At the bow of the Merry, Zoro's eyes were fixed on the giant goldfish that was about to pounce.
The wado ichimonji in his hand, like a awakened beast, gleamed with a cold light.
His heart rate accelerated instantly, his breathing paused, and the air seemed to be filled with a sense of oppression, like distant thunder foreshadowing an approaching storm.
The goldfish's massive body, like a floating island, obscured the sky.
Overwhelming waves stirred up countless splashes, and its golden scales shimmered dazzlingly in the sunlight.
However, no matter how shocking the scene, it appeared still in Zoro's eyes; he only saw his target and the challenge before him.
Suddenly, the giant goldfish spewed out a blast of Qi, like a mountain torrent, instantly sweeping everything away.
But Zoro's figure was like sudden lightning, drawing his sword swiftly.
The moment he drew wado ichimonji, its blade was immediately covered with dense Armament Haki.
Black Qi intertwined on the blade, like an invisible barrier, deciding life and death in an instant.
As Zoro unleashed all his strength, his entire body was instantly enveloped by an unstoppable Aura.
Power surged from every inch of muscle within him, finally gathering in his arms.
"One Sword Style, Myriad Phenomena Shattering Void!"
With a low roar, Zoro swung his arms violently, compressing immense power into a massive energy wave.
It surged through the air, and the atmosphere seemed to collapse in that instant.
In a flash, wado ichimonji sliced through the sky, a black saber light with a deep red glow burst forth from Zoro's hand.
In that instant, time seemed to stand still; the air of the entire world was distorted by this shocking power, and violent Saber Qi swept through like thunder.
The goldfish's massive body was torn in half instantly, as if it were paper touched by this force.
Blood gushed out like a fountain, like a terrifying rain curtain, instantly covering the entire sea surface.
The power of this saber light was so immense that even the Merry could not escape unscathed.
As the giant goldfish was split in half, its two halves fell into the sea, causing the waves to churn violently.
The Merry's hull was fiercely lifted by the huge waves, and the entire ship flew through the air like a piece of paper, seemingly about to capsize.
At this very moment, Kai stood on the deck, his gaze cold.
Surging Haoshoku Haki instantly burst forth, like towering black and red lightning, carrying infinite pressure from within him, shooting straight into the sky.
This wave of Haki instantly covered the entire sea surface, as if a bolt of lightning from the sky had suddenly descended, sweeping away all the wind and waves.
The wind died down, the waves calmed, the storm vanished instantly, and the Merry stabilized, its hull returning to the sea surface.
The waves no longer churned, and the surrounding air seemed to have returned to tranquility.
On the deck, Zoro fell back to the ground from the air, heavily stepping on the deck, panting heavily, his face pale, his chest heaving violently.
His hands still gripped wado ichimonji tightly, and the muscles in his arms ached intensely from the exertion of that single slash; he felt so exhausted he could barely stand.
That one slash had almost drained all the strength from his body.
It was an extreme slash he had never experienced before; the mobilization of power and the burst of Qi almost made him feel like he was about to collapse.
But at this moment, he felt incredibly satisfied.
That behemoth had disappeared beneath his blade, and the entire world seemed to stand still because of it.
On the distant shore, the two giants, Dorry and Brogy, watched the scene before them, stunned, having originally prepared to offer aid.
"They... they did it themselves," Dorry whispered, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.
He and Brogy had originally planned to step in when the giant goldfish lunged at the Merry.
After all, to them, the Straw Hat were trusted friends.
Brogy also withdrew the weapon in his hand, his mouth slightly open, as if trying to say something, but no words came out.
"It seems the Straw Hat don't need us anymore."
The two exchanged glances, a hint of helplessness flashing in their eyes, then both gave a wry smile.
They had wanted to help, but found there was almost nothing they could do.
Kai stood on the deck, his gaze fixed on the moment Zoro unleashed that slash, a quiet surprise rising in his heart.
He had always been able to easily see through the changes in battles, but he hadn't expected Zoro's slash this time to make him feel an unprecedented sense of amazement.
This was not merely strength, nor was it just exquisite skill.
What Kai saw was an explosive power he had never witnessed before, an Aura that could almost tear apart heaven and earth.
This slash was filled with potential he had never displayed, as if all accumulated energy had erupted in an instant.
It was even more profound than the surprise he felt when Luffy developed the Finger Pistol.
Zoro's slash was a challenge to his physical limits, a comprehensive Squeeze of his spirit and will.
He held nothing back; all his power and spirit converged into the ultimate blade at that moment.
Kai could feel that every muscle, every nerve in Zoro's body, had completely Awakened in the instant of that slash.
That Aura, like a roar tearing open the Void Realm, echoed in his ears.
But this was not something Zoro could do easily. A flicker of understanding crossed Kai's eyes; behind this slash lay countless days and nights of arduous training.
It was the culmination of every battle he had experienced.
The dual test of Comprehension Ability and will enabled him to unleash such power in an extreme state.
"This is not just a simple sword swing," Kai mused silently, his gaze shifting from the blade in Zoro's hand to the distant goldfish corpse.
At this moment, Kai suddenly realized that every member of the Straw Hat was constantly improving.
And Zoro's slash was not only his personal progress but also a symbol of the entire Straw Hat's enhanced strength.
The atmosphere around them also changed due to Zoro's strike.
Luffy's eyes sparkled with excitement; he had already rushed over impatiently, standing beside Zoro, patting his shoulder and praising him:
"Zoro, that was amazing! That slash was absolutely fantastic!"
Luffy's excitement almost overflowed, and even his tone of voice became a little hurried.
For him, seeing his comrade so powerful made his inner excitement almost impossible to calm.
Zoro's slash undoubtedly made him believe even more firmly that the Straw Hat's future was full of endless possibilities.
Sanji stood somewhat dazed to the side, his mouth open, the cigarette he was holding dropping to the ground.
In that instant, he seemed to have seen something incredible; that unprecedented shock and surprise left him unable to control himself.
At this very moment, a corner deep within his heart was profoundly touched.
"Indeed... he's really getting stronger and stronger," Sanji muttered to himself, an unprecedented sense of crisis emerging in his heart.
He knew the gap between himself and Zoro, yet this gap did not make him feel discouraged; instead, it ignited an even stronger fighting spirit within him.
He took a deep breath, silently resolving in his heart that no matter what, he must catch up to Zoro's footsteps. He absolutely could not be left too far behind by that guy.
"I need to work harder... I can't always be left behind by that Mosshead." Sanji clenched his fists, his gaze becoming resolute.
Although he always teased Zoro verbally, deep down, he knew he had never desired stronger power as wholeheartedly as he did now.