Chapter 8

The lone wolf had not believed it before, but in this moment, he fell to the ground helplessly. This method alone was enough to kill Basang and the others.

Without hesitation, he ordered his men to act accordingly. The pirates collectively charged towards Lin Wuya, brandishing their long knives.

As he watched his subordinates rushing towards their target, the lone wolf's eyes bore a cold expression. "Old man, no matter how skilled you are, you will still meet your demise!" he sneered.

Despite having familiarized himself with Lin Wuya's techniques, the lone wolf believed that even if the old man was strong, he was still just one person. Surely, he wouldn't be able to fend off so many pirates working together?

"You think you can take me down? I'm afraid you're mistaken!" retorted Lin Wuya, grinning faintly. His eyes then narrowed, as he concentrated.

The Gravity Fruit was activated!

In an instant, an invisible force weighed down on the thirty or so pirates.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The thud of thirty bodies landing in a heap was far from a pleasant sound.

As he watched the results of his orders, the lone wolf's face froze in disbelief. "How... how is this even possible!" he exclaimed.

With so many of his subordinates, all of them had been taken down at once.

Lin Wuya stood up, turned around, and addressed the villagers behind him. "Tie them up!" he instructed.

"Yes, sir!" responded a dozen young, sturdy men as they gathered ropes from their homes to bind the pirates together.

At that moment, the village head approached Lin Wuya and inquired, "Sir, what should we do with these people?"

"Keep them tied up here. Someone will come to take care of them later," replied Lin Wuya.

"Okay!"The village chief nodded in agreement.

...

At noon, Koshiro finally arrived at Sunset Village after an entire night of hastened travel!

Upon entering the village, Koshiro immediately spotted Lin Wuya and dashed towards him in excitement.

"Teacher!" he exclaimed.

"It's good to see you!" replied Lin Wuya with a smile.

Behind him, the village chief and the head of Xiyang Village looked on as Koshiro referred to Lin Wuya as his teacher, their expressions suddenly shifting.

As residents of East Blue, they immediately recognized Koshiro as the owner of the renowned Isshin Dojo and the swordsman Shimotsuki Koshiro. To see such an esteemed figure in their humble village, being addressed as an "old gentleman" and a "teacher", left them in awe.

To learn that the swordsman Shimotsuki Koshiro was a student of the old gentleman left them in disbelief.

The village chief was particularly stunned, having previously entertained the notion of hosting an important guest after hearing of Lin Wuya's apprentice earlier that morning. However, he never expected the guest to be the renowned swordsman Shimotsuki Koshiro.

As a great swordsman whose reputation was known even throughout the world, his presence in the village was a monumental occasion.

As the village chief and the head of Xiyang Village were left in shock by Koshiro's revelation, Zoro and Kuina surreptitiously eyed Lin Wuya from behind him.

"Is he the master too?" inquired Kuina, batting her eyelashes inquisitively. As this was her first time seeing such a great master, she couldn't help but be curious.

Zoro shared the same sentiment. His eyes were also filled with curiosity, realizing that this was the first time he was seeing his own master's teacher.

At that moment, Zoro suddenly recalled something, thrusting his waist and addressing Kuina. "Haha! Kuina, I told you that Master Tai was an old man, but you didn't believe me! Do you believe me now?" he teased.

"Ugh, whatever! You're just blind!" retorted Kuina, her lips curling with displeasure.

"Even the blind can have vision!" countered Zoro, chuckling. "Remember our bet on the boat! You owe me three hours of standing when we get back!"

"Ugh, forget it! I won't give in," pouted Kuina, unwilling to concede defeat.

The commotion between Zoro and Kuina had caught the attention of Lin Wuya. Koshiro swiftly intervened, explaining, "The two of them made a bet on your age during the boat ride here. Now that they've seen you in person, the bet is settled!"

"It's alright, my child," replied Lin Wuya reassuringly, flashing a smile as he gazed at the girl and the boy with the seaweed head.

"Ahh, yes! Teacher, who are these people?" Koshiro asked, pointing towards the group of tied-up pirates that Wuhuada had subdued.

"They're the pirates who pillaged this village. I've managed to capture and bind them. You can deal with them as you see fit," replied Lin Wuya, turning to Koshiro.

"Alright, got it!" affirmed Koshiro, nodding in agreement as he strode towards the bound pirates.

Upon recognizing Koshiro, the pirates from East Blue felt their hearts fill with panic.

"Sword... Swordmaster Koshiro!" gasped the pirates in terror.

Juggernaut was the title bestowed upon Koshiro by the outside world, and the strength he possessed was indeed worthy of such a title.

"P-Please, spare my life!" begged the lone wolf as he caught sight of Koshiro standing before him, shaking with fear.

Despite his reputation as a notorious pirate in East Blue, the lone wolf knew that he was no match for the likes of Koshiro. Before the swordsman, they were as weak and insignificant as ants.

Having seen firsthand how Koshiro sliced through a pirate ship with a single strike, the lone wolf knew he was doomed.

"If I spare you, will you continue to harm innocent people?" queried Koshiro, casting a cold gaze at the pirates before drawing his saber from its sheath.

The sharp blade flashed, sending a devastating slash that tore through the group of pirates. They died without so much as a whimper, and the impact of the attack was so great that it even severed a large tree, leaving only a stump in its wake.