"Come on!"
"What?"
Zoro spread his arms, chest out toward Luffy. "Let's do it, just like you said!"
Luffy stared down for a moment, dazed, then lifted his head with a smile of joy and quiet satisfaction.
The feeling of being trusted—it was indescribably good.
"I won't let you down!" Luffy said, drawing Wado Ichimonji and pointing its tip toward Zoro's chest.
Zoro's lips curved into a smile, showing a row of white teeth. "I won't do anything I'll regret either!"
On the blue ocean, the big and small child stood aboard a small ship.
The sword tip edged closer to Zoro, and Luffy's smile vanished, replaced by a serious expression.
"Zoro, with a partner like you, I won't be lonely on this vast sea."
He thrust forward. The blade penetrated Zoro's chest.
Slowly, the sword sank into Zoro, yet no wound appeared. The entire sword disappeared, and Zoro fell unconscious to the deck.
Luffy lifted him carefully and laid him on the bed prepared for him inside the cabin.
"Rest well. From now on, it's up to you."
Luffy returned to the deck and took the compass, steering the ship.
The sea breeze brushed his ears; everything felt calm and serene.
Meanwhile, Zoro arrived in a strange place.
The sky was dark, thick black clouds obscuring all sight.
The ground glowed an eerie red, with molten rivers snaking across the land.
Zoro looked around in confusion. "This…? Is this… hell?"
He began to explore cautiously.
Hours passed. No matter how far he walked, he only felt himself moving—the surrounding environment remained unchanged.
The same oppressive air, the same terrifying atmosphere.
Day and night passed as Zoro abandoned his cautious approach, though he stayed alert.
At the edge of a crimson rock, exhausted, he leaned back, staring at the gray sky.
"After traveling so long with no change… maybe I'm doing it wrong…" Zoro muttered, glancing up.
From start to finish, Zoro never doubted Luffy. Even in hell, there had to be a way to become stronger.
Zoro believed this.
Exhausted, he fell asleep.
The oppressive sky and dim ground remained, but this time something felt slightly different.
"Zoro… Zoro…"
A familiar voice echoed in his mind.
Zoro stirred awake.
"Gu… Guina?" Seeing the figure he had longed for all these years, he wasn't overly excited.
"Of course, I'm still in a dream," he muttered, turning over to close his eyes again.
Guina, frustrated at Zoro sleeping after calling him for so long, reached out and pinched his ear.
"You big dummy!"
"Ah!" Pain instantly woke Zoro. He jumped up, rubbing his ear, escaping her grasp.
Suddenly, Zoro froze as if rooted to the spot, raising his head.
"Gu… Guina?" He rubbed his eyes, slowly opening them, afraid it was just an illusion.
Guina's hands were behind her back as she smiled sweetly. "Idiot, after all this time, have you forgotten me?"
Zoro blinked. He had never seen Guina so cute.
Normally, both of them spent all their time training—Guina's regimen was astonishing even to adults. Her swordsmanship had forged a relentless personality.
Zoro asked, puzzled, "So… this really is hell?"
Guina's expression darkened. "Yes… this is hell."
"So… I'm dead?"
Zoro couldn't quite believe he was in hell. Thinking of Luffy holding the sword against him, he wanted to trust him.
Though he'd only known Luffy for a few days, he felt their meeting was fate.
"Roar~!"
A tremor shook the ground, and a strange roar echoed in the distance.
"Found us!" Guina shouted, grabbing Zoro and running.
Not understanding the situation, Zoro followed, asking, "What's that sound, Guina?"
She didn't look back, only replying, "I'm not sure… it's a terrifying monster. Massive, three heads, nine arms, with a white bone mask on its face."
Zoro's eyes narrowed as her description formed a mental image.
Suddenly, he remembered that morning's dream. The monster matched perfectly. In the dream, it had taken Guina!
"Damn it!"
Zoro thought quickly. Just as he did, Guina stopped in her tracks.
Zoro looked in the direction she was staring.
Ahead, the three-headed, nine-armed monster had spotted them.
Instinctively, both Zoro and Guina stepped back.
Zoro didn't want this first reunion with Guina to end so soon. "Run back!" he told her.
Thinking of the monster's cataclysmic attacks in his dream, he felt he couldn't confront it directly.
Guina, however, said calmly, "No. We can't escape."
Seeing the monster approaching, Zoro anxiously said, "Guina, go first! I'll draw it away!"
He dashed toward the monster, but Guina grabbed his arm, looking into his eyes gently.
"Zoro… you've grown stronger, haven't you?"
"Of course! But a monster of that level isn't something we can take head-on. I can only buy you time—run!"
Zoro, though puzzled by Guina's calmness, focused on protecting her.
"We fight together!" Guina said, gripping Zoro's hand.
Suddenly, she emitted a brilliant white light.
The light shrank, and the original Guina vanished.
In her place, Zoro now held a sword—Wado Ichimonji.