"Great... great swordsman???"
Grace struggled to form his words, his eyes locked onto Ron, seeking confirmation.
"Hmmm!" Ron nodded calmly, offering no further explanation.
Grace's lips quivered upon hearing Ron's response. He closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath, trying to steady his raging emotions.
On the other hand, the teenagers were taken aback by Grace's unexpected reaction. What was happening? Their sensei had clearly won, but he looked somber, even silencing them and himself as they offered their admiration.
Perhaps it was humility on the teacher's part? Yes, that must be it!
"Sensei, you've clearly won, why be so modest?" a short, chubby teenager couldn't help but voice his thoughts. "This guy is clearly no match for you, you even granted him a chance to fight back..."
"Quiet!" Grace snapped coldly. "Do you understand what has happened? I just lost!"
"What? You lost sensei?"
"How could you lose?"
A wave of disbelief washed over the teenagers. They couldn't perceive any signs that Grace had lost during the exchange.
"Mr. Ron, please ignore these youngsters" Grace suggested. After all, he was a renowned swordsman in Logue Town, and the teenagers couldn't discern true skill.
During their brief exchange, he had aimed a strike at Ron's arm which was holding the sword, which Ron had deftly blocked with the sword's sheath. The incredible power contained in the sheath had shattered Grace's potent sword-drawing technique, rendering it ineffective.
But more importantly, as Ron's blade had deflected the technique, it had gently brushed against Grace's forehead, a moment that passed too quickly for the teenagers to comprehend.
Sweat beaded on Grace's forehead. Ron, despite his youthful appearance, had reached an astonishingly high level of swordsmanship.
In his estimation, Ron had surpassed the Master Swordsman level and likely reached the realm of a Great Swordsman.
Great swordsman was a title reserved for swordsmen whose fame and power had extended to all the seas, including the Grand Line.
Grace couldn't fathom Ron's age, so he was in awe.
"Mr. Ron, although you are formidable," Grace said, his demeanor suddenly animated, "I still possess my two-sword style technique and would like to spar with you. I request your guidance."
Ron remained composed, a faint smile gracing his face. "Ah? Competition between swordsmen is quite normal. Make your move."
"Thank you, Mr. Ron. Please be prepared!" Grace's tone was serious. He knew he couldn't defeat Ron, but he yearned to learn and test himself against a formidable swordsman. He was determined to fight to the best of his ability, seeking to gauge how far he stood from the realm of Great Swordsman.
The teenagers in the kendo dojo were utterly shocked by the unexpected turn of events. What had they just heard?
The teenagers couldn't believe their ears. Had they truly heard their renowned Teacher Grace humbly asking for guidance in swordsmanship from the young man before them?
This didn't make sense. The situation seemed to have taken a bizarre turn.
Confusion swept over the teenagers. They exchanged bewildered glances, trying to grasp the sudden shift in events.
"Mr. Ron, please make your move. Two-sword style!" Grace declared, drawing another long sword from his waist. With two swords in hand, he exuded an even more intense aura than before. In a swift motion, he advanced towards Ron, wielding his blades like twin silvery crescents shining in the moonlight.
Ron, observing from his eye recognized Grace's technique. It wasn't the sword-drawing style but the two-sword style, and it was impressive.
Swish!
With a swift movement, Ron unsheathed his sword, and a sonorous sword cry filled the air. The blade cut through the sky, and sword energy soared, shaking the entire Loguetown.
Following two resounding clashes, Grace's twin blades were sent flying and buried into the ground nearby.
Seeing his empty hands, Grace was stupefied, as were the teenagers who had been watching. If they hadn't clearly seen the initial attack, they were now presented with the undeniable result, Teacher Grace's dual swords had been disarmed by Ron. With confident sheathing of his sword, Ron maintained his calm and gentle demeanor, sporting a faint smile on his lips.
"I... I've lost," Grace admitted with calmness, bowing deeply to Ron. "Mr. Ron, you are indeed a formidable swordsman, deserving of the title of Great Swordsman. I am thoroughly convinced."
"Lost... the teacher lost?"
"What is happening?"
The students and teenagers were dumbfounded.
Ron smiled gently, approaching Grace and assisting him as he bowed. He spoke with a calm and kind tone, "Mr. Grace, there's no need to be so formal. While my skills have reached the level of a Great Swordsman, there is still much I have yet to learn about swordsmanship. I still hope you'll be willing to guide me."
"Where would I have the qualification to guide someone of your caliber?" Grace responded with a slightly downcast expression. Today, he had been humbled by a young man, and he didn't think he couldn't guide such a strong swordsman.
"Mr. Grace, you are very kind," Ron replied calmly. "I have great admiration for your sword-drawing and two-sword style techniques. I wonder if you'd be willing to honor the agreement we made and teach me these two techniques?"
Grace was taken aback but soon nodded, "Mr. Ron, it would be an honor to teach you these techniques. It's a privilege for our kendo dojo to share these skills with you. Please, come inside, and we can discuss it further."
As they entered the house, the bewildered Kendo students remained in the courtyard, still in a daze.
...
At the same time, in Logue Town, the naval base, several Navy officers sensed the immense sword energy and turned their attention towards the kendo dojo, feeling the surge of power that had emanated from that direction. They were left trembling in its wake.