The salty wind carried the stench of rotting fish and despair through Hatsuyume a small village crumbling under the weight of its own decay. Exhaustion dragged at Roronoa Zoro limbs like iron chains, his stomach a hollow void. Three days without food had reduced the world to a blur of swaying docks and leering faces. He stumbled into the W tavern where raucous pirates toasted their latest plunder. At the center sat Billy a hulking brute with a 5,000,000-berry bounty and a laugh like grinding stones.
Zoro collapsed onto a stool, ignoring the barkeep's demand for payment.
"I'll pay,"
he rasped, thumbing the hilt of his lone katana,
"With the bounty from the rat behind me."
Billy surged forward, but Zoro's blade flashed—a single, precise cut. The pirate crumpled. From the shadows, two wide-eyed bounty hunters, Johnny and Yosaku, protested:
"We spotted him first!" Zoro dismissed them, his eyes distant.
"I hunt Ronin and bandits for food, not glory. My dream is to surpass the greatest swordsman and become the World's Greatest Swordsman and to do that I have to defeat that man." Yosaku scoffed, but Johnny fell silent, memories of his own abandoned dreams rekindled .
As Zoro left, a tremor shook the town. Dick the bandit and his bandits descended, torches devouring grain stores. A boy , Harry hurled a rock at Dick, only to be swatted aside. Johnnys fists clenched as they watched Harry get stomped .
"We fight for justice!" he declared. Yosaku hesitated but joined him. Their courage faltered when Dick revealed Billy was his brother. Beaten and bloodied, the hunters faced execution—until Zoro returned stopping the incoming blade with his sword
"You'll have to forgive me but im gonna have to take your prey again , I just had some urgent money issues pop up ?" Zoro asked, a ghost of a smile on his lips. As he said this he wore his bandana on his head and placed wado ichimonji on his mouth
"Mind if I borrow you're swords ?" He asked Yosaku and Johnny who laying on the floor beaten .
"No, not at all but why do you need three swor.." Yosaku paused mid sentence as he and Johnny exclaimed in shock
"Three swords!!…that means you're the Ronin hunter … Roronoa Zoro!!!" Their words caused shock among everyone who was there . They had all heard of the infamous Ronin Hunter, he's been gaining infamy the last couple of months for his strength and 3 sword style . He's defeated and captured over a dozen of bandits and ronin
Before clashing Zoro remember his visit to a Swordsmith .He stared at the blade ,the blade's edge gleamed like a tear. "You treat swords as tools," Tengen chided, holding up zoro's shattered former blades. "A blade is not just a tool its an extension of you . Honor it" Zoro's eyes widened after hearing that he recalled the words his sensei said months ago .
Flashback (years ago)
*Crack*
"It's just wood. It's not like I broke a real blade."
"That is the kind of thinking that gets swordsmen killed," Koushirou replied, voice calm but carrying the weight of a reprimand. He held the broken piece out in front of Zoro's face. "A sword, whether steel or wood, is an extension of yourself. When it breaks from your carelessness, it is as if you have broken. To treat a sword as disposable is shameful — to a swordsman, to your teacher, and to yourself."
Koushirou stood, holding his own bokken lightly in one hand. "This brings us to the second principle: Grip and Control."
He stepped into a ready stance, the wooden sword held with both hands. "Your grip changes the nature of every strike. Too tight, and you sacrifice speed and fluidity. Too loose, and your blade will be knocked away or shatter like yours just did now
Flashback end
In the forge's heat, he recalled the words of his teacher . As he held a sword on each hand and wado Ichimonji on his mouth
He relaxed his stance and focused on the target ahead
'Focus , I've gotten way stronger but the swords are still the same , I need to get the most out of each sword without over doing it . Just like Sensei Koushirou said , not to tight and not to loose'
"My name will be so great that it will even reach the heavens"
Now, that promise felt heavier than steel . Soon he would be the greatest swordsman.
" So you're the fabled Ronin hunter we've heard about" Dick said with an arrogant smirk on his face . The bandits laughter rang out in small field
"It doesn't matter what kind of reputation you have Zoro or the fact that you fight with three swords , even with them you wont be able to defeat that many men at the same time" Dick said while laughing
"Using three swords isnt the same as using three sword style genius" Zoro relied as he got ready
"Ohh its not , like it even matters Ronin hunter , Run him through fellas!"
The bandits all charged at Zoro . Zoro closed his eyes briefly focusing intently and telegraphing his movements in his head . He opened his eyes and moved with a speed the bandits could not comprehend , cutting down each and every bandit while gracefully dodging all their weapons , by the time they bandits realized what happened zoro was already behind them and they were all falling to the ground defeated .
Dicks face expressed his shock . Everyone was shocked
"Ohh man he did !!"Johnny exclaimed in shock
"Incredible" Yosaku exclaimed
Zoro briefly looked back at his work but this is the open Dick needed as he rushed forward to zoro to strike him down . Zoro was caught of guard and didn't expect an attack from Dick
"Watch out !!"Everyone exclaimed.
Before Dick could land an attack he was suddenly doused by water courtesy of Harry the young boy . This left Dick stunned and he recovered a second to late as Zoro was already poised to strike
"Oni giri"
Zoro was already behind Dick who was falling to the ground in defeat blood spraying out from his body
"So that's the three sword style" He said. Dick fell to the ground in defeat and everyone watching was shocked ,mouths wide open
Zoro looked back at his defeated opponent and then to the swords he was holding
"ohh , good they didn't breath this time " he said in satisfaction
"Roronoa Zoro!" Johnny called out as he and Yosaku stood facing Zoro , hands folded ,their bodies littered with injuries and their bodies twitching in pain as if they would collapse any second"
"We are deeply impressed by your skills, would you let us join you"
"We are the famed bounty hunting duo that's fearsome to silence a crying child by a hair , Yosaku and Johnny"
Zoro looked at the duo and grinned
"Suit yourself"
Johnny and Yosaku exclaimed in joy as they yelled out
"Big bro!"