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Chapter 122: Zoro's Insight
"Did he just go to find Crocodile by himself..."
Robin watched Luffy's receding back with a blank expression. The figure in the straw hat grew smaller and smaller in the desert until he became a black dot at the end of the dunes. Shock and confusion, impossible to conceal, surfaced in her black agate eyes.
To think such a person exists in the world!
After hearing the location of a Warlord of the Sea, he charged straight over without a word. No plan, no strategy, not even waiting for his companions.
"Uh, he's just like that."
"You'll get used to it. Our captain has always been this style—doing whatever comes to mind regardless of the consequences."
"Exactly. Honestly, it's a miracle this guy has survived this long!"
The Straw Hat crew, on the other hand, was already used to it. After a brief moment of stunned silence, everyone quickly returned to normal and began packing their bags, ready to follow their reckless captain.
Zoro looked in the direction Luffy had disappeared, the corner of his mouth curving into an excited arc. "Let's go. We better catch up. Looks like there's going to be a tough fight soon."
"Yeah, you'd better keep up," Sanji lit a cigarette and blew a smoke ring at Zoro. "Otherwise, you'll get lost in the desert again, and we'll have to go through the trouble of finding you."
Unsurprisingly, the two started arguing again immediately.
"Ganyu, shouldn't you catch up to Luffy first? That guy charging into the enemy's base alone... he might get surrounded," Nami came to Ganyu's side and said worriedly.
Ganyu smiled casually. "It's fine, Nami. Unless something unexpected happens, Luffy's brother is just ahead. With him there, Luffy won't be in danger."
This statement stunned everyone.
"Nani? You've already met Luffy's brother?" Usopp's eyes widened in surprise, his voice jumping an octave. "What kind of person is he? Is he a monster like Luffy?"
Zoro, Sanji, Nami, and Chopper all cast expectant gazes. They were all curious about what kind of person Luffy's brother would be.
Robin, however, froze. With her intelligence, she naturally guessed the identity of Luffy's brother quickly.
"Fire Fist" Ace.
So that's it. The reason "Fire Fist" helped Princess Vivi was that he is Captain Ganyu's acquaintance's brother. The previous doubts were instantly resolved. At the same time, Robin felt even less optimistic about Crocodile's future. Her boss seemed to be in real trouble this time. And if Crocodile really lost, where would she go? In this vast world, who would have the guts to take in a criminal wanted by the World Government, the "Devil Child" of Ohara?
For some reason, as she thought this, her gaze unconsciously fell upon the group of people before her.
Facing everyone's expectant gazes, Ganyu carefully recalled her brief time with Ace. She pondered for a few seconds, then said, "Ace is a very capable, very special person."
"How should I put it... If you meet him, you'll probably get along quite well."
Her statement was quite fair. Ace was indeed a charismatic character—powerful but not arrogant, cheerful yet attentive, and he had taken good care of her and Vivi along the way. Aside from occasionally doing unexpected things like Luffy, he had almost no flaws.
However, after hearing this evaluation, the Straw Hat members all wore expressions of disbelief.
"What! How could a person like that be Luffy's brother?!"
"That difference is too big..."
The Straw Hats couldn't accept it. The perfect person described by Ganyu was their captain's brother?
"Uh, well, actually he does have some small quirks, about the same level as Luffy," Ganyu added silently seeing their strong reaction.
Hearing this, everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.
"That sounds about right!"
"That's more like it!"
"I knew it, how could Luffy's brother be a normal person!"
After chatting a bit more, everyone finished packing all the gear used for their overnight stay in the desert. Tents were disassembled and folded, sleeping bags packed, and the embers of the campfire buried thoroughly with sand.
Guided by Robin, the Straw Hat group began moving toward "Rainbase" at a moderate pace. The morning desert temperature was still comfortable; although the sun had risen, it hadn't yet reached the noon intensity that could roast a person. The group walked in single file through the dunes, the soft sand leaving deep footprints with every step.
After walking for a while, Ganyu remembered something. She untied the Wado Ichimonji, which had been securely bound with a ribbon on her back, and gently tossed it to Zoro, who was walking ahead.
"Zoro, returning this to you."
Zoro didn't even turn his head. He reached back and caught the flying sword. His fingers subconsciously brushed against the scabbard, and his movement suddenly paused. The next moment, his expression changed. He turned around, staring into the blue-haired girl's eyes behind him.
"You used this sword. Who did you cut?"
Ganyu didn't know how he deduced she had used the sword, but she didn't ask. She simply pointed at the sky and replied, "I didn't cut a person. I just took a swing at the sky."
Hearing this, Zoro fell silent. He gripped the hilt of Wado Ichimonji but didn't draw it. Instead, he slowly closed his eyes, as if sensing something.
After a long time, when he opened his eyes again, he became even more silent. He gave Ganyu a deep look, then hung the sword back at his waist without speaking another word.
Ganyu found this behavior baffling. What is wrong with this guy? Does he have germaphobia and is unhappy that I used his sword? No, he's not that petty.
Unable to figure it out, but seeing Zoro wasn't planning to speak, Ganyu rolled her eyes and thought of a conversation topic. "Hey, I forgot to tell you, there's someone in Baroque Works who would make the perfect opponent for your crucial battle."
She knew Zoro's current strength very well. In the original story, it was during the battle with Mr. 1, Daz Bonez, in Alabasta that Zoro truly grasped the essence of "cutting steel," reaching the realm his master Koshiro had described—the ability to cut even steel. Ganyu wanted to use this topic to find out why he had suddenly gone silent.
"No need. Just now, I already grasped it."
Zoro said without looking up, but at an angle Ganyu couldn't see, a nearly imperceptible arc appeared on the corner of his mouth.
Hmm?
Ganyu focused her mind, tilting her head, thinking she had misheard. She blinked, and it took her several seconds to react. She asked with surprise, "How did you suddenly grasp it?"
Zoro finally looked up, meeting her eyes. The smile on his lips could no longer be suppressed. "That is, of course, thanks to the sword you just returned."
He patted the Wado Ichimonji at his waist. "The lingering momentum on it, and some kind of special power... almost the instant I touched it, the image of you swinging the sword appeared in my mind. If I couldn't step into that realm after seeing such a breathtaking strike, then my life would probably end here."
As he spoke, he suddenly reached out and drew the Sandai Kitetsu from his side, swinging his arm violently toward the sky.
Whoosh—
A dark purple blade beam tore through the air, howling into the sky. It rose straight up, flying dozens of meters before gradually fading, leaving a trail of slowly disappearing light points in the air like a reversing purple meteor.
Creating a tangible slash with bare hands—this was the mark of a master swordsman.
Ganyu looked up at the sky, her eyes unblinking. She had mixed feelings: joy, relief, and a hint of being touched. Since joining the Straw Hat Pirates, she had been playing a real-life "raising game," witnessing these anime characters become stronger day by day by her side. Among them, the ones she paid the most attention to were naturally Zoro and Luffy, whom she met first. Every bit of their growth gave her a sense of accomplishment.
It felt like... watching her son grow up.
Sigh, pity the hearts of parents...
Just as Ganyu was lost in emotion, a large hand suddenly landed on top of her head and ruffled her hair vigorously. Ganyu's eyes widened, a flash of astonishment in her pupils. She slowly turned her head. When she saw that the person rubbing her head was the man who had just swung the sword, her cheeks puffed up in anger.
This rebellious disciple! How dare he disrespect his elder!
The dense Zoro naturally didn't notice the expression of a certain horned woman becoming increasingly wrong. He continued rubbing the small head in front of him. He had to admit, the texture was really good; the more he rubbed, the more addictive it became.
While rubbing, he muttered with admiration, "Tsk tsk... You look so small, how did you train your archery and swordsmanship to be so good? Did you start practicing when you were a baby? But I entered the dojo when I was a kid too..."
"Could it be that you aren't actually as young as you look, and you're actually an old ha—"
The last word didn't make it out. His voice came to an abrupt halt. Unknowingly, he had been covered by a layer of frost, turning into a frozen statue.
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