The Difference Between Male and Female Swordsmen

Early in the morning, the sun rose, driving away the splendid darkness and bringing new life to the world once more.

A month had passed since the last swordsmanship duel. After Kubo Yamato said those words, Bai Ina chose to stay. But even he didn't know why he had stayed...

Perhaps it was for the dawn Kubo Yamato had spoken of, perhaps it was for the hope in his heart of connecting with this world, perhaps it was for... many, many things. But none of that mattered anymore, because in the end, he had chosen to stay.

Since he had chosen to stay, Loxi naturally wouldn't be an exception. However... during the first few days after staying, Loxi had vented all the anger in his heart. His little face was sour whenever he looked at anyone, like an enraged puppy ready to lunge at everyone and tear into them...

That morning, Bai Ina, whose injuries had fully healed, followed Kubo Yamato to the back of the dojo.

"Ina, did you really figure out all your sword techniques on your own, little by little?"

Kubo Yamato, who had his back to Bai Ina, suddenly asked an unexpected question.

Bai Ina was taken aback, looking a little confused, but he still nodded without hesitation. "Yes, Teacher!"

"That's really..."

Kubo Yamato turned around. His gaze at Bai Ina was full of bafflement. After a long pause, he finally asked softly, "Do you know the difference between male and female swordsmen?"

"Well... I don't know, but there shouldn't be much of a difference, right?"

After pondering for a moment, Bai Ina shook his head.

"No, there's a huge difference between male and female swordsmen, both in their swordsmanship styles and their physiques!" Kubo Yamato shook his head, gave Bai Ina a strange once-over, then continued.

"Male swordsmen are extremely fierce and domineering, whether in their physiques or their techniques. Female swordsmen, however, are physically weaker than men and lack that sort of fierceness and dominance. But... they possess something male swordsmen absolutely don't."

"That is flexibility. It's the kind of flexibility that can't be gained through training; you could say it's an innate talent of female swordsmen. Their techniques also tend to be more graceful and yielding. They may lack the fierce dominance of male swordsmen, but they have a nimbleness and unpredictability that men don't, with tricky techniques that are difficult to evade."

He paused, then stared straight at Bai Ina. "Yet I can't sense any trace of a male swordsman in you. But you... possess everything a female swordsman has, whether it's flexibility or swordsmanship style."

By the time Bai Ina heard about the differences between male and female swordsmen, he had already understood what Kubo Yamato was getting at. But he wasn't surprised at all. He knew his own circumstances best: his talent for swordsmanship had been inherited from Kuina.

He had sensed back then that his body had undergone some unknown change after merging with Kuina. So he wasn't surprised in the least that he possessed all the talents of a female swordsman.

"And the techniques you've grasped are an even clearer sign that you have astounding talent on the path of... female swordsmen. Whether it's the strange technique 'May Rain,' which ordinary people could hardly perform, or the incredibly tricky 'Ghost Slash,' both prove that your talent surpasses that of any female swordsman I know!"

The more Kubo Yamato spoke, the more astonished he became. He felt it was absurd and didn't know what to say... He couldn't help scratching his head before continuing, "Never mind why a man like you has the flexibility of a female swordsman. Even your body's flexibility far surpasses that of any female swordsman I know. These two things together make it perfectly clear that you're a true swordsmanship genius... a female one..."

"..."

Bai Ina was at a loss for words, too. He really wished his teacher would stop putting such special emphasis on the word "female."

"But that doesn't mean you can't also develop a male swordsman's style..." As he spoke, a fervent look suddenly appeared on Kubo Yamato's face. "Your 'Tornado Flash' still leans toward the graceful and yielding, but it already contains a hint of dominance. And without a doubt, you're a man with a man's physique, so you're the most likely person to become..."

A swordsman who combines the strengths of both male and female swordsmen!!!

Bai Ina was taken aback. To be honest, even though he now knew the difference between male and female swordsmen, he didn't understand what a male swordsman was really like, or what a terrifying concept it was to combine the strengths of both.

But Kubo Yamato understood the difference all too well. A balance of strength and softness was far from as simple as one plus one. So the thought that he might soon nurture someone like that still filled him with fervor.

"Actually, I don't have much talent for swordsmanship," Kubo Yamato said suddenly.

The meaning behind his words shocked Bai Ina. The dominance and terror of that strike a month ago were still clearly etched in his mind, even now. Yet Kubo Yamato was suddenly saying that his talent for swordsmanship wasn't very good... How could Bai Ina not be shocked?

"Heh, hard to believe, isn't it? But it's the truth. One day, when you go to the Grand Line, or even the New World, you'll find that terrifying swordsmen are a dime a dozen. There's nothing special about someone like me, who has barely reached the level of sensing the breath of all things and cutting through steel."

Bai Ina was taken aback. Sensing the breath of all things and cutting through steel? He had heard of this level before. In the original story, Zoro had grasped it in his very first battle after arriving on the Grand Line.

He hadn't had a clear understanding of this level before. But after the battle a month ago and hearing his teacher's words, he suddenly understood that it was far more terrifying than the anime had made it seem.

"So when I got a Devil Fruit, I resolutely gave up swordsmanship. I felt deeply guilty toward the teacher who entrusted me with Black Blade Dawn, but I knew I was never going to get very far on the path of swordsmanship. Still, Black Blade Dawn wasn't wasted on me. In your hands, it absolutely won't be left to gather dust. I'm certain of that!"

Kubo Yamato made no attempt to defend his lack of talent for swordsmanship. He said it without hesitation.

Bai Ina showed no contempt at all. On the contrary, he admired his teacher's character even more. He also understood why his teacher had seemed so powerful to him back then. His Devil Fruit was definitely not like Loxi's, whose power was useless in battle.

"Putting all that aside, even if my swordsmanship isn't much to speak of, I'm more than capable of teaching you. From now on, I'll pass on everything I know about male swordsmen and help you develop along the path of male swordsmanship. But you'll have to explore the path of female swordsmen on your own. With your talent, I believe you can find your own way even without a teacher."

Looking at the expectant expression on Kubo Yamato's face, Bai Ina felt nothing but gratitude and respect. Without thinking, he raised his voice in a tone he had never used before.

"Yes, Teacher Kubo!"