Chapter 73: The Zodiac in Shimotsuki Village: 'Inoshishi'!
East Blue, Shimotsuki Village. A clearing outside the village.
SHING!
The sound of a sword being drawn.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
The sound of cutting.
A giant boulder suspended in the air was cleanly sliced into four pieces by the swordsman in front of it.
But strangely, although it was cut into four, the swordsman had only swung once.
He held a sword in each hand, and one in his mouth.
He had green hair, wore a white shirt and a green haramaki, a bandana tied around his left arm, and three gold earrings in his left ear.
A look unique across the entire sea.
"So strong!"
"As expected of Big Brother Zoro's Three-Sword Style!"
"I want to learn Three-Sword Style too!"
"He's a monster! Big Brother Zoro might become stronger than Master Koushirou one day!"
A group of children were cheering around him.
They all wore the dojo uniform, with the symbol of two crossed swords on the left chest.
"Heh."
Hearing their words, Roronoa Zoro sheathed his three swords. Listening to the chatter of his juniors, he smiled.
He didn't deny the children's claim about being stronger than the Master.
Even though Koushirou was his teacher, the person he respected most.
But...
"To become the World's Greatest Swordsman, I have to surpass everyone."
His hand subconsciously touched the white-hilted katana at his waist—the Wado Ichimonji. His eyes shone with determination.
That was the promise he made to his deceased best friend.
"But Big Brother Zoro, you're setting sail soon, right?" a child asked curiously.
"Yeah. It's been eight years since she... It's time to test my sword."
Zoro nodded.
"What are you going to do?"
"Bounty hunter, maybe? Roaming the world, finding strong opponents to fight... that should sharpen my skills."
Zoro sounded expectant.
Anyone who had trained their swordsmanship bitterly for years would look forward to finally using it.
"Searching the world for strong opponents? Awesome! Didn't some pirates try to raid us recently?"
"Yeah! The Master drove them off, but they said they'd come back, right? Big Brother Zoro, you should go find them first and cut them all down!"
Some children looked at him with worship.
But others were skeptical.
Not of Zoro's swordsmanship, but...
"Bounty hunter... If it's Big Brother Zoro, he'll definitely get lost, right?"
"Definitely!"
"Absolutely. He might not find his way back for years."
Hearing this, Zoro's eyes bulged. "Hah? What are you brats saying? How could I possibly... Hm!?"
He stopped mid-sentence, his expression turning serious.
Because he saw it. At the end of the road on the other side of the village... someone appeared.
Zoro could see the figure from a distance.
It was a tall man wearing a top hat. And on his face... a strange Pig Mask.
"That guy..."
Zoro's expression darkened.
Shimotsuki Village wasn't big; outsiders were rare.
And Zoro's swordsman instincts told him... that man was no ordinary traveler.
"You guys stay here. Don't move."
Telling the children to stay put, Zoro leaped over the rubble in front of him and walked toward the man.
"Hey. New face. Not from around here, are you?"
He grinned at the man.
"..."
He noticed that, although brief, the man seemed to pause slightly upon seeing him.
This made Zoro even more suspicious. Is this guy a partner of the pirates who got chased off recently?
"You are correct, young man. It is indeed my first time visiting your village."
The man in the pig mask spoke politely. "I am here to discuss a business deal."
"Business?"
Zoro grinned. "Where to? I know the village well. Maybe I can take you there."
"A place called the Isshin Dojo. I have an appointment with the master there, Mr. Shimotsuki Koushirou..."
SHING!
Before the man could finish, Zoro drew his sword.
"Sorry, pirate."
He was almost certain of his judgment. "I don't recall my teacher ever doing business with anyone... Two-Sword Style: Hawk Wave!"
He drew and slashed instantly.
But if one looked closely, they would see he struck with the back of the blade.
Clearly, although he suspected the man was a pirate, he didn't intend to kill without confirmation.
But...
CLANG!
The back of the blade struck the man's neck easily.
Zoro was sure he hit him. He had put his strength into the blow.
But the man didn't fall.
No, to be precise—Zoro didn't even feel him tremble.
"Young man, that's not very nice."
The next moment, he saw the calm eyes beneath the mask.
"Attacking a business partner randomly makes business hard to conduct."
"Also, I think I heard you say you wanted to find strong opponents to fight? It's a good ambition, but..."
The man gently extended a hand and flicked Zoro's forehead.
"There are many monsters on this sea. If you draw your sword on everyone you see... you'll die."
BOOM!
Massive force exploded instantly. Zoro felt like he hadn't been flicked by a finger, but hit by a blunt siege weapon.
He was sent flying.
But...
"No... I can't fall like this..."
He forced himself to stay conscious in mid-air and landed on his feet.
Thud!
As he landed, his hands were already on his other two swords.
"Haha..."
His forehead was already purple and swollen, but he didn't care.
He didn't know what just happened, didn't know how a casual flick could have such power.
But he knew one thing.
This guy was strong.
So...
"Perfect. I'll test my swords on you."
He drew all three blades, biting down on the third.
"Three-Sword Style..."
But just as he was about to attack again, a hand grabbed his shoulder.
"Zoro. Stop."
The familiar voice made Zoro freeze instinctively.
He turned around and saw a familiar figure—a man in a gray kimono and round glasses, looking very gentle.
"Teacher?"
It was his teacher, the master of the Isshin Dojo, Shimotsuki Koushirou.
"I have been expecting you. My apologies—my disciple is a bit reckless. Thank you for showing mercy."
Koushirou ignored Zoro, looking at the pig-masked man and speaking softly.
"...Huh?"
Zoro was stunned.
Then he realized—The teacher actually knows him?
"No... wait..."
But then, Zoro realized something was wrong.
Koushirou's expression was much more serious than usual. In fact, Zoro had never seen him this serious.
Clearly, he might know the man, but they definitely weren't friends.
At this moment...
"It's fine, Mr. Koushirou."
The man in the pig mask spoke elegantly. "I'm here for business, not trouble."
He smiled and tipped his top hat.
"Allow me to introduce myself."
"I am 'Inoshishi' (Boar). I am a Blacksmith."
☆☆☆
-> 30 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you