Even his ancestor, Shimotsuki Ryoma, had been a Great Swordsman like Hawk Eyes Mihawk, one who had forged a black blade and reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship in the Pirate World. Meikyō gently stroked the blade of Ama-no-Ohabari, recalling the words Shimotsuki Kōshirō had once told him. According to Kōshirō, every Great Swordsman possessed extraordinary foundations in swordsmanship, as well as physical capabilities that ranked among the best across the entire sea. That was the basic prerequisite for becoming a Great Swordsman.