Zoro, of course, got creamed! From the second the fight started, everyone but Luffy knew he was gonna lose.
Hell, even he knew he was gonna lose.
It wasn't like he couldn't feel the power gap between them! But he had to do it.
It was way too early in his journey to be facing Hawkeye, but he had to throw down the gauntlet.
'Cause he understood one thing, crystal clear.
The most unpredictable thing in the world was tomorrow.
He'd learned that the day Kuina died.
Back when they were kids, he figured Kuina would become a badass female swordsman, and he'd become a badass male swordsman.
Then they'd take on every swordsman in the world, beat 'em all down!
And finally, they'd fight, to decide who was the world's greatest!
Whoever won, they'd both be grinning like idiots, right?
But Kuina didn't become a female swordsman. Kuina just... died.
Not in a duel,
Not in a challenge,
Just a stupid, random accident...
That's all it took to snuff out the flame of a future swordmaster.
That day, when his sensei, Koushirou, told him the news, he couldn't believe it!
Kuina tripped and fell down the stairs? C'mon! People didn't just die like that!
He ran home, and saw Kuina's body.
The world wasn't a fairy tale.
Not everyone got a happy ending.
Not everyone got to chase their dreams.
And not everyone died a glorious death.
He didn't know what the future held.
Maybe he'd end up like Kuina, snuffed out by some dumb accident.
Hawkeye, the world's greatest swordsman, was a phantom!
You couldn't just meet him whenever you felt like it.
Some swordsmen went their whole freakin' lives without ever crossing blades with him!
And he was here, now!
Even if he was a weakling right now,
Even if he knew he couldn't win,
He had to challenge Hawkeye!
Better to fight his heart out today than die with regrets tomorrow!
He charged in, ready to die.
But he didn't die. Hawkeye held back.
"If you live..."
"Try to surpass me! Roronoa!!!"
Hawkeye, that stoic bastard, actually made a vow!
Zoro lay on the ground, staring at the sky. A massive gash across his chest was pumping blood, pain shooting up his nerves.
He cried. Ugly, snot-nosed crying.
Not from the pain, of course!
Some day, he'd cross swords with Hawkeye again.
Some day, he'd make good on his promise to Kuina.
And today, Zoro felt like that future was one step closer.
"From today on, I will NEVER lose again... until I beat him and become the world's greatest swordsman!!!"
Zoro was still spouting fire and brimstone, so everyone figured he'd be alright.
"Hey, Hawkeye!"
"Zoro's challenge is over, can I have a shot?"
Ignis pulled Randuin's Omen outta his System stash, looking like a kid in a candy store.
He'd waited freakin' ages for this! Hawkeye was finally here, the plot was done, time for him to shine!
Hawkeye's gaze shifted to Ignis, saying nothing, but his eyes were full of something like confusion.
"Your sword's the strongest in the world, right?"
Hawkeye drew the massive blade that'd carved up Zoro.
"You want to test its edge?"
Ignis planted the giant shield in front of him.
"You wield the world's strongest blade, the Black Sword, and you're the world's greatest swordsman."
"The strongest blade and the strongest swordsman..."
"Back in my hometown, the land of the forge, there's a question we always ask..."
"If the world's strongest blade, wielded by the world's greatest swordsman, clashed with the world's toughest shield..."
"Would the blade shatter, or would the shield be sliced to bits?"
"Oh?" Hawkeye studied Randuin's Omen.
"You have that much faith in your shield?"
"Tons! I'm so confident, I'll let you take five full-power swings!"
The peanut gallery went nuts!
"Don't do it, Ignis! Didn't you see what he just did? You're never this reckless!" Usopp was screaming his head off again.
"Hawkeye sliced our ship in HALF with one swing!!!"
"Is this guy for real? Letting Hawkeye take five full-power swings?"
"Hawkeye can cleave a freakin' island in two!"
"Don't do it!" The Baratie chefs liked Ignis.
"Come back! Don't go any further!!!"
"Nobody in their right mind would take a serious hit from Hawkeye!!!"
"Don't throw your life away!!!"
Usopp saw Ignis marching towards Hawkeye and freaked out even more. He bolted back to Zoro.
"Zoro! Talk some sense into Ignis! He's got a death wish!!!"
Zoro ignored his wounds and sat up on the deck.
Ignis was usually the calm one, never pushing things too far. But now? He was acting crazier than he was!
Ignoring the chaos around him, Ignis stopped in front of Hawkeye's tiny boat.
"You serious?"
Hawkeye had figured Ignis was just yanking his chain. Nobody in the world doubted his attack power!
But when Ignis stepped onto his boat, he realized the guy was dead serious about testing his blade.
"What's the matter? Scared?" Ignis flashed a cocky grin.
The air crackled! The whole place went dead silent!
"Wait... did you guys hear that?"
"I... I think so? Did you hear it too?"
"We're not imagining things, right?"
"What did you hear?"
"I think I heard... 'Scared?'"
"Yeah, that's what I heard too!"
When it finally sunk in that they hadn't just had a mass hallucination...
The place exploded!
"No freakin' way!"
"Does he even know what he's doing?"
"Someone's actually calling out Hawkeye!"
"Has anyone in the world ever dared to trash-talk him like that?"
"We're doomed! Close your eyes, it's gonna get messy!"
"This is insane! Hahahaha! Everyone's gone insane!!!" Usopp was screaming his lungs out! In his book, Zoro's challenge had been crazy, but Hawkeye had held back! Ignis was just running headfirst into the meat grinder!
Hawkeye tilted his head, making sure he'd heard right.
"Hahahahahahaha!!!"
"Hahahahahahaha!!!"
"How many years has it been? How many years since I've heard such arrogant words?"
The laughing fit died down. Hawkeye drew his sword, settling into his stance.
"Let me tell you something, kid."
"Diamond Jozu, who's known as the world's strongest shield..."
"Wouldn't bet on taking even three of my blows."
"You've said your piece. I can't hold back now."
"Come at me with everything you've got!!!"
Ignis Fireheart, the Legendary Tank, has entered the arena!
Hawkeye, breathing deep, steely focus in his eyes. The kid wanted him to go all out? Fine! He'd go all out!
He swung his blade. Lightly.
The blade moved quick, graceful.
But a shockwave of power, a sword-wind that could cleave the very sea, tore towards Ignis!
The waves around them parted! Bits of ship debris swirled in the gale! Even the onlookers felt the pull!
The wave of destruction slammed into Ignis, crashing against Randuin's Omen!
Silence. All the wind the blade had stirred vanished.
Ignis didn't budge. His body didn't even tremble.