Chapter 31

Clang! Clang!

Toji's body clashed with Zoro's two bamboo swords.

Blocking, dodging, and clashing again.

There was no intent to kill between them, but even without it, their duel was sharp.

When Toji pushed one of the bamboo swords away with his hand, the other, seizing the opportunity, lunged in eagerly. He tried to kick it away, but the force of the haki instead repelled him. In that moment, the other bamboo sword he had pushed away charged towards Toji's head.

Using two weapons doesn't necessarily make one stronger than when using just one. It's about how organically and efficiently one can use those two weapons that gives meaning to wielding them.

Zoro was, of course, capable of this.

Snap!

Toji raised his arm to block the bamboo sword targeting his head and, ignoring the numb pain spreading through his arm, moved his body. Standing still because of pain would only invite another strike.

Whoosh!

Toji dodged a bamboo sword that grazed the tip of his nose. By focusing on sensing presence over relying on his senses and physical abilities, his speed seemed to slow down.

Haki is a fearsome technique. Even a cheap bamboo sword, like those commonly seen in local kendo dojos, could deliver a blow as powerful as a top-grade weapon.

Thinking it's okay to get hit because it's just a bamboo practice sword would lead to experiencing hell from the sensation of the struck area feeling sliced in half and twisted for the entire day.

...That's what happened when Toji accidentally tore Zoro's bandana and blew away half of his green hair during a sparring session.

The bamboo sword sliced through the air. Zoro frowned. There was nothing caught on the blade's edge.

'I'm using Observation Haki to predict movements, but...'

It's still too fast. What good is knowing where he'll dodge to if by the time I realize it, he's already moved somewhere else?

Even though they were restricting the use of physical abilities to focus on haki training, it was still too fast, not even at full sprint.

'If I went all out, even my past self would have trouble catching up due to the speed.'

Still, it doesn't mean there's no way to win.

Zoro gripped his bamboo swords tightly. The already blackened swords overflowed with a more concentrated haki, surging with a pitch-black energy.

'I can't match my father's speed.'

Then, the only option left was to overpower him with force.

"Two Sword Style!"

Flash!

Zoro's two bamboo swords swung horizontally.

Toji hurriedly blocked, but the slash produced from the swords was too immense.

Creak, creak.

The black crescent-shaped slash gradually pushed Toji back until the ground beneath him caved in, and he was propelled straight into the wall of the training ground.

Boom!

Dust billowed up. Toji, sitting against the wall, brushed off the dust and debris from his hair.

"Son, are you trying to kill me?"

"Don't exaggerate. You didn't even take any real damage."

Zoro clicked his tongue. It was an attack he had gathered all his Armament Haki for, yet it caused no harm.

The haki receded, and the bamboo swords returned to their original color. Toji raised an eyebrow, and Zoro said,

"That's it for today."

"...Already?"

"Look at the time."

Toji checked the phone he had set aside. It was 6:15 PM. They needed to head back now to have dinner with Megumi.

"Are you in a hurry?"

"...A bit."

Observation Haki, Armament Haki.

Nearly a year had passed since Toji began his Haki training, yet he had not mastered either type.

"..."

It wasn't for lack of effort. Both the teacher, Zoro, and the student, Toji, worked hard. Zoro consistently built up his stamina, training with Toji twice a week in the spring and increasing it to three times a week by summer.

Toji's skills had improved significantly. Until now, he had never faced someone who wasn't a Jurei or a sorcerer, who could completely understand his presence, or who was better with a weapon than him.

Zoro met all three criteria.

Although a non-sorcerer, Zoro comprehended Toji's movements with Observation Haki, albeit not being able to follow them, and his understanding of the sword far surpassed Toji's.

Despite his young body not fully realizing that enlightenment, the fact that he could somewhat contend with Toji showed the level of Zoro's swordsmanship.

...Or perhaps, it showed that Toji couldn't measure it.

Toji looked down at his palm.

Fighting an opponent he had never faced before made Toji grow. The battles weren't genuinely life-threatening (Toji thought it better to commit suicide by stabbing himself in the head with a weapon if it were to come to that), but simply facing Zoro as an enemy taught Toji much and made him stronger over the past year.

...Yet, he still hadn't acquired Haki.

'Monkey's offspring.'

As a voice filled with contempt rang in his ears, Toji clenched his fist and closed his eyes. The person who had said those words was already dead. There was no way the son before him would say such a thing.

Step, step.

Zoro walked towards the sitting Toji, placed his bamboo sword aside, and plopped down in front of him.

"You know, why do you want to obtain Haki?"

It was a question that came out of nowhere and perhaps a bit late, considering it had been almost a year since the training started. Though somewhat puzzled, Toji nonetheless answered his son's question.

"Because it can make me stronger."

"You've already become stronger."

"It's different. If I had Haki..."

If he had it...

Toji was unable to complete his sentence. Zoro tilted his head.

"If you had it?"

"..."

"What would change?"

"..."

"What do you want to do?"

"..."

"What are you dreaming of?"

Toji did not answer. He couldn't. He didn't know the answer himself.

Zoro snorted.

"Listen well, father."

"..."

"A dream that one cannot proudly speak of does not harbor willpower."

No matter how absurd, no matter how distant, even if no one knows whether it truly exists.

Even if everyone laughs, at least the person with the dream should believe in it and move forward. Because a dream doubted by its dreamer cannot hold firm resolve.

"Do you have such a dream?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"The strongest."

To be the strongest swordsman was a goal achieved in a past life, and this time, he intended to ascend to the position of the strongest among all.

Toji chuckled lightly.

"That's lofty."

"It is."

Being the strongest as a swordsman and being the strongest among all are different challenges. Even knowing this, Zoro harbored such ambition.

Because it was his dream.

While being the strongest was Zoro's goal, Toji didn't need to aim for the same. Anything was fine. What mattered was whether or not he could pursue that goal without doubt and with all his effort.

"I won't train you until you can clearly articulate that for yourself."

"...What?"

"The reason you haven't learned Haki isn't due to a lack of theory or experience. It's your heart."

That's something others can't teach. No amount of physical training will help. It's entirely dependent on one's own will and desires.

"Think about it."

What you want, what you want to become.

•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*

[Author's Thoughts]

Our average of power stones was 215 per day, if we manage to get 300 today, I'll release a bonus chapter.

Someone many of you like has appeared in the most recent chapters.

Hint: White hair (wtf, that's basically saying who it is, o-o)

I've seen many people over these 30 chapters asking for a timeskip, but the truth is that a lot of things need to and will happen while Zoro is still a child, like the events of chapters 40+, if I do a timeskip, it would be much harder to explain how certain people met and have a relationship.

I know many of you are accustomed to fanfics where the protagonists become overpowered within 10 chapters and start killing everyone and collecting girls, but this fanfic won't be like that, I hope you understand. This won't be the kind of fanfic that has a timeskip every few dozen chapters.

If you're worried that this fanfic will be dropped, don't worry, I've practically planned out the entire story (I have a Word document with 60,000 words with the complete story outline.)

I think I've gone on too long, in future chapters, I'll write more about my thoughts and also answer any questions you might have, I just ask that you be patient, I believe that in the overall context this will be a fun fanfic to read.

I also plan to edit the chapters more precisely, as I feel some are not quite to my liking. And also correct some mistakes I made in the past, but don't worry, this won't affect your reading.