Chapter 33 My name is Roronoa Zoro!
After using the Dark-Dark Fruit to block Mihawk's first attack, Bane did not want to engage with such a powerful man.
Although Crocodile and Mihawk, were both listed among the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Bane did not think they were equally powerful. He believed Crocodile and Mihawk were not at the same level.
Crocodile has fallen, but Mihawk is the world's top swordsman. If they faced each other, Bane knew he would not win.
"Quick, turn the rudder. Use our speed to get away from him! " Bane quickly turned around and shouted.
After a moment of shock, Nami snapped back to reality. She took out a whistle to call Moo Moo, who was under the boat, to help pull them away quickly.
The crew members also sprang into action after a brief panic, raising the sails and adjusting the rudder as needed.
Normally, that small boat would not be able to catch up with a large three-masted sailing ship.
But Bane stayed alert. If Mihawk decided to abandon his ship and chase them, he could close the distance in an instant.
Before Bane could shake off his fear of Mihawk coming after them, Zoro, who had been sitting under the mast, suddenly stood up with excitement.
"Zoro! " Bane was about to yell at him to stop causing trouble, but it was too late.
With Zoro's personality, he would not back down from facing a master swordsman!
Zoro dashed from the deck without a word, jumped into the sea, and used the Moon Step to rush toward Mihawk over the waves.
For a brief moment, Bane regretted teaching this guy the Six Styles. But it was just a moment, and Zoro was already gone. Bane knew he couldn't stop him. Gritting his teeth and hesitating for a moment, he muttered, "Damn, these swordsmen are so impulsive! "
After cursing, Bane raised his hand and shouted, "Stop the ship!"
Although the crew didn't understand Bane's orders, they had to follow him as their captain.
On the other side, Mihawk was only slightly interested in Bane but was taken by surprise when a swordsman rushed out before he could catch up!
As a veteran who had been at sea for many years and was once called the "Navy Hunter," Mihawk quickly recognized the other fighter was using the navy technique of Six Styles.
"Navy? " Mihawk first guessed this but then changed his mind. It didn't seem right.
He was too lazy to figure out who the other person was. He stood on the boat and watched with interest as the young swordsman rushed toward him quickly.
At first, Zoro didn't know he was facing Mihawk. He just sensed a skilled kendo master. But as the distance between them shrank quickly, Zoro clearly saw Mihawk's face.
He might not know the navy admirals or the Four Emperors, but he definitely recognized the world's strongest swordsman, Hawkeye Dracule Mihawk! When Zoro realized Mihawk's identity, he felt not fear but excitement—extreme excitement!
Even though he had witnessed the terrifying power of the world's top fighters after Garp's punch in Logue Town, he still chose to move forward. He wanted to draw his sword against the strongest swordsman in the world.
How sharp were Mihawk's eyes? In that brief moment, he noticed the change in the young swordsman's expression.
"Interesting. It's been a long time since I met a swordsman who dares to draw his sword against me." Mihawk smiled slightly, showing a hint of appreciation.
Whether it was arrogance or ignorance, Mihawk believed that a true swordsman must have the courage to face a stronger opponent. No matter how skilled, powerful, or talented someone is, without courage, they can never become the strongest in swordsmanship.
In the past, he was also a bold swordsman. With just one sword, he conquered the entire sea and eventually became the strongest sword master!
Bane stopped the boat and got ready for battle, but he didn't attack right away. Instead, he carefully watched Mihawk's behavior. When he saw that Mihawk was focused on Zoro and not attacking him immediately, he felt a bit relieved. Maybe things weren't as bad as he thought?
However, he stayed alert because Zoro was his little bro and training partner. He had promised his master to take care of him, so Bane would never ignore him.
Moreover, Bane knew he could not defeat Mihawk, but he did not feel hopeless. At the most, he could just open the portal door and flee with Zoro and Nami. Could Mihawk follow him to the Empire? It happened very quickly. While everyone was thinking, Zoro had already rushed in front of Mihawk. He placed his hands on the two sword handles at his waist and bit the unsheathed Wado Ichimonji in his mouth.
Because he recognized that his opponent was the strongest in swordsmanship, Zoro felt no need to test him. He went straight for a killing move!
"THREE SWORDS STYLE — SANZEN SEKAI!!!!!"
The two swords in Zoro's hands came out and spun instantly. While shouting loudly, he used the shaving step technique in the last two steps, quickly closing the distance to Mihawk.
But he is the strongest swordsman, after all. At this moment, Mihawk could even secretly assess Zoro's swordsmanship in his heart.
"The timing and technique are great, but still too immature. "
A thought crossed Mihawk's mind, and his sharp, hawk-like eyes noticed Zoro's killing move without needing to use observation haki. In an instant, he elegantly raised his black sword Yoru in front of him to block it.
The next moment, with a clang, Zoro's three swords came together in a cross shape and struck Mihawk's Yoru.
Sanzen Sekai (Three Thousand Worlds) was stopped instantly.
"What! ? " Zoro exclaimed, his eyes wide with disbelief.
He knew Mihawk was very strong, but he never expected him to block his secret attack so easily! At that moment, Zoro felt like a toddler holding a knife in front of Mihawk.
However, the surprise lasted only a moment. Zoro's mind was strong. His gaze hardened, and he changed his attack. The three swords spread out quickly. His body spun, like in a sword dance, and he struck at Mihawk from three directions at once.
'Decisive, determined, and never discouraged. Even knowing the gap between them, he still dared to challenge the strong.' Mihawk thought positively of Zoro again.
At the same time, Mihawk moved with grace, almost as if his feet weren't touching the ground, and he skillfully dodged all of Zoro's strikes. Then, he seized an opening, raised his hand swiftly, and the black sword sliced through the air.
With a sharp ding, Zoro's sword slipped from his grasp and fell onto Mihawk's small sampan.
Before Zoro could react, he felt a sharp pain in his neck, and blood rushed out. Looking again, he realized that the black sword was already pressed against his shoulder. The sharp blade had pierced his skin, leaving a light scar.
At that moment, Zoro understood he had lost. But before that could sink in, Bane had already charged at him using the Moon Step.
Mihawk glanced at Bane and said appreciatively, "You have a good partner. "
"That guy is my senior brother...or Big bro" Zoro replied calmly. This was the first time he called Bane "senior brother" in front of others.
"Oh? Your senior brother? Is he also talented in swordsmanship? Is he better than you? " Mihawk asked with curiosity.
Hearing this, Zoro didn't care that his life was at risk, and with a grin, he said, "No, his swordsmanship is terrible. "
"Hahahahahaha," Mihawk suddenly laughed and said, "What an interesting pair of brothers. "
After speaking, he set down his sword, looked at Zoro, and asked, "Tell me your name, young swordsman. "
And the moment Bane put down the sword he held, he stopped, floating in the air using moon step and looked at Mihawk and Zoro.
Zoro's eyes darkened. He showed no fear or signs of retreat. He looked at Mihawk firmly and said, "Roronoa Zoro! "
Then, before Mihawk could respond, he added forcefully: "In the future, I will definitely defeat you and become the world's strongest swordsman standing at the pinnacle of swordsmanship!"
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