While Luffy battled Ginyu, Zoro faced Jeice. The red-skinned warrior was fast, precise, and fought with a red energy sphere he could control telekinetically. It was unlike anything Zoro had faced.
"CRUSHER BALL!"
The red sphere shot toward Zoro. He dodged, but the sphere curved and came back, slamming into his shoulder. He grunted, skidding across the water.
"Heh. Not bad." Zoro grinned, blood trickling from the wound. "But you'll have to do better than that."
He raised his swords. "Three Sword Style: Oni Giri!"
He vanished, appearing directly in front of Jeice. His blades came down in a vicious arc. Jeice barely dodged, the tips of the swords cutting across his chest.
"AAARGH! You cut me!" Jeice's eyes went wide with fury. "DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH BATTLE ARMOR COSTS?!"
"No. And I don't care." Zoro pressed the attack, his blades a whirlwind of death. Jeice retreated, his Crusher Balls useless at close range.
But Jeice wasn't just a ranged fighter. As Zoro closed in, Jeice's hand crackled with purple energy. "CRUSHER VOLLEY!"
A barrage of small energy spheres shot from his palm. Zoro's eyes went wide. He couldn't dodge them all. He made a decision—he took the hits, using the impact to propel himself forward faster.
He crashed into Jeice, all three blades buried in the Saiyan's guard. They strained against each other, energy crackling between them.
"You're insane!" Jeice growled.
"Maybe." Zoro's grin widened. "But I'm also the man who's going to become the World's Greatest Swordsman. You're just a stepping stone."
He pushed harder. Jeice's guard began to crack. The energy spheres flickered and died. With a final roar, Zoro broke through, his blades carving across Jeice's chest.
The red warrior fell, sinking into the ocean.
Zoro stood there, panting, three swords dripping with blood. "One down."
On the other side of the battlefield, Sanji faced Recoome. The massive Saiyan was a brute, relying on raw power and devastating energy attacks. Sanji was fast, precise, and utterly ruthless when protecting his friends.
Recoome laughed as Sanji's kicks bounced off his muscular frame. "Is that all you've got, little man? My name's Recoome! It rhymes with doom! And you're about to be—"
"ERUPTING BURNING FLASH!"
Sanji's leg, wreathed in blue flames, slammed into Recoome's face mid-sentence. The Saiyan's eyes crossed as he flew backward, skipping across the water.
"I don't care what your name rhymes with," Sanji said, lighting a cigarette. "Just stay down."
Recoome rose, furious. "You'll pay for that! RECOOME ULTIMATE FIGHTING BOMBER!"
He launched himself at Sanji, a flurry of massive punches and kicks. Sanji dodged, weaving between the attacks with supernatural grace. He was a dancer, and Recoome was a clumsy partner.
"POMPEII MUTTON SHOT!"
Another kick, this one aimed at Recoome's knee. The Saiyan's leg buckled. He roared in pain, swinging wildly. Sanji ducked under the swing and delivered a spinning kick to the back of Recoome's head.
The massive Saiyan crashed into the water and didn't rise.
Sanji exhaled smoke. "Two down."
Jinbe faced Guldo. The small green creature had stopped time. Literally. Jinbe found himself frozen mid-punch, unable to move.
Guldo giggled, floating closer. "You're strong, fish-man, but you can't beat time itself! While you're frozen, I'll just—"
He raised a knife to stab Jinbe. But as the blade descended, Jinbe's eyes moved. His Haki, his will, pushed against the time stop. It wasn't enough to break free completely, but it was enough to shift his body slightly.
The knife sliced his arm instead of his heart.
Guldo's eyes went wide. "IMPOSSIBLE! No one can move in stopped time!"
Jinbe's fist, free for just a moment, shot forward. "VAGABOND DRILL!"
The punch, infused with Fish-Man Karate and the will to protect his captain, connected with Guldo's face. The time stop shattered. Guldo flew backward, unconscious before he hit the water.
Jinbe flexed his injured arm. "Three down."
Piccolo faced Burter, the fastest of the force. It was an even match—Piccolo's Namekian regeneration and tactical mind against Burter's incredible speed.
Burter zoomed around Piccolo, landing hits from every angle. Piccolo took them, using each impact to analyze his opponent's movements. He was learning. Adapting.
Finally, he saw the pattern. Burter always paused for a fraction of a second after three attacks. It was his rhythm.
Piccolo waited. Burter attacked once, twice, three times. As he paused, Piccolo's hand shot out.
"LIGHT GRENADE!"
A massive energy sphere formed in his palm and expanded, catching Burter in the blast. The speedster screamed as the energy consumed him. When the light faded, he floated unconscious on the surface.
Piccolo nodded, satisfied. "Four down."
The Ginyu Force had been defeated.