The black blade in Zoro's hand shimmered with a faint aura, a sheath of sword intent almost identical to the one surrounding Mihawk's own blade, Yoru. It neither flared with arrogance nor faltered with weakness, exuding only calm restraint.
"Almost there."
Zoro looked down at the faint gleam coating his sword, a quiet smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
But in contrast, Mihawk's inner world was in turmoil, far different from the calm composure he had at the start of this battle.
This was beyond shock.
It was… defeat.
The man who had always believed himself to be the most gifted swordsman in the world…
…was now standing before a monster who shattered that belief to pieces.
Mihawk was still stronger, much stronger in raw power.
Yet the scene unfolding before him made him feel as though he was the one being overtaken.
The World's Greatest Swordsman… losing, not in strength, but in talent.
As he stared at the young man standing firm before him, blade raised in silent challenge, Mihawk felt something he hadn't felt in decades, a creeping sense of danger.
So fast… this boy's growth… at this rate, he'll catch up to me.
"Boy! You said your dream isn't to become the world's greatest swordsman?" Mihawk's voice echoed across the frozen battlefield. "Then tell me… what goal could possibly be greater than that?"
"Goal, huh…"
Zoro drew his two Zanpakuto from his waist, setting them once again into his familiar Three-Sword Style stance.
He had already stolen Mihawk's swordsmanship.
Now, it was time to win!
Before, Zoro may not have had even the faintest chance to defeat Mihawk.
But now…
That was no longer certain.
The greatest gap, sword intent, had been bridged.
What remained was only the difference in physique and experience.
Mihawk possessed monstrous strength.
But Zoro… wielded the power of his Zanpakuto!
A fierce light flared in his eyes, burning away the last trace of hesitation. He answered in a low, resolute voice:
"My goal…"
"…is to help that man..."
"…fulfill his dream!!!"
A gleam of divine light cut through the air, three blades flashing in unison!
CLANG!
In the next instant, the two men collided once more. The impact roared like thunder, sending violent gusts swirling outward.
Blocking Zoro's fierce slash, Mihawk's face tightened, his arm trembling as he poured every ounce of strength into his defense.
"What kind of dream…" he demanded through gritted teeth, "could possibly tame a beast like you?!"
CLANG!
Their blades separated, ringing sharply through the heavens.
BOOM!
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Swordlight streaked through the sky again and again, each strike powerful enough to split mountains and crush stone.
Zoro's expression was steadfast, his blades driven by Kiwami no Tōi, the Ultimate Sword Intent. His voice carried through the storm of steel, half in reply, half as a declaration to himself:
"I don't know…"
"…what that dream really is."
"But if it can make him shed such desperate tears, "
"then something as small as being world's number one will never be enough!!!"
CLANG!!!
The two blades clashed once again, splitting the frozen ground beneath them into perfect shards.
Chunks of ice flew through the air as the men separated briefly.
"Something as small as the world's number one, huh?" Mihawk smirked, a rare spark of amusement flickering in his eyes.
"Truly… a brazen bunch you are!"
He swung Yoru downward with immense force. A slash of azure light erupted from its edge, tearing through the air toward Zoro with unstoppable might!
"Brazen?"
"I call it truth!!!"
Zoro charged head-on into the storming wave of sword energy, ignoring its terrifying force. Shards of ice burst around him, cutting his skin, yet his gaze never wavered.
Three blades glinted, a trail of light ripping through space itself.
A crimson flash danced across his sword as Mihawk's strike shattered harmlessly against him!
In the next heartbeat, Zoro was already before Mihawk.
"Three-Sword Style Secret Art…"
WHOOSH!!!
A whirlwind of frozen air howled as countless shards pelted Mihawk from all sides.
The dazzling trail of swordlight vanished.
Mihawk's blade met nothing.
What—?!
Zoro's pupils dilated, his black irises turning gold. His aura surged, divine and demonic at once, a god, an Asura incarnate.
The vanished swordlight reappeared, right before Mihawk's chest!
CLANG!!!
The blades collided, but though Mihawk had blocked the strike, his eyes quivered in disbelief.
A thin red line appeared across his chest.
Tiny at first, no wider than a fingernail, but in an instant, it multiplied, spreading like cracks through porcelain.
Dozens. Hundreds. Thousands.
Each one shallow, but together, they flayed his skin as though slicing away layers of flesh!
Mihawk staggered back, pressing a hand to his chest.
When he looked down, his palm was slick with blood.
He couldn't understand it. He had blocked every strike, yet his body was torn apart all the same!
How long had it been since he last bled in battle?
For the first time in years, Dracule Mihawk, the World's Greatest Swordsman, felt fear.
He looked across at Zoro, whose body bore no wounds, whose breath was steady and calm.
It was as if he was the challenger, and Zoro the throne's rightful king.
Mihawk's blade trembled.
But Zoro had no intention of giving him time to recover.
Every second that passed would only increase the backlash he'd suffer later!
His legs burst with power, shattering the ice beneath him as he launched himself skyward.
"Three-Sword Style!"
CLANG!!!
Yoru met his blades once again, yet as always…
It was useless.
SHHHT!
A diagonal wound tore open across Mihawk's battered chest!
He gritted his teeth, enduring the agony, pushing back with sheer willpower.
But Zoro didn't pause for even a heartbeat.
He flickered backward, drawing his blades into a single perfect motion.
"Three-Sword Style, "
SWISH!
Another flash of light.
A second wound, crossing the first in the opposite direction.
An X-shaped gash carved across Mihawk's chest, his flesh torn wide, blood spraying in crimson arcs!
With the sword's piercing property, Zoro could see the path to victory before him!
Golden fire burned behind his eyes, fusing with a crimson rage.
He raised his twin blades once more, one black, one red, as Mihawk watched in helpless awe.
"You wanted to know my dream?" Zoro roared.
"Then let me tell you!!!"
The air itself trembled. Behind Zoro, an enormous crimson Asura Demon Buddha rose, its hands gripping a titanic spectral blade of pale light.
"If the world's strongest can't make his wish come true…"
"…then I'll become the demon that cuts open this hopeless world!!!"
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