Do you know this is an assassin-type swordsman?

With a powerful push from her long legs against the ground, Gion leaped high into the air. She then adopted an Iaido stance within the Kong, and the moment she lunged towards Wood, the sword in her scabbard erupted in a flash of light!

Due to her incredible speed, multiple Gions appeared before Wood. However, Wood knew only one was real; the others were merely afterimages created by her blinding velocity.

The multiple Gions before him all struck an Iaido pose, a magnificent swordsmanship that drew gasps of awe from the onlookers, who even felt Wood might be cut down from his horse.

"Ding------!"

But in the very next second, the two long swords clashed again. This time, not only were the spectators astonished, but Gion, facing Wood, wore an expression of utter disbelief.

Her sword technique was seen through?

But there's no reason for that. This is her first official match against Wood, and she's using this move for the first time in front of him. Why could he see through it?

The essence of "Iaido" lies in the extreme speed of drawing the blade to slay the enemy. An Iaido that is blocked and cannot be sheathed is, strictly speaking, countered.

Using the hilt of Tenku (Sky-Wither), Wood easily deflected Gion's Konpira. He then unceremoniously kicked Gion in the abdomen, sending her flying several meters away.

Kicked away, Gion plunged Konpira into the ground for cushioning and supported herself with one hand. Having just managed to regain her footing and preparing to attack Wood again, she found that Wood had already vanished from her sight.

"One Sword Style: Moon Dance!"

As Gion stood up, an inexplicable alarm bell rang in her mind. The moment she turned her head, she saw Wood's disappearing figure suddenly reappear before her, executing a downward slash.

Wood, who thought he could end the fight, was clearly surprised by Gion's astonishing reaction speed.

The long sword, meant to be a light touch, accelerated again within his Kong. As the Kong was torn apart, an arc-shaped slash instantly shot out from Wood's Tenku (Sky-Wither)!

The close-range External Slash, upon bursting forth, was blocked by Gion, who held her long sword horizontally.

However, the arc-shaped slash carried immense force. Even though Gion had reacted in time to defend, her body was still pushed back nearly ten meters by the impact, and her feet even gouged two deep furrows in the ground.

"Blade Dance: Cunning Rabbit!"

Stopping her backward momentum, Gion felt her arm go slightly numb. She finally understood that she held no advantage in strength, and in fact, she was also at a disadvantage in speed.

Her Konpira weaved in her hands, the sword light creating afterimages within the Kong. Numerous small slashes now erupted towards Wood in a dense barrage.

Yet, facing these scattered slashes, Wood remained completely unfazed. His feet stomped the ground at an incredibly high frequency, and in the next moment, his body vanished from its position just as before.

"Wood, you've hidden your strength deeper than I imagined, actually mastering Soru from the Six Powers already!

But... I still won this time! Although I haven't mastered Soru, I'm not unfamiliar with the move, and I know you'll approach me in the same way again.

And unlike a proper Swordsman, you won't try to ambush me from behind!"

Watching Wood evade her continuous slashes using "Soru," Gion showed no surprise. As she watched Wood's rapidly moving and disappearing form, she seemed to see through his thoughts and stood still, not moving from her spot.

When Wood arrived behind Gion, intending to perform a backstab, he heard Gion's murmured words and sensed something was wrong. The Tenku (Sky-Wither) in his hand had already pierced Gion's afterimage.

At the same time, Wood's Kenbunshoku Haki keenly sensed the danger from above his head.

Having foreseen the danger, Wood was fully capable of dodging the attack, even counter-attacking to win.

However, just as Wood instinctively prepared to counter, a thought suddenly occurred to him.

What would happen if I defeated Vice Admiral Gion in a spar?

It would undoubtedly be quite troublesome! I only had a slight edge over her in shooting, which she's not good at, and I've been pestered ever since. If I defeat her in swordsmanship, her forte, wouldn't I never find peace, constantly being challenged to duels and spars?

Thinking of the consequences of winning, Wood forcibly suppressed his urge to counter-attack and watched as Gion leaped from the Kong, pointing Konpira at his throat.

"Do you know what 'a cunning rabbit has three burrows' means? Those continuous slashes earlier were just a diversion. Although I'm inferior to you in speed, strength, and even swordsmanship, a swordsman's battle isn't just about these things. Determination, will, and perception are also important factors determining victory. Because I know you well, I understood that someone like you would disregard a Swordsman's honor and choose to attack from behind."

Having won the spar, Gion felt as refreshed as drinking iced cola on a sweltering summer day. Ever since she met Wood, she had always been at a disadvantage. This was the first time she had the opportunity to lecture him so openly.

"What do you mean 'disregard a Swordsman's identity and honor'... I'm an assassin-type Swordsman, don't make me sound so despicable!"

Hearing Gion's words, Wood wore a speechless expression and then tried to argue that his actions were caution, not despicable ambushes. Moreover, who said a "Swordsman" must engage in a fair, head-on duel? He didn't subscribe to the idea that a wound from behind was a swordsman's shame. As long as the enemy could be definitively defeated, wasn't that enough?

"That's pure sophistry. What Swordsman wins by ambushing from behind? Besides, I won the spar, so that proves I'm right!"

"Alright, you're big-chested, so whatever you say... you win, you're right."

Giving up on arguing with Gion, Wood knew that reasoning with a woman was a futile endeavor, even if one was in the right. Furthermore, he had already decided not to provoke Gion anymore. Now that he had decisively lost, he figured she wouldn't bother him anymore.

"You're just admitting defeat so readily? Don't you feel any regret over your narrow loss, any desire for revenge? After all, in terms of raw strength like speed and power, you had the upper hand just now."

Gion, who had won the spar, was in a very good mood. However, seeing Wood's indifferent demeanor, she suddenly felt as if she hadn't truly won at all...