A sharp, dull pain shot through the back of his head, and Zoro gasped, jolting awake from unconsciousness.
He shook his still-dizzy head, and the scene before him gradually cleared: damp soil, towering trees, and unfamiliar flowers and plants he had never seen before.
Memories began flooding back into his mind like a tide.
That self-proclaimed Mr.1, the Octopus Baldy... that Thorn Woman... and... Giyu!
The image of that final moment was firmly etched in his mind!
Giyu had thrown him aside, only to be instantly swallowed by the white Wax Liquid himself. The hand that had pushed him away ultimately solidified into a wax statue.
"Dammit..."
Zoro punched the ground, sending dirt flying. Because he hadn't been able to cut through steel, Giyu ended up being captured! This feeling of powerlessness burned within him.
Just then, faint explosions and sounds of fighting echoed from the distance.
No time for regret!
Gritting his teeth against the pain from his injuries, Zoro slowly began to rise to his feet.
That guy Giyu... he managed to wound that Iron Block... How exactly did he do it...
The thought flashed through his mind. As he moved toward the source of the noise, he gently stroked his Wado Ichimonji.
While running, fragments of childhood memories began surfacing uncontrollably in his mind.
In the dojo, a young version of himself had once looked up and asked the always smiling man: "Master! Are there really swordsmen in this world who can cut through iron as if it were mud?"
The master didn't answer directly, instead saying gently: "Zoro, what's even more remarkable in this world are those swordsmen who can achieve 'not cutting.' They can cut nothing, yet still cut through iron!"
"Not cutting?"
Young Zoro couldn't understand at all.
"The so-called strongest swordsman isn't one who can cut everything, but one who can protect what they want to protect and cut what they want to cut. In my view, a sword that harms everything it touches... cannot truly be called a sword."
Back then, young Zoro found this theory mysterious and useless. He only wanted to become a swordsman who could cut through everything.
But now, these words echoed with unusual clarity in his ears.
In this moment of physical crisis, he began to focus his mind, dispel distracting thoughts, and devote his attention completely to running and perceiving his surroundings.
Gradually, the world around him began to feel different in his perception.
The flow of the wind, the softness of the soil beneath his feet, the steady breathing of the trees beside him, even the wariness of giant beasts hidden in the jungle... an unprecedented sensation enveloped him.
He wasn't seeing these things - he was feeling them.
Suddenly, he paused mid-step. From the side ahead came an unpleasant, stagnant breath. He slowly approached, only to see a small hut completely made of white wax, abruptly standing in the forest.
That wax again! It must be the work of that guy with hair tied like a '3' that he had seen earlier.
Beside the hut, an otter holding a pen and paper and a black vulture were sneakily peering into the building. The voice coming from inside made him frown - it was Sanji! He seemed to be talking to someone else.
Can't let these two cause trouble. Zoro's eyes turned cold as he dashed forward in a flash.
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Only two extremely faint thuds were heard. The otter and vulture's eyes rolled back as they collapsed, large bumps swelling on their heads. Without even glancing at them, Zoro walked toward the hut.
He leaned against the wax wall and peered inside. Sanji had his back to him, speaking into a Den Den Mushi. Sensing something, Sanji casually glanced over his shoulder.
That single glance made him freeze in shock, his jaw dropping wide enough to fit an egg.
Zoro before him was in a pitiful state—his bandana askew, covered in dust, clothes torn in multiple places, with unhealed wounds still visible on his forehead.
"You..."
Sanji nearly blurted out, but his quick reflexes made him swallow the words. His expression instantly shifted back to normal as he desperately signaled to Zoro with his eyes, raising a finger to his lips to indicate silence.
Crocodile's deep, displeased voice immediately came through the Den Den Mushi:
"What's going on? Why was it noisy over there just now?"
"Ah! It's nothing, nothing, boss!"
Sanji reacted swiftly, speaking to the Den Den Mushi in an exaggerated tone: "It's just that green-haired swordsman being stubborn and putting up a desperate fight, but don't worry! I've taken care of it completely! Guaranteed quiet now!"
There was a brief silence on the other end before Crocodile slowly said, "So... were you lying to me just now?"
Sanji nearly broke into a cold sweat, but his voice remained steady as a rock: "How could I! Absolutely not lying! It's just that these East Blue guys are ridiculously tenacious! But I promise you, I've handled everything thoroughly now!"
"...Hmph."
Crocodile seemed to temporarily accept this explanation. "Alright, regardless, return directly to Alabasta from there."
He paused before adding, "This is the last time we'll communicate via Den Den Mushi. From now on, I'll send instructions through written orders as usual."
"Understood! Boss!" Sanji responded loudly.
Before the Den Den Mushi signal completely cut off, they could faintly hear Crocodile's impatient shout: "Ms. All Sunday! Ms. All Sunday!... Has that woman gone on vacation again... Damn it..."
Click.
The Den Den Mushi finally closed its eyes completely and fell asleep.
Sanji let out a long sigh of relief before immediately turning around and rushing up to Zoro, his face showing both surprise and anger toward their enemies: "You!! What happened?! How did you end up in this Demon-like state?!"
Zoro ignored his exaggerated reaction and simply said, "A troublesome group has come to the island. They're not simple. Giyu got captured by some wax-using bastard while saving me."
His expression turned grim as he added, "When I was rushing over here, I could still hear noises from over there. We need to go immediately."
"Even someone as strong as Giyu..." Sanji frowned deeply, instantly realizing the severity of the situation. "Alright! Got it! Let's move!"
The two rushed out of the wax hut. But Zoro stopped outside. He reached out, touched the wax wall, and knocked on it with his knuckles.
Clang. Clang.
It made a hard sound like striking steel.
"This hardness..." Sanji also tested it, his expression changing slightly. Zoro simply told Sanji: "Wait for me a moment."
He took two steps back and slowly drew Wado Ichimonji.
Zoro closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The surrounding breathing patterns entered his mind again—the flow of wind, the swaying of leaves, and the breathing of the white wax wall before him.
Opening his eyes, his arm swung, and a sharp slash cut diagonally through the air!
"Swish—!"
The upper half of the iron-hard wax cabin slid smoothly along a clean cut before collapsing with a thunderous crash!
The cross-section was mirror-smooth.
Zoro sheathed his sword without even glancing at the ruins behind him, his voice low. "Let's go."
Sanji stared at the cross-section, his cigarette nearly falling from his lips, before finally clicking his tongue. "You bastard..."
In a flash, the two figures began moving toward the direction from which the sound had just come.