"You've got plenty of time, right?" said Zoro as he drew his katana and pointed it at him. "Can we have a duel?"
"Duel? What an insignificant weakling."
He stepped off his ship and stood on a piece of the destroyed ship where Zoro was.
"If you were truly a good 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 are you simply reckless?" Mihawk asked him.
"This is for my own ambition!" Zoro said, placing his katana in his mouth. "And it's for a promise I made to a friend. I never thought I'd meet you this soon," Zoro said as he prepared himself.
"That doesn't make you any better."
Mihawk removed his necklace and opened it, revealing a small dagger.
"Hey! What's the meaning of this?" Zoro asked him.
"I'm not stupid enough to use my full power to hunt rabbits. You may have made a name for yourself here, but out of the four seas divided by the Grand Line and the Red Line, the East Blue is the weakest of all. Unfortunately, I don't carry anything smaller than this," he said in a superior tone.
"Stop mocking me! Don't regret it when you die!" Zoro shouted angrily. "Oni Giri!/Ogre Cutter!"
He attacked with his three katanas in a charge, but Mihawk stopped him effortlessly with the tiny dagger.
"W-what?" Zoro was shocked to see he couldn't move.
'I can't move, what just happened? No one has ever blocked this technique before. There's no way the gap in power is this big. The real world can't be this different!!'
Zoro attacked with a barrage of strikes, which Mihawk blocked easily, even pushing him back.
"He can't be this far ahead!" Zoro lunged again to clash blades.
Mihawk blocked every strike with ease, not even shifting from his position.
As Zoro continued fighting him, he recalled his path to becoming the world's greatest swordsman, blocking and attacking until he remembered his childhood friend. He got distracted for a second, and Mihawk struck him in the neck, knocking him down.
"What is your goal? Why seek power? Being as weak as you are," Mihawk asked.
'If only I could defeat this man…' Zoro readied his three swords again. "Tora Gari!!/Tiger Hunt!"
He placed two swords vertically behind his shoulders before cutting forward and downward, but Mihawk moved first and stabbed him in the chest.
"Do you want this knife to pierce your heart? Why won't you step back?" Mihawk asked him.
"I don't know. I'm not even sure myself, but if I take even a single step back, I feel like all my vows and promises will have been for nothing, and they'll never return," Zoro said as blood dripped from his mouth.
"Yes, and that is what's called defeat," Mihawk told him.
"Haha, that's exactly why I can't back down," Zoro answered.
"Even if it means death?" Mihawk asked again.
"Death is better!" Zoro said with a smile.
'What a strong spirit… He'd rather die than retreat.' Mihawk stepped back and put away his knife. "Brat, tell me your name!"
Zoro positioned his remaining swords for a final technique.
"Roronoa Zoro!" he shouted, preparing for the next strike.
"I'll remember it! It's been a long time since I've met someone with a will like yours, so..." Mihawk said as he took out his greatsword, Yoru.
"...to honor that, I'll finish you with my black blade, the strongest sword in the world," he said.
"I appreciate your offer," Zoro said, focusing. 'This is my last chance. If I fail, I die… but this will decide whether I become the world's strongest swordsman.'
"Santoryuu Ogi: Sanzen Sekai/Three Sword Style Secret Move: Three Thousand Worlds."
He rotated his swords rapidly before charging at Mihawk—enough to make even the greatest swordsman sweat for a second—before their attacks clashed, breaking two of Zoro's three swords.
'I've lost. I can't beat him. I never thought this day would come. This is the power of the strongest swordsman in the world.'
Zoro sheathed his only remaining sword, turned around, and opened 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, releasing a massive spray of blood.
"ZORO!!!" Luffy shouted in panic.
Zoro fell into the sea, so Johnny and Yosaku dove in to rescue him.
"You bastard!!"
Luffy stretched his arm to grab onto the ship and attack Mihawk directly.
"A friend of the young swordsman? Do you want to fight as well? Fine, then you'll learn a lesson too."
Mihawk simply dodged the punch, making Luffy crash into the ship's wreckage he had grabbed.
"Don't worry. That boy is still alive," Mihawk told Luffy.
Johnny and Yosaku managed to pull Zoro out of the water and onto the boat.
"Aniki! Aniki! Say something!"
"Aniki!"
Both swordsmen called to the unconscious Zoro.
"My name is Dracule Mihawk! It is too soon for you to die. Learn about yourself and the world! Become stronger, Roronoa! No matter how many years it takes, I will keep the title of strongest and wait. Surpass this sword with the desire of your spirit! Surpass me, Roronoa!"
"Boy, what is your mission?" Mihawk asked Luffy.
"To become the Pirate King!" Luffy said, staring at him.
"That path holds unimaginable dangers. It is even harder than surpassing me," Mihawk said with a smile.
"I don't care, because I'm still going to become it!" Luffy said, sticking out his tongue.
"Usopp, is he okay?!" Luffy asked, referring to Zoro.
"He's just unconscious!" Usopp answered.
With the last of his strength, Zoro lifted his remaining katana.
"Luffy, can you hear me?" he asked weakly.
"Yeah!" Luffy replied quickly.
"Did I make you worry? You'll need the strongest swordsman in the world, right?" Zoro said, exhausted.
"Aniki, don't say more!"
"Aniki!"
"From now on! I will never lose again to anyone!" Zoro cried.
"Until the day I defeat him and become the strongest… I won't lose again! Any problem with that, Pirate King?!" he shouted to the sky.
"Shishishi, none at all!" Luffy said with a smile.
"You are a good team. I hope I have the chance to meet you again," Mihawk said before returning to his boat.
Don Krieg seized the opportunity to attack Mihawk, but Mihawk had no interest in fighting. He left with a powerful slash that stirred the sea.
"Usopp, Oliver! Go now!" Luffy shouted to both of them.
"Got it!" Usopp replied.
"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 sail for the Grand Line!" Usopp shouted.
"Yeah! That's the plan!" Luffy confirmed.
At that moment they split into two groups: Luffy and Yosaku stayed at the Baratie, while Oliver, Usopp, Zoro and Johnny went after Nami.
"Finally, they've decided to come," Sanji said as he watched the Krieg Pirates.
Luffy looked at Don Krieg and his crew and got an idea.
"Hey, old man! If I beat 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 go.
'I hope nothing changes here.'
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