Chapter 90: Skypiea – Zoro vs. Ohm & the Path to Shandora
"Pray to your god. I'll make your death quick and painless." Ohm's iron cloud sword pressed against Zoro's blade, cold light reflecting off his sunglasses.
"God?" Zoro's muscles tensed. With a sudden burst of strength he shoved Ohm back. "The word 'pray' doesn't exist in my life creed!" His body spun rapidly; three swords carved deadly arcs through the air: "Three Sword Style · Tiger Hunt!"
Clang—!
Amid the explosive clash of metal, Ohm's iron cloud twisted like a living thing, instantly morphing into a semicircular iron shield that perfectly blocked the slash. In the split second Zoro's pupils contracted, the shield extended back into a blade, tearing a bloody gash across his shoulder.
"Tch!" Zoro leaped back several meters, blood dripping down his left arm. "That sword… it can freely change shape?"
"Of course." Ohm flicked his wrist; the iron cloud writhed like a serpent. "Did you think clouds should have a fixed form?" Before the words finished, the iron cloud stretched violently, transforming into a steel whip that tore through the air toward Zoro.
Zoro rolled behind a tree; the steel whip sliced the massive trunk clean in half. Amid flying wood chips came his sarcastic comment: "Damn it! Can't I get a normal sword opponent for once?"
"Two Sword Style · Eagle Wave!"
The moment Zoro drew his dual blades, the air emitted a piercing whistle. Two silver streaks tore through the sky, weaving into an X-shaped pressure wave that roared toward Ohm with destructive force.
"In front of Iron Cloud, an attack of that level is meaningless." Ohm gave a light flick of his wrist; the iron cloud danced like a living creature. "Iron Embankment!"
A silver barrier of condensed iron cloud instantly formed, completely blocking the shockwave. The metallic ringing had barely faded when Ohm counterattacked: "Iron Rapier!" The iron cloud extended sharply into a slender, razor-sharp sword thrusting straight at Zoro's abdomen.
"Tch!" Zoro reacted at god-speed, stabbing Wado Ichimonji into the ground. Sparks flew as he barely blocked the thrust, his body still pushed back several meters by the massive impact.
"Since shockwaves don't work…" Zoro slowly adjusted his stance—left arm bent and raised, right hand reverse-gripping his left forearm. The muscles beneath his bandages stood out clearly. "…then try this!"
"One Sword Style · Thirty-Six Agonizing Phoenix!"
A deep blue slashing wave spun through the air, cracking the ground in its path. Ohm's pupils shrank: "So fast!" His Observation Haki screamed warnings, but the iron cloud rapier was too slow to retract. At the last possible moment he twisted aside; the slash still grazed his left arm, drawing a spray of blood. The residual force continued onward, blasting a massive tree behind him into splinters.
"A flying slash?" Ohm pressed a hand to his bleeding arm; iron cloud slithered across the ground like a snake. "Not bad—you live up to the rumors."
Zoro's lips curled into a wild grin: "What's wrong? Legs feeling weak already?"
"You should be the one afraid." Ohm suddenly stomped. "Iron Trident!" Iron cloud buried underground erupted upward, forming a three-pronged spear that pierced Zoro's calf from below.
"Guh!" Zoro dropped to one knee; blood bloomed across the sand. "So that last hit… was just setup…"
"Iron Fan!" Ohm pressed the advantage. Iron cloud spread open like a peacock's tail and slammed down on Zoro's head. Bang! With a muffled impact, Zoro flew backward like a broken kite, crashing into a rock wall and leaving a spiderweb of cracks.
The following exchange was almost completely one-sided. Iron cloud shifted between whip and sword, adding fresh wounds across Zoro's body. When Ohm raised it high for the finishing blow—
"Punch, Seiketsu!" Chopper rode atop the giant dog's broad back. With a wave of his small hand, he directed the massive hound to charge straight at Ohm just as he prepared the final strike.
"Guh!"
Caught completely off guard, Ohm took a solid punch from his own beloved dog. His body rocketed backward like a broken kite, crashing through a towering tree before finally stopping.
He struggled to his feet, wiping blood from his mouth with his thumb, rage burning in his eyes: "You stupid mutt—what are you doing?!"
Chopper anxiously turned to Zoro first: "Are you okay, Zoro?" After confirming his friend was still conscious, he turned to Ohm, voice brimming with triumphant glee: "Your training method had a flaw! I discovered Seiketsu will obey anyone's commands!"
"What?! Impossible!" Ohm looked as if struck by lightning, shock written all over his face.
"Of course it's true! But it doesn't matter what you say now," Chopper proudly patted the fluffy head beneath him. "I already blocked his ears. Right now, the only one who can command him… is me, sitting on top!"
Ohm's expression gradually darkened. He stood fully, dusting off his clothes. "I see… that was my oversight." His voice turned icy cold. "As compensation… how about the two of you go to hell together?"
"Die!!"
Ohm raised his right hand high. Iron cloud instantly extended into a massive blade. With a ferocious swing, it cleaved downward toward Chopper and Seiketsu!
Clang!
A deafening metallic collision rang through the forest; sparks flew in all directions.
"Zoro!" Chopper shouted in delight, eyes sparkling with excitement.
Blood-soaked and covered in wounds, Zoro firmly blocked Ohm's slash. Though his body swayed, his gaze remained sharp as ever.
He slowly raised his head. Beneath the bandana, his eyes coldly fixed on Ohm. A defiant smirk curled his lips: "Thanks for the 'hospitality' earlier… bastard."
Ohm narrowed his eyes, tone carrying a mix of admiration and contempt: "Taking so many of my attacks with an injured leg… and still standing. Stubborn vitality."
He slowly lifted his blade; iron cloud writhed again, growing sharper and larger. "But with that broken body… what can you possibly do?"
"Iron Cloud · White Slash!"
Ohm roared. His right arm whipped down violently. The iron cloud blade swept horizontally like a snowstorm, tearing through the air with intent to bisect Zoro and Chopper!
Yet Zoro calmly bit down on Wado Ichimonji, hands gripping his swords in three-sword stance.
He began chanting softly: "One life, thirty-six mortal troubles. Two lives, seventy-two mortal troubles. Three lives… one hundred and eight mortal troubles."
"Three Sword Style · One Hundred and Eight Agonizing Phoenix!"
Swish!
Three blue slashing waves tore through the air, then wove together into the shape of a massive phoenix of sword energy. Carrying ferocious wind pressure, it roared straight toward Ohm!
"Iron Cloud… deflected?!" Ohm's pupils shrank. He watched helplessly as his own slash was ripped apart. In the next instant—
Pfft!
Blood sprayed everywhere! The violent sword energy struck Ohm; countless gashes exploded across his body. He vomited a large mouthful of blood and flew backward like a broken kite, crashing heavily to the ground and falling completely unconscious.
Zoro let out a long breath. He stabbed Shusui into the ground to support his swaying body. Chopper hurriedly jumped off Seiketsu's back and anxiously checked his injuries: "This is bad! I didn't bring the medical kit! Zoro, we need to hurry back—your wounds have to be treated immediately!"
Zoro tore off his bandana and casually wiped blood from his face. He plopped down on the ground and pointed toward the faint outline of ruins in the distance: "No need to panic… Sol and the others went to Shandora, right? It's just ahead—not far."
Chopper looked in that direction and his eyes lit up: "You're right! If Sol's there, he can definitely heal you!"
The two climbed onto Seiketsu's back and raced toward Shandora.
Meanwhile, back on the Merry, Sanji—cigarette in mouth—kicked the deck impatiently: "That's weird. Chopper went with the moss-head—why haven't those two come back yet? I'm waiting on ingredients for the pot!"
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