Uchiha Puppet Master, Starting from One Piece.

Unohana Retsu's voice was devoid of warmth; with a slight twist of her wrist, her Zanpakuto was finally drawn.

There was no earth-shattering sound, only a soft clang, as faint as the trembling of a cicada's wing.

The blade flashed like snow, as thin as moonlight, yet it possessed an overwhelming and irresistible sharpness.

Bai Yu's pupils contracted sharply, and the tomoe of his Sharingan spun even faster. He immediately sheathed his sword and went back to defense, holding the Kusanagi sword upright in front of him.

"The swallows return."

The sword traced three arcs, yet it precisely struck Unohana Retsu's blade.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Three crisp impacts rang out in succession, sparks flying everywhere.

Bai Yu felt a tremendous force coming from the sword, which made his tiger's mouth numb and his arm slightly sore.

He was startled. Unohana Retsu's power seemed gentle, but it was actually dense and long-lasting, like waves, one after another, with great staying power.

He used the momentum to drift back several steps, his toes touching the ground, and his body sprang forward again, the sword's momentum suddenly changing.

The sword, carrying immense force, cleaved towards Unohana Retsu's shoulder.

This sword strike is powerful enough to cleave steel and cleave boulders!

A glint flashed in Retsu Unohana's eyes as she flipped her wrist.

The crisp sound of metal clashing against metal caused the surrounding vegetation to rustle and fall. Bai Yu's slash was actually deflected by Unohana Retsu's nonchalant attack, with the remaining force hitting the rocks at her feet, sending pebbles flying and creating a half-foot-deep crater.

"The force was strong enough, but the recovery was too abrupt, and the weakness in the wrist was too obvious."

Unohana Retsu's voice remained gentle, but the hand holding the sword suddenly twisted using the recoil from the parry. The blade of the Zanpakuto slid along the blade of the Kusanagi sword, producing a series of ear-piercing metallic scraping sounds. The cold blade light bypassed Shiraha's defense and went straight for the skin on the side of his neck.

Bai Yu's pupils contracted sharply, and the tomoe of his Sharingan almost solidified into a crimson mass. He subconsciously withdrew his hand, the blade grazing his hand and leaving a shallow bloodstain. Warm blood beads seeped out, and when blown by the sea breeze, they felt icy cold.

Using the strength of his waist and abdomen, he twisted his body forcefully, stomped his right foot heavily on the ground, and retreated rapidly backward. The Kusanagi sword was held horizontally in front of his chest, and his breathing became somewhat disordered for the first time.

In terms of lightsaber skills, Unohana is far superior to Hawkeye.

Chapter 71 The Powerful Unohana

Just a moment ago, the Sharingan clearly captured the trajectory of her sword strike, but the body's reaction was a beat too slow.

Or rather, it wasn't that his reaction wasn't fast enough, but rather that Retsu Unohana's swordplay, though seemingly gentle, actually timed every movement precisely to coincide with the gaps in his power, as if she had anticipated all his responses. It was an instinct honed through years of swordsmanship, a combat intuition etched into the very bones of Soul Society's premier swordsmanship.

Unohana Retsu took a step forward, her steps as light as if she were walking on clouds, but her aura suddenly changed.

The gentle aura dissipated, replaced by a deep, oppressive killing intent, a demonic aura that clung to one's bones, making it hard to breathe.

Her Zanpakuto was slightly raised, the blade reflecting the sunlight, giving Bai Yu the illusion that he was being targeted by a hunter. It wasn't that he was hunting her, but that he had been in her hunting circle from beginning to end.

Bai Yu gritted his teeth, never expecting that the Grim Reaper could also use his aura to achieve an illusion-like effect.

Then, he gripped the sword with one hand, layers of Armament Haki enveloping the blade, turning it a deep black. This time, he no longer probed; his figure shot out like an arrow, the Kusanagi sword dancing with an impenetrable array of sword shadows. Hidden within these shadows were three deadly thrusts—the Swallow Return technique. The speed was so fast that it left behind afterimages, even cutting through the surrounding air with a whistling sound.

"A good move, but it looks too complicated."

A hint of approval flashed in Retsu Unohana's eyes, but she remained calm.

Her figure weaved through the shadows of swords, her steps light yet precise to the millimeter. Every sword strike from Bai Yu grazed her clothes, seemingly so close yet never able to touch her.

The Sharingan spun wildly, analyzing her footwork. The footwork seemed to have no rules, but it was full of the philosophy of battle, like flowing water avoiding stones and a gentle breeze circling a tree. No matter how fierce Bai Yu's sword strikes were, they could be easily dodged.

Suddenly, Unohana Retsu stopped in her tracks.

Just as Bai Yu thought he had found her weakness and was about to pierce her heart with his sword, her wrist suddenly sank down, and the blade of her Zanpakuto slashed along the ground. A pale white energy burst from the blade and rushed along the ground toward Bai Yu's ankle.

When Bai Yu realized what was happening, it was too late to stop. He could only gather his energy and lightly tap his toes in mid-air to avoid the force of the energy. But this pause completely exposed his weakness.

Unohana Retsu's figure followed closely, closing in on him. The hilt of her Zanpakuto lightly struck Shiraha's wrist, without using any brute force, yet precisely hitting his nerve endings.

"boom……"

With a soft thud, a dull thud from the wrist bone, Bai Yu felt a sudden numbness and weakness in his right wrist, and the Kusanagi sword almost slipped from his hand. He instinctively tried to catch it with his left hand, but a flash of cold light appeared before his eyes, and the tip of the Zanpakuto's blade was already pressed against his throat. The icy touch against his skin carried a chilling sharpness; if it had moved forward even half an inch, it would have pierced his carotid artery.

All the movements froze at this moment.

Bai Yu's body froze on the spot, the crimson of his Sharingan gradually faded, and the tomoe slowly stopped spinning. He looked at Unohana Retsu in front of him. Her breathing was still steady, and there was even a faint smile on her face. Her hand holding the sword was as steady as Mount Tai, without the slightest tremor.

Looking at myself, my forehead was covered in cold sweat, my back was soaked with sweat, my arms were sore and numb, my hands were still throbbing, and even my breathing was rapid and labored.

The difference is like heaven and earth.

That's outrageous! Retsu Unohana's swordsmanship is ridiculously strong. If she didn't use Haki, Retsu Unohana's swordsmanship would far surpass Mihawk's.

Indeed, the longer you live, the more you learn...

Even though Retsu Unohana's body has not yet returned to its peak, even though she only used swordsmanship from beginning to end and did not use Kido, did not release the Shikai of her Zanpakuto, and did not even use her real killing move, he still lost without any chance to fight back in terms of swordsmanship.

Retsu Unohana slowly sheathed her Zanpakuto, the blade returning to its original position, emitting that soft, cicada-wing-like ringing sound.

She looked at Bai Yu's hands hanging by his sides and said in a gentle tone, "Bai Yu-jun's swordsmanship is already excellent enough, but your abilities are not entirely in swordsmanship, are they? I must see it for myself sometime."

Bai Yu looked down at her wrist, the tingling and numbness gradually subsiding.

"I lost."

He raised his head, the fighting spirit in his eyes had not dissipated, but instead had become more intense, the excitement of becoming stronger when facing a stronger opponent: "Okay, Sister Hua, but we have quite a few people here who need your guidance on swordsmanship."

Upon hearing this, Retsu Unohana chuckled softly, her eyes crinkling into a smile, a stark contrast to the fierce and powerful swordsman she had just been: "I'm really looking forward to instructing you all."

Meanwhile, on the Dawn Ship outside the deserted island, Rangiku's hand, holding a sake jar, froze in mid-air, the excitement in her eyes stiffening. She then smacked her lips, took a swig of sake, and mumbled, "They lost already? This is the first time Shiraha has lost so decisively."

Robin gently patted Connor's head, his gaze falling on the two figures on the deserted island, a knowing glint in his eyes: "It's not that Bai Yu isn't strong enough, it's that Unohana-senpai's swordsmanship has reached the realm of returning to simplicity. Bai Yu couldn't possibly be a match for Captain Unohana based solely on swordsmanship."

"Robin!"

"Hmm? What's wrong, Rangiku?"

Hearing Rangiku calling her name, Nico Robin was a little confused. Why was Rangiku so serious?

"I want to learn kendo from Captain Unohana! Come with me!"

For the first time, Robin saw a gleam of energy in Rangiku's eyes.

With the end of the battle—no, it should be said that the lesson ended.

At this moment, the deck of the Dawn was refreshed by the sea breeze, and the daylight shone on the wooden deck, making Unohana's plain white haori appear even more gentle, a stark contrast to the deep and murderous aura she had just exuded on the deserted island.

She stood in the center of the deck, with Shiraha, Robin, and Rangiku in front of her. Asauchi leaned casually to her side, her gaze sweeping over the three of them: "Are you serious? Do you really want to learn my swordsmanship? Once you start learning, there's no going back!"

"Yes, I'm sure!"

"it is good."

"The way of the Grim Reaper's sword, as can be seen from the battle between Bai Yu and me, is not simply about slashing and thrusting, nor is it about pursuing the ultimate speed and power, but speed and power cannot be lacking."

Unohana Retsu's voice was soft yet clear enough to reach everyone's ears: "The swordsmanship you see is merely a form; some are for killing more quickly, while others are for greater power."

Seeing the three of them staring intently at her, Retsu Unohana smiled and continued, "In Bleach, true swordsmanship is the harmony between the heart and the sword, the synchronization between the asauchi and the soul. This is different from the black power that envelops your sword, Shiraha-kun. Your power is like an outer armor, making the sword harder and more indestructible. But the swordsmanship of Bleach is about letting the power of the soul emerge from the depths of the sword. Only by learning Shikai and Bankai can you unleash the true power of the sword. This is the difference between Bleach and this sea."

Chapter 72 Zanpakuto Training

"This is my new understanding after hundreds of years. No matter how many styles of swordsmanship you learn, for a Shinigami, the most powerful swordsmanship is the one that relies on the Zanpakuto. Of course, there are other things you can learn as well."

As she spoke, she raised her hand and grasped the shallow sword at her side. Without drawing the sword, she simply raised her hand slightly and turned her wrist. The shallow sword then swept across her in a very gentle arc, without any sound of it cutting through the air or any sharp force.

But the three people on the deck clearly felt that the surrounding air was being pulled by an invisible force, flowing gently along the trajectory of the blade, and even the patterns of sunlight seemed to sway with it.

"The same applies to gait."

Unohana Retsu lightly lifted her foot and took a seemingly casual step, then silently moved three feet to the other side of the deck, landing on the wooden plank beneath her feet without making a sound.

"This is Shunpo, a technique that I can refine no matter which world I'm in."

Rangiku had just watched the two of them from the boat, and now she felt a strong urge to practice. Upon hearing this, she quickly asked, "Hana-nee, how do you practice this Shunpo? You can't just walk around aimlessly, can you?"

Unohana Retsu chuckled: "This actually involves the use of spiritual power, which is very similar to the power of chakra that Shiraha uses."

Unohana Retsu lightly twirled her fingertips, and a wisp of pale white spiritual pressure rose from her fingertips, flowing in her palm like tiny starlight. She looked up at Shiraha, her tone gentle yet clear: "Shiraha-kun should understand this best. Chakra is the fusion of physical and spiritual energy, while spiritual power is the energy of the soul itself. Although their origins are different, they are both processes of refining, guiding, and releasing the energy stored within the body. This is the core similarity."

She gently pushed the spiritual pressure in her palm into the air, and the wisp of spiritual energy transformed into a slender ribbon of light, slowly swirling around the three of them: "Chakra travels along the meridians, while spiritual power flows with the body's spiritual veins. Both require precise control; if they are out of control, energy will be wasted."

In fact, the core of Shunpo is to condense spiritual pressure in the soles of the feet, and use the burst of spiritual pressure and the attraction of spiritual particles to break through the speed limit of the physical body. This is actually very similar to the Shave technique in the One Piece world and the Body Flicker Technique in Naruto.

Of course, Uchiha Hakuba also knows the Body Flicker Technique from Naruto, but he uses chakra to activate his body for high-speed movement, rather than attaching chakra to the point of force application.

It is feasible to use chakra instead of spiritual pressure to activate Shunpo. If the chakra is sufficiently refined, it can form a brief energy support under the feet. By borrowing momentum and strength, this is the key to taking Shunpo in a non-soul state.

Of course, if one's body is strong enough, it is also possible to use Shave and Flash Step or Body Flicker Technique at the same time.

With a soft "thump," the deck was shaken by the explosive force of the chakra, leaving a fine crack.

Bai Yu's figure shot forward instantly, at a speed more than ten times faster than a normal sprint.

However, when he landed, he forgot to release the force. His left foot slammed heavily onto the deck, and the impact made him sway violently, almost falling forward. He only managed to steady himself by instinctively bracing his hands on the deck.

"The force was released too quickly, and the burst of chakra was also off-target, making it impossible to achieve a state of effortless control."

Unohana Retsu's voice sounded beside him, her fingertips lightly touching the sole of his right foot.

"You concentrated your chakra in the center of your soles instead of your toes, which reduced your explosive power by a third. When you landed, you pulled the chakra back instead of letting it dissipate, so the impact could not be offset. Do it again, concentrate it in your toes, and when you land, let the chakra flow from your toes to your heels and slowly disperse into the deck."

Bai Yu nodded and gathered chakra again. This time, he deliberately concentrated the chakra at the toes of his feet, and the warm sensation landed precisely on a point on his toes, solid and not dissipated.

Once the power was fully charged, he lightly flicked his toes, unleashing the explosive force of his chakra, and his body glided out like an arrow released from a bow.

This time, he remembered Unohana Retsu's words. When he landed, his left toes touched the ground first. Chakra flowed slowly from his toes to his heels and then spread into the deck. The impact was completely neutralized, and he landed as steadily as a mountain.

"it is good!"

As Unohana spoke, she raised her hand to grasp the Asauchi at her side, lightly touching the scabbard to the ground, and glanced at the three of them: "Kendo and Shunpo are one. The unity of sword and footwork is the foundation of Shinigami swordsmanship. What I just taught you was Shunpo. Next, I will teach you the sword Zen of Shinigami, so that you can learn to use Asauchi and make it your own Zanpakuto."

"The ashes of death are not cold iron, but another, unawakened version of yourself."

Unohana's voice was gentle: "After the Soul Society's Shinigami entered the Shinigami Academy, he accompanied Asauchi, nourished by spiritual pressure and communicating with him through his mind. One day, he awakened his true name and became a Zanpakuto."

As she spoke, she raised her hand to touch her Zanpakuto, a faint smile playing in her eyes: "Zen of the sword is not about sitting in meditation or closing your eyes to daydream. It is about using your soul as a pen, allowing your soul's power to merge and imprint itself with the Asauchi. The Asauchi is like a blank sheet of paper. You engrave your obsessions, your power, and your true self into it. Over time, it will transform into a Zanpakuto that is uniquely yours, understanding your will and born according to your thoughts."

Bai Yu touched the shallowly cleaved hilt of the sword in his hand. A slightly cool sensation came from his palm, and he could feel the almost ethereal emptiness within the shallow cleavage.

The three then followed Ueno-hana's instructions, sitting cross-legged on the cool wooden deck and gently placing the asagi on their laps.

Only my mind and spirit remain in a state of deep depression.