As days passed, Taiyo's training grew increasingly intense. Each day, he sparred with Kuina and Zoro for about two hours, then dedicated three hours to executing over 10,000 slashes in under a single second, relentlessly pushing the limits of his speed and precision. Afterward, he meditated for six hours, striving to attune himself to his body, spirit, and the world around him.
With time, his connection to the Yoriichi template deepened. It became more than just a tool—it was aligning with his very being. Then, one day during meditation, something extraordinary happened.
A sudden surge of heat began to radiate from his body. Steam rose from his skin, and a burning sensation bloomed from within, consuming him from the inside out. But it wasn't painful—it was transformative. He could feel power coursing through every fiber of his body as the intensity of the heat climbed. By the time he opened his eyes, a circle of scorched earth had formed around his meditation spot—the grass burned away by his mere presence.
The Yoriichi template had awakened something profound within him. His Selfless State—which previously had to be consciously activated—had now become permanent. He had fully embodied it. Taiyo knew now, with absolute certainty, that no Observation Haki, no matter how advanced, could detect him while he existed in this state of stillness and invisibility.
The awakening of the template didn't just enhance his combat abilities. All the skills and powers he had inherited from the Yoriichi template were upgraded, evolved. And that included the abilities he had received from Akiko Yosano—his healing techniques and medical prowess were now capable of being developed further.
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Upon realizing that his abilities could continue to evolve, Taiyo shifted part of his focus toward the medical arts.
He began an intense period of medicinal research, commanding his ravens to scout distant islands in search of advanced medical facilities and institutions. These ravens were tasked with quietly observing the daily routines and techniques of the world's most skilled doctors. While continuing his rigorous daily training, Taiyo devoted over a year to the study of human anatomy, carefully examining the body's responses to a wide range of chemicals, toxins, and medicines.
He didn't stop at theory—Taiyo used himself as the subject of experimentation. He ingested various poisons, pushing his body to the brink of death again and again. It was a harrowing process, but a necessary one. With each trial, he tested the limits of "Thou Shalt Not Die", pushing its capabilities beyond what it was originally meant to do. There were times he would even commit seppuku, calmly observing the swarm of butterflies that emerged from his body to repair the fatal damage, restoring him from the edge of death with precise, unwavering grace.
As Taiyo's soul matured and his control deepened, so too did the power of his abilities. The strength of four intertwined lives that made up his soul proved to be an ideal vessel for unlocking higher mastery. Like all of Taiyo's gifts, the more he used them—the more he refined and understood them—the more potent they became.
When Taiyo fully mastered Akiko Yosano's Template, it too transformed. Just like with the Yoriichi template, once he embodied its essence, the abilities tied to it awakened to their full potential. The healing power grew stronger, more flexible, achieving a level of freedom previously thought impossible.
With continued use and discipline, his healing ability gained greater degrees of freedom. At first, it could only activate under the direst circumstances—when the target was on the brink of death. But as his control improved, this restriction began to loosen. What was once a passive, reactionary ability evolved into a conscious, active force that Taiyo could summon at will.
Eventually, he no longer needed to wait for someone to hover at the edge of death. He could treat illnesses, cure infections, and even purge diseases entirely. What once required trauma and crisis now flowed from a place of precise control.
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The passing years left their mark. Taiyo was now in his sixteenth year in this world—six full years since he forged his sword. He had grown into a towering figure, standing two meters tall. No longer awkward with the size of his blade, he could now wield it with effortless precision. His Iaido techniques, once hindered by the sheer length of his weapon, were fully integrated into his style again.
Zoro had grown to resemble his canon self more and more—fierce, determined, and resolute in his path. Kuina, too, had matured, her growth marked by sharp eyes, fluid movements, and an unwavering will to stand as Zoro's equal and rival.
The three of them had continued to spar relentlessly over the past six years, never skipping a beat. Yet in all that time, neither Kuina nor Zoro had managed to land a single hit on Taiyo—not even so much as a graze.
Now, once again, we find the three of them clashing in the courtyard, blades moving faster than the eye could follow. Taiyo stood calmly in the center, blade drawn, expression composed—not out of arrogance, but out of complete awareness. His movements were deliberate, smooth, and precise—each parry and step ahead of his opponents' attacks.
"Come on, you can do it," Taiyo said calmly, still effortlessly blocking each of their strikes. The expressions on both Kuina and Zoro's faces showed the strain—they were pushing themselves to their absolute limits. Sweat dripped from their brows, their breathing heavy, but their resolve unwavering.
Seeing their exhaustion and the toll the spar was taking on them, Taiyo decided it was time to end it.
With a subtle shift in stance, he increased the force behind his movements—just slightly. In a single, fluid motion, he moved with blinding speed. Using only the back of his blade, he struck both Kuina and Zoro with precision, knocking them off balance and onto the ground.
Before they could even register what had happened, Taiyo had already sheathed his sword.