The sharp, spinning blades in Zoro's hands danced like a windmill, whipping up powerful gusts of air. Each movement was precise and deliberate, as if the swords were extensions of his very soul.
At this moment, Zoro poured everything into his three swords—every ounce of training, every near-death battle, every lesson learned. They were his pride and confidence.
"Let's settle this!!!"
Thud!
Zoro launched forward with explosive force, his speed nearly matching Luffy's Soru as he closed the gap in an instant.
Luffy, equally fired up, grinned widely as he pulled his arms back with all his might.
"Gomu Gomu no... Bazooka!!!"
Whoosh!
Luffy's arms snapped forward, rubber elasticity amplifying the force far beyond his physical strength. The twin palms roared toward Zoro like cannonballs, blazing with ferocity.
To Zoro, the incoming fists were like fiery meteors, threatening to end the match in an instant.
But Zoro, undeterred by the overwhelming attack, only pushed himself harder. His speed increased, and his focus sharpened.
This was the moment.
For a swordsman, the window of opportunity is fleeting. A single moment defines victory or defeat.
If Zoro retreated now, it wouldn't just be this battle he lost—it would be a piece of himself.
"Don't underestimate me, Luffy!!!"
Thud!
Zoro's feet dug into the ground as he suddenly shifted his trajectory.
The sound of air being sliced apart roared in his ears, and the force of Luffy's fists created wind that cut across his face like blades.
But Zoro grinned, his lips curling into a triumphant smile.
He'd dodged!
Boom!
Luffy's attack missed by mere inches, crashing into the ruins of the Marine base wall with devastating force. The impact shattered the already fragile structure, sending debris and dust flying into the air like cannon fire.
But Zoro was already in front of Luffy.
His eyes gleamed with fierce determination, and his body moved on pure instinct. There was nothing else in his mind—only the light of his blades cutting through the air.
"Got you!!!"
Zoro's voice rang out as his swords slashed toward Luffy with terrifying speed and precision.
For a brief moment, he felt it—his stagnant swordsmanship breaking through, growing stronger in the face of such a powerful opponent.
This was why he fought.
Battling against the strong was the quickest path to growth.
Zoro twisted his body, unleashing a flurry of strikes. The sharp, icy gleam of his blades filled the air as they raced toward Luffy.
"You're strong, Luffy," Zoro thought to himself, exhilarated. "But this time, it's my win!"
However—
Peng!!!
A deafening crash erupted, like thunder cracking the sky.
The force of the impact spread outward, kicking up a violent hurricane of dust and debris.
Zoro's eyes widened in shock as his blades clashed—not with flesh, but with the sole of Luffy's straw sandal.
"What!?" Zoro's voice trembled, unable to process what he was seeing.
Luffy, standing on one leg with his sandal firmly planted on Zoro's blade, grinned confidently.
"Sorry, Zoro," Luffy said with a chuckle.
"I already saw your future!"
Zoro froze, the ominous words sending a chill down his spine.
"What!?" he blurted, alarmed.
Before he could react, Luffy smoothly retracted his arm, already anticipating the next move. His actions were fluid, like clockwork—perfectly timed and deliberate.
With a powerful kick, Luffy launched himself high into the air, breaking free of Zoro's swords.
"Be ready, Zoro!" Luffy shouted from above.
"This is my strongest attack!!!"
Zoro tilted his head back, staring up at Luffy in disbelief.
To his horror, he saw Luffy bite into his thumb, then take a massive breath, inflating his arm like a balloon.
In mere seconds, Luffy's arm expanded to monstrous proportions, towering over the entire battlefield.
The gigantic arm cast a shadow so immense it swallowed the open space whole, blanketing the field in darkness.
"You've got to be kidding me!"
From the sidelines, Nami covered her mouth in shock, her eyes wide with disbelief.
As Nami stood frozen, staring at the massive fist descending from the heavens, Red calmly stepped in front of her, his demeanor unwavering.
"Remember," he said firmly, glancing over his shoulder at her. "No matter what happens, don't leave my back."
"…O-okay…" Nami stammered, her voice barely audible. Though her body nodded reflexively, her wide eyes remained glued to the monstrous arm in the sky.
Above, Luffy grinned with boundless confidence, his teeth gleaming as he declared, "Gear Third!"
"Gomu Gomu no... Gigant Pistol!!!"
Rumble…
The air grew thick and heavy as if the entire Marine branch were on the brink of destruction. The sky darkened under the colossal shadow of Luffy's fist.
Before the attack even landed, the wind pressure alone sent a violent shockwave hurtling toward Zoro, making it nearly impossible for him to breathe.
The sheer force blew stones off the ground like bullets, flying in all directions.
"Ahhh!" Nami screamed, instinctively clinging to Red for dear life. Her fingers dug into his arms as the turbulent wind threatened to sweep her off her feet.
Through it all, Red remained unshaken. Standing like an immovable fortress, he shielded Nami from the storm. Small rocks pelted his body harmlessly, bouncing off as though they had struck steel.
"Zoro," Red murmured softly, his crimson eyes gleaming with an otherworldly calm. "Welcome to the real world."
As the massive fist descended, blotting out the light, Zoro found himself swallowed by an all-encompassing shadow.
"No way…!"
For the first time, the confident swordsman's face twisted in panic. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead as the overwhelming power of the attack loomed closer.
"How can there be such a massive gap between us!? This can't be real!!!"
Even as despair crept into his heart, Zoro refused to retreat. Tightening his grip on his swords, he roared defiantly:
"Don't underestimate me, Luffy!!!"
With a resolute cry, he charged forward, unleashing his signature technique.
"Santoryu—Hyakuhachi Pound Ho!!!"
Clang!
His blades bit into Luffy's fist, leaving a jagged, bloodied slash across the enormous arm. But compared to the sheer size of Luffy's attack, it was like pricking an elephant with a needle.
The fist continued its unstoppable descent.
BOOOOOM!!!
The impact was deafening, shaking the earth to its core. Shells Town quaked violently as though struck by an earthquake, and the Marine base trembled under the force of the blow.
From their posts in the Marine branch building, Marines who had been watching the fight fell to the floor, their legs too weak to support them.
The dust cloud that erupted from the strike engulfed the entire area, reducing visibility to zero.
Nami clung tightly to Red, trembling as cracks spread along the ground around them like lightning bolts. Her breath was ragged, her heart pounding like a drum in her chest.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the tremors began to subside.
"Is… is it over?" Nami asked, her voice shaky as she slowly opened her eyes.
Red gave her a calm smile, patting her arm reassuringly. "It's over."
The thick dust hanging in the air began to clear. A small figure emerged from the haze, dragging something behind it.
"Ack… Red, help me out here!!!"
It was Luffy, now comically shrunken from the aftereffects of Gear Third. He stumbled forward, hauling Zoro's unconscious body across the ground.
"You don't need me for this," Red said with a smirk. With a casual flick of his wrist, he pulled a strange bottle out of thin air and tossed it to Luffy.
"Use that. Spray it on Zoro—it'll bring him back in no time."
Luffy blinked, catching the bottle mid-air and inspecting it curiously. "Huh? What's this?"
"It's a special medicine. Trust me, it'll work."
As Luffy sprayed the concoction over Zoro's battered body, Red observed with a knowing smile.
Unbeknownst to the others, the item wasn't from their world at all. It was a healing potion he'd exchanged for through his mysterious "system," capable of instantly restoring 20 HP.
For someone like Zoro, who wasn't at Luffy's "tank" level of durability, 20 HP was a significant recovery.
In the game-like mechanics of Red's system, every point of health wasn't just a number—it was a qualitative leap. A single potion could turn the tide, no matter how dire the situation.
"Magic items really are amazing," Red mused silently, watching Zoro begin to stir. "Even if Luffy was on the brink of death, a few bottles of this stuff would bring him back stronger than ever."