The Awakening of a Devil Fruit could greatly enhance its abilities.
If it was a Zoan Fruit, Awakening would grant a terrifying boost to physical attributes. Recovery, attack, and defense would all undergo a qualitative change.
On his way back to the Isshin Dojo, Cyrus recalled things from his memory.
Most of the information about this world was already a bit fuzzy, but certain important things were still remembered quite clearly.
For example, Devil Fruit Awakening.
Up to the point in time his memory covered, only a very small number of people had achieved it, and most of them were Zoan users.
It seemed that Zoan types were easier to Awaken compared to Paramecia and Logia types.
There were some Awakened Paramecia users, like Doflamingo with his String-String Fruit and Katakuri with his Mochi-Mochi Fruit.
As for Zoan types, there were many.
Not to mention people like the Five Elders and Monkey D. Luffy, even in the great undersea prison, there were five Awakened Zoan jailers.
They had just failed during their Awakening.
If he followed the panel's prompts to enhance the Flame-Flame Fruit's ability, he might really be able to attempt a fruit Awakening.
If he succeeded, he might actually be able to replicate old man Yamamoto's techniques.
After all, being strong is temporary, but being cool is for a lifetime.
Having made a breakthrough, Cyrus returned to the Isshin Dojo with a smile.
Under the watchful eyes of the other dojo students, Kuina and Zoro's 2000th duel was underway.
Compared to the complete domination at the beginning of their matches, Kuina was now clearly having a much harder time.
Zoro, who had been training diligently, was closing the gap in Swordsmanship between him and Kuina.
Just as Koshiro had said, it was becoming difficult for Kuina to defeat Zoro cleanly.
Cyrus stood to the side and watched for a long time before Zoro finally revealed an opening, and Kuina knocked the bamboo sword from his hand with a single strike.
"Damn it, I was so close." Zoro looked annoyed.
The other dojo students around them all sighed in disappointment.
"Aww, he lost again!"
"What a shame!"
These students had clearly all been beaten by Kuina, but they weren't as stubborn as Zoro and had given up on challenging her after losing.
Cyrus watched Kuina walk away with her head held high, his eyes following her until her figure disappeared.
He wondered if his arrival would change Kuina's future and prevent that fatal danger from occurring.
However, his Observation Haki was always active, so if such a situation did arise, he would be able to detect it immediately.
Cyrus was actually curious to see if, without Kuina's death, the seas would gain another great female Master Swordsman.
It seemed the only great female Master Swordsman was the future Admiral candidate, Momousagi Gion.
But Cyrus didn't expect things to happen so quickly.
"2001st challenge!"
Zoro, holding three real swords, looked at Kuina with a solemn expression.
The daytime battle had shown Zoro a chance of victory, so he didn't want to wait any longer.
Defeat Kuina, then challenge Cyrus.
Kuina, carrying Wado Ichimonji, readily accepted Zoro's challenge.
The clash of swords echoed through the woods.
Cyrus, whose Observation Haki covered the area around the dojo and could even faintly sense the entire island of Shimotsuki, watched their fight clearly with his Haki.
The result didn't change.
Even with real swords, Zoro still lost.
But this time, Zoro didn't fly into a rage, and Kuina's inner turmoil had been reignited into a desire for the pinnacle of the sword path, thanks to Cyrus.
The two reaffirmed their ideals, to strive for the title of the world's greatest Master Swordsman.
"Youth."
Sensing all this with his Haki, Cyrus actually felt a stir of passion from the two brats.
Although his current body was fourteen, Cyrus, who had transmigrated, was already mentally mature.
Passion was something he might have had as a child, but it had long since been worn away by time.
"Should I give it a try?" Cyrus muttered to himself, then immediately shook his head.
"I'll leave it to Zoro and Kuina."
Cyrus was confident in his desire to keep getting stronger, but to set a goal that he absolutely had to achieve?
Wasn't that just creating unnecessary pressure for himself?
He was lucky enough to transmigrate once; naturally, he should live as he pleased.
Thinking of this, Cyrus nodded repeatedly.
Unaware that they were being watched, Kuina and Zoro went their separate ways.
...
The next day, Kuina, who had used Wado Ichimonji the night before, went upstairs to look for a whetstone and slipped, falling down the stairs.
Wado Ichimonji, which she was holding, flew from her grasp, spinning in the air as it fell.
The sharp blade descended toward the neck of Kuina, who had fallen on her back.
Bang!
A ball of fire appeared out of thin air and instantly exploded.
The falling Wado Ichimonji was blown away by the blast of flames, sent spinning until its blade plunged straight into the floorboards.
Kuina lay on her back, staring blankly at the exploding and quickly disappearing flames above her.
Then she turned her head to look at Wado Ichimonji, its blade half-buried in the floor.
Swoosh!
A figure appeared and breathed a sigh of relief at the sight.
It was Cyrus who had intervened.
Kuina sat up, her face still blank, and turned to look at Koshiro, who had suddenly appeared.
"Father!"
Koshiro nodded, then looked at the Wado Ichimonji.
The Wado Ichimonji was not a cursed blade.
However, his Observation Haki had just shown him that Kuina had nearly died by its blade.
In the legends of Wano Country, there were many tales of cursed blades devouring their masters.
As descendants of swordsmiths, they believed in this deeply.
Seeing Kuina get up to retrieve the Wado Ichimonji, Koshiro spoke up to stop her.
"Wait, Kuina!"
After stopping her, Koshiro stepped forward, drew the Wado Ichimonji and stared at its snow-white, sharp blade with an inscrutable expression.
"This sword has become an ominous blade for you."
Although it hadn't succeeded, in Koshiro's eyes, the sword had tried to devour its master.
If he let Kuina continue to hold it, she might still be harmed by the Wado Ichimonji later, or even lose her life to this sword.
Koshiro and Kuina turned their heads to see Cyrus approaching, carrying his longsword, En.
"No need to thank me. You know I always have my Observation Haki active."
Seeing the two of them look over, Cyrus smiled before his gaze fell upon the Wado Ichimonji.
"This sword was left to Kuina by my father, but now it seems it isn't suitable for her. So, would you like to try it?" Shimotsuki Koshiro asked, looking at Cyrus with a solemn expression.
He had saved Kuina's life; no amount of gratitude would be too much.
"Forget it. If I accepted, En here would be upset," Cyrus said, raising his hand to show off the unusually long sword.
"Perhaps it was just a coincidence."
Hearing that Koshiro wanted to give the sword away, Kuina's gaze fell on the Wado Ichimonji as she spoke hesitantly.
"Until you learn Armament Haki, you are only to use a bamboo sword."
Hearing his daughter's words, Koshiro spoke sternly.