"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear," Ian mused, observing the hundreds of zombie soldiers and animal zombies. Despite its sharpness and resilience, his unnamed 50 Skillful Grade Blades katana was nearing its breaking point. His increasing strength was simply too much for it to handle.

He needed a new sword, and soon, preferably before he reached 40% fusion and unlocked his first Resurrección, Murciélago.

Ryuma, the legendary samurai from Wano Country in the New World, was said to have slain a dragon. He held a status equal to Mihawk, the world's strongest swordsman, as the most formidable swordsman of centuries past.

His sword, Shusui, was one of the 21 Great Grade swords. It was a heavy, thick blade with a black-purple finish and a distinct red hamon pattern. Its resilience was legendary.

Even a dinosaur couldn't bend the blade a millimeter. Its density was higher than that of swords of similar size, making it heavier and capable of withstanding immense force. Acquiring Shusui would be a significant upgrade.

Its characteristics were similar to his current sword, prioritizing raw power – exactly what he needed.

The zombie beside Ryuma was also familiar – Jigoro of the Wind, the legendary "Stubborn Old Man," a swordsman who had slain 7,000 pirates to protect his family.

This was three years before the Straw Hats' arrival. Even the Rolling Pirates and Lola, Big Mom's runaway daughter, hadn't appeared yet. Most of the notable zombies were still absent.

Therefore, Jigoro didn't wield three swords, but he still held two, clearly a dual-wielding swordsman.

"Are you sure about this, Mr. Ian?" Brook asked nervously. He wasn't confident in their chances. Even Jigoro was a difficult opponent.

His bounty in life had been 38 million berries. Even as a zombie, with his strength significantly reduced, he was not to be underestimated.

"It'll be fine," Ian replied casually. Ryuma's current strength was likely comparable to a pirate with a 200-300 million berry bounty. With his 30% fusion rate, Ian could rival a 500 Million Berry pirate, surpassing Moria in power.

Moreover, Thriller Bark was teeming with souls, constantly boosting his strength.

"Ah…" Brook was stunned. Just "fine"? The next moment, he understood.

*Whoosh!* An overwhelming aura erupted from Ian, sending the approaching zombies crashing to the ground, leaving only Ryuma and Jigoro standing.

He had learned to control the direction of his spiritual pressure, focusing its intensity instead of unleashing it in all directions. This maximized its effectiveness while minimizing collateral damage. However, he still couldn't completely prevent its effects within a certain radius.

Therefore, Brook, standing beside him, remained unharmed, while the zombies in front of them bore the full brunt of his power.

While he could easily dispatch the weaker zombie soldiers with a single swing, repeatedly slashing hundreds of times would be tedious. He preferred efficiency.

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If he had unleashed his spiritual pressure in all directions, as he had done previously, more zombies might have survived. He could have also used Cero blasts, but those were limited resources.

He could only unleash a dozen or so powerful sword attacks at his current level. Even Mihawk, the world's strongest swordsman, rarely resorted to excessive swings in battle. Firstly, his sword pressure was overwhelmingly powerful. Secondly, even he likely experienced some degree of fatigue. The battlefield was unpredictable, and even the strongest individuals couldn't completely avoid unforeseen circumstances.

Unless one possessed absolute dominance, constantly unleashing powerful attacks would render combat meaningless for their opponents.

"Not bad," Ian commented, incorporating Soul Absorption into his spiritual pressure blast.

He could sense faint remnants of souls within the zombies, despite them being animated by the shadows of living individuals. Absorbing them would yield dozens of souls, a small but welcome boost.

His fusion rate with the Ulquiorra template increased slightly, steadily approaching 32%.

"Haki? How terrifying…" Ryuma spoke through Brook's voice. While he possessed only fragments of his former memories, he retained some of his skills as a master swordsman.

He instantly recognized the nature of Ian's power, but he didn't hesitate, charging towards Ian, his grip tightening on Shusui as he prepared to strike.

The Iaido draw cut was a technique employed by most swordsmen. The longer the charge, the more powerful the attack. However, its effectiveness depended on the user's understanding of swordsmanship and physical abilities. A weakling could charge for days and achieve nothing.

*Whoosh!* Out of respect for the legendary "Dragon Slayer" Ryuma, Ian drew his unnamed 50 Skillful Grade Blades katana and met his charge.

A gaunt zombie and a skull-helmeted demon, their kimonos and tattered white attire billowing in the wind, clashed in a flurry of motion.

*Clang!* The sound of metal striking metal reverberated through the air, a flash of light appearing momentarily, as if slicing through paper.

Ryuma's sword remained sheathed, while Ian blocked Jigoro's attack with his own blade. "Did we win?" Brook asked, observing the exchange.

Jigoro's skills were still a far cry from a master swordsman. In his eyes, since Ian had drawn his sword while Ryuma hadn't, it seemed Ian had won the confrontation.

*Crack!* The next moment, a sound like shattering glass echoed as Ian's katana fractured, starting from the tip and spreading rapidly down the blade.

Only the hilt remained in his hand as a long, deep gash appeared on his pale skin, blood gushing like a fountain. He stumbled and fell to his knees.

"Mr. Ian…" Brook cried out in concern. This was the man who had brought him news of Laboon and promised to retrieve his shadow. He would be devastated if Ian perished here.

He had assumed that Ian's overwhelming aura indicated immense strength, yet this was the outcome?

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Ian reassured him, rising to his feet, the bleeding already stopped.

With his High-Speed Regeneration, a mere sword wound was trivial. As long as his internal organs weren't severely damaged, he could recover quickly. Regenerating limbs or organs, however, would be more challenging and time-consuming.

The long, gruesome scar stretching from his right shoulder to his left hip would heal soon enough.

"That's a relief!" Brook exclaimed. However, Jigoro's attacks intensified, demanding his full attention.

"A Zoan Devil Fruit user? What a resilient body," Ryuma observed, still standing motionless.

He didn't consider himself defeated in terms of swordsmanship. It was Ian's astonishing regenerative abilities that had given him the edge. He felt no resentment, however. Ian had chosen to engage him in a sword fight instead of relying solely on his powers, which was commendable.

"My apologies, it seems I've destroyed your sword. Here, take mine. You're a promising young man. It's a shame I'm already dead. Yohohoho…" Ryuma drew Shusui, his body slowly kneeling. Then, a colossal wave of sword pressure erupted from him, soaring into the sky, reaching an unknown height…