"Okay!" Luffy shouted, springing upright again. "You've gotta meet everyone on my crew!" He grabbed Garso's arm and yanked him forward with the energy of a cannonball. "First stop—Zoro!" Garso stumbled to a halt beside the man with green hair and three swords. He stared up at him, eyes wide with curiosity. "Do you sleep with them?" he asked. Zoro raised his visible eye. "Sometimes. Depends who's nearby." "Are they alive?" Zoro chuckled. "Not exactly. But they remember things. Like battles. And promises."
Garso's eyes widened. "Can swords have dreams?" Zoro paused, then looked down. "Only if the person holding them does." Garso pointed to the white sword. "That one feels sad." Zoro's grip tightened slightly. "It is." "Did someone give it to you?" Zoro didn't answer right away. Instead, he reached out and gently tapped one of Garso's horns. "You feel things others don't. That's good. But it'll hurt sometimes." Garso looked down. "It already does." Zoro leaned back, finishing his drink. "Then you're on the right path."
Garso hesitated, then looked up. "Will you train me?" Zoro glanced down, his one eye narrowing. "Tch. You're barely taller than my swords." "I'll grow!" "Training's not a game. You want to swing a blade, you'll bleed for it. You'll cry. You'll want to quit." "I won't quit." Zoro studied him for a long moment, then closed his eye. "Fine. If you can lift one of my swords and hold it steady for one minute, I'll consider it." Garso's face lit up. "Really?" Zoro cracked a grin. "Really. But if you drop it, you owe me a drink."
Garso reached for the white sword. It was heavier than he expected—heavier than anything he'd ever tried to lift. His fingers curled around the hilt, and he gave a theatrical grunt, wobbling dramatically as if the weight might crush him. Zoro raised his eye again. "You giving up already?" Garso glanced toward Makino, hoping for a laugh. But she didn't even look up from the glass she was polishing. "Garso," she said gently, "I know you can do better than that."
The words hit him harder than the sword's weight. He froze, then nodded to himself. No more pretending. He planted his feet. Took a deep breath. And lifted the sword again—this time for real. The room quieted. Even Luffy stopped bouncing. Garso's arms trembled. His horns glowed faintly. The sword felt like it was made of gravity itself, pulling at his bones, testing his resolve. Thirty seconds passed. His grip slipped once, but he recovered. Forty seconds. Sweat beaded on his forehead. His knees shook.
At forty-two seconds, the sword dipped dangerously. His arms buckled, and for a split second, it looked like he might drop it. A gasp escaped him—not from pain, but from panic. He clenched his teeth, eyes wide with desperation. Somewhere deep inside, something flared—like a spark in his chest, like a memory of being left behind. "No," he whispered. He shifted his stance, dug his heels into the floor, and pulled every ounce of strength he had into his arms. The sword rose again, just barely, wobbling but steady.
Fifty-five seconds. His breath came in short bursts. The sword wavered. At fifty-seven seconds, it slipped from his fingers and thudded to the floor. Garso dropped to his knees, panting. "I almost did it…" Zoro walked over and picked up the sword with one hand. He looked down at Garso for a long moment, then cracked a rare smile. "You've got guts, kid. And something else I can't name yet." Garso blinked. "Does that mean—?" Zoro nodded. "I'll train you." Garso's face lit up.
Zoro turned toward the bar. "But you still owe me a drink." Makino laughed. "Put it on his tab." Luffy perked up. "Wait—tabs?" Makino crossed her arms. "Speaking of which… you still haven't paid off your treasure tab from the last time you were here." Luffy froze. "I thought that was a joke!" Makino raised an eyebrow. "You ate half the bar and promised me a mountain of gold."
Chopper giggled. "He did! He even drew it on a napkin!" Luffy scratched his head. "I was gonna pay you back… eventually." Zoro sighed. "You say that every time." Makino smirked. "Well, lucky for you, I've got a new apprentice now. Maybe he'll earn enough to cover your debt." Garso puffed out his chest. "I'll do it! I'll be strong—and rich!" Luffy grinned. "That's the spirit!"