"Sir, what can I get for you?"
The young man with the green "marimo" hair looked young, but his eyes were as sharp and fierce as blades. He radiated a thick aura of bloodlust and a chilling, sharp Sword Intent—clearly not someone to be trifled with.
More terrifyingly, the head resting on the counter was still dripping blood, a sight that made skin crawl. Even though the owner of this tavern had some backing, he couldn't help but feel a shiver of dread facing such a guest. However, remembering that Colonel Smoker was stationed in Loguetown, the owner suppressed his fear, confident that this green-haired punk wouldn't dare do anything too outrageous.
"Give me one of every signature dish you have, and two bottles of your best liquor."
After saying that, the green-haired youth sat down and closed his eyes, resting.
"That guy..." "Green hair, green haramaki, three swords... and so young. It must be him..." "The pirate hunter wandering the East Blue..." "The Three-Sword Style swordsman..." "Roronoa Zoro!" "I recognize that head he's carrying! I saw the bounty poster a few days ago. It's the captain of the Furious Pirates, 'Furious' Bin! Bounty: 8.9 million Berris!"
The whispers of the surrounding customers reached Zoro's ears, but they didn't cause a flicker of emotion on his face. In the nearly two years since he set sail, his reputation as a Three-Sword Style swordsman had skyrocketed in the East Blue. He had heard these discussions so many times they had become like background noise. Having just come from a fierce battle, he only wanted to rest.
"Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro..." Tashigi murmured softly.
Her gaze was fixed entirely on the three swords by Zoro's side. Among them, one had a white scabbard and hilt, appearing simple and unadorned compared to the other two. As someone obsessed with famous blades, how could she not recognize it?
The Wado Ichimonji, one of the 21 Great Grade Swords (O Wazamono).
At this moment, Tashigi desperately wanted to go over and admire it closely, but she wasn't sure of the pirate hunter's temperament. Especially since he had just walked in carrying a severed head, covered in blood—he looked truly frightening.
"Girl, do you know him?" Rowan asked, leaning in as he watched Tashigi's sparkling yet conflicted eyes.
"Ah? Mr. Rowan..." Tashigi, who had been struggling internally, was startled by Rowan's sudden voice. After recovering, she patted her chest and shook her head. "Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro. I've only seen him in the newspapers. I don't know him personally."
Tashigi remembered him solely because he was a fellow swordsman, and an exceptionally skilled one at that. In the East Blue, there were very few swordsmen with a reputation as loud as Zoro's.
Hearing her answer, Rowan sighed. "Sigh, I thought you two were friends. I was going to have you borrow some money from the little guy to solve our 'urgent crisis.' It looks like the Old Man has to handle this himself."
Raising his pipe, he puffed out a cloud of smoke. Rowan turned back and called out to the still-gorging Luffy, "Hey, Luffy, take your time eating here. The Old Man is heading over there for a bit."
Luffy, putting down a plate he had licked clean, was about to say something when—thud—his head slammed onto the table, and he began snoring loudly.
"..."
Looking at the snot bubble expanding and contracting on Luffy's nose, Rowan felt speechless. This kid... how can he be so carefree?
Shaking his head, Rowan stood up, placed his hands behind his back, and strolled slowly toward Zoro's table.
"Mr. Rowan... what are you doing?" Tashigi asked, puzzled.
Rowan waved a hand back at her with a smile, signaling her not to worry. Watching Rowan's strange movement, the curious customers in the tavern began to whisper.
"Look, what is that old man doing?" "Does he really want to provoke Roronoa Zoro?" "No, I don't think he's going to pick a fight. He's with Tashigi, the adjutant. Maybe he's trying to recruit the pirate hunter for the Marines." "Possible. If they can recruit him, Colonel Smoker's strength would grow even further."
Thud!
Rowan sat down unceremoniously opposite Zoro. He took a drag from his pipe and looked at Zoro with a beaming smile. "Roronoa Zoro, I presume?"
"Old man, do you need something?" Zoro opened his eyes, awakened by the voice, and frowned.
Rowan chuckled. "Nothing much, really. I just want to make a trade with you, little friend."
"A trade?" Zoro's frown deepened. "I don't understand. What kind of trade?"
"Don't laugh at me, little guy. People get old, and they tend to forget things." Rowan took another puff, looking melancholic. "See, when the Old Man left the house a couple of days ago, I forgot my wallet."
"I'm here because I want you to help pay for that brat's meal."
Rowan pointed his pipe toward their table in the corner.
"The meal bill?"
Zoro followed the direction of the pipe. When he saw the mountain of plates stacked on the table, even his stoic composure faltered. But as his gaze moved past the plates to Tashigi, who was also watching, he froze.
In that instant, a flood of buried memories surged into his mind. Memories centered on a single girl—the person Zoro most hated to mention, yet most feared to forget.
Kuina.
At this moment, the woman sitting over there looked exactly like a grown-up Kuina, save for the glasses on her nose.
"What do you think, little guy?"
"Of course, the Old Man won't make you pay for nothing."
Rowan called Zoro back from his daze. Setting down his pipe, he exhaled another cloud of smoke and smiled.
"In exchange, the Old Man will teach you a sword technique."
Zoro, who had barely managed to tear his eyes away from Tashigi, froze again. "Teach me? A sword technique?"
It wasn't just Zoro. The other customers in the tavern burst into loud laughter upon hearing Rowan's words.
"Haha! Did I hear that right? That old man wants to teach Roronoa Zoro swordsmanship?" "Does he have any idea what he's saying?" "Is this old guy suffering from dementia?" "Hilarious! Does he think just because he has a sword hanging at his hip, he's a master?"
.........BONUS CHAPTER IS COMING...........
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