Chapter 51 The Little Cat Thief and the World's Greatest Swordsman
"Bang!!!"
With that earth-shattering slash, Krieg's massive pirate ship crashed into the ground, and the resulting towering waves slammed against the base of the floating restaurant like a tsunami.
Baratie shook violently, as if an earthquake of magnitude 8 had occurred.
"Wow!"
Almost everyone in the restaurant could not stand, and the sound of cups and plates shattering echoed everywhere.
"What happened?!"
"Is it...a tsunami? Or an earthquake?!"
A guest fell to the floor, staring at the churning waves outside the window, and screamed in terror.
At that moment, Luffy and his crew rushed out of the restaurant and onto the swaying deck.
When they saw what was before them, everyone involuntarily held their breath.
"Wow!! What's that?!"
Luffy's mouth dropped open, his jaw almost falling to the ground, and he gripped the railing tightly with both hands.
The once enormous three-story pirate ship ahead had now been neatly broken into three pieces and was slowly sinking into the sea.
The incision was as smooth as a mirror, as if it had been cut open by a god with a scalpel.
"The ship... has been cleaved in two..."
Usopp's legs trembled as he exclaimed in horror, "That enormous thing... it was actually cut open?!"
"It's...it's a lie, right..."
Zoro frowned, his eyes more serious than ever before.
His hand gripped the hilt of the knife tightly, his eyes searching the turbulent sea like a hawk's, as if looking for that terrifying figure.
Suddenly, his gaze stopped.
Among the floating debris of wooden planks, two familiar figures were struggling and calling for help in the water.
"Help... Brother Zoro!!"
Zoro was stunned: "What's going on? Are those Johnny and Joseph? How did they fall into the water? Luffy! Quickly, get them out of the water!"
Luffy followed Zoro's gaze and saw the two people waving their arms wildly.
"Oh! Leave it to me!"
"Rubber rubber—grab it!!"
Luffy stretched out his arm and grabbed the two men by the back of their collars like he was catching fish. With a forceful throw, he flung them onto the deck of Baratie.
"Cough cough cough!!"
Johnny and Joseph, who had been rescued, collapsed on the deck, panting heavily, soaked to the bone and looking utterly disheveled.
Viktor looked at the two of them, then glanced at the empty sea in the distance. The smile that had been on his face vanished, and he fell silent, a rare occurrence for him.
It seems our navigator has finally made her choice... What a little thief!
"Smack."
Victor, expressionless, picked up one of the feet of the still unconscious Clay the Raven and began to shake it frantically.
"Wake up, wake up."
"Coo coo...caw caw?"
Clay was dizzy from being shaken around. He slowly woke up and looked at Viktor in a daze. "What's wrong... sir... is dinner ready?"
"It's nothing, I just wanted to shake you."
"Gah??!"
At this moment, Usopp curiously approached and looked at the two people on the ground, asking:
"Hey, what's going on with you two? Aren't you going to keep an eye on the Going Merry? Are you having a swimming race here?"
Upon hearing the words "Merry," Johnny and Joseph shook their heads frantically, as if their tails had been stepped on.
She then burst into tears and hugged Zoro's leg.
"Waaaaah!! I'm so sorry!! Brother Zoro!!"
Johnny cried with snot and tears streaming down his face, "You asked us to take good care of the ship, but... we let you down! Waaaaah!"
"Huh? What happened to the ship?" A sense of foreboding rose in Zoro's heart.
Joseph took a deep breath and said through gritted teeth:
"Just now, Nami suddenly pushed us into the sea... She said we were going our separate ways..."
"And then... Nami took the ship away!! I'm so sorry!!"
"ha?!!"
Zoro instantly flew into a rage, veins bulging on his forehead, and turned to punch the restaurant wall hard.
"Bang!"
"That woman! She actually took advantage of the chaos to rob us! I knew she was a greedy thief!"
"What?!"
Usopp was also struck dumb, and he shouted through gritted teeth, "That's the ship Kaya gave us!! How could we let her steal it!"
Luffy didn't say anything.
He jumped onto the railing, shaded his eyes with his hand, and began to gaze into the distance.
On the vast ocean, a tiny black dot is rapidly disappearing into the distance.
"Ah! I can still see it!"
Luffy turned around and looked at Johnny. "Hey, where's your own ship?"
"Ah… our boat is still there, moored over there." Johnny pointed to the corner.
"Yoshi!"
Without any hesitation, Luffy immediately gave the captain's order:
"Zoro! Usopp! You two set off right now! Get on Johnny's ship and go get Nami!"
Zoro paused for a moment, then shrugged and said with a disgruntled expression:
"Forget it, let that kind of woman go. As for the boat... it's a pity, but we still have money, we can just buy another one."
"Right, Victor? We should have enough money, right?"
Victor did not speak.
He silently pointed to the Merry, which had been reduced to a tiny dot in the distance.
He pointed to his empty pockets, then spread his hands, revealing a helpless, bitter smile.
The meaning is clear: all the money is on the ship, which means it's in Nami's hands.
We are penniless now.
Zoro: "..."
"No way!!"
Luffy loudly refused, his eyes unwavering, "I'm going to make her my navigator! I can't do without her! And Viktor thinks so too, right?"
Viktor, whose name was called, sighed and nodded.
"Go, Zoro, Usopp. Just in case you get lost or can't find yourselves..."
Victor handed over the dazed Clay.
"I'll have Clay with you. It can fly, scout, and lead the way."
Zoro sighed helplessly and tightened his bandana again.
"Hey hey... Since the captain and first mate have given the order, there's nothing we can do. What a hassle."
He looked at Usopp, "Let's go, Usopp! Let's go and bring that witch back!"
"Oh!! We must get the Going Merry back!"
The two quickly boarded Johnny and Joseph's small hunting boat, named "Joseph".
On the ship, Usopp was teasing the still dazed Clay, trying to cheer him up.
As Zoro untied the ropes, he looked up at Luffy, who was still standing on the railing, and asked:
"Luffy, what about you guys? Aren't you coming along?"
Luffy shook his head, his gaze drifting towards the restaurant, then glancing at the severed giant ship on the distant sea.
"I still have things to take care of at this restaurant; the chef hasn't agreed to my request yet. So I can't go now."
"Okay, whatever you want."
Zoro said no more, but he couldn't help but add a word of advice:
"Be careful. The situation here is unusual. The guy who destroyed the Krieg fleet might be nearby. And... we don't have the money to ransom you this time."
After he finished speaking, he gave Viktor, who was standing silently to the side, a deep look.
"Victor, keep an eye on this idiot."
Viktor smiled and nodded, then waved goodbye.
...
On the other side, on the sea.
The massive wreckage of Krieg's pirate ship was slowly sinking, and countless pirate crew members who hadn't yet fallen into the sea were hanging on the wreckage, wailing in despair.
"What...what exactly happened...?"
"In an instant... the entire ship was cleaved in two?!"
A pirate, lying on a broken ship's deck, trembled as he looked up into the distance.
The next second, his eyes widened to their limit, his pupils reflecting extreme fear.
His fingers trembled uncontrollably as he pointed to the sea where the mist had dissipated.
"You guys...look at that!!"
"Ah...it's that man!! It's that devilish man who annihilated our fifty-ship fleet!!"
The piercing scream caused Zoro and Luffy, who were just about to set off, to turn around sharply and look in that direction.
The fog has lifted.
A small boat shaped like a black coffin floated silently on the turbulent sea, looking completely out of place.
A man was sitting on the small boat.
He had short black hair, a short beard, a black top hat adorned with white fur, and wore a burgundy patterned shirt and a black trench coat.
What is most striking are his pair of sharp, golden eyes, like those of an eagle.
And... the enormous black blade behind it, radiating endless chill.
Zoro stared at the elegant man sitting on the small boat, his pupils contracting sharply.
The blood in my body seemed to boil for one moment and freeze for the next.
"That...that man is..."
Zoro swallowed hard, his hands trembling involuntarily—a mixture of excitement and fear.
"That's the man!!"
"Huh? Zoro, who is he?" Luffy scratched his head, looking completely bewildered.
Zoro stared intently at the figure, his voice hoarse:
"He is the man I have been searching for...and the whole meaning of my voyage..."
"Hawkeye...Mihawk!!"
"The world's greatest swordsman!!"
"Ah! Number one in the world?!"
Luffy's mouth dropped open in surprise. "Huh? Where's his weapon? I can't see it!"
Viktor stood by the railing, gazing intently at the man who stood at the pinnacle of the world.
He smiled and answered for Zoro:
"His weapon was on his back."
"One of the twelve Supreme Grade Swords, the Black Sword Night, with its chaotic and intricately patterned blades."
Upon hearing this name, everyone's eyes widened, speechless with shock at the invisible pressure emanating from it.Chapter 52 Why do the weak still initiate this doomed duel?
Zoro's hand on the hilt of his sword trembled slightly.
"Thump, thump."
He tried to calm his heartbeat by taking deep breaths, but found that he couldn't do it no matter what.
It wasn't fear, but rather the excitement that made every cell in my body scream.
I can't believe it's happening so soon... I'll really see him soon.
Zoro's eyes blazed with an unprecedentedly intense fighting spirit, as if he wanted to ignite the air in front of him.
The appointed time... has finally arrived.
Viktor glanced at him and was touched by Zoro's tense and fervent expression, which seemed ready to die at any moment.
"Is this... what they call ambition?"
Viktor raised his head slightly and looked up at the vast, boundless sky.
"So, what are my ambitions?"
"Is it inexhaustible treasure, survival in this world, or the attainment of absolute power?"
Looking at the curly-browed chef lighting a cigarette in the distance, Victor suddenly felt a strange urge to try the taste of cigarettes.
Perhaps that thing can be useful when contemplating life.
"Luffy! Can you do me a favor?"
Zoro suddenly shouted, interrupting Viktor's thoughts.
He pointed to the still relatively intact, massive wreckage deck above Eagle Eyes, his eyes resolute:
"Take me there!"
"Oh! Leave it to me!"
Luffy, holding his straw hat, grinned and agreed, then instantly stretched out his arm and grabbed Zoro's back.
"Rubber rubber—rocket!!"
...
On the other side, on the floating wreckage of Krieg's pirate ship.
The atmosphere of fear continues to spread.
A pirate who looked like a squad leader, his eyes bloodshot, struggled to his feet and roared at the man on the small boat:
"You bastard!! What did we ever do to offend you?! Why are you hunting us down like this?!"
"Calm down, boss!" His subordinate tugged at him in alarm.
"Boss, shut up! He'll kill us!"
However, he was met with silence.
Hawkeye Mihawk simply sat there quietly, his golden pupils not even bothering to glance at the squad leader.
Silence is the greatest contempt.
"You bastard!!"
Enraged by this disregard, the squad leader suddenly drew his pistol and unleashed a barrage of shots at Hawkeye.
"Bang bang bang!!"
Flames spewed out, and bullets whistled through the air.
Hawkeye remained expressionless and didn't even get up.
He simply raised his right hand slowly and drew the massive black sword, Night, from his back.
Slightly rotate your wrist.
The massive black blade traced an elegant and graceful arc in the air.
"Ding ding ding!"
There was no expected slash; he simply parried the incoming projectiles with the broad blade.
Several high-speed bullets were instantly deflected from their trajectories and easily bounced into the sea, creating a few small waves.
"How...how is this possible?!"
The squad leader dropped his gun, his chin trembling. "I clearly... I clearly aimed..."
"He subtly altered the bullet's trajectory with the edge of his sword."
A deep voice came from behind.
"What?!" The squad leader turned around in horror. "How could a human do something like that! Those are bullets!"
Zoro did not answer these frogs in a well.
He pushed aside the pirates blocking his way and walked forward step by step, each step making a dull sound on the broken deck.
Nearby pirates stared wide-eyed at the three swords hanging from Zoro's waist and the green bib.
"Three knives...that outfit..."
"Could it be..."
Zoro ignored the stares of those around him.
He stared intently at the man sitting in the small boat ahead, a fanatical smile curving his lips.
"It's a heavy sword that looks clumsy, but in that instant, it showed such flexibility... It's the first time I've ever seen this kind of swordsmanship."
Hawkeye finally turned his head slightly, his sharp eagle eyes glancing at Zoro.
"A sword that only has power has no strength."
His tone was calm, yet it contained profound truth.
"Was that huge ship also cut down with that sword?" Zoro's hand gripped the hilt of his Wado Ichimonji tightly.
"Exactly," Hawkeye replied calmly.
"Oh..."
Zoro's eyes blazed with even stronger fighting spirit, and his blood was boiling.
"As expected of the world's strongest."
He slowly untied the dark green headscarf from his arm, solemnly tied it on his head, and his eyes instantly turned sharp as knives as he stared straight at Hawkeye.
"I went to sea to see you."
Hawkeye looked at the young swordsman, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes.
"Oh? What's the goal?"
"Defeat you!!"
Zoro roared and suddenly drew three swords, their cold light flashing, the tips pointing straight at the world's strongest.
"And then—become the strongest!!"
"Since you're so free right now, let's have a match!!"
These words caused an uproar among those around them.
"Hey!! That guy is Zoro!!"
"What?! It's that famous pirate hunter from the East Blue—Roronoa Zoro!!"
One of the pirates finally recognized Zoro and looked at him in shock, exclaiming, "Is he insane? How dare he challenge that monster!"
On the deck of the Baratie restaurant, everyone stared wide-eyed.
"Just who are these guys...?"
Paddy's mouth dropped open; he felt like his worldview was being constantly being challenged.
"That green algae head..."
Sanji stood by the railing, gazing intently at the green figure ahead, unaware that the cigarette in his hand had burned to the end.
Usopp below was anxiously shouting:
"Luffy! Victor! Now is not the time to watch a duel! The fog at sea is too thick, we can't see the Going Merry anymore! Nami is really going to get away!"
Luffy pressed down on his hat, staring straight ahead at Zoro's back, and said without turning his head:
"It's okay, Zoro is in a duel."
Victor raised his arm and gave a command to the crows that were still circling above.
"Clay, stop watching! Go catch up with the Going Merry, or I'll eat you up!"
"Gurgle, gurgle! Grandpa! I've got Grandpa Clay's got it covered!"
Upon receiving the order, Clay let out a strange cry, flapped his wings, and soared into the sky, transforming into a black lightning bolt as he flew towards the black dot that was about to disappear in the distance.
Then, Viktor smiled and looked at the anxious Usopp, pointing to the battlefield ahead.
"Don't rush, Usopp. This is a true swordsman's duel, a rare sight on this high sea. Just watch."
Usopp sighed helplessly and could only lean against the railing.
"Ah...you lot..."
far away.
Hawkeye on the small boat looked at Zoro, who was assuming a fighting stance, without any change in expression, as if he were looking at an ant baring its fangs and claws.
"What a pathetic weakling."
With a light leap, he landed as lightly as a feather on the deck in front of Zoro.
"If you are truly a first-rate swordsman, you can see the vast difference in strength between us even without a direct confrontation."
Hawkeye stood still, raised his eagle eyes that could pierce through the heart, and stared directly at Zoro.
"Under the gaze of these eyes, your chances of winning are—zero."
"So... why do you, the weak, even initiate this duel that is certain to end in death?"
Faced with this soul-searching question and the overwhelming sense of terrifying oppression.
Zoro lowered his head, his body trembling slightly.
That wasn't fear, but rather the body's instinct to resist an invincible enemy.
Then, he suddenly grinned and let out a low laugh.
"Heh...hehe..."
"Probability? Zero? That kind of boring stuff that only mathematicians like, what does it have to do with me?"
Zoro abruptly raised his head, his eyes unwavering, filled only with an unyielding resolve:
"It's not a half-baked question of 'whether we can win or not.' It's... I have to stand here!"
Zoro gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, his nails digging into his flesh.
"Behind me lie promises I must keep! And ambitions I will never relinquish, even in death!!"
Kuina's face flashed through his mind.
"If I were to back down even a single step because of the reason that I 'can't win'... all those past vows and the weight of those promises would snap in an instant and crush me completely!!"
Zoro clenched his fist on Wado Ichimonji, his voice muffled yet deafening:
"For me, that moment of retreat and defeat was more terrifying than death!!"
"So... don't underestimate my ambition!!!"
"Because—there's no way forward behind us!!"Chapter 53 The Swordsman's Dignity
"The world's strongest swordsman versus the most famous pirate hunter in the East Blue... What kind of battle will this be?"
On the deck of Baratie, Paddy nervously gripped his fork, swallowed hard, and felt the air thicken.
"Big Brother won't lose!!"
Johnny and Joseph, leaning on the railing below, shouted at the top of their lungs, "Go, bro! Show him the power of the Three-Sword Style!"
Center of deck.
Hawkeye looked at the young swordsman in front of him who was still full of fighting spirit even in the face of certain defeat.
A flicker of emotion finally crossed those golden eyes, which were as calm as an ancient well.
He slowly raised his hand and took off the small golden cross hanging around his neck.
"Deeply moving."
Hawkeye said calmly, his tone devoid of praise or criticism, "But reality is reality. I'm not like a stupid beast like you who can only bark and scream."
"Clang."
He gently pulled out the bottom of the cross, revealing a small, sharp knife only a few centimeters long.
"Although you are a well-known swordsman, this is, after all, the weakest of the four seas, the East Sea."
"Unfortunately, for an opponent of your caliber, I have no knife smaller than this."
These words were like a resounding slap in the face, striking Zoro's heart hard.
Zoro gripped the hilt of Wado Ichimonji so tightly that his teeth even drew blood.
There's a limit to looking down on people!
"Thump!"
Zoro shattered the deck with his feet, charging madly towards Hawkeye like an enraged tiger.
"Don't wait until you're dead to regret it, you bastard!!"
Faced with this aggressive charge, Hawkeye simply stood still.
He watched Zoro charging towards him and gently raised the "toy" knife in his hand.
"You frog in a well, let me show you how vast the world is."
"Ghost Slayer!!"
Zoro held nothing back and immediately unleashed his strongest attack.
The three knives, like the fangs of a ghost, blocked all escape routes.
"ha!!"
However, what happened next left everyone present speechless.
Hawkeye's expression remained unchanged, and he didn't even move an inch.
He simply took the small knife and seemingly casually stabbed forward.
"bite!!"
With a crisp, heartbreaking clang of metal.
Zoro's once unstoppable momentum came to an abrupt halt!
The small knife, only a few centimeters long, was precisely pressed against the core point where Zoro's three swords met.
It was like a stabilizing force, preventing Zoro from advancing even an inch further, no matter how hard he tried!
"Zoro... How... How is this possible..."
Luffy, who was watching the battle, stared wide-eyed.
Johnny and Joseph were sweating profusely, their pupils dilating in shock.
"That...that's Big Brother's ultimate move that can cut down enemies with 100% certainty! And it was defeated by a toy knife..."
Viktor sat on the railing, his eyes flashing with the twin tomoe of light, taking in the entire scene.
"That's amazing."
He exclaimed from the bottom of his heart.
He could see it clearly, even though it was their first meeting.
But Hawkeye, with his terrifying insight, precisely discovered the only weakness in Zoro's attack in that split second.
This is a complete dimensional reduction attack in terms of swordsmanship level.
"This move must be the culmination of decades of skill," Viktor murmured.
On the other side, Zoro gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, and muscles in his arms bulging to their limit.
But no matter how hard he tried, the knife was like a mountain, leaving him in despair.
"How... is it possible... to be... by something that looks like a toy..."
"What a joke! The world... how could it be that far away?!"
Zoro roared, sheathed his sword, spun around, and launched another barrage of attacks at Hawkeye.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
But no matter what moves he uses or how tricky the angle of his attack.
Hawkeye parried all the attacks with ease, as if he were strolling in a garden, using only a small knife.
The movement was so subtle that not even the hem of his clothes fluttered.
This is clearly an old man teasing a child.
"Too slow."
Hawkeye gave it a slight push.
"Bang!"
Zoro instantly lost his balance and fell to the ground in a sorry state, rolling several times.
"ah!!"
Johnny and Joseph exclaimed in alarm, "No way! Big brother!"
"Big brother! Use your full strength! Stop playing around with him!"
"Shut up!!"
Zoro roared and got up from the ground, his eyes bloodshot.
The three knives went completely berserk, like a wildly dancing whirlwind.
"Tiger Hunt!"
But Hawkeye, faced with this beast-like, frenzied attack, only took a small step back, his eyes remaining calm.
"What a ferocious sword technique! It's full of flaws."
Zoro launched another attack, but it was still easily blocked by Hawkeye.
The surviving pirates were drenched in cold sweat as they watched this scene.
"Wow...that's incredibly strong! That's Roronoa Zoro!"
"He actually blocked Zoro's entire three-sword style attack with just that nail clipper toy! Is he even human?!"
"I...I didn't start wielding this sword just to be toyed with by this broken toy!!"
Zoro roared in despair.
The image of the short-haired girl holding a white monji under the moonlight flashed through his mind.
"Kuina…"
In the instant he was distracted.
"puff!"
Hawkeye seized the opportunity and delivered a precise blow to Zoro's shoulder, knocking him to the ground.
"Ha...ha...damn it!"
Zoro trembled as he propped himself up, blood dripping onto the deck.
"I have... an absolute reason why I cannot lose!!"
He drew back his swords, his muscles tensed like a bow, and all his power was concentrated in this one strike.
"Three-sword style - hunting!!"
However.
Facing Zoro charging straight at him, Hawkeye simply thrust out his sword once more with nonchalant ease.
"Pfft!"
The dagger plunged deep into Zoro's chest.
Zoro's charge stopped instantly, his hands hanging limply at his sides, but he did not retreat even a step.
Do you want your heart pierced?
Hawkeye looked at the young man who refused to retreat even at the cost of his life and asked in a deep voice, "Why won't you retreat?"
Blood spilled from Zoro's mouth, staining his teeth red.
"I don't know... I don't know either..."
Zoro's voice was weak but firm:
"All I know is... if I back down even a single step here... all those past vows, and so many other important things, will crumble and break in this instant..."
"If that happens... I will never be able to come back here again."
Hawkeye said calmly, "That is defeat."
"Ah... if that's the case, then I can't back down even more."
Even if it means death?
"Death... is better than defeat!!"
Zoro raised his head, his eyes burning with a flame called "dignity".
Despite being the weakest sea, Hawkeye witnessed the strongest heart within it.
Upon hearing this, Hawkeye's previously lazy gaze finally became completely focused, and that nonchalant look disappeared.
"Would you rather die than be defeated?"
He slowly withdrew the dagger that had pierced Zoro's chest, and then solemnly put it away.
"Boy, state your name."
Zoro took a deep breath and assumed the Three-Sword Style stance again, the highest etiquette for a swordsman.
"Roronoa Zoro!"
"I will remember that."
Hawkeye nodded. "A long-awaited powerhouse."
Then, he asked in a low voice, "Why are you swinging your sword? To cut down the enemy before you?"
Zoro was taken aback, then roared as if it were the most natural thing in the world:
"Of course! To become stronger! To defeat a strong opponent like you! To become the world's number one!"
"So... that's why you're weak."
Zoro's pupils contracted sharply: "What did you say?!"
Hawkeye didn't look at him, but stared at the cross-shaped knife in his hand, as if talking to himself:
"The tighter you grip a sword, the more fragile it becomes."
"Your sword is filled with 'desire'—the desire to win, the desire to cut off, the desire to become famous."
"These desires are like weeds, clinging tightly to your blade and dulling it."
Hawkeye's golden eyes stared directly at Zoro once more:
"When you only have the goal of being the'strongest' in your eyes, you can't see the road under your feet, the flow of the wind, or the vastness of the world."
"Right now, you're like a wild beast that only knows how to rampage."
"And wild beasts... can never defeat humans!"
Zoro was struck dumb, frozen in place.
"A wild beast...?"
Hawkeye slowly held the black sword, Night, horizontally in front of him.
"However, as a sign of respect and courtesy to you as a swordsman, I will use this world's strongest black sword to send you to your death at sea."
Zoro snapped out of his daze, looked at the black sword that exuded a terrifying aura, and a relieved smile appeared on his lips.
"Then... I'm truly grateful!!"
The wind picked up.
Zoro stared intently at Hawkeye charging towards him, his two swords spinning rapidly.
"Three-Sword Style: Ultimate Technique!!"
"Three thousand worlds!!!"
The two passed each other.
"Clang—!!"
Then came a chilling cracking sound.
"Clatter".
Zoro's two ordinary samurai swords broke in two and fell to the ground.
Only the "Wado Ichimonji" he mentioned remained intact.
Zoro slowly sheathed his sword, turned around, opened his arms, and faced Hawkeye calmly.
"I lost... I never thought... I would lose..."
"What?" Hawkeye looked at his actions with some surprise.
Zoro flashed a bright smile, his eyes resolute and clear:
"The scars on the back... are a swordsman's shame!!"
Hawkeye looked at the man, a genuine smile of appreciation appearing on his lips.
"Amazing!! Roronoa Zoro!!"
"Pfft!!"
The black blade swung down.
A huge gash appeared on Zoro's chest, and blood gushed out, staining the sky red.Chapter 54 Vows and Ambition! The New Era That Man Bet On
"Zoro!!"
Luffy's roar echoed through the sky, his voice filled with unbelievable anger and terror.
Seeing his companion fall to the ground covered in blood, the straw-hatted boy instantly lost his mind.
"You bastard! Rubber—"
Luffy suddenly stretched his arms back, and the elasticity of the rubber accumulated to its maximum in an instant, propelling him forward like an arrow.
He gripped the edge of the deck tightly with both hands, using his body as a giant slingshot, and slammed his head into the black-clad swordsman.
"Rocket launcher!!"
Faced with this sudden attack, Hawkeye Mihawk simply turned slightly to the side.
His sharp, hawk-like golden eyes glanced at the blow with ease, and he easily dodged the brute force.
Another wild beast.
Bang!
With a loud bang, Luffy lost his target due to excessive force.
His head was shoved heavily into the wooden board behind Hawkeye, getting stuck completely, while his legs kicked helplessly in the air.
In that split second, a scene unfolded on the sea that caught even the eye of an eagle.
The moment Zoro was struck by the black blade, Victor, who had been watching from the sidelines, moved.
He didn't jump, but instead took a step forward, landing steadily on the undulating sea.
The seawater beneath my feet seemed to have turned into solid land, only rippling in tiny waves.
The next moment, his speed was astonishing, leaving an afterimage in the air.
Just as Zoro was about to plunge into the icy sea, a pair of strong hands gently supported his back.
Viktor crouched on the sea surface and caught the seriously injured swordsman steadily.
Blood stained the seawater and also stained Viktor's sleeves.
"You look so pathetic, you green algae head."
Viktor looked down at his unconscious companion in his arms, his tone tinged with a hint of mockery.
"Ha ha..."
Zoro was panting heavily, the intense pain in his chest making his vision blurry.
He was so weak that he didn't even bother arguing with Viktor, and could only manage a weak twitch of his lips.
Hawkeye Mihawk glanced at Luffy, who was stuck in the wooden plank, and then looked intently at Victor, who was standing on the sea and holding Zoro.
'Such speed...and the fact that they can stand on the sea as if it were flat ground...'
A flicker of surprise crossed Hawkeye's mind.
"Are you the companions of that young swordsman? Thank you for watching until the end."
"Pfft!"
Over there, Luffy finally managed to pull his head out of the wooden plank, and fell to the ground due to the recoil.
Ignoring the pain, he scrambled towards the edge of the railing, his face filled with panic: "Zoro! Zoro...!"
"Don't worry, he's still alive." Hawkeye stood with his arms crossed, his black trench coat fluttering in the sea breeze.
"Ah... still alive... cough cough..."
Holding Viktor, Zoro struggled to speak, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth with each word, but he stubbornly remained conscious.
Upon hearing Zoro's voice, Luffy's tears and snot instantly burst forth.
He yelled and made a move to jump off the wrecked deck and pounce on Zoro.
"Great!! Zoro!!"
"Hey! Idiot!"
Viktor stared speechlessly at the red figure that had descended from the sky.
He raised his leg and precisely blocked Luffy's face with a kick, stopping him in mid-air.
"Luffy, what are you doing? If you do that again, we'll really have to hold a funeral for this guy."
Luffy, who had been kicked, showed absolutely no anger.
Instead, he pressed his straw hat firmly against his head, grinned widely, and burst into genuine laughter: "Hehehe! That's great! That's really great!"
Hawkeye frowned, his gaze lingering on the worn-out straw hat for a moment, his eyes becoming somewhat profound.
Just then, Usopp, Johnny, and Joseph rowed their small boat and rushed to the scene.
Viktor carefully transferred the heavily injured Zoro to the small boat.
Seeing their older brother covered in blood, Johnny and Joseph immediately burst into tears, crying out, "Big brother!! Waaah! How could you..."
"Ah, don't cry, it's too early to cry now."
Viktor shook the blood off his hands and said with a smile, "This guy's tough as nails, he's still alive."
Hawkeye stood on high ground, looking down at Luffy, Victor, and Zoro lying on the ship.
Looking at this group of young people with such different personalities yet bound together by life and death, the world's greatest swordsman inexplicably smiled.
'What an interesting combination...' he thought to himself.
Suddenly, Hawkeye stepped forward, his deep voice resounding across the sea like a great bell.
"Roronoa Zoro! You're too young to die!"
Everyone looked up in shock.
"I am Gilakol Mihawk! Go and see the world clearly, go and see yourself clearly! And then—become stronger!"
Hawkeye spread his arms wide, as if showing the group of young people how long and magnificent the road to the top is.
"No matter how long the future may be, I will be waiting for you in this strongest seat!"
"This black sword, this throne of the world's number one, is right here."
"Try to rely on your audacious ambition and your powerful inner desire to defeat 'zero'..."
Upon hearing this, Viktor's eyes narrowed slightly, and he gave Hawkeye a deep look.
Hawkeye's maniacal laughter grew even more unrestrained:
"Beyond this sword! Beyond me! Beast! Roronoa!!"
These words resounded like thunder at sea.
Standing on the small boat, Victor looked up at the figure that resembled a mountain, and a rare surge of burning fighting spirit welled up in his heart.
But he quickly suppressed the impulse, turned back to look at Zoro lying on the deck, and a smile appeared on his lips.
Being recognized by such a powerful figure is a victory for both him and us, who are currently weak.
but...
Viktor stroked his chin, thinking to himself: "The more I think about Hawkeye's words, the more off they seem..."
"Hey, Green Algae Head, did you hear that?"
Viktor lightly kicked Zoro's shoe with his foot. "It's your turn to respond."
Meanwhile, on the deck of the Baratie restaurant in the distance.
Zeff crossed his arms and stared intently at the figure carrying the enormous black sword.
"To make that Hawkeye Mihawk say such a thing..."
He turned his head and looked at Sanji, who was leaning against the wall, silently smoking.
A smile inexplicably appeared on Zhefu's lips, but his back looked somewhat desolate in the sea breeze, like a father about to say goodbye to his child.
"These guys will get along with you, won't they... you brat..."
On the small boat.
Zoro, whose consciousness was about to fade into darkness, heard Hawkeye's words and felt the gazes of his companions.
He raised the sword in his hand with trembling hands—it was the Wado Ichimonji that belonged to Kuina.
The sword tip pointed straight to the sky, gleaming brightly in the sunlight.
With the last ounce of strength in his body, tears mingled with blood as he shouted towards the sky, and towards that unreachable figure:
"Luffy... can you hear me...?"
"Ah!" Luffy responded loudly.
"You've made that red-eyed bastard...and all of you worry...If you can't even become the world's greatest swordsman...you'll be very troubled, won't you..."
"I won't...lose again!!!"
Tears streamed down his face, but his eyes were clearer than ever before.
"I will never lose again until I defeat this guy and become the greatest swordsman! Any objections, Pirate King?!"
Upon hearing this promise, Luffy, holding his straw hat, revealed his brightest smile.
Hehehe! No!!!
At that moment, the entire sea seemed to fall silent, leaving only the stirring vow echoing in the air.
Hawkeye watched this scene and chuckled softly.
"One Piece? As expected... Is this the new era that man was willing to gamble on even after losing his left arm?"
He turned around, his black cloak arcing through the air, and walked straight toward his small boat, which resembled a coffin.
"Great team, I look forward to seeing you again."
...
The battle is over, but its aftermath lingers.
Just as everyone was still savoring the excitement of what had just happened, a figure vanished into thin air.
The next second, Victor "flashed" to the Baratie deck and silently arrived next to Sanji, who was leaning against the wall.
Sanji was still reeling from the shock he had just experienced, and he had only smoked half of the cigarette in his mouth.
Suddenly, a hand reached out and snatched the still-burning cigarette from his mouth.
"Huh?" Sanji was taken aback and turned his head with a dark expression.
Viktor unceremoniously stuffed the stolen cigarette into his mouth.
He took a deep breath and then gently exhaled a pale blue smoke, his signature smiling expression on his face.
"Ugh, I can't stand these hot-blooded idiots."
Viktor sighed helplessly, but the smile on his face wouldn't go away.
Sanji looked at him helplessly, then took out another cigarette from his pocket and lit it.
He took a deep breath and looked out at the small boat carrying Sauron and the vast sea in the distance.
"Ugh, what an idiot," Sanji muttered in agreement.
"You're just as stupid, cook," Victor said with a grin, turning his head to look at him.
Sanji turned around, and this time he did not refute.
He looked at the smiling man in front of him and suddenly chuckled softly.
"That's not how you smoke, kid... you shouldn't smoke."
Then, Sanji deliberately exhaled a large puff of thick smoke at Viktor's smiling face.
"Cough cough..." Viktor was sprayed in the face with smoke, and several veins bulged on his forehead instantly.
The harmonious atmosphere was instantly shattered.
"Damn those curly eyebrows..."
Viktor maintained his smile, but his feet showed no mercy.
"Get out of here!"
He raised his foot and kicked Sanji in the butt with lightning speed.
"Whoa! You bastard—"
With a scream and a perfect parabola, Sanji, who had just been showing off, was kicked straight into the sea in front of him.
thump!
A huge splash of water erupted as Viktor stood by the railing, watching Sanji thrashing about in the water, and waved happily.
"Take a shower to calm down, cook."Chapter 55 The Demon's Resolve! A "Gentle" Farewell
As the small, coffin-like boat disappeared off the horizon, the sea, which had just been battered by a violent storm, finally returned to calm.
But beneath this calm, there was a suffocating stillness.
On the sea, the huge warship that once symbolized the hegemony of the East China Sea is now just a bare wreck floating in the water.
Hundreds of pirate henchmen clung to the broken planks or squeezed together at the stern of the ship that had not yet sunk.
They were all emaciated and had sunken eyes, looking like hungry ghosts who had just crawled out of hell.
However, despite their hunger making them even want to gnaw on the planks under their feet, not one of them dared to swim a step closer to the nearby Baratie restaurant.
Because that man is still there.
The headless corpse of Creek that Akin brought, and Akin's idle chatter, all pointed to...
That black-haired, red-eyed man was the "demon" who had chopped off their admiral's head with a single sword strike.
That fear, so deep within their souls, even overwhelmed their craving for food.
"Da, da, da."
Footsteps sounded.
Ah Jin, who had just climbed out of the sea, was soaking wet.
He dragged his battered body step by step to the center of the restaurant's deck.
He didn't look at anyone and went straight up to Viktor and Zeff.
"thump!"
This tough guy, known as "Ghost Man," knelt down heavily on both knees without any hesitation at this moment.
His forehead slammed hard against the hard wooden board, making a dull thud. Blood flowed down his forehead, mingling with the seawater dripping down.
"Please..."
Ah Jin's voice was hoarse and trembling, filled with final despair and pleading:
"I know…we're going to die. Captain Creek is dead, and we've lost the will to fight…"
"But... my brothers... they're still starving..."
He suddenly raised his head, his bloodshot eyes filled with tears:
"Just a little food and water will do! In exchange... I swear! I will leave with everyone right now! I will never set foot in the East China Sea again! I will never do evil again!"
Please!
Another resounding slap on the head.
The restaurant was completely silent, except for the sound of waves crashing against the shore.
The chefs looked at each other, some with pity, others with resentment.
"Oh."
A soft laugh broke the silence.
Victor walked slowly across the railing with his hands in his pockets.
As he approached, an invisible sense of oppression instantly enveloped Akin.
"Buzz—"
Viktor's originally dark eyes instantly transformed into crimson Sharingan.
Two magatama slowly rotated in his pupils, emitting an eerie and cold light.
He walked up to Ah Jin and looked down at the lowly man.
"Do you know what you're saying, you pirate Gin?"
Viktor's voice was calm, yet it carried a chilling undertone:
"These people are pirates, the kind of beasts that will bare their fangs once they've had their fill. You saw what happened to Krieg just now."
Viktor bent down slightly, his Sharingan eyes staring directly into Gin's soul:
"Releasing a tiger back into the mountains will lead to endless troubles. What if they get their fill one day and come back to bite people? This kind of pointless sympathy can kill people."
The surrounding air seemed to freeze.
Luffy leaned on the railing, watching this scene silently without saying a word.
Akin's body was trembling violently.
He sensed the undisguised killing intent emanating from Viktor, a terrifying intent that would instantly behead him if he answered even the slightest wrong word.
But he did not back down.
Akin gritted his teeth, raised his head to meet those terrifying Sharingan eyes, and said, word by word:
"If...that day really comes..."
"Take my life first!!"
There was no wavering in his eyes; it was a resolute determination that disregarded life and death.
"I will bear all the sins! I will bear all the punishment!"
The two looked at each other.
A few seconds later.
The red light in Viktor's eyes faded, and the suffocating sense of oppression vanished as well.
He straightened up, resumed his smiling expression, and waved his hand somewhat listlessly:
"Well, that's a really boring answer."
"However... since you've put it that way, then do as you please."
After saying that, he turned around and ignored Ah Jin on the ground, as if the murderous person from just now was not him at all.
at the same time.
"Da, da, da."
Another set of footsteps sounded.
Sanji, who had just been kicked into the sea by Viktor and was soaking wet, had somehow already entered the restaurant.
He didn't even glance at Ah Jin, nor did he say a word, and walked straight into the kitchen.
A moment later.
"Clang!"
The kitchen door was violently kicked open.
Sanji emerged carrying a huge wooden barrel on one hand.
Behind him, several chefs, including Paddy and Carl, followed reluctantly, pushing carts full of food.
"Hey! Sanji! This is food for tonight's guests!" Paddy complained loudly, but his hands didn't stop moving.
"Stop babbling, you stinky cook."
Sanji slammed the huge wooden bucket filled with seafood fried rice down in front of Gin.
He pulled a cigarette from his soaked pocket; it was too wet to light, but he still habitually put it in his mouth.
There's only leftover food here.
Sanji turned around, his back to Gin, his tone indifferent:
"Eat quickly if you're going to, and get out of here right away. Don't make a mess of the store's entrance."
Looking at the steaming, mountain-like pile of fried rice in front of him, Ah Jin could no longer hold back her tears.
"Th...thank you...waaaah...thank you!!"
Beside the railing on the second floor.
Zeff watched this scene without stopping it.
He merely stroked his golden beard and gave a cold snort:
"Now that it's been made, let's not waste the food. That's the rule in Baratie."
...
Half an hour later.
Beside the wreckage on the sea surface.
Akin distributed buckets of fried rice to the dying pirates. In this moment of despair, Akin was unanimously elected as the new captain.
"Waaaaah! There's food!!"
"It's food! It's hot food!!"
The pirates frantically grabbed rice and stuffed it into their mouths, their cries and chewing sounds filling the air.
During this feast after surviving the ordeal, Ah Jin stood at the bow of the boat, looking at his companions who had once been fierce and menacing, but now wept like children.
His gaze gradually hardened.
Creek is dead, but he lives on.
"Listen!!"
Ajin roared, his voice echoing in every corner:
"After we finish this meal, we'll leave here! Leave the East China Sea!!"
"We must never forget this kindness! We... will start anew!!"
"Yes!! Captain Kin!!" The pirates responded with tears streaming down their faces, their mouths full of food.
The wrecked pirate ship used its remaining sails to slowly begin to turn.
Before leaving.
Akin stood at the stern, facing the direction of the Baratie restaurant.
He bowed deeply to the blond chef with a cigarette in his mouth and remained there for a long time.
Then, he straightened up, his gaze sweeping over the crowd and landing on Luffy and Victor.
His eyes held a complex mix of awe, gratitude, and a barely perceptible hint of fighting spirit.
"Straw Hat Luffy... and Victor."
Ajin clenched his fists and shouted:
"Although we stand on different sides... I, Ah Jin, will never forget this kindness!!"
"See you on the Grand Line!!"
The sea breeze is blowing.
The wrecked ship, laden with scars and new life, sailed further and further away in the afterglow of the setting sun, eventually disappearing into the vast ocean.
On the deck of Baratie.
Victor leaned against the railing, watching the direction the pirate ship had gone, and the familiar system notification sound rang in his mind once again.
[Ding! Detected that the host has significantly altered the fate of the supporting character "Gin" and the "Krieg Pirates".]
[They, who were originally destined for destruction, have now been reborn.]
[Plot deviation increased.]
[Reward received: 1000 Ninja Points.]
Hearing the pleasant notification sound, Viktor's lips curled into a slight smile, and he felt pleased.
"1000 points... it's not a lot, but it's better than nothing."
He now has a whopping 3000 Ninja Points, enough to make a big splash.
He took a kunai out of his pocket and twirled it casually between his fingers, a meaningful glint in his dark eyes.
"It's not so bad to be a good person once in a while."
"after all..."
The sea breeze ruffled his black hair, and his smile, though radiant in the sunlight, carried a chilling undertone.
Victor squinted, gazing at the empty sea in the distance, and murmured softly:
"If they dare to turn back, we can just kill them again."
"As long as my sword remains, there is nothing in this world that I cannot cut down."
"You're right, aren't you, Luffy?"
Beside him, Luffy was leaning on the railing, gazing into the distance. Suddenly, he turned around and flashed a big smile:
"Hehehe! I'm hungry, Victor!"
"..."
Viktor's smile froze instantly.
"You bastard...you completely ruined the atmosphere!!"