One Piece: Holy Light Swordmaster

As Shanks had mentioned, in terms of show-stopping flair, the power of Holy Light far outshines even the Glint-Glint Fruit. What's more, Wright is a strikingly handsome young man, while Kizaru is, well… a sleazy uncle.

That jest aside, the two stood poised with their blades, a tense aura freezing the air around them.

Boom!

The ground beneath Wright's feet crumbled into a crater as he launched forward like a cannonball, slashing downward with immense force. Shanks, unfazed, stood his ground, calmly raising his sword to block.

Clang! Bang!

The clash of their blades unleashed a tempestuous shockwave. While Shanks was a crew member of the Pirate King, at just 17 or 18 years old, his raw strength couldn't completely contend with Wright, who wielded the power of Holy Light. In fact, Shanks was slightly disadvantaged in this contest of brute force.

But Shanks had fought countless battles alongside the Pirate King, his combat experience vast and sharp. With a swift shift in technique, he aimed to deflect Wright's strength and close the distance.

"Hm?"

As Shanks adjusted his movements, Wright seemed to predict it perfectly, moving in sync and forcing Shanks to abandon his offensive and redirect the force of their clash into the ground instead.

Boom!!

The ground exploded beneath their combined strength, leaving a massive crater as both retreated to opposite sides.

"I didn't expect this, Wright," Shanks remarked, a hint of admiration in his voice. "At your age, you've already awakened Observation Haki. With your talent and mastery of the 'Cutting Iron' level, the Grand Line is well within your reach!"

"Even if you don't want to become a pirate, with your strength, you'd have no problem entering Marine Headquarters. Many of the officers there haven't even awakened Haki."

"Hahaha! This is exhilarating, Shanks!" Wright laughed heartily, feigning humility. "But Haki? That concept isn't exactly common knowledge in the Four Seas. Your background must be rather extraordinary!"

Though Wright's Observation Haki could perceive emotions and even thoughts, it only worked if his opponent's mind was unguarded or their will wasn't strong enough. Moreover, it required his full concentration, which significantly limited its utility in heated battles. At most, it allowed him to vaguely sense an opponent's intentions.

"Besides," Wright teased, "aren't you supposed to be a pirate? Why are you suggesting I join the Marines?"

Shanks smirked. "Haha, you've done your homework, huh? The East Blue really is full of surprises. As for being a pirate or a Marine… I'm not that hung up on labels. Now, let's take this up a notch. My turn to activate Observation Haki!"

Clang, clang, clang, clang…

With both wielding Observation Haki, each could read the other's moves effortlessly. In their evenly matched exchange, the flurry of strikes went on for several minutes without either gaining an upper hand.

Whew…

Wright exhaled deeply, observing the increasingly serious look on Shanks' face. "Shanks, it's obvious you're holding back. At this level of sparring, we'll never determine a winner."

Shanks glanced around at the surrounding wreckage—evidence of their earlier clashes—and grinned. "Wright, your ability seems to do little more than obscure my vision. But your swordsmanship is truly remarkable. If you can master Armament Haki, the latter half of the Grand Line won't be out of reach!"

"Judging by your strength and physical capabilities, you should be able to awaken Armament Haki soon. Still… you're terrifyingly young."

Wright healed his minor wounds with a quick Holy Light spell, feeling his strength rapidly return. "You talk as if you're so much older than me. I don't believe for a second you haven't mastered Armament Haki. And you've been engaging me in close combat—is that to spare me from facing flying slashes?"

"My training is still lacking," Wright admitted. "I'm not yet proficient in Armament Haki or flying slashes. However, my ability lets me mimic some of their effects in my swordsmanship."

The golden-red holy flames on Ashes began to condense, their intensity diminishing but becoming more concentrated. A faint golden glow enveloped the blade, exuding an aura of sharpness and resilience—an effect eerily similar to Armament Haki!

This was the Seraphim's Blessing, a technique that combined the punishing and protective traits of Holy Light to enhance a weapon's durability and offensive power.

"And now…"

Wright activated King's Blessing to amplify his physical attributes and Divine Protection to boost his defense. A soft golden aura surrounded him, the visual effect utterly dazzling.

!!!

Shanks' eyes sparkled with envy. This was unfair. Coupled with Wright's striking looks, these golden effects were far too flashy. If this kid stepped onto the Grand Line, someone would definitely want to beat him up out of sheer jealousy.

He wanted to beat him up right now.

"Alright!" Shanks declared, his blade enveloped in the black sheen of Armament Haki. "Let's go!"

Whoosh—

A bright flying slash arced through the air, cutting toward Wright.

Wright smiled faintly. "So this is a flying slash? Watch this!"

Final Judgment!

A golden slash flew from Wright's blade, formed by Holy Light projected outward. Though its range was limited, it had previously sliced a hapless pirate captain clean in two.

The two slashes collided and canceled each other out. Wright's eyes lit up. "Though it was just a casual strike, that came from the Shanks. This technique should work well in mid-range battles."

"Oh?" Shanks said, intrigued. "That's almost indistinguishable from a true flying slash. Is your ability primarily focused on support? If I didn't already know what the Glint-Glint Fruit does, I'd have thought your power was a weaker version of it. It seems more like a Paramecia-type ability. Truly unprecedented."

Excited by the encounter, Shanks felt invigorated—not just by meeting someone so interesting, but also because of the thrill of the fight.

"A fair match? This is going to be fun!"

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Though Shanks held back, refraining from using his famed Conqueror's Haki—or perhaps he hadn't yet mastered imbuing it into attacks—his Observation and Armament Haki, along with his swordsmanship, were still formidable.

"Huff… huff… huff…"

Leaning on his sword, Wright panted heavily, drenched in sweat. He glared at Shanks, who was only slightly winded. "You monster! Even with my ability to recover stamina, you've worn me out completely. What is this absurd endurance of yours?!"

"Hahaha!" Shanks laughed heartily, secretly savoring his victory. Serves you right for being so cool with those flashy effects. Outwardly, though, he extended a hand to Wright. "Don't sweat the details. Today was a blast. Come on, let's grab a drink!"

"Drink your sister!" Wright snapped.

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