Chapter 241: Seeking a Breakthrough
Vista was actually also an uncle-level figure; he had been roaming the New World with Whitebeard over twenty years ago, and was now estimated to be in his mid-thirties, nearly forty.
However, this uncle appeared quite particular, always wearing a top hat, a suit, and a cape, with a neatly curled and tidy gentlemanly mustache. From time to time, he would gently twist his mustache with his white-gloved fingers.
He maintained his usual smiling expression, standing opposite Ian, and with a flick of his cape, revealed two long swords hanging from his left hip.
Vista’s weapons were actually a bit peculiar. His sword hilts had a ring of guards wrapping around them, resembling the hilts of common Western rapiers. However, his blades were not slender and sharp; instead, they had a single-edged blade like a samurai sword, unlike the thick-backed blades of typical sailor knives.
Such a unique design seemed to combine elements from several styles of weapons. So, when Vista drew his swords, Ian kept his eyes on them and couldn’t help asking, “Your swords… are they also among the famous blades?”
“Of course! They are one of the Twenty-One Great Grade Swords!” Vista said with a smile. “The sword’s name is ‘Flower Burial’! What about yours?”
“Mine?” Ian looked at the blade before him and introduced it, “This is Thousand Cherry Blossoms…”
“I knew it!” Vista laughed heartily. “I saw your battle with Kizaru in the sky from afar. Those cherry blossom petals fluttering everywhere made my heart stir too!”
“Uh…” Ian was momentarily at a loss for words. Reminded by Vista, he suddenly realized that when Flower Sword Vista unleashed his attacks, it also seemed to involve petals fluttering everywhere.
Would his sparring session with Vista turn into some kind of artistic film scene?
“Watch out!” Vista warned, noticing Ian’s distraction. He was now holding both swords, ready to attack.
Ian snapped back to focus, his left hand holding the scabbard and his right hand resting lightly on the hilt, slightly crouching, prepared to strike at any moment.
In Ian’s estimation, Flower Sword Vista was likely at the level of a Grand Swordsman. To be honest, since setting sail, the only Grand Swordsman Ian had faced was Vista himself. His other opponents were not skilled in swordsmanship, which was probably why Ian’s swordsmanship had stagnated for so long.
Now, their sparring truly resembled a duel between two swordsmen. Ian adjusted his breathing as Rayleigh had taught him, his muscles tense, adopting the stance Koushirou had taught him—the easiest for launching an attack—while keeping a wary eye on Vista. Vista did the same, his two flower swords slightly crossed in front of his chest, a stance he only took when facing a formidable opponent.
Though they hadn’t moved yet, both had already activated their Observation Haki, fully sensing each other’s every move. The scene was silent, and the onlookers barely dared to breathe, afraid to disturb the duel.
Just then, Whitebeard, who had been watching, suddenly sneezed loudly, seemingly displeased.
With that sound, Ian and Vista moved simultaneously! As Ian lunged forward, his right hand landed on the hilt of Thousand Cherry Blossoms, and with unparalleled speed, he delivered a horizontal slash toward Vista.
However, Vista blocked the attack with one sword held at his side, producing a sharp clang. Then, with his other sword, he thrust toward Ian’s shoulder with lightning speed.
As his sword swung, red petals fluttered through the air. Ian didn’t know if this was a special sword technique or an illusion, but he had no time to dwell on it. His Psychic Field sensed Vista’s attack direction, and Ian immediately shifted his footing, swaying his shoulder to dodge the thrust.
Then, he released his grip and swung his blade upward, slashing at Vista. Vista countered with a single-handed swing, using force to deflect Ian’s blade, and then launched a rapid series of thrusts with his other sword.
Vista was a dual-wielding swordsman, but Ian was no stranger to fighting such opponents. Back in Shimotsuki Village, when he sparred with Zoro, Zoro had used a dual-wielding style.
Dual-wielding swordsmanship had a characteristic: it excelled in tricky attacks. With an extra weapon, one could block and counterattack simultaneously. However, single-handed strikes lacked the power of two-handed ones, so dual-wielding usually relied on technique and speed.
Ian was no slouch in speed either. Unlike his fight with Foss, where Foss’s attacks were straightforward and Ian matched him with brute force, Ian brought out his speed in this spar with Vista. Though he only had one sword, his years of practice had honed his flexible wrist movements and footwork. Combined with his speed, he was a match for Vista’s dual-wielding style.
Around them, the petals Vista’s attacks produced filled the air with a fragrant scent. No wonder Vista was nicknamed “Flower Sword”—his swordsmanship was indeed elegant and beautiful.
The two clashed at high speed, constantly shifting positions, locked in combat. For the weaker onlookers, their movements had become a blur, their weapons reduced to streaks of light, dazzling and chaotic.
In the blink of an eye, neither could count how many exchanges they’d had. Vista’s sword techniques were formidable, but Ian’s mastery of basic swordsmanship allowed him to counter Vista’s various moves.
However, during their fight, Ian realized Vista was far stronger than Foss in swordsmanship. Vista’s strikes often targeted Ian’s weakest points, forcing him to adapt. Though they seemed evenly matched for now, Ian knew that after a thousand or so exchanges, he might be defeated.
Vista’s tactical insight in swordsmanship far surpassed Ian’s. After all, Vista was much older and had encountered far more skilled swordsmen than Ian.
Ian considered using the initial release of Thousand Cherry Blossoms to gain greater speed and power against Vista, but he quickly dismissed the thought.
He knew his bottleneck in swordsmanship wasn’t about speed or power but about a qualitative understanding of swordsmanship. To break through, he had to rely on his own swordsmanship to counter Vista’s attacks.
So, gritting his teeth, he continued the fight, striving to make his moves more perfect as Vista sought out his flaws.
During their exchange, Vista naturally noticed Ian’s changes and progress, a faint smile appearing on his face.
Earlier, while watching Ian’s fight with Foss, Vista had identified Ian’s issues. Ian’s swordsmanship lacked neither fundamentals nor speed and power, but his insight required experience—a minor problem. That was why Vista agreed to spar with Ian, hoping to help him grasp the key.
“Watch closely!” Vista suddenly called out mid-fight.
Ian, already fully focused, became even more alert at the warning.
But the next second, when Vista swung his sword at Ian, something went wrong!
Ian found himself unable to dodge Vista’s strike! The attack seemed ordinary, and Ian should have been able to evade it easily. Yet, to his surprise, several escape routes flashed through his mind, all giving him the feeling that he “couldn’t escape”!
He was going to be hit! This was the only premonition Ian’s entire body gave him. He felt as though Vista’s sword had completely locked onto him!
Describing it was complicated, but it happened in an instant. Though Ian sensed Vista’s movement through his Psychic Field, he seemed frozen, allowing Vista to strike him.
Of course, Vista used the flat of his blade. This was a spar, not a life-or-death battle. After the flat of the blade struck Ian’s shoulder, Vista passed by him.
Ian was drenched in sweat, not from exhaustion but from the danger he had sensed in that moment.
After hitting Ian, Vista temporarily stopped. Ian turned around, ignoring the sharp pain in his shoulder, and asked Vista, “What happened? Why couldn’t I dodge that strike? Did you do something to me?”
Vista twisted his mustache and said, “I can’t describe it well, but if I had to find a word… it’s that you were locked onto by my aura!”
“Aura!? Locked on!?” Ian repeated the words, combining them with his feelings from that moment to ponder deeply.
He felt as though he was vaguely grasping something…
He wanted to continue sparring with Vista, but just then, Whitebeard laughed heartily, “Gurararara! That’s enough for today. There will be plenty of opportunities to spar in the future!”
Whitebeard understood that if they fought with all their strength, Vista might not necessarily defeat Ian. But Ian had only used his swordsmanship, not his other abilities. Whitebeard realized Ian was seeking a breakthrough in swordsmanship by challenging Vista.
Since Ian had refused to become his son earlier, Whitebeard was still a bit displeased. So, he decided to play a small trick on Ian at this moment.
If you want to break through, you’ll have to wait a few more days…