"You have time to spare, don't you?" Zoro said, drawing his katana and pointing it at him. "Can we have a duel?"
"A duel? What a weak and insignificant fool," Mihawk replied, stepping off his ship and standing on a piece of the wrecked ship where Zoro was.
"If you were truly a great swordsman, you would have been able to see the difference in our strength without unsheathing your sword. A duel with me? Are you that brave? Or just reckless?" Mihawk asked.
"This is for my own ambition!" Zoro said, placing his katana in his mouth. "And for a promise made to a friend."
"I never thought I'd find you so soon," Zoro said, ready for battle.
"That doesn't make you any better."
Mihawk took off his necklace and opened it, revealing a small dagger.
"Hey! What's the meaning of this?" Zoro asked.
"I'm not foolish enough to use my full strength to hunt rabbits. You may have made a name for yourself here, but of the four seas divided by the Grand Line and the Red Line, the East Blue is the weakest of them all. Unfortunately, I don't carry anything smaller than this," Mihawk said with superiority.
"Stop mocking me! Don't regret it when you die!" Zoro shouted angrily. "Oni Giri!"
With his three katanas, he charged at Mihawk in a furious attack, but Mihawk blocked it effortlessly with his small dagger.
"W-what?" Zoro was stunned, realizing he couldn't move. 'I can't move... What just happened? No one has ever stopped this technique before. There can't be such a vast difference in power between us. The real world can't be this different!'
Zoro launched a barrage of slashes, but Mihawk easily blocked them, even forcing Zoro to step back.
"It can't be that far apart!" Zoro lunged forward again, clashing swords.
Mihawk effortlessly blocked each attack without moving from his spot.
As Zoro continued to fight, memories of his journey to becoming the world's greatest swordsman flashed through his mind. He blocked until he recalled his childhood friend, causing him to momentarily lose focus. In that instant, Mihawk struck him in the neck, making him fall.
"What is your goal? Why do you seek power, being as weak as you are?" Mihawk asked.
'If only I could defeat this man…' Zoro steadied himself, gripping his three katanas. "Tora Gari!!"
He positioned two of his katanas vertically behind his shoulders before attempting to slash forward and downward, but Mihawk moved faster and stabbed him in the chest.
"Do you want this knife to pierce your heart? Why don't you step back?" Mihawk asked as he watched him.
"I don't know. Even I'm not sure why, but if I take a single step back, I feel like all my vows and promises will have been in vain and can never return," Zoro said as blood dripped from his mouth.
"Yes, and that is called defeat," Mihawk replied.
"Haha, that's exactly why I can't step back," Zoro responded.
"Even if it means death?" Mihawk asked again.
"Death is better!" Zoro said with a grin.
'What a strong spirit! He'd rather die than retreat.' Mihawk stepped back and sheathed his knife. "Kid, tell me your name!"
Zoro positioned his swords for a new technique.
"Roronoa Zoro!" he shouted, preparing for another attack.
"I will remember it! It's been a long time since I've met someone with a will like yours, so..." Mihawk said as he drew his great sword, Yoru.
"And to honor that, I will give you the final blow with my black blade, the strongest in the world," he declared, sword in hand.
"I appreciate your offer," Zoro focused on what he had to do. 'This is my last chance. If I fail, it will cost me my life. But this will determine if I can become the world's greatest swordsman.'
"Santoryuu Ogi: Sanzen Sekai!"
He spun his swords rapidly in circles before charging at Mihawk. For a brief second, the world's strongest swordsman broke into a sweat as their attacks clashed, shattering two of Zoro's three katanas in the process.
'I've lost. I can't defeat him. I never thought this day would come. This is the power of the world's strongest swordsman.'
Zoro sheathed his remaining katana, turned around, and spread his arms.
"What are you doing?" Mihawk asked.
"A wound on the back is a swordsman's shame," Zoro said with a smile.
"Admirable!"
Mihawk slashed him diagonally, causing a massive gush of blood.
"ZORO!!!" Luffy shouted in concern.
Zoro fell into the sea, prompting Johnny and Yosaku to jump in to rescue him.
"BASTARD!"
Luffy stretched his fist to grab hold of something and launched himself directly at Mihawk.
"A friend of the Young Swordsman? Do you wish to fight as well? Fine, you'll learn a lesson too."
Mihawk simply moved, dodging the attack, causing Luffy to crash into the part of the ship he had grabbed onto.
"Don't worry. That boy is still alive," Mihawk assured Luffy.
Johnny and Yosaku managed to pull Zoro from the water and get him onto the boat.
"Aniki! Aniki! Say something!"
"Aniki!"
The two swordsmen called out to the unconscious Zoro.
"Boy, what is your goal?" Mihawk asked Luffy.
"To become the Pirate King!" Luffy answered firmly.
"That is a path of unimaginable dangers. It is even harder than surpassing me," Mihawk said with a smile.
"I don't care, because I'll do it anyway!" Luffy said, sticking out his tongue.
"Usopp, is he okay?!" Luffy asked about Zoro.
"He's just unconscious!" Usopp responded.
With the little strength he had left, Zoro raised his only remaining katana.
"Luffy, can you hear me?" he asked weakly.
"Yeah!" Luffy responded immediately.
"Sorry for worrying you. If I can't be the world's greatest swordsman, I would only be a burden to you," Zoro said, exhausted.
"Aniki, don't say that!"
"Aniki!"
"From now on, I will never lose again!" Zoro declared, tears streaming down his face.
"Until the day I defeat him and become the strongest, I will not lose again! Do you have a problem with that, Pirate King?!" he shouted to the skies.
"Shishishi, none at all!" Luffy said with a grin.
"You are a good team. I hope to meet you again someday," Mihawk said as he turned toward his boat.
Don Krieg saw an opportunity and tried to attack Mihawk, but the swordsman had no interest in fighting. He simply slashed the sea with a powerful strike and left.
"Usopp, Oliver! Go now!" Luffy shouted to them.
"Understood!" Usopp responded.
"Luffy, be careful! We'll bring Nami back no matter what!" Oliver shouted.
"Stay here and get us a cook! Once we're all together, we'll set sail for the Grand Line!" Usopp called out.
"Yeah! That's the plan!" Luffy confirmed.
'I've already changed Arlong Park, now I just have to make sure everything else stays the same,' Oliver thought.
At that moment, the group split into two: Luffy and Yosaku stayed at the Baratie, while Oliver, Usopp, Zoro, and Johnny set off after Nami.
"So, they've finally decided to come," Sanji said, watching Krieg's pirates.
Luffy looked at Don Krieg and his crew and suddenly had an idea.
"Hey, old man! If I defeat them, can I stop working here?" Luffy asked.
"Do whatever you want," Zeff answered.
Guided by Johnny, they headed toward Arlong Park as fast as they could.
--
--
I want to ask you a question. This question will not affect the story; it's just out of curiosity.
Out of the following options, what type of Devil Fruit would you like to have?
Please specify.
-Paramecia
-Special Paramecia
-Zoan
-Prehistoric Zoan
-Mythical Zoan
-Logia