For the Sake of the Captain, Zoro Gives Up His Pride!

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Grand Line, Kuraigana Island:

On this island, the Kingdom of Shikkearu still thrives, unlike the grim fate it was bound to in the manga.

The king of Shikkearu Kingdom gazed at the ruins of his kingdom with a somber expression in one manga panel.

He seemed less concerned about the ongoing events and plot developments involving Zoro and Mihawk; what troubled him most was the sight of his ruined kingdom.

"Will my kingdom truly fall in my generation? This cannot happen!"

On the day Kuraigana Island appeared in the manga as Mihawk's residence— after Bartholomew Kuma sent Zoro there at the end of the Sabaody Archipelago arc—the king felt a shiver run down his spine.

It wasn't only him; every resident of Kuraigana Island, all avid readers of One Piece, felt the same.

Some even left the island, hoping to avoid a future extermination.

Even now, the king of Shikkearu Kingdom could not get accustomed to seeing the ruins of his once-thriving kingdom, where only his royal palace remained intact.

"Those cursed baboons… They emerged from the forest and even learned to fight with swords… Should I purge them before they learn something more dangerous and threaten the kingdom's security?"

The king pondered this for a moment before dismissing the idea.

"No, that isn't necessary right now. The urgent matter is figuring out how to avoid the terrifying war predicted to happen years from now and finding a reasonable solution… But first, I must stop my people from fleeing out of fear for the future. There won't be a kingdom to protect if there's no populace to begin with."

"Royal Father! Look at this! I never expected Zoro to do something like this!" exclaimed the prince of Shikkearu Kingdom in shock as he turned to the next chapter.

Unlike his royal father, who was horrified to see the ruins of their kingdom again, the prince was astonished by Zoro's actions instead.

This act was completely out of character for Zoro!

"Hmm? That really is surprising…"

The king temporarily forgot his worries, equally stunned as he focused on the scene.

…

•———•———•———•———•

Chapter's Events:

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[Grand Line; Kuraigana Island: Ruins of The Shikkearu Kingdom]

"I'm begging you… TEACH ME THE WAY OF THE SWORD!!!"

Zoro kneeled, displaying a completely humble stance, earnestly pleading. Mihawk looked at the scene, his eyes darkening:

"I am disappointed in you, Roronoa Zoro…"

"Do you mean to ask for teachings from your enemy…? Know your shame."

Mihawk averted his gaze from Zoro, seemingly losing interest in the man he once had high expectations for.

"Leave this place. I have no further interest in you…"

"....."

"It would seem that my expectations for you were too high…"

"Must you persist? It pains me to watch."

"I want to become strong…!!!"

"Defeated by those baboons, unable even to escape to sea… and after all that, you have the nerve to come crawling back here. I have nothing to teach to the likes of you…" said Mihawk.

"The baboons, I have defeated…!!! Yours is the only head I have yet to take."

Zoro's words shocked Mihawk. (… He did what?!!)

A pile of defeated baboons lay in a mound at the castle's gate…

"But I am not foolish enough to believe that I have any hope of defeating you here and now…!!" Zoro admitted his inability to defeat Mihawk, remaining in a kneeling position.

•———•———•———•———•

Shimotsuki Town:

"This young man has cast aside his pride for the sake of his captain…" smiled the old man, Kouzaburo, marveling at the sight.

"For someone like Zoro to do such a thing, kneeling before his greatest rival to learn the way of the sword… it seems he realizes that the only one who can truly train him is this 'mountain' he must surpass one day," Koushirou also remarked, smiling.

"But will Mihawk so easily accept training him? He himself pointed out, after all—who would train the very person who aims to slay him one day?"

"Ahahaha! This is interesting; I really look forward to seeing what Mihawk decides," Kouzaburo added.

...

Not far from the dojo owners, Roronoa Arashi and his family watched in astonishment as well.

"This boy is doing this only for Luffy… I don't think he'd bow to Mihawk if Luffy hadn't asked him," Arashi said. He wasn't eager to see his son kneel to Mihawk, especially as Mihawk had almost killed him back in the East Blue.

Mihawk was Zoro's greatest enemy, the massive obstacle Zoro would someday need to overcome if he aimed to become the world's greatest swordsman.

"But my dear son has no other choice…" Terra gazed at the scene with a mix of sadness and pride.

"Mihawk doesn't seem like someone difficult to talk to… He appears kind enough at this moment… if he becomes Zoro's mentor, perhaps their relationship might shift from foes to teacher and student…" Furiko added with a smile, enjoying the dramatic shift in the story.

"In the way of the sword, what truly matters is whose blade is sharper than the other, even if they are master and disciple. It's not impossible for them to clash once they reach a bottleneck," remarked Ushimaru, who was well-versed in the path of the sword. After all, the relationship of master and student was common in Wano; many had sought training from their strongest rivals.

"One day, my son will undoubtedly be the strongest… But if Mihawk trains him, the final battle between them will draw closer than ever," said Terra, gently placing a warm hand on her stomach as if patting the head of the child within.

Yes, after many failed attempts, it seemed that the moss-headed sperm had finally found its way to the egg after getting lost numerous times along the path. Only God knows how it won that race despite its directionless nature.

…

•———•———•———•———•

"I don't understand. If you still see me as an enemy, why would you prostrate yourself before me and ask for my teachings?!! What purpose does this serve?!!" Mihawk questioned, puzzled.

"So that I may surpass you…!!!" Zoro's answer was so absurd it made Mihawk chuckle.

"Haha… Wahahahahah…!"

"You ask me to raise the swordsman who will one day take my life by my own hands?!"

"You are a strange one for sure…!!! Hahahah!!" Mihawk laughed heartily as the disdain he had in his heart dissipated, finding the situation amusing.

"Hmph… It's a ridiculous notion. Yet your actions are unsightly… It appears you've found a greater cause than your own ambition." After a moment of thought, he commanded Perona.

"Ghost girl! Tend to his wounds!"

"Ahh!! Don't you dare order me around!!" Perona shouted angrily.

"We'll begin training only once your wounds have healed."

Hearing Mihawk's agreement to train him, a broad smile spread across Zoro's face.

(Such a clumsy man… Men like you will only ever choose to abandon their pride for the sake of another.) Mihawk thought, smiling; he knew the reason Zoro had forsaken his pride and knelt before him for training. It was all for the sake of his captain, Straw Hat Luffy.

•———•———•———•———•

Ohara:

"Hohoho! How impressive!"

Issho chuckled lightly, observing the scene filled with shocking events.

"Who would have thought that a proud man like Zoro would give up his pride to ask his enemy for training… This exceeds my expectations," he said, glancing at his friend Mihawk.

"It exceeded mine as well…" Mihawk smiled too.

"It seems my counterpart accepted the situation willingly…"

Mihawk now was much taller and dressed similarly to his counterpart, lacking only the sharp beard, though his sharp hawk-like eyes gave him nearly 90% of the same aura.

"Do you think he'll train him seriously?" Issho asked.

After all, no one knew what was going on in Mihawk's mind in the manga better than Mihawk himself.

"I think he'll teach him the basics of Haki and some hints on more skillful sword usage… nothing major. The rest will depend entirely on Zoro to progress on his own," Mihawk replied straightforwardly.

"Fufu~ Isn't that like a pig teaching the butcher how to skillfully wield the cleaver?"

Doflamingo taunted the Mihawk from the manga.

Even Doffy hadn't expected Mihawk to accept teaching Zoro. The reason Mihawk gave himself seemed contrived and unconvincing.

"Just tell me, why would I teach my enemy, who will one day knock on my door to take my head? Isn't this mere foolishness?"

"Heh~ Even if I teach him a bit, it doesn't mean Zoro could defeat me…" Mihawk replied confidently.

"Well, it seems Mihawk will teach Zoro the basics of handling daggers again…"

Enel, who had been silent until now, spoke, directly targeting Mihawk's sore spot.

Mihawk's face darkened at the remark as Doffy and Rosinante burst into laughter.

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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):

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Chapter 825: Decision Made! Two Years Until the Next Crew Meeting!

Chapter 826: The Training Begins Officially!

Chapter 827: Haki and Its Types. A Global Shock! (Part 1)

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