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In the dimly lit chamber of the dungeon, a battle raged between two blade users.
"Is that the best you can do?" Zoro grinned, his three swords ablaze with searing green flames, as he faced off against Kuina, wilding Wado Ichimonji with an icy grace that mirrored the chill in her gaze.
"No, it's not, you broken compass," Kuina retorted as she countered Zoro's strike. The air was heavy as both swordsmen clashed.
Their movements were a blur of green and blue. Zoro's fiery blades slashed through the air with a ferocity that matched the flames dancing along their edges, while Kuina's swordplay exhibited an elegant precision that belied the raw power of her ice-infused strikes.
Each clash of their blades sent shockwaves through the chamber, scorching and freezing the dungeon walls, leaving behind charred and frost-covered scars that bore testament to the intensity of their battle.
Amidst the whirlwind of steel and elemental power, Zoro and Kuina exchanged words, bickering with one another as they went on.
They had been going on for quite a while now. Even though for anyone who didn't know any better, they would think this as an all-out battle, but it was far from it. They were just warming up.
Zoro pushed Kuina back, as she dug her heels into the ground, leaving marks on the frozen floor. The three-bladed swordsman could have followed through but didn't.
"Kuina," Zoro said, a bit thoughtful, "You usually ask either Luffy or Sanji to train with you… so I'm finding it difficult to believe that you called me to train instead. Not that I'm complaining of course."
"Oh, please, you know why…" Kuina said with a small smile as she rested her sword on her shoulder. From when they were little, they would usually train in places where the other couldn't see it, mainly because even since their childhood, they saw each other as rivals. That's the reason why unless it was a match, they usually didn't spar together.
"Cut the bullshit," Zoro snorted, "You obviously want to use your new techniques on me. 'Same ones that you have been practicing secretly, so just get on with it… I'm also curious about them."
Kuina grinned. It was true, no swordsman or swordswoman changed their swordsmanship this far down their career. Unless it was something amazing. And that peaked Zoro's curiosity.
The way she held her sword, the way she moved, it was all different from how it was used to be. She wasn't lying when she said her new swordplay was amazing.
Hearing that Kuina's lips quirked up, "Oh, impatient are you?" she said holding down her sword, shifting into a sword stance.
Zoro's grin almost turned feral, "I won't hold back. Show me how much stronger you've become." His eyes burned with determination, refusing to underestimate his friend-turned-foe. Even Akito Nozarashi burned hotter as the green flames started to spread around from his blades to the surrounding area.
"I'm still not fully used to the new technique… they need much refinement. But I can show you something interesting." Kuina said, suddenly her form distorted.
And by instinct and Observation Haki, Zoro quickly held up Sandai Kitetsu to block Kuina who was by his side. And even though Zoro was able to block the sword, he was thrown off-balance as Kuina's form distorted again.
This time Zoro was much sharper, relying on his Observation Haki to quickly deflect Kuina's attack. Sparks of fire and frost flew by as she moved and disappeared again. Zoro wasn't the one that liked being on the defensive, so he moved in to attack when Kuina appeared next.
Both of them clashed, but even when using all of his strength, Zoro found his strikes being lackluster, almost as if Kuina was redirecting the force of his attacks. The three bladed swordsman's eyes widened. That… that was impressive.
Kuina wasn't only redirecting the force of Zoro's attack, she was channeling it back into her own attacks. She was using his strength against him.
"This is fun!" Zoro admitted, even Nozarashi hummed as he moved wildly, "Hope you don't mind me going all out."
Again both blade users locked blades as they looked at one another.
Kuina's response was as cold as the ice that infused her strikes. "Don't think you can defeat me so easily, Roronoa," she retorted, her breath forming frosty puffs in the air. "Also, let's keep it short. Anchor's going to make something amazing today, it would be unfair if I knock you out, so I might or might not have to hold back."
Zoro's brow twitched, "Why you little…"
As their blades clashed again, the dungeon walls bore the brunt of their titanic struggle. The flames and ice left their mark, scorching and freezing the stone walls with each passing moment. The heat and cold of their battle permeated the room, creating a surreal juxtaposition of fire and ice, a testament to the power and determination of these two friends-turned-rivals.
Of course, Kuina was joking on her part about holding back. Zoro was stronger then her, but she found it rather amusing to push his buttons. With nothing holding them back, Zoro was even freely using his Conqueror's Haki to tip off Kuina.
While Kuina's new swordsmanship was hypnotic in nature that played with people senses and used their strength against them. For a Conqueror's Haki user like Zoro, he could also mess with people's senses by using his Haki in short bursts to restrict their movements.
He mainly got the idea from Shiryu of the Rain. The swordsman who was able to manifest his bloodlust. While Zoro couldn't do anything similar yet, but the power of Conqueror's was no joke with what Luffy had explained with it's advanced usage. So why hold yourself back?
Zoro had to admit Kuina's new style of sword play fit her better. She was always adaptable and nimble in her movements, and her new style suited that. Even Zoro was having a hard time using brute force against her.
"Dance of the Yuki Onna!" Kuina said, her frost mark appearing as a second layer of ice protected her skin, and releasing a wave of mist that quickly surrounded the whole dungeon.
If it was previously that her powers would have only covered a small area, now, even the dungeon rooms that was meant for giants was easily filled with her mist. And as this was an enclosed area, the mist had nowhere to go, as it started to cover the whole room.
Zoro didn't sit still either, as he started burning up the mist with his flames. So in a way, it was kind of like a race between who would last the longest. With the mist covering Zoro's entire view, he had to rely soley on Observation Haki as Kuina attacked from all sides.
"Ice Sword Style: Crystal Sakura Hurricane!"
"Three Swords Style: Rengoku Tatsu Maki!"
Waves of frozen Sakura leaves that matched the wave of a tsunami at a massive scale clashed with the green-flamed twister. Each attack laced with Armament Haki and power, throwing a showdown that looked majestic and dangerous to anyone unfortunate enough to watch.
Both fighters had grins on their face as the battle rang on. Each giving their all.
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