Chapter 98: The Sparring Sessions
The salty ocean breeze drifted over the deck of the Going Merry as the sun hung high in the sky, casting its golden glow over the ship. The scent of salt and wood mixed with the sweat of the Straw Hat crew, their bodies still buzzing from the morning's intense Ki training. Despite the exhaustion settling into their muscles, their excitement had not waned.
They had learned the basics of Ki enhancement. Now, it was time to put it into practice.
Goku stood at the center of the deck, arms crossed, his ever-present grin stretched across his face. His straw hat rested on his back, hanging from the string around his neck, and his tail swayed lazily at his waist. The crew stood in a loose circle around him, eager but wary.
"Alright," Goku started, his voice carrying across the deck. "You guys did good with the training, but now comes the real test." He lifted a finger and pointed between the swordsman and the cook. "Zoro, Sanji. You're up first."
The swordsman and the chef locked eyes instantly, and an invisible spark crackled between them. It was as if Goku had only spoken aloud something they'd been waiting for all along.
"Tch. I was hoping for a real fight," Zoro muttered, cracking his knuckles.
"You say that like you stand a chance, moss-head," Sanji shot back, rolling his shoulders.
Goku shook his head. "Remember, no weapons. Just your hands, feet, and your Ki." He smirked. "That means no swords, Zoro. And Sanji, no dodging with just your legs. Fight properly."
Sanji frowned. "What kind of idiot fights with his hands when his legs are better?"
"A warrior who doesn't limit himself," Goku countered.
Sanji clicked his tongue but didn't argue. Zoro simply cracked his neck before stepping forward, the sunlight catching the sweat on his bare chest.
Goku nodded. "Begin."
Zoro took the initiative, launching himself forward with a burst of Ki-enhanced speed. His fist shot out, aimed directly for Sanji's smug face. But the cook sidestepped, using the smallest movement possible to avoid the punch.
Zoro's fist whistled through the air, barely missing Sanji's chin. In response, Sanji twisted and drove his knee up toward Zoro's ribs. The swordsman barely had time to bring his forearm down to block, but the force still sent him sliding backward, his boots scraping against the deck.
Zoro growled and pushed forward again, throwing a feint with his left hand before driving a right hook toward Sanji's stomach. The cook twisted his body to the side, letting the punch pass before bringing his elbow down on Zoro's outstretched arm, attempting to break his balance.
Zoro growled but adapted, shifting his weight and twisting his body to throw Sanji off. As the cook stumbled slightly, Zoro drove a knee up toward his gut. But Sanji, ever the agile one, turned his stumble into a spin, his leg sweeping low at Zoro's ankle. The swordsman had to hop to avoid being tripped.
As soon as Zoro landed, Sanji was already in his face, throwing a quick one-two punch combo. The first hit Zoro's forearm as he raised it to block, but the second grazed his jaw, snapping his head to the side. Zoro gritted his teeth and responded with a brutal left hook, which Sanji barely dodged.
Using his momentum, Sanji backflipped, bringing his heel down toward Zoro's shoulder. The swordsman caught it on his forearm, but the impact made his arm tremble.
Zoro suddenly twisted, using Sanji's extended leg as an opening. He lunged forward and drove his shoulder into Sanji's chest, knocking the cook backward. But Sanji turned his fall into a roll, springing back up instantly.
Before Zoro could press the attack, Sanji retaliated with a brutal spinning kick aimed at Zoro's ribs. The swordsman barely managed to block, but the force sent him staggering sideways.
Seeing an opportunity, Sanji moved in, faking a knee strike before throwing a punch toward Zoro's face. The swordsman saw through the trick and weaved around the attack before delivering a powerful uppercut to Sanji's stomach. The cook coughed and stumbled back but stayed standing.
The two stood apart for a moment, catching their breath. Their chests rose and fell rapidly, sweat dripping down their faces. Then, as if by unspoken agreement, they rushed at each other again. Zoro feinted a right jab before launching a knee toward Sanji's gut, while Sanji twisted midair, bringing his heel down toward Zoro's shoulder again.
Their attacks connected at the same time. Zoro's knee slammed into Sanji's ribs, while Sanji's heel crashed against Zoro's shoulder. The impact sent both of them stumbling backward, panting.
For a brief moment, the ship was silent except for the sound of heavy breathing.
Then, Usopp whistled. "Whoa... I thought one of you would be on the floor by now."
"Shut up, long nose," Zoro and Sanji snapped at the same time.
Goku grinned. "That's what I wanted to see. You guys have some solid Ki control now." He pointed at Zoro. "Your punches were heavier than before. Your Ki's working with your muscles properly now."
Then he turned to Sanji. "And you—you're already fast, but you've gotten even faster. Ki is working well with your natural style."
Sanji adjusted his tie, taking a deep breath before giving Zoro a cocky smirk. "Looks like I'm still better, huh?"
Zoro scowled. "We were even, idiot."
Gin chuckled. "Well, I guess I'm up next."
Zoro cracked his knuckles, rolling his neck. "Fine. Let's see what you've got."
Goku stepped forward, grinning wider. "Alright, next fight: Zoro vs. Gin."
Gin stepped forward, cracking his neck as he squared off against Zoro. His usual tonfa were missing, and for the first time, he would have to fight without them.
Zoro wiped a bit of sweat from his chin, rolling his shoulders. "No weapons, huh?" He smirked. "Guess we'll see how dangerous you really are without those clubs."
Gin's lips curled into a grin. "Don't worry. You'll find out soon enough."
Goku raised a hand. "Remember, no weapons, no holding back. Focus on your Ki, let it flow into your attacks naturally. Fight!"
Zoro and Gin lunged at each other, fists cocked back.
Gin struck first, throwing a sharp right straight at Zoro's face. The swordsman weaved to the side, countering with a left hook aimed at Gin's ribs. But Gin reacted instantly, twisting mid-strike to bring his elbow down onto Zoro's forearm, redirecting the punch before delivering a quick knee toward his gut.
Zoro barely managed to bring his other arm down in time to block, the impact making his muscles tremble.
Not wasting a second, Gin pressed the attack, throwing a flurry of punches at Zoro—short, controlled, and ruthless. Zoro blocked most of them, his arms moving in tight, practiced motions, but one managed to slip through, a straight jab that clipped his jaw.
Zoro retaliated with a brutal left uppercut, forcing Gin to step back. Seizing the moment, the swordsman surged forward, aiming a powerful right cross at Gin's head.
But Gin ducked at the last second, spinning on his heel to deliver a vicious elbow to Zoro's ribs.
The blow landed clean, making Zoro grunt in pain. But instead of stepping back, he grit his teeth and wrapped his arms around Gin's waist in a sudden grapple.
Gin's eyes widened just before Zoro twisted and slammed him onto the deck with a powerful throw. The impact rattled the ship.
Before Zoro could capitalize, Gin twisted his legs around Zoro's, tripping him off balance. As the swordsman staggered, Gin sprang back up and drove his knee into Zoro's gut.
Zoro grunted, but instead of falling back, he grinned. "That all you got?"
With a burst of power, Zoro planted his feet and tanked the next hit, before launching a brutal right hook straight at Gin's face.
The Impact cracked through the air as Gin's head snapped to the side. But instead of falling, he used the force to spin and whip a roundhouse kick toward Zoro's ribs.
Zoro barely had time to react. He crossed his arms just in time to block, but the sheer power behind Gin's kick sent him sliding backward across the deck.
Sanji whistled. "Damn, guy's got some real power behind those strikes."
Goku grinned. "Told you guys, Gin knows how to fight."
Zoro dug his heels in, halting his momentum, and shot forward again. This time, he feinted a right hook before twisting into a spinning back elbow.
Gin ducked, but he wasn't fast enough—Zoro's elbow scraped across his forehead, breaking his guard just long enough for Zoro to shoulder check him straight into the mast.
Gin hit the mast hard but rebounded, rolling with the impact before launching himself back at Zoro.
They met in the center of the deck again, trading brutal blows. A hook from Zoro. A straight jab from Gin. A knee to the ribs. A forearm block. A counterpunch to the stomach.
Both men were grinning now, blood trickling from their lips, but neither backing down.
Gin suddenly shifted tactics. Instead of going for a punch, he faked an overhand strike—Zoro raised his guard, expecting a heavy hit—but at the last second, Gin dropped low and swept Zoro's legs out from under him.
Zoro crashed to the deck, but before Gin could pounce, the swordsman kicked his legs up and wrapped them around Gin's neck, flipping him over in a counter-throw.
Both men scrambled back to their feet, panting.
Usopp gulped. "They're insane…"
Nami crossed her arms. "They're evenly matched, but Gin's a lot more technical than I expected."
Goku nodded approvingly. "Heh. Yeah, Gin's a real fighter. And Zoro's figuring that out the hard way."
The fight wasn't over, but both men were reaching their limits. Their muscles burned, their breath came in ragged gasps, but neither looked ready to quit.
Zoro wiped the blood from his mouth. "Damn… I'm impressed, Gin. You really can fight."
Gin grinned, sweat dripping from his brow. "Same to you, swordsman. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were a martial artist instead of a pirate."
Zoro chuckled, rolling his shoulders. "Alright. One more round?"
Gin smirked. "Heh. Thought you'd never ask."
Before they could clash again, Goku stepped forward, raising a hand. "Alright, that's enough!" His voice carried across the deck, filled with authority. "You guys proved your point. Call it a draw."
Zoro and Gin hesitated, their bodies still itching to fight, but after a moment, they both exhaled and relaxed their stances.
Goku grinned. "Nice work. You two are pretty evenly matched. But there's still more to learn."
Sanji clapped his hands together, cracking his knuckles. "Well, that was fun to watch, but I think it's my turn next."
Gin smirked. "Fine by me."
Goku nodded. "Alright, next fight—Gin vs. Sanji."
[A/N: Can't wait to see what happens next? Get exclusive early access on patreon.com/saiyanprincenovels. If you enjoyed this chapter and want to see more, don't forget to drop a power stone! Your support helps this story reach more readers!]