Chapter – 29 Zoro’s Challenge & Misfortune at the Sea

"You... the one with horns, I want to fight you!"

"Huh, fight me?" Ryuma glanced behind Kuina, finally noticing the boy pointing two swords at him while issuing the challenge. As he wasn't utilizing Observation Haki at the moment, the arrival of the boy with mossy green hair had gone unnoticed.

Simultaneously, Kuina turned around, blinking in surprise upon recognizing the person. "Zoro-kun?" It was none other than Zoro who had challenged Ryuma, prompting her to inquire, "What are you doing here?"

Zoro hesitated in his response, "That..."

Noticing Zoro's hesitation, Kuina grinned and questioned, "Could it be... were you following us?"

"I was not!" Zoro declared loudly, his cheeks turning red in embarrassment. He couldn't admit to Kuina that he got lost while on his way to the Dōjō, fearing she would tease him endlessly.

In Shimotsuki Village, no one was aware of Zoro's tendency to get lost, at least not yet, and this was just one of those instances where he lost his way. While trying to find his way back to the Dōjō for another duel against Kuina, he ended up at the cliff and happened to witness Ryuma's awe-inspiring attack that split the ocean.

Zoro couldn't deny it; he was shaken to the core upon witnessing such an incredible feat. Never before in his life had he seen such a remarkable display of swordsmanship. It was as if Ryuma was the very incarnation of the God of Sword!

For Zoro, who aspires to become the Greatest Swordsman in the World, challenging Ryuma became an essential step in understanding the vast difference in their strengths. He wasn't foolish enough to believe he could defeat Ryuma, especially after witnessing the incredible display of power. However, he held the belief that to surpass someone, one must first comprehend their strength. Thus, he felt the need to challenge Ryuma, seeking to gain insights that would aid him on his path to becoming the Greatest Swordsman. 

"A-Anyway!" Not keen on delving into how he ended up at the cliff, Zoro redirected his attention to Ryuma. Pointing his sword at him, he declared, "You there, fight me!"

"Hey, don't ignore me." Though Kuina pouted in dissatisfaction, she consciously stepped aside, allowing Ryuma to decide whether he wanted to accept Zoro's challenge or not. Kuina comprehended Zoro's intention and mentality, recognizing the similarities between them, thus his desire to challenge Ryuma. Yet, she understood that the ultimate decision rested with Ryuma.

Ryuma chuckled, "You wish to challenge me to a duel?" and questioned, "Do you even know who I am?"

Zoro replied with a solemn expression, "I've seen you a few times at the Dōjō, but as to who you are, neither do I know, nor do I care." He continued, "At the end of the day, you are going to be nothing more than a stepping stone in my path to becoming the World's Greatest Swordsman!"

Ryuma's smile faltered, "Yeah, you're a brat, no doubt about that," He had forgotten how arrogant Zoro was back in his younger days. Even before turning eight, he would boldly challenge various dojos, and his confidence wasn't without merit—he possessed the strength to match. Despite being defeated by Kuina two thousand times, he maintained his arrogance. 

Zoro even went so far as to tell Luffy upon joining his crew that if their ambitions clashed or if Luffy ever got in the way of his ambitions, he wouldn't hesitate to kill him. When Mr. 7 approached Zoro to recruit him into Baroque Works, Zoro demanded to be the organization's leader, showcasing his persistent arrogance. It was only after his defeat by Dracule Mihawk, realizing the vast gap in their strength, that Zoro humbled himself, understanding he was just a small part of a much larger world.

"You, who can't even defeat Kuina-chan, want to challenge me? You're getting way ahead of yourself. Even Kuina-chan hasn't won against me a single time. Do you really think you stand a chance?" mocked Ryuma.

Zoro looked at Kuina in shock, as if silently asking, "Is that really true?" Apart from Koushirou, Kozaburo, and Rio, and the two individuals involved, no one at the Isshin Dōjō knew about the duels between Ryuma and Kuina. So, when he heard Ryuma make such a claim, he was shocked.

Kuina simply shrugged, "Yes." There was no need to deny the undeniable, and she had long shed any shame about losing a hundred duels to Ryuma, especially after witnessing his true strength. Kuina even suspected that what she had seen might not be the entirety of Ryuma's capabilities. There was a lingering sense that he held more power than he had revealed. Of course, she acknowledged the possibility of being wrong, but the uncertainty added to the mystery surrounding Ryuma's true strength. 

"Confirmed it?" inquired Ryuma.

Zoro drew in a deep breath, his gaze firm, and replied, "It doesn't matter; I still want to fight you."

Ryuma sighed, "Is that so? Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not interested in fighting you."

"What?" Zoro was taken aback. "Why not?"

While Kuina found Ryuma's direct refusal of Zoro's challenge a bit surprising, her curiosity was more piqued by the reason behind it.

Ryuma said with a fierce smile, "As a great man once said, 'You can't just go straight for the King, you know!'" He added, "If you want me to take interest in your challenge, you must at least defeat my minion first. If you cannot even defeat Kuina-chan, then your challenge is not worth my time!"

"You–!" Zoro gritted his teeth. Obviously, Ryuma was looking down on him, but Zoro couldn't refute it. After all, what Ryuma said was undeniably true. Despite challenging Kuina more than fourteen hundred times, Zoro had never managed to defeat her.

Kuina also smiled, "That is certainly the case, Zoro-kun. If you want to challenge Aniki, then you must first defeat me!" She wasn't bothered by being referred to as 'minion' by Ryuma. In a sense, it was Ryuma's way of recognizing her as his subordinate, a member of his Pirate Crew. Kuina was well aware of Ryuma's aspiration to become a pirate and embark on a grand adventure, and she was keen on being part of that crew. This was also the reason why she addressed him as Aniki.

As for being averse to the thought of becoming a pirate? Her grandfather was a wanted pirate back in his younger days; Kuina even had his bounty poster with her. So, why would she be averse to the idea of becoming a pirate herself? She was completely fine with it. Kuina had a feeling that with Ryuma, she would have the opportunity to face formidable opponents worldwide, providing her with a chance to broaden her worldview. She believed that these experiences would undoubtedly contribute to her strength and help her achieve her dream of becoming the World's Greatest Swordsman.

While pointing both his Katana at Kuina, Zoro declared, "Fine then, I will defeat you, Kuina, and then I will defeat him as well!"

"Bring it on!" Kuina grinned fiercely, unsheathing her Wado Ichimonji. It was time to teach Zoro another lesson and once again make him realize that he still had a long way to go before he could come close to matching her strength, let alone defeating her and challenging Aniki.

Zoro took a deep breath, strengthened his grip on both his katana, and charged at Kuina.

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A FEW MOVES LATER

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"Damn it... I... am not... defeated ye–!" Zoro struggled to stand up once again. However, before he could finish his words, Kuina pointed the sharp edge of her Wado Ichimonji at Zoro's throat and asked, "How about now?"

"I..." He attempted to speak, but the sharp pain in his throat urged him to stay quiet and accept his defeat. The blade's sharp edge was beginning to cut into his skin.

At this moment, Ryuma declared the result, "Well, that's a win for Kuina-chan." 

"Hehe," grinned Kuina and withdrew her blade, allowing Zoro to recover his breath.

"Well, with that, the duel is concluded. Zoro-kun, do you have anything else to say?" asked Ryuma as he looked at Zoro.

Zoro got up, dusted his clothes, and picked up his swords. He then looked directly into the eyes of Kuina and Ryuma and said, "Sooner or later, I am going to defeat both of you."

Ryuma smiled, "Is that so? Then I look forward to the day you become capable enough to challenge me." 

"Humph, you can keep dreaming, Zoro-kun. In reality, such a day would never come, not if I can help it!" said Kuina. There was no way she was going to allow Zoro to surpass her while she was alive.

Zoro remained silent. He turned around and left.

Watching Zoro walk away, Ryuma smiled. It's not that he was looking down on Zoro. In fact, Ryuma greatly respects Roronoa Zoro and what he stands for. However, there's a distinction between admiration and readiness for a particular challenge. If you want to fight the King or Captain, you must at least be strong enough to pique their interest, something Zoro clearly isn't at this time.

Another thing is that Ryuma wanted to stimulate Kuina. During the months she spent training while trying to defeat him, she made remarkable progress in her swordplay. Although she was overexerting herself and affecting her health, the undeniable fact was the incredible progress she was making.

True, it still wasn't enough to defeat Ryuma, there's no doubt she has gotten stronger. Now that she has lost her motivation to defeat Ryuma and has expressed interest in joining his crew, she needs another source of motivation to stay on her toes. Zoro is the perfect subject that can be used to fuel her drive while they are still living in the Shimotsuki Village.

Even before Ryuma came into the picture, Kuina had no intention of allowing Zoro to surpass her. Now that he has entered the scene and the reasons and mentality have shifted, her fundamental fact remains unchanged: in order to become the Greatest Swordsman in the World she cannot allow him to surpass her. Ryuma believes that this challenge will undoubtedly stimulate her to work harder. It's not just about defending her dream; it's also about upholding the honor of the crew that she is to be part of.

…

At the same time, not too far away from the coast of Shimotsuki Village, a vessel hoisting a dark-red flag embellished with the striking image of a dragon head with wings, and the letters 'R' and 'A' flanked each side of the dragon's head, gracefully sailed the waters of East Blue, carrying several individuals on board.

Amidst the rhythmic sounds of the sea, a lookout stationed in the crow's nest suddenly squinted his eyes, "What is that thing?" He had noticed something on the horizon but was unable to identify it accurately because it was too dark.

Swiftly, he retrieved his monocular to take a proper look at the 'thing.' To his astonishment, the 'thing' appeared to be advancing towards their ship and as it traveled toward them, it split the ocean! Filled with urgency, he grasped the ship's bell, producing a resonant clang to alert all on board. His voice echoed through the ship, "Betty-sama... Betty-sama... something is approaching with unprecedented speed, and its trajectory is directed toward us!"

"Huh?" muttered Betty in surprise. She took a monocular handed to her by one of the sailors on the deck, pushed down her black-framed sunglasses, and looked over in the direction pointed by the lookout through the monocular. As soon as she saw the 'thing' coming toward their ship, her expression changed. The cigarette between her lips dropped, and she exclaimed, "That's not a 'thing'; it's a damn Sword Slash! Is it the CP0? Did the dogs of those trash Celestial Dragons track us?" 

"What do we do, Betty-sama?" asked another sailor with sweat covering his forehead. If that Flying Sword Slash were to meet their ship, the vessel wouldn't survive. Considering the speed at which the attack was coming toward them and taking into account its trajectory, a collision seemed inevitable. Even if they tried their best, changing the course of the ship at this point would be very difficult. Moreover, even if they managed to alter the course in time, what would they do if there was a second attack?

Everyone was panicked; to them, what was coming toward them wasn't a Flying Sword Slash, it was their death!

After a moment of silence, Betty took a deep breath. Then, she picked up the flag she was carrying until a while ago and unfurled it. It was a dark red flag that matched the color of her clothes, with the same image of a dragon head with wings, and letters 'R' and 'A' on each side of the dragon head printed on it.

Having unfurled the flag, Betty shouted loudly, "You bunch of trash, simmer down and listen! Are all of you just going to panic and accept death? We are the members of the Revolutionary Army, and we are here to choose our own destiny!"

Immediately, there were loud and enthusiastic cheers from the sailors, "Oooooo!"

Betty grinned, "Now let us get to work and make sure that nothing happens to the ship!"

"Follow Betty-sama's lead!"

"Save the ship... Save the ship!"

Everyone on the ship became motivated. Their eyes became clear, and their muscles pumped up as they got to work. Some pulled the sails, some turned the wheel, and others took out oars to move the ship faster. Each one tried their best to save the ship.

Shaaa! It's a pity, no matter how hard they tried to save themselves, the Flying Sword Slash did its job; it cut the ship in half and continued forward.

Boom! An explosion occurred on the ship as the cannonballs exploded. Everyone was now more panicked, "Betty-sama, what do we do? It didn't work; we are all going to die!"

Betty gritted her teeth and immediately ordered, "Everyone gets to the sailboats, leave all the goods behind. Just get on the sailboats and try to save yourselves before the ship sinks. I don't want any of you to die on me!"

One by one, all the sailors on board the ship, including Betty, escaped using lifeboats while the ship started to sink to the bottom of the ocean floor. However, this wasn't the end of the trouble they were going to face. The gap created between the ocean by the Flying Sword Slash started to fill itself, causing terrible waves that washed the sailboats in different directions.

It didn't help either that suddenly, a terrible storm came, and she lost control of the sailboat, leading her to an author-knows-where island.

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Author's Note:

Make sure to drop your power stones, leave comments as well as reviews, and if you like the story so far, add it to your library.