"You're despicable! What deep grudge do you have against us? Why are you still pursuing us?!"
Krieg's men screamed, faces pale, bodies trembling, cold sweat dripping as they saw Hawk-Eyes Mihawk approaching on his coffin boat.
"I'm just passing the time," Mihawk replied after a moment of silence, tone indifferent as he sat cross-legged on the boat.
"This is insane! Die!" one of Krieg's men shouted, drawing a pistol and firing several shots at Mihawk.
The bullets flew toward Mihawk. He drew the massive black sword from his back and, in a motion many barely perceived, deflected the bullets.
"Why didn't those bullets hit him?" Tom wondered. In his eyes, they should have struck Mihawk. Even with the black blade, Tom hadn't seen him make an obvious blocking motion.
"You're not a swordsman, so you can't see it. No matter how many shots they fire, it's useless. They can't hit him," Zoro said, his expression heavy as he walked toward Mihawk. "He redirected their trajectory with just the tip of his sword."
"What is he doing? He's not… he can't be planning to—"
Usopp, who had boarded Johnny and Yosaku's ship, said in alarm.
Tom gestured for Usopp not to stop Zoro. Since Zoro's purpose in setting sail was to defeat Mihawk, now that he'd found the man he sought, nothing anyone said would stop him.
"I've never seen such a soft swordsmanship," Zoro said, having arrived on a chunk of broken deck floating in the sea not far from Mihawk.
Shing.
Mihawk sheathed the black blade.
"A sword without softness cannot become strong."
"To cut a massive three-decker ship in half with a single blade… you truly are the strongest," Zoro said, removing the dark green bandana from his left arm and tying it around his head.
"I set out to sea to find you!"
"What is your aim?" Mihawk asked, glancing at Zoro. His expression hadn't shifted even slightly since arriving, giving off an unnervingly cold feeling.
"To be the strongest, of course!" Zoro declared, drawing the swords at his waist and pointing one at Mihawk.
"You said you're bored, right? Let's settle which of us is superior!"
"Three swords… this guy is Zoro! Roronoa Zoro of the Three-Sword Style!"
The man who had fired earlier exclaimed, suddenly recognizing the challenger.
"What?! The famous pirate hunter?!" Krieg's expression changed—clearly he'd heard the name.
"The pirate hunter known as 'Pirate Hunter'… is him?" Sanji was shocked.
The man he had called a fool was actually the famous swordsman of the East Blue.
Many of Krieg's men grew anxious upon hearing the name.
In the East Blue, Zoro was indeed a top-tier swordsman, arguably the strongest.
But compared to the world's strongest… what was the real distance? Tom thought.
"Hey! That's enough! If we drag this out any longer, we'll lose sight of the Going Merry! How are we supposed to chase Nami?!" Usopp shouted from the ship.
Luffy didn't reply, his gaze fixed entirely on Zoro.
Tom turned to Usopp.
"Just wait. That woman won't escape. For Zoro, this is the most important moment of his life. If he wins, he'll have no reason to continue sailing with us. If he loses, he alone will carry that defeat—but we'll stand with him. That's what it means to be crewmates. Win or lose, we see this duel through."
Hearing this, Usopp bowed his head for a moment, then jumped back onto deck, took his megaphone, and shouted:
"Zoro! Fight with everything you've got! Go bravely!"
"Usopp…"
Zoro glanced over, seeing Luffy and Tom standing there watching him. His resolve hardened. He focused entirely on Mihawk.
"You poor fool," Mihawk said, his hawk-sharp eyes locking onto Zoro.
In a single motion, he leaped from the coffin boat onto the floating wreckage where Zoro stood.
"If you are truly a swordsman, I can see the gap in our strength without crossing blades. Is your courage born from conviction… or ignorance?"
"It's for my ambition! And a promise to a friend!"
Zoro's expression was unshakably firm. His eyes burned with fierce fighting spirit as he placed the third sword in his mouth.
"Big Bro! You must win!"
"You idiot! When it comes to swordsmanship, nobody can beat our Big Bro!"
Johnny and Yosaku clenched their fists, their anxious expressions betraying their attempt at confidence.
Just as Zoro was about to strike—
Mihawk did something that shocked everyone.
"What are you doing?"
Zoro asked, the words muffled around the sword in his mouth, anger rising.
"I'm not like those fools who use their full strength just to catch a rabbit," Mihawk said, drawing the small cross-shaped dagger from his necklace. It was less than twenty centimeters long.
"Though you are a somewhat known swordsman, this is the weakest of the four seas divided by the Red Line and the Grand Line—the East Blue."
He flicked the tiny knife lightly.
"It's unfortunate I don't have a smaller blade. This will have to do," he said with faint disdain.
"He's looking down on Zoro!" Usopp yelled, furious.
"We watch," Tom said firmly, eyes locked on Zoro. "Whether one is looked down upon is determined by your own strength—and the size of your ambition."
Luffy remained silent, expression growing heavier.
"There's a limit to condescension!"
Zoro roared, charging, gripping his swords tightly.
"Don't regret this after you're dead!"
"Let me show you, frog in a well… how vast the world is," Mihawk said as Zoro attacked.
"Oni Giri!"
Zoro crossed the two swords in his hands, using the mouth-held sword to seal Mihawk's escape route, unleashing a deadly slash.
Tom knew Oni Giri's power. He had seen Zoro use it to defeat Morgan in one strike and instantly take down the hypnotized Buchi.
But now—
Mihawk blocked it easily with the tiny dagger.
Zoro froze.
"Zoro?!"
Luffy shouted in disbelief.
"He blocked Big Bro's Oni Giri!"
"That's a move that kills in one hit!"
Johnny and Yosaku screamed in panic.
Blocked… by a toy-like knife?
This gap was too insane. Even knowing there was a difference between Zoro and the world's strongest, it shouldn't be this outrageous. Tom's thoughts matched the shock on Zoro's face.
"GRAAAHH!"
Zoro roared, veins bulging as he unleashed a barrage of frenzied slashes.
Clang! Clang! Shing! Shing!
Mihawk parried every strike calmly.
"What fierce swordsmanship."
"Big Bro! This can't be real! Show him your true strength!"
"You can't lose, Big Bro!"
"He's blocking Zoro's Three-Sword Style… with that small knife?!"
One of Krieg's men trembled, but no one cared to answer. All eyes were locked on the duel.
Watching Zoro swing with everything he had and still fail to land a single hit, Tom felt a tightness in his chest.
He remembered their days training on the ship—the blood, sweat, and insane dedication Zoro had poured into reaching the top.
Yet here, facing the world's number one…
It was like a newborn baby fighting a full-grown warrior.
There was no chance.
Zoro must be drowning in frustration.
Is this the power of the world's strongest swordsman?
Is this the gap between us and the peak of the Grand Line?
Tom clenched his fists so tight they shook.
We're still too weak!
"What is it you carry on your back? What do you seek by becoming stronger… you weak one?"
Mihawk flicked his dagger lightly, sending Zoro flying onto the deck.
"That bastard called Big Bro a weakling?!"
"We'll show him!"
Johnny and Yosaku drew their swords.
"You two, don't you dare!" Luffy grabbed them, forcing them down.
"I'll support him from here!"
Usopp's eyes were red as he aimed his slingshot.
Tom grabbed him by the collar.
"This is a duel! Do you want to disgrace him?!"
Usopp gritted his teeth, lowered the slingshot, and fell silent.
What do I carry on my back…?
I carry the dreams of two people.
Zoro thought, lying on the deck, remembering a night under the moonlit sky, holding hands with a short-haired girl, making a promise.
"Someday, one of us will become the world's greatest swordsman. Let's compete to see who gets there first!"
The next day… she died.
Kuina, the girl who had defeated him 2001 times.
Her death from a simple fall down the stairs still haunted him.
"Why are human lives so fragile, Zoro?"
His master had asked.
"I'll become stronger for her too! I'll become the world's greatest swordsman! I'll become so strong my name reaches the heavens!"
His vow when he accepted the sword Wado Ichimonji.
Remembering this, Zoro forced himself up again, his eyes blazing.
He placed two swords behind him, preparing his Tiger Hunt stance.
"Zoro, why do you train so desperately?"
"Because I have an ambition I must achieve. To become the world's greatest swordsman."
A memory of training with Tom flashed.
"Tiger…!"
His aura surged wildly.
He remembered Luffy's words the day he joined the crew:
"'World's greatest swordsman'… That's a perfect goal. A fitting companion for the future Pirate King."
I WILL become the world's greatest swordsman!
"HUNT!"
Zoro brought his swords down—
Mihawk moved first.
In a blur, the dagger pierced Zoro's left chest.
Blood burst out, staining everything red.
"Zoro!!!" Tom shouted.
Luffy also froze in terror.
But even with a blade in his chest—
Zoro stepped forward.
Forcing it deeper.
"You'd rather have your heart pierced? Why not retreat?" Mihawk asked.
"I don't know. But if I retreat here… every vow I've made would be denied. I could never show my face again."
"That would be your defeat," Mihawk said calmly.
"Then retreating is even less of an option. Death is fine. That would be better."
Such terrifying resolve.
Such overwhelming pride.
Mihawk pulled the dagger out, now finally serious.
"Boy, your name."
"Roronoa Zoro!"
"I will remember it. It has been a long time since I met a true warrior. I shall defeat you with proper respect—the world's strongest black blade!"
He drew Yoru, the massive black sword.
"He drew the sword that split the ship!"
Krieg's men panicked.
The final blow.
If Zoro can't block it… he'll die.
Mihawk swung.
Zoro unleashed:
"Three-Sword Style Secret Technique — Three Thousand Worlds!"
In an instant—
The duel was over.
I lost.
I'm no match for him.
Zoro's two swords shattered into pieces.
He sheathed Wado Ichimonji and turned—
arms spread wide—
completely defenseless.
"What are you doing?" Mihawk asked.
"A wound on the back… is a swordsman's shame."
"Well said."
Mihawk smiled slightly, then slashed him across the chest—a massive wound that would have bisected an ordinary person.
Zoro fell back into the sea, blood staining the waters red.
"You went too far!"
"I won't forgive you!"
Thinking Zoro was dead—
Luffy and Tom launched themselves at Mihawk in fury.
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T/N :
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