5 The Duel's Finale, Zoro's Resolve

(Author- Hey, I hope you all enjoy! If you do then please don't forget to feed it all your power stones and add it to your library!)

'So this is it. The last strike. Will I be the world's strongest? Or will I die?' With that thought, Zoro spins his two blade creating a mirage of six and dashes forewords to meet Mihawk who also matches his charge.

"Three sword style secret technique! Three Thousand Worlds!" The two then clash for a split second before they both pass the other.

"It's over." Sparrow states calmly.

They stand facing away from each other in silence. Suddenly, after a moment of silence, Zoro's two sword fall apart and blood spurts out of his chest as he collapses to the ground.

"I lost. I never thought there would be a day that I would lose." Zoro says as he pulls himself off the ground again. He then carefully removes Wado Ichimonji, his only non damaged sword, from his mouth and sheaths it.

'So this is the strength of the worlds strongest hm?' Zoro, then slowly pulls himself to his feet before turning and facing Mihawk. Then, after a momentary pause, Zoro opens his arms wide leaving himself completely open to Mihawk.

Mihawk, surprised by this action raises his eyebrow and asks, "What are you doing?"

Zoro, barely able to stand and covered in wounds smiles before confidently declaring, "Scars on the back, is a swordsman's shame."

'His resolve is...' "Impressive!" Mihawk declares with a smirk. When he had come to this place hunting the crew of pirates who had annoyed him, he never thought he would find such an admirable swordsman!

Without another thought, Mihawk then slashes his blade directly a crossed Zoro's chest serating the skin and leaving a large 3 foot long deep gash on his torso. "Don't live so hastily young man."

'That idiot!' Sanji thinks to himself his eyes wide unable to comprehend why Zoro would go so far.

Unable to stand any longer, Zoro then collapses and falls into the water behind him. "ZOROOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Damn you. MIHAWKKKK!!!!!!!!!"

A roar of agony and despair erupts from Luffy as he then uses his rubber bady to launch himself over to the platform where Zoro just fell from. Luffy then without wasting a second begins to attack Mihawk with a flurry of blows all of which are easily avoided.

Mihawk however then states, "Are you the young swordsman's comrade? I'm impressed that you watched the fight to the very end. Do not worry. I did not kill that man."

"Eh?" Luffy asks confused as he halts his assault and simply faces the man.

However, after a moment, from beneath the waves Sparrow emerges with the green bandanna wearing swordsman in his arms. Sparrow then quickly swims over to the platform where Luffy and Mihawk are now standing and pulls Zoro onto the deck.

"Zoro!" Luffy shouts worriedly upin seeing his wounded friend.

Mihawk however looks at the face of the barely conscious man and declares, "It is still too early for you to die! My name is Dracula Mihawk! Learn about yourself. Learn about the world! And become strong! No matter how many years it takes, I will hold this seat of the strongest and wait for you! Surpass this sword! Try and surpass me! Roronoa Zoro!"

All the spectators simply sit in a silenced aw at the powerful words of the man and his acknowledgment of Zoro. After a moment, Mihawk then turns to Luffy. "What's your goal?"

Without hesitation Luffy calmly replies, "King of the pirates."

"It'll be even harder than surpassing me you know?"

Luffy then shrugs, "How should I know? I haven't done it yet."

Mihawk then turns and faces Sparrow, who is looking up at the man with a curious gaze. "You look too much like your father boy. Don't tarnish his name by remaining weak. Perhaps you will one day challenge me. I look forward to it."

Sparrow simply nods. Zoro, however then draws his sword and points it to the sky despite his terrible injuries.

"L-luffy! Can you hear me?"

"Yeah!" Luffy replies.

In this moment, the already silent crowd grows even quieter as they all lean in to listen to the words of Zoro. "Did I worry you? You need no less than the worlds greatest swordsman on your crew right?"

He then coughs causing his body to spasm and his wounds begin to bleed even worse than before. Seeing this Sparrow immediately tears off Zoro's shirt and begins to wrap his wounds in it.

Still pointing Wado Ichimonji to the sky, despite the trembling in his arm Zoro continues, "From this point on, I shall never be defeated again! Until the day I defeat him and become a master swordsman, I'll never be defeated, got a problem with that?

Luffy! King of the pirates!!!"