By August, the Swordsmanship Tournament had officially ended.
The final showdown had drawn to a close.
The victor was Yoriichi Tsugikuni, a top swordsman who had competed in three Swordsmanship Tournaments and lost to Redfield in the previous one.
The older swordsmen had been eliminated by younger competitors one after another. Only Yoriichi Tsugikuni still held his place among the very best.
At fifty-four, Yoriichi Tsugikuni was right at his peak.
Years of accumulated experience had left him without a single weakness.
He defeated his opponent through sheer fighting prowess.
And his opponent was none other than Unohana Yachiru, the personal disciple of Genryūsai Shigekuni, the first Swordsmanship Tournament champion and the "World's Greatest Swordsman."
It was hard not to marvel at how quickly time had passed.
Twenty-four years earlier, Unohana Yachiru had been only ten, while Yoriichi Tsugikuni had been thirty.
Who could have imagined that, two tournaments later, they would face each other as opponents?
At just thirty-four, Unohana Yachiru was undoubtedly terrifyingly powerful.
She was said to have mastered countless schools of swordsmanship and was also a top swordsman who specialized in slaughter.
Wielding Asura, the Supreme Grade Sword that had once belonged to Rocks D. Zebek, she had fought her way to the top.
She was also a pure swordsman, with no Devil Fruit powers whatsoever.
Many people had placed great hopes in her. Unfortunately, she had ultimately lost to Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni, meanwhile, had finally obtained Dusk, the Supreme Grade Sword he had set his sights on long ago.
Not a single Swordsmanship Tournament had disappointed.
This one in particular had featured many young monsters still growing into their strength, who would become serious contenders in the next tournament.
That would be the true clash of titans.
The end of the Swordsmanship Tournament had