Chapter 9: Zoro's battle!

"We're done for..."

"Damn it! What did we ever do to you! Why the hell do you have to follow us all the way out here!"

The pirates questioned Mihawk who was sitting leisurely on his boat. He looked at them sharply and answered in a cold voice,

"Just to kill some time."

"That's bullshit!" * bang! bang!

A pirate got instantly mad and shot his gun at Mihawk. Two bullets flew towards him at fast speed.

'Grip!' Mihawk took out his big sword and slightly tilted and deflected the bullets easily. It happened so fast that the pirates couldn't see it.

"What!? I~It missed!?"

They were dumbfounded but a sudden voice came from behind and Zoro walked forward.

"He deflected it. It'll be the same no matter how many times you shoot.

He changes the bullet's trajectory with the tip of his sword..."

"And who're you, you bastard!?" they complained but Zoro didn't care, he only looked sharply on the man in front.

Zoro: "I've never seen such a graceful movements."

"A sword without grace is no strong sword..." said Mihwak while he sheathed his sword back.

Zoro: "Did you cut this ship as well with that sword?"

"Yes indeed."

"No wonder you really are the strongest."

The pirates around checked on Zoro and suddenly saw the three swords hanging on his waist.

"Eh! T~Three swords...!? Hey... Could this guy be...!?"

"I set sail to meet you!" said Zoro as he slowly took out his black scarf and tied it on his head.

Mihawk: "What do you aim for?"

Zoro: "To be the strongest. You said you're free, right? So, let's have a duel." Then he unsheathed his three swords and prepared himself.

"It's him! Zoro! Roronoa Zoro of the three sword style...!"

The pirates soon recognised Zoro after seeing him holding the three swords.

"What!?"

"The pirate hunter...?"

Sanji: "... Him...!?"

Usopp: "Hey! What is that idiot doing?"

"Bro!"

Luffy slightly leaned against the wall and smiled lightly, "Hm! Let's watch this famous scene..."

"Pitiful... Weakling..." Mihawk jumped from his boat and landed on the floating platform and looked at Zoro with his sharp eyes. He continued,

"If you're a competent swordsman by any means, then I can demonstrate the clear difference in strength between you and I, without needing to close blades at all...

But still, you dare to challenge me. Does your bravery come from your conviction...? Or from ignorance...?"

Zoro: "It comes from my ambition, and a promise to a friend."

"The world's strongest swordsman, versus the pirate hunter Zoro...!"

"There's not a chance someone can match our Bro!"

Krieg: "That man... Just what did he do to this ship."

All the peoples around were all hyped up watching the conflict between Zoro and Mihawk. But then, they were shocked again as they saw Mihawk unsheathed out a small sword from the cross hanging on his neck.

Zoro: "Just what're you planning to do with that?"

Mihawk replied with a very calm voice, "I'm different from those stupid brutes who'd go all out just to hunt a mere rabbit. Though you may be a swordsman of some renown.

This is East Blue, the weakest of the four seas, that are seperated by Red Line and Grand Line.

Unfortunately, I do not have a blade smaller than this at the moment."

Zoro got instantly pissed off by Mihawk's words, he shouted as he rushed towards him, "There's a limit, to just how much you can underestimate me...! You better not regret it when you die!"

Mihawk: "Hear me little frog in his well, it's time for you to realise that the world is bigger than what it seems from your well."

Zoro: "...'Demons Cut!'(Oni Giri)..!!"

* Keng! "Ah...!"

"Zoro!?"

Johnny: "Brother's 'One Giri' was stopped! His signature attack that sends his opponent flying 100% was stopped!?"

All of them were dumbfounded seeing Zoro's three-swords attack stopped easily by Mihawk's little toy sword.

"I... Can't move... There hasn't been a single man who could see through that move until now! So how can he stop me with that toy...!?" Zoro was also shocked by the result of his attack.

"Ridiculous!!! This is..." Mihawk said in a disdain tone. Zoro completely lost his mind and started attacking madly.

"Arghh!!" * Keng! Keng! Clang!

'It's not possible for the world to be this far away!' thought Zoro in his heart seeing Mihawk blocking him very easily with his little toy.

Mihawk: "Ugh! Such ferocity..."

"He's easily taking on Roronoa Zoro's three swords with that little thing!"

Everyone were dumbfounded looking at the battle. They now understood why Mihawk was called the world's strongest swordsman.

"I didn't train so hard until today, just to fight against this stupid little toy...! I trained to win!!"

Zoro roared and attacked fiercely remembering the words in the past.

{..."You're lucky you're a boy, Zoro... I wanted to become the world's best too!

Someday, one of us will become the world's greatest swordsman! Lets compete to see which of us will be that person! It's a promise!"...}

Zoro: "I came to beat this man!"

'I'll become even stronger for her sake! I swear, I will become the world's strongest swordsman whose name is famous enough to reach even the heaven!'

The more he thought, the more Zoro became fierce. Suddenly he felt a surge of power in his body and his hands instantly hardened and turned black covering the whole of the two blades in his hand too.

*Keng! Buzzz...!

'He awakened his haki!' Mihawk slightly glimpsed feeling the power in Zoro's sword.

Luffy: "Hehe! So he's awakened the Busoshoku Haki. As I thought it can only occur in the harse situation."

Mihawk forced Zoro away and asked him with amazement, "What burdens you so? What do you still desire at the extent of your strength, weakling...?"

Zoro didn't answer and took position. Black aura started emitting from his swords. He suddenly remembered Luffy's word;

{..."Join me! Roronoa Zoro! I can help you achieve your goal... The world's greatest!"...}

"I won't lose!!...'Tiger Hunting!!'..."

* Swish! * Stab!

"Zoro!?"

"Bro!!?"

* Drip! Drip! Mihawk instantly appeared in front of Zoro and directly pierced him on the chest with the small sword. Bloods starting flowing out...

Mihawk: "Do you wish for me to pierce your heart then? Why do you refuse to step back?"

"Cough! Cough! Beats me... Not really sure myself.. But I get the feeling... That if I were to take one step back right now, I'd lose something very important to me... A promise or oath, or whatever it is would be irreversibly broken, and that I'd never be able to return back to where I'm standing right now." Zoro replied with a light smile.

Mihawk: "Yes, such is defeat!"

Zoro: "Haha! Then that's why I can't step back..." "Even if it means your death...?"

"I'd much rather die."

'What conviction he possess! To rather choose death than defeat...' Mihawk was shocked and suddenly admired the man in front. He asked in a majestic voice,

"Kid... Tell me your name."

"Roronoa Zoro."

"I shall remember it, for your strength is not often seen in this world..." Mihawk slowly unsheathed his big sword and continued, "And to pay my respect to you as a fellow swordsman, I shall end this duel with my black sword. The world's strongest sword."

* Shing!

"H~He unsheathed it!"

"That sword he used to cut our ship with!"

The peoples around exclaimed seeing the shinning huge black sword.

'So, this is it... The final blow... If I miss here, I'll die... To be the world's strongest... Or to die here and now...!' Zoro started getting ready, tightening his grip and his muscles bulging.

"Die!" Mihawk immediately rushed forward.

"Bro! That's enough!"

Zoro: "Three-Sword Style!...'3000 Worlds!!'..."

* Slash! *Crack!

Zoro's blades in his hands cracked and soon splattered into pieces. Blood started flowing from his mouth...

'I lost... I'm no match for him... Never even thought about the possibility of losing. So this is... The strength of the world's strongest...'

"What!?" Mihawk exclaimed shockingly seeing Zoro facing him with his arms opened wide...

Then, Zoro said with a bright smile,

"A wound on one's back is the shame of a swordsman..."

"Splendid!" Mihawk immediately smiled being amazed by Zoro's intention.

He lifted his huge sword and directly slashed down towards Zoro. But! A figure instantly appeared in the front and caught the back of the blade with his bare hand. The figure was a boy wearing a familiar straw hat and was smiling lightly.

"Hey! That's enough for now I think... I just can't let you hurt my crewmate that much when I'm around...'Storm Leg!'..."

Luffy immediately pushed the sword away and covered his leg with 'armed color' and swapped his leg with fast speed to shoot a huge sharp compressed air blade towards Mihawk.

Mihawk used the flat side of his sword to defend the air blade. He was pushed several metres and finally cut the air blade with his blade. He let out a sigh and look at Luffy with amazing eyes.

'What a strength! Why is he in East Blue? Is he a new one? How is he so strong?'

Mihawk: "You kid... Are you his comrade? What's your name... And that straw hat of yours...!?"

Luffy: "Chuckle! I'm called Monkey. D. Luffy, a pirate newcomer... He's my first crewmate. And as for my hat, it was given to me by an older friend..."

On the side, Zoro was looking at Luffy with wide mouth, he was finally ready to accept his fate when Luffy suddenly appeared in front and even forced Mihawk to back away several metres.

Zoro: "L~Luffy! You... Why did you interfere?"

* Bang!

Luffy immediately turned around and directly punched Zoro on the head forcing him to fall on the ground. The impact was so great that he even coughed out some blood.

"Call me Captain! You dumb bastard! Are you trying to waste your life like this? What about becoming the strongest swordsman? Or was that just a mindless speech of yours? How can you just give up like that after just one defeat? And besides, how can you die without my permission..!? Your Captain is very disappointed..."

Hearing the words, Zoro soon realised how foolish he was right now, he was about to end his life after just after one defeat and break his promise just by giving up.

Zoro: "Hehe! Sure enough I'm quite dumb. Captain! Do you hear me? From today onwards... I won't lose to anyone and give my life, until I become the strongest swordsman! And make you the 'Pirate King'...! That's my promise!!"

Luffy: "Hehe! Yes, I heard you loud and clear...But, I don't need you to make me the 'Pirate King', I can do that by myself...You understand! Dumb bastard...!?"

"Yes! I understand!"

"Hey! Its rude to ignore your enemies while in battle...You'll really die!" At that moment, Mihawk's cold voice sounded and a big sword energy shot towards them breaking the platform on its way.

"Chunckle! It's really a dangerous man... 'Armed and domineering!'~'Advanced Armament coloring!'~'Iron Body!'...."

Luffy's right hand instantly turned into black hardening with purple aura covering it and used one of the Navy-Six Style to harden his muscles.

Luffy lifted his right hand on his left shoulder and directly hit on the rushing sword energy deflecting it immediately to the side with great force. The deflected wave hit on the place beside Don Krieg and bombarded the whole area. Luffy stood without being affected by the shockwave holding his straw hat lightly.

"What!? H~He deflected the blade wave of the strongest swordsman...!?"

"Who is that straw hat guy!?"

Sanji: "T~This guy...!" He was so shocked. Even the cigarette in his mouth fell off with his eyes widened.

Zeff: "So, that kid turned out to be so strong!? No wonder he had such great ambitions..."

"Captain's so strong!" All the crew members were amazed and looked at Luffy with admiration in their eyes.

On the other side, Mihawk was also amazed at the strength of Luffy. 'A young kid even has this much strength, I wonder what he'll become in the future..'

Mihawk sheathed his sword back and looked at Luffy, "Boy... What do you aim for?"

"Hehe, The 'Pirate King!' and flirt with beauties on the way..." Luffy lightly chuckled and stated his aim returning his pressure back to normal.

Mihawk: "Haha! A tough path, indeed. Even tougher than surpasing myself... I hope the sea won't be calm anymore, looking forward to it."

Mihawk turned away and started walking away. Suddenly he stopped and looked towards Zoro and said, "I am Dracule Mihawk! Roronoa Zoro... It is much too early for you... Know thy self! Know thy world! And become strong!

No matter how many months or years pass by, I shall stand here at the top of the world and wait for you! So, forge on ahead with that fierce conviction and try to surpass my sword!... Surpass me, Roronoa!" He then turned back and started walking muttering, "A 'Pirate King' and a 'Strongest Swordsman'... A good team indeed!"

But a weak voice of Don Krieg came from beside him, he looked at Mihawk with a smirk on his face,

"Hawk-Eyes! Did you come all the way out here for my head? The head of infamous Ruler of East Blue, 'Don Krieg'!?"

Mihawk: "For a while, Yes. But I've already enjoyed myself here. And so I'll return back to my nap."

Krieg: "No need to be so curt. You may have had your fun, But I sure haven't!"

Hearing his words, the pirates started getting agitated, "D~D~Don! W~Why's he purposely trying to prevent that man from leaving...!?"

Don Krieg immediately aimed his cannons present in his armour and blasted at Mihawk,

"How about you die before leaving??"

"Hmph! You never learn, do you... Farewell." Mihawk took out his sword and waved it destroying the surrounding area and disappeared.

"Aghhh!"

Krieg: "Hmph! Gone already..."

On the side of Baratie, seeing Hawk-Eyes Mihawk disappearing... they started getting ready, preparing for their upcoming battle.

Patty: "He's gone! Now they're coming here..."

"Guys! Let's prepare for our battle...! We can't let them get our ship!"

Sanji: "They're finally coming, Damn pests!!"

Another battle was about to begin...

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End of Chapter...

Enjoy it and see you next time....