Chapter 241: The Swordsman's Proving Ground!
Outside the bar, Jozu gritted his teeth and roared, "Mr. Rayleigh... why?!!"
Vista gripped his dual swords tightly, his gaze solemn. "It seems he doesn't want to get involved."
"Then we rely on ourselves!" Jozu bellowed. "Rescue Marco!!!"
The two charged towards Luffy and Ace once again, reigniting the flames of war!
...
While the fierce battle raged on the Sabaody Archipelago, Kuraigana Island welcomed three uninvited guests.
The warship slowly docked at the edge of the island. The eerie dense forest was like a gaping maw, exhaling damp mist. A strange oppressive feeling permeated the air.
Zoro, with three swords slung at his waist, stepped onto the soft sand, frowning slightly. "Big Brother Roy sent us here saying there's an opponent worth fighting? This place looks like an abandoned ghost island."
Kuina rested her slender hand lightly on her sword hilt, her sharp gaze scanning the surroundings. Every bird call, every rustle of leaves could not escape her senses:
"His arrangements are never without purpose... I can feel a strange pressure on this island."
Behind them, little Chopper ran down panting, his small blue nose wet. "Zoro, Kuina... wait for me! Th-This place is scary..."
Zoro huffed lightly. "Scared of what? I'm here."
Kuina glanced at him, reminding him coldly, "Don't get careless. Danger isn't necessarily just on the surface."
After a brief discussion, the three slowly stepped onto the island.
Kuraigana Island · Deep within the Dense Forest
"ROAR—!!!"
A dull beastly roar suddenly pierced the silence, shaking the branches and leaves, startling a flock of crows into circling flight.
Zoro and Kuina stood back-to-back, hands on their sword hilts. Chopper, protected in the middle, couldn't stop his little hooves from trembling. "Wh-What was that sound?!"
"SWISH!"
A pitch-black shadow lunged fiercely from the canopy, striking straight at them with the sound of breaking wind!
Kuina's eyes sharpened, and the Wado Ichimonji unsheathed like lightning!
"CLANG—!!!"
The blade collided violently with a massive weapon. Sparks exploded, and the deafening sound of metal clashing echoed through the forest.
Kuina flipped her wrist lightly, her blade light flowing like the moon, executing a fierce counter-slash that knocked the black shadow back several meters!
"THUD!"
The black shadow smashed heavily against the root of a mangrove tree, emitting a low roar.
Looking closely, the three's expressions changed slightly. It was a baboon covered in heavy leather armor, wielding a giant sword!
"A-A baboon?!" Chopper's jaw nearly hit the ground. "And-And it uses a sword?!"
But the corner of Zoro's mouth curled up slowly, battle intent burning in his eyes. "...Interesting."
"RUSTLE RUSTLE RUSTLE—!!!"
The surrounding bushes suddenly shook in unison, and dozens of baboons emerged from all directions!
They were tall, their movements synchronized, and their eyes fierce like well-trained warriors.
Some wielded heavy greatswords, some held long axes, and others dual-wielded short swords. The cold glint of blades flashed in the dense forest, instantly surrounding the three.
Chopper squatted down in fright, ears twitching. "So-So many?! What do we do?!"
Zoro grinned, biting onto his third sword, his voice filled with excitement: "JUST IN TIME!!!"
"SANTORYU: ONI GIRI (DEMON SLASH)!!!"
"SWISH—!!!"
Zoro's figure was like a tearing whirlwind. The three swords turned into phantom-like flashes, speeding through the baboon pack.
Waves of metal clashing rang out one after another. In an instant, three baboons were sent flying by the violent sword energy!
However, the defeated baboons were just the tip of the iceberg. More fearless baboons roared in unison, lunging brazenly at the three...
Zoro grew increasingly surprised in the fierce battle, his three swords spinning like wind. "These guys... actually know swordsmanship?!!"
"SWISH—!"
A massive baboon suddenly cut in from the side, the katana in its hand gleaming coldly. Its sword path was clean and decisive, aiming straight for Zoro's throat with a whistling wind!
Zoro's eyes narrowed. He leaned back slightly, narrowly dodging the edge, and simultaneously swung his sword backhand. With a dull clash of metal, he knocked the opponent back dozens of steps!
"Even knows 'thrusting'?!" He smirked, his battle intent growing hotter.
On the other side, Kuina stayed close to protect Chopper. The Wado Ichimonji flowed at her fingertips, blade light surging like a spring, surrounding the two and cutting down several baboons attempting to get close.
She frowned slightly, analyzing coldly: "Their moves... aren't beast instincts. These are trained swordsman movements."
Chopper's eyes widened, voice trembling: "Te-Teaching baboons to fight? Who would be bored enough to do that?!"
"BANG!!!"
A baboon wielding a battle axe charged to the front. Kuina's gaze turned cold, blade light brightening abruptly. A fierce slash sent it flying directly, smashing heavily against a tree trunk before passing out with a loud boom.
But that loud noise seemed to become a signal. Baboons from all directions went berserk instantly, charging like a tide, countless blades and axe shadows crisscrossing towards the three.
Kuina's stance was steady, fingers tightening slightly on her sword hilt. "Looks like this is just the beginning..."
Meanwhile · Inside the Castle at the Center of the Island
The castle's great hall was quiet enough to hear the ticking of the wall clock.
Sunlight passed through the towering arched windows, falling on the wooden rocking chair slowly rocking in the center of the hall.
Dracule Mihawk leaned back slightly in the chair, the cuffs of his wine-red patterned shirt slightly loose. His short black hair was slightly messy, and his chiseled jaw was covered with a neat stubble.
Those sharp, golden hawk-like eyes were staring at a letter crumpled in his hand.
The content of the letter was scrawled crookedly, completely lacking the politeness a letter should have:
Oi~ It's Roy.
I sent two decent swordsman seedlings over to spar with you. Help me train them.
PS: Don't kill them, or I'll come over and beat you up.
"SNAP—"
Mihawk's slender fingers twitched slightly, shaking the paper.
The corner of his eye twitched, a flash of anger crossing his brow, and the corner of his lips pressed down slightly in impatience.
"That bastard..."
"Dares to command me with that tone?"
A low, cold hmph echoed in the empty hall.
He originally intended to throw the letter directly into the fireplace, but paused the next second.
Roy's eerie, unsolvable teleportation ability and terrifying power that easily changed the tide of battle surfaced in his mind.
After a moment of silence, Mihawk suddenly chuckled lightly. Shoulders relaxing slightly, the anger in his eyes faded slowly, replaced by a long-lost hunter-like interest.
"...Forget it."
He placed the letter gently on the table, his hawk-like gaze narrowing slightly. "'Two decent swordsman seedlings,' huh?"
He slowly put down the letter, flicking the paper lightly with his fingertip, making it tremble in the breeze.
Mihawk stood up from the rocking chair, walking towards the castle's massive floor-to-ceiling window.
Outside, the sea breeze carried the damp scent of the forest into the room, along with a faint salty tang.
The distant trees swayed gently in the wind, as if whispering.
He raised his wine glass. Those sharp, golden hawk eyes pierced through layers of jungle, as if already seeing the figures of the swordsmen stepping onto this island.
"If it's just to use my hand to sharpen some useless trash, I won't hesitate to throw them back into the sea."
He slowly put down the wine glass, turned and walked towards the weapon rack, reaching out to take down the pitch-black blade, deep as the night—Yoru (Night).
The moment the blade unsheathed, a low hum seemed to resonate in the air, as if sensing the battle intent surging in its master's heart.
Mihawk held the sword with one hand, raising it slowly. His fingertips caressed the cold spine of the blade. His hawk-like gaze grew colder inch by inch, radiating an incomparably sharp sword pressure.
"Roy,"
His voice was low, like a sharp blade cutting through the silent night sky:
"You'd better not have misjudged them."