense the battle, it would end within one or two hours.
By this point, one thousand and twenty-four Swordsmen, representing the elite Swordsmen on The Great Sea, were in place.
Those powerful Swordsmen who had hidden their strength would also exhibit their sharpness.
After all, Swordsmen who could stand out from over ten thousand people and rank among the front ranks were at least outstanding individuals among Sword Masters.
Some of the more outstanding ones could even force out some of the strength of Great Sword Masters.
There were top Swordsmen with widespread reputation.
And young Swordsmen who were rapidly rising and making a push for the peak.
Being able to enter the Main Competition, the young "Red the Aloof" Redfield was already worthy of pride.
Precisely because he was young, in this golden age of Swordsmanship, on a Great Sea with a large number of top Swordsmen, it could be said to be impossible for him to enter the next stage, the Top 64.
But don't forget, he was only twenty years old.
By the next Swordsmanship Tournament, his stage would arrive.
Similarly highly anticipated was "Godspeed" Char, who was already a top-tier monster on The Great Sea.
Having debuted from the Sky Arena, he returned after many years and, after the Main Competition began, exhibited dominant and powerful combat prowess.
Even without using his Devil Fruit Ability, he was an undisputed Great Sword Master.
In the past few years since joining the Flying Pirates, following the Flying Pirates to the peak of Pirates and experiencing one brutal great battle after another, his growth speed was astonishing.
Even if he were to leave the Flying Pirates, among the many monsters in the New World, he could hold his own with his combat strength.
Styx was seen holding his Twin Swords, his blood-colored long hair fluttering around his face, and his demonic Blood Eyes erupting with intense Killing Intent.
A deep red Aura enveloped his body.
And his opponent felt fear rising in his heart, as if he were in Blood Sea Hell.
This was Styx's unique Aura, similar to the Killing Intent of other Slaughter Style Swordsmen, but it contained his Swordsmanship.
It was also combined with Conqueror's Haki.
The dominant will pierced directly into others' minds through Styx's eye; this was a certain application of Conqueror's Haki.
If one couldn't even resist this, they weren't worthy of being his opponent.
Just facing Styx, his opponent's heart was already shaken.
Large amounts of sweat broke out on his body unknowingly.
Even the arm holding his sword couldn't help but tremble.
His body seemed to freeze, stopping in place.
This couldn't defeat him, but there was no doubt he had been affected.
Staring intently at the young figure not far away, his heart was filled with bitterness.
Before the battle even began, Styx's show of force made it clear to him that there was a chasm-like gap between them.
Around the Arena, there were also quite a few competitors watching the battle.
As a young monster and the Son of Hades, Styx was not only highly anticipated on The Great Sea but also an object of attention among many of these strong Swordsmen.
For Swordsmen who aspired to the Top 16 slots in their respective Competition Zones and ultimately the Top 64 slots, Styx was undoubtedly a strong competitor.
Especially for those contestants assigned to the same Competition Zone as Styx.
Higher rankings symbolized status and glory, as well as extremely high reputation.
Most Swordsmen could not ignore these things.
Just the title of "World's Strongest Swordsman" alone had attracted the pursuit of countless strongmen.
After the Swordsmanship Tournament concluded, if one performed excellently, they could become an honored guest in any Kingdom, and becoming a Noble would be an easy matter.
There was nothing they couldn't obtain.
Furthermore, there were various rewards prepared by the Swordsmanship Tournament itself.
Famous Swords recorded in historical records were the pursuit of who knows how many Swordsmen.
Twilight, Nidai Kitetsu, Seven Star Sword.
Now, Wano Country Relics such as Black Blade Shusui, Enma, and Ame no Habakiri were also added.
Obtaining one of these could be something like a family heirloom.
Various precious forging materials were also very attractive.
On the current Paros Island, there was also the Swordsmith, attracting many Swordsmen for sightseeing.
Besides selling swords, their business also included forging weapons for people.
Many famous Wano Country swordsmiths could help those Swordsmen forge suitable Personal Swords.
After all, Wano Country was a thing of the past.
The remaining Wano Country Residents were subdued under the rule of the Tyrant Dragon Pirates, having even forgotten the existence of Wano Country.
The Daimyo of Wano Country and the people who represented Wano Country had all died.
Even if a few seeds were left behind on The Great Sea, it would be difficult to reconstruct Wano Country in the future.
Observing Styx's Fighting Style was also to make more preparations for possibly facing this strong enemy in the future.
Intelligence was also an important part of battle.
However, the result clearly left them somewhat disappointed.
This opponent alone was not enough to force out Styx's strength.
Even so, it was enough to make them pay serious attention.
The small Arena was where many powerful Swordsmen gathered.
Above the Arena, there was also a circle of VIP seats for better viewing of the battle.
"Red the Aloof" Redfield stood quietly in front of the railing, with a large empty space left around him; others dared not approach.
Battles of this level wouldn't normally attract his attention.
But this was Styx's battle.
For Styx, who also possessed the Vampire Race bloodline and whom he had briefly taught for a period, he was clearly closer to and very optimistic about him.
Evidently, he was very satisfied with Styx's performance.
Although he didn't directly make a move, for a monster of his level, he could see many things.
Styx's excellence made him somewhat pleased.
Equally satisfied, of course, was Styx's official Teacher.
Genryusai Shigekuni, who had won the championship of the first Swordsmanship Tournament and obtained the title of "World's Strongest Swordsman".
Although he wouldn't participate, he wouldn't miss such a grand event either.
Moreover, in the Swordsmanship Tournament, there were a large number of Swordsmen from the Sword Dao True Spirit Academy, basically all his students.
Four days before the official start of the Swordsmanship Tournament, he had already arrived at Paros Island.
His Flame Style Swordsmanship was too overbearing, and there weren't many people who could inherit it.
Except for those few Lunarian Tribe members who innately possessed unique talent, in his mind, the most outstanding was clearly Styx.
And he had walked his own path.
And by his side stood a young woman wearing a black kimono.
Long black hair flowed down.
Her Aura was extremely sharp, and her gaze towards Styx was filled with Fighting Spirit.
She was precisely Genryusai Shigekuni's Direct Disciple, Unohana Yachiru, who was hailed as a Swordsmanship Genius seen once in a century.
Proficient in Hundred Schools Sword Dao, she herself was a pure Slaughter Style Swordsman.
She embraced a long saber with both hands.
Supreme Grade Blade · Shura.
As Genryusai Shigekuni's spoils from the first Swordsmanship Tournament, it afterwards became Unohana Yachiru's Personal Sword.
However, as Rocks D.Xebec's Personal Sword, it possessed a ferocity difficult to suppress.
Even she now hasn't completely conquered Shura.
It had to be said that her own Swordsmanship, walking the path of the Slaughter Style, was influenced by Shura.
Powerful Famous Swords would influence their master.
Even Styx was influenced by his own Personal Sword to some extent.
However, this wasn't a bad thing, because they themselves didn't reject it; instead, it would promote their growth.
Why Famous Swords are so precious is because they have reputation, containing the Sword Intent of previous masters, and even the Sword Intent of several previous masters.
For many Swordsmen, these are all precious wealth.
Many Swordsmen broke through their Swordsmanship Bottleneck and became stronger simply because they obtained a Famous Sword.
At the Sword Dao True Spirit Academy, Unohana Yachiru and Styx battled over a thousand times.
And the final result, without exception, was that she lost.
If discussing pure Swordsmanship, Unohana Yachiru was not inferior to Styx, and was even a bit stronger.
But Styx's overall strength was stronger.
The battle ended faster than imagined.
Styx had no intention of prolonging the fight; his opponent, under his deterrence, was full of openings.
Before he could react, a sword landed on his neck.
(end of chapter)
