A sword, swung with speed that sheared the wind, clashed against a living blade.
Zoro met the attack head-on, unconcerned about chipping his edge, because he possessed absolute confidence.
After several collisions, neither side had sustained a scratch. They were measuring each other.
Zoro, wielding two swords, swung with blinding speed. His aim was precise, his power intense. The force transmitted through the blades was enough to send a normal man flying just by blocking.
Mr. 1 did not twitch a muscle.
He caught Zoro's swords with his own arms, the sound of metal striking metal ringing out as he remained perfectly composed.
The "Full-Body Bladed Human" who had eaten the Supa Supa no Mi (Dice-Dice Fruit).
His body had no front or back; all of it was a blade. No matter where he was struck, a sword could not cut him. Boasting the hardness of iron, half-hearted attacks wouldn't even leave a scratch, let alone cut him.
On top of that, he was already an accomplished martial artist.
His body mechanics, enhanced by the properties of a blade, turned even the smallest movement into a lethal attack.
Seeing up close that his physical attacks were being completely nullified, Zoro calmly shifted tactics.
Sliding low along the ground, almost rolling, he closed the distance to Mr. 1 and scooped his body upward with two swords.
"Hawk Wave!"
A dull thud echoed as the attack slammed into Mr. 1's torso. Zoro's attack definitely connected. Yet, Mr. 1 didn't even change expression; he immediately turned and counterattacked.
Zoro reflexively parried the kick—which had turned into a blade—with a defensive maneuver.
After several exchanges, Zoro observed his enemy closely, feeling the nature of the ability with his own skin.
Following the clash, they separated and stood still.
They adjusted their stances, turned, and locked eyes.
It was a momentary pause in the combat.
"I see... So your whole body is iron. Which means there's no dull side to your blades."
"Exactly. Now do you understand why you cannot beat me?"
Mr. 1 cracked his neck. In response, Zoro showed a distinctly belligerent grin.
"No. Actually, this is just what I wanted."
"Hm?"
"I've been waiting for a crisis like this. When I cut you, it means I'll have become strong enough to cut even iron."
"That is assuming you can cut me. It's impossible."
"Well, you never know until you try."
Zoro threw off his thick jacket.
With fluid motion, he untied the bandana from his arm and tied it around his head.
His look changed. A feral glint in his eyes radiated a vicious hostility.
"After all, you and I have never met before."
"Hmph... In the end, nothing will change. I will dispose of you just like all the others."
"Hope you can pull it off. Baldy."
They faced off, sharp glares piercing one another. Like starving beasts, or perhaps like machines stripped of all unnecessary emotion, they stood there without a shred of fear.
Amidst the abnormal tension, they stood motionless for several seconds.
Then, they moved in perfect unison.
As he closed the distance, Zoro placed his third sword in his mouth, while Mr. 1 swung his leg high.
The moment blade met leg, a metallic clang—a sound impossible for a human body to make—rang out.
The opponent was a weapon from head to toe. A simple chop or kick became a slash capable of carving through rock.
Bring it on, Zoro thought, parrying the leg and pressing forward.
Mr. 1 was clearly accustomed to combat. Thrusting his arm out fluidly, he tried to slice Zoro's face with fingers turned into blades, but Zoro caught the hand with the sword in his left.
Every movement he made was specialized for assassination and dismemberment. Zoro had never seen a human like this.
Another ear-splitting crash as they collided.
Mr. 1 tried to cut him down with tremendous force, yet his skin remained uncut as Zoro defended with precision. Frustration built up after just a few exchanges.
A single crossing of gazes told them everything.
This fight would not last long.
"You are merely a swordsman from the East Blue."
"And you're merely a lump of iron."
Zoro swung down with violent force, but Mr. 1 blocked it simply by raising his arm.
When Mr. 1 unleashed a kick to decapitate him, Zoro's sword parried it aside.
At a glance, they were evenly matched. Unable to inflict wounds on each other, the time spent trying to land a killing blow dragged on mercilessly, the situation showing no sign of change.
If one were to ask who had the advantage, it was likely Mr. 1. Because of the Devil Fruit, his entire body was iron. While he hadn't been wounded, he had been hit several times. Unlike Zoro, who had to keep dodging because a single hit would be fatal, Mr. 1 could take the blows.
But Zoro was not afraid, nor was he complaining.
Unfairness was natural when lives were on the line. This wasn't a duel; it was a fight.
Zoro laughed as he deflected the enemy's attacks.
Mr. 1 frowned at the sudden change in expression, but he didn't stop his offensive.
Unleashing a fierce barrage using all five limbs, Mr. 1 pushed forward one-sidedly.
Forced to stop moving, Zoro was compelled to retreat. However, his competitive spirit remained strong; whenever he found a slight opening, he struck his blades against Mr. 1's body.
There was still no sign that he could cut iron. But his blades were reaching the iron body.
Mr. 1 was not letting his guard down. He was seriously trying to erase Zoro.
While it was true he didn't need to dodge, letting the enemy touch him this much was humiliating. It felt as if Zoro were saying, 'I can beat you anytime once I can cut iron.' It was an unpleasant sensation. Mr. 1's expression grew sterner with every contact.
He is just a dime-a-dozen swordsman. Perhaps he needed to revise that perception.
Thinking this, Mr. 1 still did not doubt his own victory.
Leaping into the air, Mr. 1 unleashed a powerful kick at Zoro. Deciding it was too heavy to parry, Zoro rolled low to evade it.
As Mr. 1 landed, Zoro rose.
While still on one knee, he readied all three swords, then charged forward with a ferocious roar.
"Santoryu—"
Seeing this, Mr. 1 instantly clashed his fists together, spread his legs, and dropped his hips, increasing the hardness of his entire body.
"Oni..."
"Spider!!"
"...Giri!!"
A combo too fast for the eye to follow was unleashed with the charge.
Zoro battered the body of Mr. 1, who had braced for defense, but there were no wounds. Not a drop of blood spilled.
Passing by him, Zoro immediately turned and dashed back, attempting to close in again instantly.
Knowing the enemy was coming, Mr. 1 turned around without panic. By then, Zoro had already raised his swords and was right before his eyes—a timing that shouldn't have allowed even a moment to react.
Seeing the blade aiming for his neck, Mr. 1 chose not to block, but to crouch and dodge.
For the first time, Zoro swung at empty air. His brow twitched.
Though not a disturbance large enough to create a fatal opening, the atmosphere shifted slightly.
As Zoro brought his swords back for the next strike, Mr. 1 shifted his awareness.
He held out his arm beside his face to catch the blade.
Daring not to move, Mr. 1's sharp glare pierced Zoro. Zoro felt a twinge of irritation at that gaze, which seemed to be conveying something, and sensing an air of superiority, he launched his next attack.
"I'll admit, you're not just all talk. But that is all you are."
"Oh, really? You sure can talk a big game!"
Zoro thrust his right hand forward. Mr. 1 tilted his head, and the blade grazed his cheek.
The sound of metal grinding on metal screeched, but Mr. 1's expression didn't change.
"Spar Claw!"
His fingers turned into blades, aiming for Zoro's face at point-blank range.
The extended right hand tried to grab his face, but Zoro reacted instantly, deftly parrying the hand with the sword in his mouth, barely escaping unscathed.
Realizing this was bad, Zoro tried to create distance, but Mr. 1 pursued relentlessly.
Swinging both arms and unleashing kicks, attacks loomed from every angle, threatening to tear him apart.
The bold body mechanics were too fast to dodge and too heavy to block.
Desperately evading, Zoro read each attack, sometimes parrying with his swords as he retreated.
Back and forth, the situation refused to change.
One attacked, the other dodged. It was a loop.
"Haa... You're an annoying bastard...!"
"The feeling is mutual."
Mr. 1 reacted to Zoro's muttered complaint.
This was the first time he had faced an opponent so stubborn. It was natural to feel irritated. But he couldn't be careless; this wasn't an opponent he could defeat easily.
With every blow he survived, his senses were honed further.
When Mr. 1 swung his leg again, Zoro ducked.
Immediately stepping in, utilizing the momentum of standing up, he slammed all three swords into Mr. 1's stomach.
Using brute strength to force him up, he knocked Mr. 1 to the ground for the first time.
There was impact. But no damage. Mr. 1 immediately sat up, only to find Zoro, who had closed the distance instantly, right in front of him while he was still on his knees.
No time to react. A counterattack wouldn't make it.
Zoro had already raised his swords.
Stepping in powerfully, Zoro leaped forward slightly.
The Three Sword Style stance was like a tiger baring its fangs. He descended upon the kneeling Mr. 1 from above.
"Tiger Hunt!!"
"Ugh!?"
A devastating blow hammered into his shoulder.
pitched forward, Mr. 1 was knocked headfirst into the ground, rolling ungracefully.
In that instant, Zoro couldn't get far. Despite the humiliation of being knocked down, Mr. 1 was still uninjured. He planted both hands on the ground and spun like a top, swinging his legs wildly.
Anticipating this, Zoro stepped back to avoid the attack.
Though he couldn't land a follow-up, he had bought time to stand. Mr. 1 stood up once more.
"Have you seen the limits of your strength? I am still perfectly fine."
"Shut your trap."
Hearing Zoro's retort accompanied by a smirk, Mr. 1 spread his legs wide.
He adopted a stance of waiting for the enemy rather than approaching himself.
Fine by me, Zoro thought, and broke into a run.
"Demon—"
"I will blow everything away."
"—Slash!!"
"Sparkling Daisy!!"
Zoro attacked head-on with his most powerful charging strike. In response, Mr. 1 thrust both hands forward to catch the attack directly.
Impact. The air trembled.
The shockwave that rushed through the area seemed to slice through everything. Indeed, behind Zoro, a dilapidated building several meters away was silently sheared in two.
Zoro, taking that attack with his own body and blades, gritted his teeth involuntarily.
A shock far greater than he imagined coursed through him, and his body was sent flying into the air.
"Begone."
"Whoa, aaaaah!?"
Zoro's body vanished from sight as he crashed into the sliced-up building.
Blown away, he slammed into large debris, tumbling and hitting various parts of his body, cutting his forehead and arms. But judging by his state, it wasn't a direct hit from a slash.
He could still move. It wasn't a defeat yet.
Zoro sprang up without resting and started running.
With superior reflexes and athleticism, he dodged falling rubble, kicking off the precarious debris to leap forward. Naturally, Mr. 1 was waiting ahead.
He, too, hadn't assumed the fight was over. He stood his ground, waiting.
Not killing his momentum, Zoro leaped high.
I feel like I can grasp something. Just a little more, and I'll see it.
That was the only thing driving his impatience. Zoro was struggling with a strange sensation.
A feeling he couldn't describe in words. A unique moment he had felt a few times before, where the presence of his surroundings became intensely clear. He hadn't reached it yet, but it wasn't far.
It should be right there.
No time to stop. Even if it was reckless, he had to push forward or there was no chance of victory.
In the spirit of Zoro charging straight at him, Mr. 1 saw something different from other swordsmen.
"Uoooooooh!"
"Like a beast. Did you think spirit alone could beat me?"
He transformed both arms into blades and wound up a massive swing. Cutting down an enemy foolish enough to approach from the front was easy.
"Atomic Spar!"
A technique that unleashed slashes at high speed, mincing the target.
A strike that a normal person wouldn't be able to see, let alone understand. Despite seeing it for the first time, Zoro parried it head-on without fleeing, forcing his way through.
Breaking through the storm of countless slashes, he reached Mr. 1's eyes.
This forced even the assassin to be astonished.
"What—!?"
Now, a raging offensive began.
Against a flustered but still calmly parrying Mr. 1, breathless attacks rained down one after another.
The scream of grinding metal continued endlessly. Zoro didn't stop advancing. Unflinching even when Mr. 1 tried to forcibly stop him, he found an opening when the assassin paused and landed a blow on his forehead.
Striking Mr. 1's forehead with the sword in his mouth, seeing his stance break, Zoro spun on the spot.
In a split second that didn't even allow a blink, he was waiting for Mr. 1's counterattack.
He deliberately allowed a momentary close encounter to hammer in his own attack.
"Dragon Twister!"
"Guh...!?"
Hit by a counter slash that generated a storm, the impact scooping him up from below lifted Mr. 1's feet off the ground. Regardless of his will, his body was sent flying.
He landed on his back, took a breakfall, and immediately stood up.
In that instant, Mr. 1 felt a blade gently rest against his neck, and his face went pale.
"Crab Grab!"
"Ugh!?"
Like a crab closing its pincers, the shock to his neck was severe.
But still, it didn't cut. No blood flowed.
Watching Mr. 1 roll away to take distance, Zoro caught his breath.
I'm definitely getting stronger. I'm close to the next level. But he still couldn't grasp that last step. Because of that, he couldn't finish it.
He couldn't help but feel ashamed of himself, not for facing an uncuttable enemy, but for his own lack of skill.
His fighting spirit only rose higher, and the aura Zoro emitted grew larger and more ominous.
Mr. 1, having regained his stance, also wore a grim expression.
He hadn't expected this. It was a harder fight than he imagined.
He had other missions. He could no longer afford to take his time; he had to eliminate this pest with his entire being.
Mr. 1 flexed his power, and his forearms transformed, rows of small blades appearing. As they began to rotate, they emitted an ear-piercing screech. These were no longer simple blades.
They were weapons of mass destruction that pulverized anything they touched without exception.
Watching calmly without panic, Zoro adjusted his grip on his swords.
"Spiral Hollow."
High-pitched sound whining, Mr. 1 walked forward. Zoro waited, watching him.
"I didn't think you'd push me this far. I will show you the true essence of my ability. Sorry, but don't think of me as a swordsman like you."
"If you're not a swordsman, what are you? An excavator?"
"A killer."
One step, then another, he drew closer.
If they touched, Zoro likely couldn't win a contest of strength. But if he didn't attack, there was no chance of victory.
"Excavation work is impossible for me. I end up shattering everything to dust."
"Heh, is that so!"
The moment he reached a certain distance, Zoro, resolved, dashed forward.
This wouldn't drag on.
Knowing that, he sought a conclusion in a single instant.
The sword he swung down contacted the arm raised to intercept it. In that split second, sparks flew. The rotation was so fast the threat was visible to the naked eye.
By the time he realized it, his sword had been deflected, and both of the enemy's arms were raised.
His torso was wide open. Mr. 1 was not soft enough to miss that.
"It's over."
Mr. 1's arms touched Zoro's torso, and snap—blood sprayed instantly.
Zoro's body was sent flying with force, tumbling violently along the ground. That sight itself shouldn't have been strange, yet Mr. 1's expression was harsh.
The tactile feedback didn't match the distance Zoro flew. He couldn't accept it.
He had not been arrogant.
"You jumped backward yourself to avoid it? Impressive, in that split second. But having just the surface of your flesh carved away will only make it more painful. If you had died with that hit, you wouldn't have to suffer."
"Gah... Aah...!"
It seemed Zoro hadn't taken a fatal wound.
Though massive amounts of blood dripped to the ground, making it a wonder he was alive, it was just a flashy bleed, not an injury directly connected to immediate death.
At least, that was how he judged his own condition as he stood up, vomiting blood.
He was still alive. He hadn't perfectly grasped that sensation yet either.
Just a little more. Just one more step. That thought made his resolve unshakable.
Mr. 1 stopped the rotation of his arms. True, if he used that, he wouldn't lose. But it was a powerful technique that couldn't be used continuously for long periods, and killing the man in front of him wasn't the only goal. Conserving stamina for other targets was a professional necessity.
No need to worry about this man. He couldn't lose now.
The last blow wasn't a failure; it was deep enough. There was no coming back from this.
"If you had stayed down, I would have finished you off. Do you still intend to continue this futile resistance?"
"Unfortunately, it won't be futile."
"Is that so? Fine then."
Mr. 1 took a strong step forward, intimidatingly.
"Die foolish, then."
"Santoryu Secret Art—"
Zoro spun the two swords in his hands, fixing his gaze on the approaching Mr. 1.
He had made his resolve long ago. The sensation of victory was finally visible. All that was left was to make it his own. It wasn't difficult.
If he lost here, he was only a man of that caliber.
The moment Zoro bent his knees, both moved forward as if by agreement.
"Spar Break!!"
"Three... Thousand... Worlds!!"
The clash was instantaneous.
The two crossed paths and stopped. The result was clearer than looking at a fire.
Mr. 1 stood firmly with his arms crossed. Blood burst from Zoro's body.
His vision swayed. Strength left his body, he dropped to his knees, and the swords were gone from his hands. Hearing the sound of them hitting the ground, he realized he had let go.
His body wouldn't obey him. He couldn't stop himself from falling.
Zoro desperately reached out, touching the ground to catch himself. In doing so, he dropped the sword from his mouth, but subconsciously grabbed it with his right hand just before it hit the earth.
Wounds deep enough to cloud his consciousness. A situation where one would normally accept defeat.
But he refused to let go of that one sword, and he absolutely refused to accept collapsing. Even if his vision swam and his body had no strength, he hadn't given up on victory.
Proof of this: only seconds after kneeling, he was already trying to stand.
It was only now that Mr. 1's expression twisted, understanding the anomaly of this man.
Why stand up after taking a hit that should have killed him? He couldn't believe the spiritual strength.
"You still want to fight...? With that body, do you seriously think you can beat me?"
"Sorry, but... it's not you..."
His breathing was ragged. His knees shook. Blood rushed up his throat and spilled from his mouth even without him doing anything.
Yet Zoro straightened his back, stood, and turned to Mr. 1.
For some reason, there was a smile on his face. A dying man looking completely at ease. He stared at Mr. 1 with a demeanor anyone would call insane.
"I aim to be the world's greatest swordsman. I can't be stumbling over the likes of you."
"You are a certified lunatic... I'll give you your last rites."
Zoro sheathed the single sword in his right hand and gripped the hilt.
Mr. 1 understood it was an Iai stance. It was the first time he'd seen this specific stance, but he had seen Iai many times. Knowing it meant it wasn't fearful.
He would decide it with the next move. Mr. 1 braced himself.
Zoro took deep breaths, calming his heart.
He felt good right now.
The surrounding sounds were audible, and listening to them calmed his heart surprisingly well.
It was as if everything around him was breathing.
The stones that made up the broken houses. The trees that had survived unburnt. Even the ground, the flowing wind, and the sword he held. He felt as if they were all breathing.
This was the sensation. He had felt it before, the thing he had been craving since the fight began.
The world he had definitely seen when he faced Hawk Eyes, the moment he stood at the crossroads of life and death.
His heart became calm as still water, all distracting thoughts vanishing.
His face cleared as hesitation was severed, and Zoro slowly shifted his stance.
Mr. 1 noticed the change in the air around him.
Something was wrong. He could only feel unease at the swordsman's air of certain victory.
The man was practically a corpse. Whatever resistance he offered now, winning should be impossible. Yet, the reason he couldn't relax was likely because this man had survived countless crises before.
"Pick up your swords. You intend to take my attack with just one?"
"One is enough."
"You're hopeless. though I don't think you've given up."
"It's fine. I won't take the hit anymore."
The sense of wrongness grew. Alarm bells rang in his head.
Stepping in any further was dangerous.
Was it his gut, or the answer derived from his accumulated experience? Either way, running away now was impossible. He would eliminate him, then move to the next target.
To settle this, Mr. 1 created blades on the soles of his feet like skates and began to slide across the ground.
"Very well. I will end this now! Atomic Spurt!"
"Tell me... do you know... the breath of iron?"
Without feinting, Mr. 1 closed in at high speed in a straight line.
Watching him calmly, Zoro readied his single blade, quietly exposing the steel from the sheath.
"Ittoryu Iai... Lion's Song."
The distance between them closed rapidly, and then... the crossing was instantaneous.
In the next moment, the result was revealed.
Mr. 1's body was sliced deeply. Massive amounts of blood sprayed out, and he fell to his knees in shock and impact. Half-stunned, he looked down at his own body, realizing he had been cut, before coughing up blood.
An iron body from eating the Supa Supa no Mi. A full-body blade that a swordsman shouldn't be able to cut.
When he correctly understood the situation, he realized his defeat and accepted it with a calm heart.
Zoro stood with his back to him.
Glancing back slightly, Mr. 1 spoke to his back.
Great surprise, and a little acceptance. Though he felt the frustration of defeat, he had no desire to lash out.
"Gah...! To think... you would really... cut iron..."
Clutching his chest, he looked at his own blood for the first time in a long while. Strangely, no anger welled up.
"Next... will you try to cut diamond?"
"That'd be a waste."
"Heh..."
He swayed, his body tipping over.
Unable to grasp his fading consciousness, Mr. 1 fell.
"That was tough..."
Lying on the dry ground, Mr. 1 fell silent.
Likewise, though victorious, Zoro was far from okay. Feeling the limit of his stamina, he dropped to his knees. He knew this wasn't the place to sleep, but he couldn't help but lie down.
He had lost too much blood. It was a miracle he was alive.
It seemed he wouldn't be able to move for a while.
(Damn, just when I finally understood the "breath"... I bled too much.)
He couldn't even walk like this. He decided he had no choice but to rest for a moment.
He took the bandana from his head, and without the strength to tie it around his left arm as usual, he closed his eyes.
(I wonder if they're all safe? I want to know the situation. Also, if only there was some booze...)
Though he had won, his wounds were deep, and Zoro easily let go of his consciousness.
He didn't know when he would wake up next. When he could move again, that would be the time.
The surroundings were eerily quiet. Finding that unnatural, Zoro's mind sank into sleep.
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