The town square was now so packed with curious people you couldn't move an inch.
"What's going on?"
"Looks like they're about to fight!"
"Fight? But why? Didn't they just save us together?"
"I heard… I heard they're pirates!"
A murmur of fear spread through the crowd.
"If they're pirates, then are they…?"
"Are they fighting to decide who gets to rule over us now?"
"Oh no… We just got rid of Morgan. Are we going to be enslaved by pirates now?"
Panic started to set in and people near the edges of the crowd were already trying to shove their way out.
…
The Marine lieutenant saw what was happening and turned to Koby who was standing beside him.
"What are they doing?"
Koby sighed.
"Zoro-san challenged Ray-san to a duel. Luffy-san thinks it's a great idea and won't stop them. They're putting on a bit of a show."
The lieutenant's eyes widened in understanding.
Of course. It was a duel between swordsmen.
Those sword-crazy guys were always obsessed with proving who was stronger.
'So childish,' he thought to himself.
'But man, why is my heart pounding?'
For some reason, he was getting hyped up too.
He grabbed a megaphone and shouted to the crowd.
"Everybody, listen up! The three men in the square are the heroes who saved our town! Let me introduce them! The kid in the straw hat is Monkey D. Luffy! The swordsman with the silver hair is Ray! And the green-haired guy with three swords is the Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro!"
"Right now," he continued, his voice booming like a ring announcer's.
"Zoro and Ray are about to have a friendly sparring match! Let's give them the biggest cheer this town has ever seen and enjoy the show!"
The crowd, realizing they had misunderstood, let out a collective sigh of relief.
That relief quickly turned into pure excitement.
"WOOOO!"
After being oppressed for so long, the townspeople let all their pent-up emotions loose, screaming and cheering for the fighters.
"Who do you think will win?"
"My money's on the Pirate Hunter! Zoro's taken down pirates worth millions!"
"Nah, Ray will definitely win."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Easy. He's way better looking, and good looks are justice! Justice always wins!"
"Go, Ray! Take down that seaweed-head!"
In a matter of seconds, an all-female fan club for Ray had formed.
"Dammit, my wife just ran over to cheer for that pretty boy!" one man grumbled.
"Well, us men can't lose!"
"GO, ZORO! SHOW HIM WHAT A REAL MAN CAN DO! BEAT THAT PRETTY BOY!"
The crowd instantly split into two roaring factions: most of the men cheering for Zoro, and all of the women (plus a few guys) screaming their heads off for Ray.
…
Luffy, perched on a nearby rooftop, was grinning from ear to ear.
"Let the banquet begin!" he yelled. "Let's eat some meat while we watch the fight!"
"WOOOO!" the crowd roared back.
In a flash, market stalls were turned into a massive party, with food and drinks passed all around.
The whole town was buzzing with energy.
…
In the center of it all, Ray and Zoro had blocked out the noise, their focus entirely on each other.
Zoro tied his bandana, settled into his Three-Sword Style stance, and glared at Ray.
"Ray, here I come!"
Ray simply nodded and drew his sword.
In the blink of an eye, they clashed.
Zoro's attacks were a whirlwind of steel, each of his three blades slashing with lightning speed from unpredictable angles.
For the most part, Ray was simply dodging.
Every swing Zoro took that missed its mark carved a deep gash into the marble ground, making Zoro's fans in the crowd go wild.
"That's the man I'm cheering for! Power is everything! Take him down, Zoro!" the mossed haired fan club roared.
Ray's fans were not having it.
"Hmph, look at our husband Ray! He's not even breaking a sweat! He's obviously going easy on that green-haired guy."
"Exactly! Husband Ray is the best!"
"Husband Ray, I love you!"
Hearing the chorus of "husband" from the women, the men in the crowd collectively groaned in annoyance.
"Curse you, Ray! Go, Zoro, kick his butt!"
"Beat him and we'll build a statue of you!"
~
The duel raged on.
"Three-Sword Style: Tiger Hunt!" Zoro roared, leaping into the air and bringing his swords down in a ferocious pounce designed to crush any defense.
Ray sidestepped the blow and, as Zoro landed, swung his own sword down.
Zoro twisted his body, barely managing to block the strike with his three swords.
The moment their blades locked, Zoro felt a shock run up his arms.
'So strong…! My attack did nothing!'
Frustrated, Zoro shoved Ray's sword away and jumped back.
The second he landed, he shot forward again.
"Three-Sword Style: Ogre Cutter!"
Ray met his attack with another block.
The impact was so violent it sent a visible shockwave through the air, stunning the crowd into silence.
"They're… they're both monsters!"
"But Zoro's the one pushing the attack! Ray's just defending!"
"Hahaha! Zoro's got this! Pretty boys never win!"
~
The two separated again.
Zoro took a deep breath to steady himself.
"Ray," he said, his voice serious. "This next one is everything I've got!"
Ray could sense the frustration in Zoro's voice. For the first time, he spoke.
"Then fight properly. I have been serious this entire time."
Zoro paused for a second, then a grin spread across his face.
"Alright then! One move decides it!"
He began to spin his swords, building momentum until they were a blur.
Then, at the peak of his power, he charged.
"Three-Sword Style Secret Technique: Three Thousand Worlds!"
Ray could feel the incredible power in the attack.
This..... he had to take seriously.
"Sword Pressure!"
As Ray swung his sword down, an overwhelming force slammed into Zoro's attack.
BOOM!
The collision was immense.
It didn't just create a shockwave; it sent dozens of stray blades of energy flying in every direction, right toward the crowd.
"Crap!" All three of them—Ray, Luffy, and Zoro—realized the danger at the same time.
If they didn't stop those blasts, the townspeople would be torn to shreds.
Luffy shot forward with a "Gum-Gum Rocket," smashing one of the energy blades with his fist just before it hit a woman.
There was no time to worry about his bloody knuckles as he looked for the next one.
"Dammit, I can't get to them all in time!"
Zoro was just as panicked, especially when he saw one of the blasts heading straight for the little girl, Rika.
"We're both pinned down by the shockwave! We can't move! This is bad!"
Just then, a white figure flashed past them.
The blur not only blocked the blast heading for Rika but then unleashed a volley of faster, blue-green energy beams that shot out and destroyed every single remaining stray attack.
The cheering townsfolk had no idea they had just been moments from death.
That teleportation-like speed and incredible sword skill left Zoro and Luffy speechless.
Luffy grabbed a skewer of meat and took a huge bite.
"Ray's so strong," he said with his cheeks full.
"And he's fun, too! Shishishi." Luffy had been a little worried when Ray killed Morgan so coldly, thinking he might be a bad guy.
But now, he was happy.
He's actually a really kind person.
~
A moment later, the shockwave subsided and Zoro could move again.
He sheathed his swords and walked slowly toward Ray.
"Ray… you weren't fighting seriously at all, were you?"
Ray just frowned.
"I was serious the whole time."
Seeing Zoro still wasn't satisfied, he sighed and added, "I was serious about fighting you up close. Your skill in close-quarters combat is impressive."
Zoro froze, then burst out laughing.
"I get it now! Thanks, Ray."
It finally clicked.
Ray was way stronger than him and could have ended the fight in an instant.
But instead, he deliberately fought Zoro on his own terms, matching his close-range style just to help him get better.
"There's something to learn from everyone," Ray said, turning to walk toward the shore.
"Besides… are you weak?"
Zoro watched him go.
After a moment of silence, he grinned and shouted with all his might.
"Ray! I'm gonna get stronger! And one day, I'm going to challenge you again!"