Zoro gripped his swords, his eyes blazing brighter. Gawain's teasing voice cut through. "You're still far off!"
A hand pressed against Zoro's chest.
A light push.
Already at the deck's edge, Zoro lost balance, flailing his swords as he plunged into the sea.
Splash!
Water sprayed.
"Hahahaha!" Nami's bell-like laughter rang out as she tossed a life preserver.
"Bastard!" Zoro clung to it, soaked, glaring at Gawain's smirking face, teeth grinding. "You wait! I'll throw you in the sea one day!"
Gawain's expression didn't shift. "If you say that, I gotta have some fun now, or I'd be letting future me down."
"Though I doubt you'll ever beat me."
Have some fun? Zoro froze, a bad feeling rising.
…
Minutes外部链接
Minutes later, Zoro climbed aboard, eager to resume the fight, but his legs buckled.
His chest wound had reopened, blood soaking his bandages, stinging in the seawater.
"Don't push it while injured. Heal first," Gawain called from the deck. "Ten days to my base. With your physique, three days to recover. Then we'll go again."
"I'll wait."
"Hmph!" Zoro winced, knowing Gawain was right.
"Arrogant jerk," he muttered, sheathing his swords. Dizziness hit, and he collapsed.
Johnny and Joseph's cries were the last he heard.
They checked his wounds, relieved it was just weakness from days without food.
Joseph looked to Gawain pleadingly. "Mr. Gawain, please…"
After days together, they saw Gawain wasn't like other pirates. His knightly demeanor matched his epithet, easing their initial fear.
"Take care of him," Gawain said. "Actually, get the ship's doctor to rebandage, or infection will be trouble."
"Thanks!" Joseph said.
Gawain waved them off as they carried Zoro to the cabin.
Kuro, passing them, joined Gawain on the deck, noticing his unmasked admiration for Zoro. "You value that kid that much?"
Gawain didn't look up. "Right now, his potential's the highest on this ship, even above mine."
"Believe it? With the right guidance, he'll be lording over you in a few years."
Kuro rolled his eyes, ready to retort, but glanced at Nami, lounging with orange juice. He shut his mouth.
Memories of washing the crew's socks for a month—a惨 punishment—silenced him. He sniffed, ensuring no lingering odor, then exhaled.
Turning to Gawain, he said, "Freaks like Nami come once a decade in East Blue. You expect to find them daily?"
Gawain grinned. "You want to wash socks again?"
"Get lost!" Kuro, his dark history jabbed, stormed off, face dark.
Before entering the cabin, he spun back. "Watch it! With your lazy attitude, I'll surpass you soon!"
Bang! He slammed the door, heading to the training room, only to find Gin already there, eyes challenging.
That look—familiar, like from a mirror.
Kuro's heart sank.
…
On the deck, Gawain watched Kuro's back, rubbing his nose with a silent smile.
Recent battles and training had earned him experience from Kuro and Gin.
Though leveling up was still distant, watching the experience bar grow was satisfying.
I love driven young guys like you.
With Nami's addition, his navigation skill had jumped to Level 2 in days, far outpacing a certain ambitious vice-captain.
…
Zoro rested three days, his wounds fully healed, his physique proving his elite potential.
His first act upon recovery: challenge Gawain.
No sneaky tactics like ambushes or poison—just a straight fight.
His nature demanded fair victory. A cheap win for the strongest swordsman title wouldn't echo in Paradise.
The crew gathered on the deck to watch.
Kuro shook his head. "Days of progress have limits. Doesn't he see the gap with Gawain?"
"Head-on? No chance."
Gin, after a pause, said, "Maybe this time, he never meant to win."
Kuro blinked, then silently watched.
Gawain stood with his sword, calm.
Zoro charged, aura fierce.
Zing! His three swords unsheathed, his stance radiating power visibly stronger than days ago.
"Nice progress!" Gawain's eyes lit up. Such growth from one loss?
Expected of the man destined to take the world's greatest swordsman title from Hawkeye.
Kuro, the crew's second-strongest after Gawain, saw it too, stunned. "This much growth in days?"
Are freaks just piling up in East Blue?
No. He glanced at Gawain, Gin, Nami, then Zoro. "Once is luck, twice coincidence, three times defies reason."
"Gawain's got a knack for spotting talent, like he can gauge potential at a glance."
"How?"
"This world can't be a comic he's read, right?"
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