"Greetings, Lord Shogun!"
Upon arriving in Kuri within the Land of Wano, many citizens immediately greeted Li Yuan with heartfelt respect. His reputation and image had spread far and wide, leaving a deep impression on the people of Wano. They recognized him at a glance.
"Toki, we've arrived in Wano. I have some matters to attend to, so I'll be off for now. I'll check in on you later," Li Yuan said, releasing her hand. "Oh, and here's some money for you. Make sure you don't lose it this time."
Toki watched him walk away, still processing everything that had happened. Around her, she overheard whispers from the bystanders.
"Who is that woman? She's so lucky to be carried back by Lord Shogun himself. I'd give ten years of my life for such a moment!"
"She might just be the future Shogun's wife—don't speak ill of her."
"She's blessed to have caught his eye."
Hearing the murmurs, Toki's face reddened even more as she quickly fled to a quieter area to gather her thoughts. Once composed, she began exploring this familiar yet changed land.
Toki wandered around for two days, mostly gathering information about Wano and Li Yuan. The more she learned, the more amazed she became. It turned out Li Yuan wasn't originally from Wano; he had come from overseas and saved the country from ruin. Under his leadership, Wano had flourished, growing wealthier and more prosperous. Beggars were now a rare sight, and people no longer starved during the harsh winters.
Most remarkable of all, though Wano's borders remained officially closed, its people were now free to travel to and from the outside world. Li Yuan not only held vast territories abroad—lands far larger than Wano itself—but also held significant influence worldwide.
The upcoming World Swordsmanship Tournament was his initiative, inviting swordsmen from all over the globe to compete. Li Yuan was considered a prime contender for the title of World's Greatest Swordsman.
The more Toki learned, the more she admired Li Yuan. In her mind, he was like the legendary Dragon Slayer, Ryuma of Shimotsuki, but even greater. Such an exceptional and powerful man—what woman's heart wouldn't be stirred?
Thinking of the moments she shared with him, of his gestures and how he had held her, Toki's face flushed again with embarrassment.
"The World Swordsmanship Tournament… I wonder what a grand event it must be. I'd love to see it," she murmured, gazing at the newspaper with a longing expression.
"If you'd like to see it, I can take you there," came a sudden voice from beside her.
"Ah! Li Yuan—Lord Shogun! You're here?" Toki stammered, still unsure how to address him.
"There's no need for formality—just call me Li Yuan. You mentioned wanting to see the tournament. Let me take you."
Without waiting for her response, Li Yuan took her hand, and through the Mirror World, they quickly arrived at the Battle Pyramid.
"By the way, this mirror trick we used to get here is a bit of a secret. Make sure you don't tell anyone," he whispered, leaning in close with a smile.
"Oh, I—I won't," Toki stammered, her face turning red as his face hovered just inches from hers.
Li Yuan couldn't help but notice that Toki seemed to be one step behind whenever they interacted.
"This is the World Swordsmanship Tournament's venue. Let's explore a bit. Tomorrow I'll be busy with the competition, so I won't be able to accompany you," he said, leading her by the hand through the grand halls of the Battle Pyramid.
"Wow, what's this? It can monitor people?" Toki exclaimed, marveling at the surveillance equipment.
"And this—this tastes amazing!" she said, delighted by a treat she tried.
"Oh! The stairs… they move by themselves. How magical!"
Coming from Wano eight hundred years in the past, Toki had never seen anything like the advanced technology and grandeur of the Battle Pyramid. She was like a country girl visiting a bustling city for the first time. Without Li Yuan to guide her, she would have been completely lost.
With Li Yuan by her side, Toki's worries faded, and she enjoyed herself immensely. All her earlier doubts and anxieties disappeared as they explored together, and she found herself wishing this day could go on forever.
"Toki, I have to participate in the competition soon. If you'd like to continue exploring, I'll arrange for someone to accompany you," Li Yuan offered, calling over several female guards to watch over her and ensure her safety in the unfamiliar surroundings.
"No, I want to watch your match," she replied with a smile.
"Alright, come with me, and I'll set up a seat for you in the spectator box," Li Yuan said, leading her to his reserved viewing area.
After spending the day together, Toki felt more comfortable around Li Yuan. She no longer looked down or blushed when he held her hand, now meeting him with a warm smile.
"Three days have passed. Let's welcome our selected contestants to the stage to draw lots and choose their opponents!" announced the enthusiastic host, her voice echoing across the arena.
"Come on, everyone, let's get up there and draw!" Li Yuan said, striding confidently to the stage.
"Can't wait to see who I'll be matched with first!" roared Golden Lion as he followed close behind.
"Oh, there they are! Look, they're all here!"
"Pirate legends! I can't believe I'm seeing them in person!"
"Li Yuan, I love you! I want to bear your children!"
The audience erupted into cheers as the 64 contestants took the stage. In the spectator box, Toki cheered quietly for Li Yuan, but her soft voice was drowned out by the crowd's excitement.
"Haha, I'll go first!" Li Yuan said, reaching into the dark lottery box and pulling out a numbered ball. His number read 10, indicating he was the tenth contestant.
"I'm next!" Roger stepped forward before Golden Lion could and pulled his own number: 64.
"Serves you right for cutting in line! Now you're last!" Golden Lion laughed, moving up to draw his own number.
One by one, all 64 contestants took their turns and received their numbers. According to the rules, matches would proceed with the first contestant facing the last, the second facing the next-to-last, and so on. After each round, the winners would advance to the Top 32, where they would draw new numbers and face off again.
"Pairings have been decided! Contestants, please proceed to your designated battle arenas for your matches!" announced the host as the drawing concluded.
Each of the 64 contestants moved to their assigned arenas. The first round consisted of 32 matches held simultaneously; otherwise, it would take far too long to finish.
Li Yuan arrived at his arena on the fifteenth floor of the Battle Pyramid, where his opponent soon stepped forward.
"From the nation of Jiyuan, I am Kuni Ichirou. It is an honor to face you!" declared a rugged middle-aged man with a strong build.
"I am Li Yuan. The honor is mine," Li Yuan responded with a smile. Luck seemed to be on his side; his first opponent was a Grandmaster Swordsman.
Kuni Ichirou, a renowned swordsman from an allied country on the Grand Line, had previously had his Grandmaster status verified by Li Yuan himself.
At the start of the match, Kuni Ichirou launched the first attack, knowing he needed to seize every opportunity against Li Yuan; otherwise, defeat was inevitable.
"Phantom Sun Red!"
A destructive sword aura surged from Kuni's body, coating his black blade in Armament Haki. With a single slash, a brilliant red sun seemed to descend upon the arena, only to be obliterated in the next moment by the power of his strike.
"Impressive sword intent!"
Li Yuan couldn't help but praise Kuni's unique aura of annihilation, a type of sword energy he had never encountered before. Each Grandmaster Swordsman's sword intent was one-of-a-kind, and that uniqueness was what made them so remarkable.
This tournament wasn't merely for Li Yuan's recognition; it was also a chance for him to witness diverse sword styles and hone his own. As he spoke, a powerful oceanic aura manifested behind him, evoking the depths of the sea.
"Abyssal Void: Ocean Devours the Sun!"
If Kuni's sword intent was a force to extinguish the sun, Li Yuan's was the boundless ocean capable of swallowing it whole. As their swords collided, waves of energy erupted, sending shockwaves across the arena.
"Even with just a single type of sword energy, he's terrifyingly strong!"
In that instant of contact, Kuni felt an overwhelming force bearing down on him, despite Li Yuan using only sword intent without Armament Haki. It was nearly impossible to withstand.
"Surely that's not all your sword can do! Come on, attack with everything you have!" Li Yuan said confidently, sending Kuni flying into the arena wall with a single blow.
Even limiting himself to one type of sword intent, Li Yuan's power dominated that of an ordinary Grandmaster Swordsman. This was the might of the World's Greatest Swordsman.
"That's exactly what I wanted to hear!" Kuni replied, pulling himself from the wall with a fierce grin as his destructive aura intensified, making him seem like a force of nature born to destroy.
"Heavenly Overthrow!"
Wielding his black blade, Kuni charged forward, entering a berserk state. The destructive power of his aura surged, enhancing his strength to new heights.
"Good! Bring it on!" Li Yuan was intrigued by Kuni's technique, a method of intensifying his power through the force of his sword energy.
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