"You really did it, Zoro!"
The sword in Zoro's hand began to shine once more, and from the blinding light, Kuina reappeared.
"You actually defeated it… Seems like you've finally reached the level of a true swordsman."
With a calm smile, she began walking toward the black blade that had formed from the monster's remains.
"Wait."
Zoro stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
Kuina stared at Zoro, who was now eyeing her with clear suspicion. She smirked coldly.
"Interesting… When did you figure it out?"
"From the very beginning," Zoro replied flatly, his tone devoid of emotion.
Her icy expression cracked slightly as she snapped,
"Impossible."
"If you say so," Zoro replied dismissively, not bothering to argue. Instead, he turned and picked up the black sword.
Above, the moon continued to shine down, casting a gentle light over the world.
But in the shadows where the moon couldn't reach… something stirred.
The massive form of the beast, supposedly cut in half, was slowly rising once again.
Kuina spoke in a cold voice:
"It's called the Beast."
Zoro narrowed his eyes.
"So… you led me into this fight from the very start, didn't you?"
In one hand, he held the black sword. It was completely pitch black, though its shape resembled Wado Ichimonji.
With the other hand, he ran his fingers along the blade, feeling a strange surge of energy coursing through him.
Half of that power felt like it came from within his own body.
But the other half, he could clearly feel it flowing from the sword into him.
Staring at Kuina, now standing alongside the Beast, Zoro scoffed.
"If you'd acted like this from the beginning, I might not have figured it out so quickly."
A white sword, Wado Ichimonji, manifested in Kuina's hand.
She dropped into a fighting stance. Zoro did the same, taking a battle-ready posture with the black blade.
─────────🏴☠️─────────
Meanwhile, in the real world…
Luffy had been stuck on the boat, staring at the ocean for over a day, bored out of his mind.
The sea stretched endlessly in all directions, and his only companion was still unconscious.
He lay on the deck, basking in the sun, tossing the compass up into the air and catching it repeatedly.
Suddenly,
[DING! "Zoro has successfully bound his exclusive weapon. Attribute bonus complete. Host, please check your status panel."]
"Huh? WHOA!"
Startled by the system's sudden voice, Luffy almost dropped the compass.
If it broke, they'd be completely lost at sea.
Placing it carefully beside him, Luffy eagerly opened his status window.
Even though he could already feel his body getting stronger, it was always better seeing the numbers.
─────────🏴☠️─────────
Character: Monkey D. Luffy
Level: 12
EXP: 260 / 2000
HP: 3500
Stamina: 350
Strength: 212
Agility: 201
Mental Power: 345
─────────🏴☠️─────────
"YES!"
Luffy pumped his fist in the air and shouted with joy.
His strength had more than doubled in an instant, and this was just from his first crewmate.
If he recruited a second… a third…
"Man, this is awesome!"
It was the year 1510 of the Sea Calendar. Luffy was only seven years old, yet already nearly as strong as the original Luffy had been when he first set out to sea.
"Imagine how strong I'll be in ten years…"
Suddenly, he noticed something odd.
His Mental Power stat had increased from 345 to 346.
"System, what's with that one-point boost to Mental Power?"
[Answer: Zoro's Mental Power attribute increased by two points.]
"Huh? Wait, Zoro still hasn't woken up? It's completely quiet in the cabin…"
[Zoro is currently undergoing the Shikai Trial for his Zanpakuto within his Mental Power world.]
Luffy bit his thumb, eyes lighting up.
"So that means… Zoro's about to get even stronger!?"
[Reminder: Not yet. Zoro's current strength is insufficient to complete the Shikai Trial.]
Luffy sighed in disappointment.
"Aww man… guess I'll just have to wait, huh?"
[Additional reminder: This 'wait' may be a long one.]
"What!?"
─────────🏴☠️─────────
Back in Zoro's Mental Power world...
CLANG! CLANG!
Flashes of black and white collided again and again.
The constant ringing of metal-on-metal echoed all around.
CRACK!
Two blades locked together. Both fighters stood frozen mid-clash.
The ground beneath them crumbled and cracked from the pressure. Winds howled outward in every direction.
Zoro wore a crazed grin of both pain and satisfaction.
"You're strong. I'll give you that."
Kuina's expression remained composed.
"Of course. I'm your reflection, after all. Physically, skill-wise, we're exactly the same."
SHING.
Zoro pulled back the black blade, panting heavily.
"Need a break?" Kuina asked, flashing a rare sweet smile.
"Hah… Hah…"
Zoro caught his breath, then raised his sword once more.
"No need."
Their silhouettes blurred into another fierce exchange.
With every clash, their surroundings took even more damage.
The once-lush field was now nothing but scorched, cratered earth.
No one knew how long the battle had raged on.
The moon still hung in the sky, but the world beneath it had been reduced to ruins.
Both fighters were covered in cuts and bruises.
They paused again, wordlessly agreeing on a brief respite.
Though Kuina's body was battered, her Mental Power burned just as fiercely.
Zoro panted, exhausted.
"I… I don't want to keep doing this…" he muttered.
Kuina, equally drained, replied,
"Then what will you do? You can't defeat me. If you grow stronger, I'll grow stronger too."
"That's true." Zoro closed his eyes.
"But all I need is one strike. One attack strong enough to kill even myself."
"Ooh? Sounds impressive."
She smiled again. Kuina always smiled when they fought seriously.
"Let's find out."
Zoro's lips curled into a mysterious grin.
He planted the tip of the black blade into the ground, lowering his body into a stance with the blade angled at his right side.
A terrifying aura began to rise around him.
Behind him, a towering, bestial silhouette formed, so overwhelming that even Kuina began to tense up.
Her smile faded slightly.
She gripped her sword tighter.
As the pressure peaked, Zoro's eyes flew open.
A wild, beast-like force burst out from him.
"Ittoryu Iai: Shi Shishi Sonson!"
Zoro launched forward, each step carving deep imprints into the ground.
He closed the distance instantly, slashing upward in a dazzling arc of steel, like a bird taking flight.
Kuina tried to block, but realized she had no time to evade.
She quickly raised her blade,
CRACK!
Her hands were suddenly empty.
Stunned, she watched Wado Ichimonji fly through the air, spinning several times before embedding itself in the earth.
Zoro had finally won.
Under the moonlight, the girl's hair fluttered in the wind.
The boy stood before her, blade pointed at her throat.
"...Who are you really?" Zoro asked at last.
Kuina looked at him calmly and said:
"I am Kuina… but not the real Kuina."
"I am the form born from your memories and emotions, your hopes and dreams, given shape through the power of your Zanpakuto."
At that moment, the Beast walked over from the shadows.
Its deep voice rumbled:
"And I am the embodiment of your raw instinct and savagery."
"Wait…" Zoro lowered his sword.
"What exactly is a Zanpakuto?"
The Beast answered:
"A Zanpakuto is the physical manifestation of your soul, it is both sword and self."
Kuina added:
"Earlier, Luffy fused an unbound Zanpakuto into your soul. Through your obsession and resolve, that sword took shape and divided into three forms."
"I am one. The Beast is the second."
"We are your strength, made manifest."
The Beast continued:
"Only by defeating all three of us can you complete the Shikai, the first release of your Zanpakuto, and leave this place."
"Then where's the third one!?" Zoro demanded.
Kuina shook her head.
"The third can't appear yet. Right now, you're nowhere near strong enough to face him."
Zoro tried to respond, but the Beast interrupted:
"It's too soon. But know this, we won't harm you now. You've defeated us. We now follow you."
Kuina said softly:
"For now, stay here and train. Don't worry about the outside world. Your Zanpakuto will absorb Mental Power energy to keep your body nourished."
Zoro clenched his fists tightly… then slowly let go.
"Still too weak… I need to get stronger, fast."
Kuina said nothing.
The Beast raised one massive paw in a rare gesture of comfort.
"Don't be so hard on yourself. After all, the third… is the embodiment of your potential and your future."
"He is your strongest blade."
─────────🏴☠️─────────
Note: "The Beast" refers to Renji Abarai's Zanpakuto, Zabimaru from Bleach. Its Mental Power takes the form of a white baboon with a snake tail, symbolizing wild, untamed power.
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