At this moment, Usopp stood with his hands on his hips, wearing a smug expression.
This was his first real battle, and he had actually defeated Krieg, the so-called overlord of the East Blue.
Did that mean he would be the next overlord of the East Blue?!
As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he quickly dismissed it.
He knew his place. Compared to the monsters on his crew—Luffy and Carl were ridiculously strong, and even Zoro was improving at an insane rate—he was, at best, the fourth strongest among them. There was no need to get carried away.
Luffy grinned and adjusted his straw hat. "Hehehe, Usopp! Well done! You really are my crew mate!"
Hearing this, Usopp waved his hand modestly. "Captain, you flatter me! As a proud member of the Straw Hat Pirates, this is just basic stuff."
His words were so full of confidence that it was hard to tell if he was being humble or bragging.
Meanwhile, Gin stumbled forward toward the unconscious Krieg. Looking at the man who had once been invincible in his eyes, he found it hard to accept.
As he stood there in shock, a sudden shing of a blade rang out.
Not just him—everyone else heard it too. Instantly, all eyes turned toward Krieg's massive ship.
Luffy and Carl had already seen it clearly.
A tall figure in a coffin-shaped boat had just sliced Krieg's ship into three sections.
"No way…" Zoro gripped the hilt of his sword, his entire body trembling.
"It's him! It's him! He's come after us!" Gin completely lost it, his face filled with fear.
Sanji immediately grabbed him by the collar and shouted, "Gin! What the hell is going on?! Who's here?!"
Gin shook his head frantically. "I don't know! Our fleet had only been on the Grand Line for seven days when we ran into that man! With just one person, he wiped out our entire fleet. No one could escape. That man… he's terrifying! His eyes… like a hawk's…"
Zeff's expression changed. "Hawk-like eyes… Could it be him? What did you guys do to provoke that monster?"
"Who knows?! How could we have possibly pissed off someone like that?!"
"…Maybe someone interrupted his nap."
"Like hell it'd be over something that stupid…"
Meanwhile, Carl, Luffy, and Zoro had already walked to the bow of the ship. They silently watched as Krieg's ship split apart, sending countless pirates plunging into the sea. But none of them showed an ounce of pity.
Carl pointed toward the figure on the coffin boat and said,
"Zoro… That man is Hawkeye."
"Oh, I see. I didn't think I'd meet him so soon."
As Zoro spoke, he leaped off the bow, landing on a broken section of Krieg's wrecked ship.
At the same time, Hawkeye looked around, noticing that none of the pirates on the sinking vessel were still standing. His gaze shifted toward Krieg, who lay unconscious on the deck of Baratie.
In an instant, he understood what had happened.
His eyes fell on Zoro. "You lot… stole my prey?"
Without a word, Zoro tied his bandana around his head, clenched Wado Ichimonji between his teeth, and took his Three-Sword Style stance.
"Yeah, we took your prey. That means you're free now… so fight me. I've been searching for you for a long time, and today, I finally found you!"
"Oh?" Hawkeye raised an eyebrow. "And why were you looking for me?"
"To challenge the strongest."
Hawkeye chuckled at those words, a hint of amusement in his sharp gaze. "You fool. You have no idea how vast the world truly is."
Zoro remained unfazed. "No, I've caught a glimpse of it. I know how wide the gap is between us. But for the sake of my dream, I have to challenge you—even if it means death. If I back down now… I might as well be dead."
For the first time, Hawkeye's expression shifted slightly. A flicker of admiration flashed in his eyes.
Still, he had no expectations for a swordsman from the weakest sea. Without a word, he removed the small cross-shaped dagger from around his neck.
"Apologies… I don't have a smaller blade."
Zoro didn't get angry. Instead, he smirked. "Hawkeye, I know how strong you are. But you'll pay for underestimating me!"
Meanwhile, Luffy and Carl remained outwardly calm, but they were on high alert. If Zoro's life was truly in danger, they were ready to step in—even if it meant interrupting his duel.
Jango and Nami stood silently in the background, watching.
Johnny and Yosaku, enraged at seeing their brother being looked down on, drew their swords, about to charge forward. But Usopp and Carl immediately grabbed them, holding them back.
Sanji couldn't take it anymore. "Oi! Is this really okay?! That's Hawkeye we're talking about! If you let them fight, your friend is going to die!"
Luffy lowered his head, his expression hidden beneath the brim of his straw hat. His voice was quiet but firm.
"This is Zoro's dream. No one is allowed to interfere. Even if he knows he'll die… Zoro will still fight."
Sanji was stunned.
Beside him, Zeff sighed, watching the young swordsman face his impossible challenge.
"This crew…" Zeff muttered, a rare look of respect in his eyes. "They're the real deal."
On the shattered deck, Zoro and Hawkeye faced each other, the tension thick in the air.
Without hesitation, Zoro lunged forward, executing a powerful Three-Sword Style thrust. But with a simple flick of his wrist, Hawkeye blocked the attack effortlessly using only his small dagger.
Zoro didn't falter. He immediately launched a relentless barrage of attacks, seamlessly weaving between Three-Sword Style, Two-Sword Style, and even One-Sword Style techniques. His swordplay was wild yet precise, each strike filled with raw strength.
Hawkeye raised an eyebrow, slightly impressed by the ferocity of Zoro's techniques.
Then, in a sudden opening, Hawkeye thrust his blade forward, aiming for a critical strike.
Zoro reacted instinctively, sidestepping the attack just in time before resuming his relentless assault.
Now, Hawkeye was truly surprised. "Oh? You've awakened Observation Haki?" He smirked. "For someone from the weakest sea, you continue to surprise me."
Zoro grinned. "I've got even more surprises for you!"
With renewed determination, he launched another fierce offensive, his swords carving through the air with unmatched intensity. But no matter how many moves he used, Hawkeye countered them all with minimal effort, parrying every attack with just his small blade.
Still, despite being overwhelmed, Zoro wasn't sustaining any injuries. His newly awakened Observation Haki was adapting quickly—especially under the immense pressure of facing the world's strongest swordsman.
But then, Hawkeye spotted an opening. With a swift and precise movement, he thrust his dagger straight toward Zoro's heart.
Zoro's instincts screamed danger. His entire body tensed, but he found himself unable to dodge in time.
Then, something strange happened.
His mind fell into a trance-like state. He heard the blade's breath, sensed its weakness, as if the sword itself was speaking to him. Without thinking, his mouth tightened around Wado Ichimonji, and he instinctively swung.
Clang!
A sharp, ringing sound echoed across the battlefield.
Hawkeye's dagger—was cut in half.
For a moment, both swordsmen stood frozen. Zoro stared in shock. Under extreme pressure, he had achieved something he never expected—he had cut iron.
He had stepped into the realm of true swordsmen.
Hawkeye, too, was momentarily taken aback. Then, without a word, he reached behind him and unsheathed the massive black blade strapped to his back.
"O mighty swordsman of East Blue," Hawkeye said solemnly, "I acknowledge your strength. Now, I shall face you with my true sword—this Supreme Grade blade, Yoru."
His piercing gaze locked onto Zoro's. "Swordsman, state your name."
Zoro exhaled slowly, then took his signature Three-Sword Style stance. His voice was steady and unwavering.
"Roronoa Zoro."
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