Legacy of the Six Paths Senjutsu

"Oh? What an interesting guy."

Even Whitebeard couldn't help but glance at Ayr upon witnessing the scene before him.

As a longtime companion of the Golden Lion, Whitebeard understood Shiki's immense strength better than most. Yet, despite that overwhelming power, Ayr—a young upstart—had managed to land a blow on him.

Such an occurrence was incredibly rare.

"He actually hurt Shiki? My intuition was right... This guy is a monster." Charlotte Linlin smirked, her sharp eyes gleaming with intrigue.

However, rather than reacting with anger, the Golden Lion simply grinned.

"Well done, Ayr. You've earned my approval."

Truth be told, Golden Lion hadn't expected Ayr to wound him.

Even though he had been holding back, he was still a true great swordsman—one who had long since mastered the art of the blade. His technique was honed through countless battles, refined to the point where he believed it was flawless, even when fighting at reduced intensity.

Yet, Ayr had managed to find a minute opening and exploit it, proving himself beyond expectations.

This kind of skill, talent, and potential made the Golden Lion genuinely interested in him.

"Captain Shiki actually acknowledged him?"

"We might be welcoming another monster into the crew soon."

The Rocks Pirates were already overflowing with terrifying individuals, but few among them could so effortlessly display Ayr's level of combat prowess.

"But I doubt that's all he's got," Golden Lion mused. "Since that's the case... I'll get a bit more serious."

Ayr had gone all out in their battle so far, but Golden Lion could tell that there was something more—something hidden within him.

A man like Ayr wouldn't step into battle without an ace up his sleeve.

And Golden Lion intended to draw it out.

"Ching!"

With that, he pulled out the second large blade strapped to his waist.

The moment he gripped both Oto and Kogarashi, his presence shifted entirely.

The lighthearted warrior who had been 'playing around' was gone.

Now, he was a dual-sword master.

His strength surged several times over.

This was Golden Lion's true form—not a man holding back, but a legendary swordsman wielding his weapons as they were meant to be used.

"Come at me, Ayr."

He stood still, blades drawn, waiting for Ayr to strike.

Ayr grinned in response.

Perfect.

He had recently acquired a Devil Fruit from a pirate ship not long ago—one that unlocked the power of the Nine Tails.

He had been eager to test its capabilities, and now, here was the perfect chance.

As Ayr focused his energy, a crimson mist began to rise from his body, swirling around him like a storm. His muscles tensed, his blood surged, and behind him—

A red tail emerged.

This… was the power of the Nine Tails.

So far, he had only unlocked one tail.

But even a single tail gave him an incredible boost in strength.

Ayr's senses sharpened. His body felt lighter, stronger, faster. Power pulsed through his veins like a raging inferno.

The crew members of the Rocks Pirates immediately noticed the shift.

"Red tail…? Did he just activate a Devil Fruit ability?"

"And it's not just any ability—it looks like one that directly boosts his physical power!"

"But… it won't make a difference."

"He's facing Captain Shiki now at full power. A single Devil Fruit ability won't be enough."

"That's right. When Captain Shiki was only using one blade, there were flaws in his swordsmanship. But now? With both blades drawn, his technique is nearly perfect. Ayr won't be able to find a weakness this time."

Golden Lion, seeing Ayr's transformation, let out a booming laugh.

"Jihahahaha! So that's your trump card, huh?" His eyes gleamed with excitement. "I knew you were hiding something."

This was exactly what he wanted.

After this battle, he had to recruit Ayr.

He could already tell—the young swordsman was a prodigy.

If Ayr were to join him, he could become one of his most trusted officers.

The thought alone made Golden Lion grin with anticipation.

Ayr clenched his blade, now wrapped in dense Armament Haki.

His body moved before he even thought about it—

"Tch!"

With a burst of raw speed, he vanished from sight.

"Whoosh!"

He moved so fast that he left behind an afterimage.

In an instant, he was right in front of Golden Lion.

His muscles tensed.

His veins bulged.

He poured every ounce of his power into his blade—

"CLANG!!!"

Their swords met in a deafening crash, sending violent shockwaves through the air.

Electric sparks erupted from the point of contact, and a massive gust of wind swept across the deck.

The force was so overwhelming that even the pirate interns standing nearby were knocked back several meters.

It was as if two beasts were clashing head-on.

Ayr's eyes widened.

"His strength really has increased multiple times over…"

Even with the Nine Tails' power, even with his enhanced speed and reflexes, Golden Lion blocked his strike with ease.

"Jihahahaha!" Golden Lion grinned. "Much better. Now we're really fighting!"

What followed was an exchange of furious sword strikes.

"CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!"

They clashed dozens of times in mere seconds.

Each attack from Ayr carried enough force to split mountains, but—

Golden Lion parried every single one without breaking a sweat.

Ayr had the power.

He had the skill.

But no matter how fast he moved, no matter how precise his strikes were—

Golden Lion's dual-blade technique was absolute.

His attacks were relentless. Impeccable.

With one sword, there had been flaws.

With two, there were none.

Ayr grit his teeth.

This was the difference between a swordsman and a great swordsman.

Even with the Nine Tails boosting his abilities, he was still struggling to land a decisive hit.

At this level—

Defeating Golden Lion was beyond his reach.

For now.

But that wouldn't stop him from trying.

Because he wasn't just any swordsman.

He was Ayr.

And he refused to back down.