Chapter 78: When You See the Truth of the Sea, Will You Still Have Courage?
Shimotsuki Village, South Shore.
The villagers gathered on the beach.
"V-Village Elder, are those pirates really the ones..."
A villager stammered.
Yes—recently, a group of pirates had raided Shimotsuki Village. They weren't particularly strong and were driven off by the villagers.
But now...
"There's no mistake."
The village elder, an old man with white hair and beard, said gravely.
He stared at the distant sea.
A fleet of pirate ships was gradually approaching through the waves.
On the main mast, the Jolly Roger was a skull followed by twenty-seven stars.
"For every new ship, they add a star to the flag. Including the flagship, they now have twenty-eight ships. In terms of fleet size, they are second only to 'Don Krieg' in the East Blue..."
The elder's voice was heavy. "Bounty: 11 million Berries. The great pirate, 'Skull Admiral' Rogerel!"
In the East Blue, where the average bounty was around 3 million Berries, 11 million was indeed a 'great pirate.'
"We've already offended them—if a guy like that lands, the village is done for..."
The elder's lips trembled. "Is Master Koushirou here? Has he arrived yet?"
"We've sent someone, but Elder... even Master Koushirou, facing an enemy of this scale..."
The villagers were terrified.
They knew Koushirou of the Isshin Dojo was the protector of Shimotsuki Village—it had been decided since their parents' generation arrived on this island.
But for ordinary civilians, this number of pirate ships was enough to shatter their will.
Amidst the gloom...
"Hey, look over there!"
A villager shouted, pointing. "It's Mr. Koushirou, and Zoro, and... Eh? Who's that?"
Everyone turned to look.
On a small hill near the south shore, there were indeed three figures—Koushirou and Roronoa Zoro, whom they knew.
But the third figure, wearing a Pig Mask, was a stranger.
"Why is Master Koushirou over there? What are they doing?"
The question arose naturally.
But they didn't know...
"One hit?"
On the hill, Koushirou was discussing quietly with Inoshishi.
"Yes. One hit."
Inoshishi nodded. "The victor between us will be decided by the number of ships destroyed in a single strike."
Beside them, Zoro listened with a grave expression.
Before today, he would have found their attitude unbelievable—facing one of the strongest pirate fleets in the East Blue, these two were treating them as mere tools for a contest.
And they weren't competing on how many pirates they defeated, but how many ships they sank.
But after seeing his teacher's earlier slash...
Zoro began to understand what a true powerhouse on this sea looked like.
So he said nothing, just clenched his fists and watched.
"Alright. I'll go first."
Koushirou nodded, readily accepting Inoshishi's proposal—perhaps he simply didn't want the pirates to land and cause harm.
Koushirou walked to the edge of the hill.
Then...
Exhale...
He breathed out.
VMMM!
Under Zoro's astonished gaze, he saw his teacher's arm turn black.
The strange blackness spread, flowing until it covered the blade of 'Isshin' in his hand.
"Ryou."
Seeing this, Inoshishi thought 'As expected.'
As the son of Shimotsuki Kozaburo, who forged 'Enma Iron,' and a descendant of the Sword God Shimotsuki Ryuma, it would be strange if Koushirou hadn't mastered Ryou.
At that moment...
Koushirou swung his sword.
"..."
Surprisingly, there was no sharp sound of cutting, no whistling blade. It seemed like a casual swing that didn't even disturb the sea breeze.
But...
VMMM!
In the next instant, from the direction of Koushirou's blade...
The sea below and the clouds above were split apart!
The parted clouds were pushed aside by the slash, partially blocking the sun, making it look like a crescent moon.
The fine spray of seawater glittered in the filtered light like falling frost.
"Isshin Style Secret Technique: Shimotsuki Slash!" (Frost Moon Cut)
The whispered words fell.
And then...
SLICE!
Everyone watched in horror as the pirate ships speeding across the distant sea began to silently split open!
The cuts on the hulls were smooth and clean. The massive warships collapsed onto the sea and began to sink almost instantly.
And the sword light didn't stop.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
One, two, three...
Until the seventh ship was cleaved in two, the slash finally dissipated over the sea.
At this moment...
"..."
Zoro, the villagers, everyone stared wide-eyed, jaws hitting the ground, speechless.
"Teacher..."
Zoro's voice was hoarse.
Before he could finish, Koushirou had already sheathed his sword and returned to his side.
"Mr. Inoshishi, your turn. Let's sit in the back."
He gestured to Inoshishi, then led Zoro to sit further away.
"..."
Inoshishi glanced at Koushirou thoughtfully—he seemed to understand what the dojo master intended.
So...
"Alright."
He nodded and walked to where Koushirou had stood.
"Zoro, watch closely."
Koushirou's voice reached Zoro's ears.
Watch closely?
Zoro hesitated, but the scene before him allowed no distractions.
He saw Inoshishi extend his hand toward the distant sea.
Then Zoro was horrified to see... a slash appearing in Inoshishi's hand!
Yes—even though he held no sword and hadn't swung one.
In his palm, a massive slash manifested.
And to a swordsman like Zoro, the aura of that slash was unmistakably clear.
"That's... Teacher's strike from the bamboo grove earlier?"
This realization shocked Zoro's already numb nerves. "What is this?"
But before he could speak, Inoshishi acted.
He flicked his finger.
"Munch-Munch: Instant Prison Slash!"
The next moment, Zoro saw the slash in Inoshishi's hand vanish instantly.
"Disappeared?"
Just as the thought arose, he heard Koushirou's puzzled voice beside him. "Hm?"
Simultaneously, he heard gasps from the distant villagers.
Zoro instinctively looked up at the sea.
There...
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The familiar sound of cutting returned—the ships on the distant sea began to split and sink again.
Zoro could imagine the screams and confusion of the pirates.
"When did the slash get there?"
At that distance, he hadn't even seen the slash travel.
But clearly, that didn't matter anymore.
Because...
As ship after ship sank, Zoro grew tense.
Naturally, he wanted to see the outcome of this duel.
"It's close—Teacher's slash seemed stronger, but lost power over distance."
"Inoshishi's slash was weaker, but somehow appeared there instantly without loss..."
He analyzed internally.
But in the next moment—he realized his judgment was meaningless.
Because as the slash cut through another ship and reached the center of the fleet...
KA-BOOM!
Accompanied by a massive flash, Zoro saw it clearly—the slash exploded!
The intense explosion spread instantly. A massive blast wave and fireball engulfed all the surrounding ships.
The sea caved in, waves surged, blocking all sight, leaving only smoke rising from the water.
Zoro didn't need to check.
"The remaining twenty-one ships... annihilated."
He looked at Inoshishi incredulously, then at the terrifying destruction on the sea.
"What kind of move is that?"
A slash that explodes? Is that even legal?
Inoshishi slowly retracted his finger, nodding with satisfaction.
"As expected of me."
He smiled to himself.
In the screen before his eyes, the events were explained.
[Paramecia · Munch-Munch Fruit LV4: Can swallow anything, including non-solid elements like 'clouds', 'wind', and 'slashes'. Only the substance can be used, not the elemental properties.]
[Paramecia · Bomb-Bomb Fruit LV4: Can turn any part of the body, including exhaled breath, into bombs. Bombs can be detonated at will. User is immune to all explosion damage. At LV4, explosion power is further enhanced.]
[Paramecia · Mark-Mark Fruit LV4: Can set two Mark Points within range. Transfer any attack on self (hostile or friendly) to the vicinity of the Mark Point.]
This was the power 'Inoshishi' possessed.
Incidentally, the two Mark Points recorded by his Mark-Mark Fruit—one was obviously a ship in the distance. The other... was inside his own mouth.
"Any attack is transferred by the Mark-Mark Fruit into my mouth, digested by the Munch-Munch Fruit, and becomes part of my body."
"Any attack I make, including slashes that become part of my body, can be turned into a massive bomb."
"The Mark-Mark Fruit ensures my attacks and bombs almost certainly hit the enemy."
Under the mask, Roy was satisfied with his skill combo.
As he told Koushirou earlier, Inoshishi's ability was indeed very dangerous!
From the moment Koushirou accepted this duel, he was destined to lose.
For a contest of pure destruction aimed at sinking ships, Inoshishi's ability was practically perfect.
However...
"He probably doesn't care."
Inoshishi glanced back at Koushirou.
From Koushirou leading him to the bamboo grove, to starting a fight for seemingly no reason... although the excuses were reasonable, Inoshishi felt it was odd.
The reason was simple—if powerhouses of their level fought, Zoro's presence was a burden.
The future Pirate Hunter was still too immature.
Frankly, Inoshishi could probably kill him by accident just by breathing too hard right now.
Fighting with Zoro present would inevitably restrict them.
Koushirou knew this but insisted, which was strange.
But seeing Koushirou's reaction to his proposal, Inoshishi had guessed the true motive.
And he was right.
"Zoro."
Zoro, fists clenched tight, heard his teacher's voice.
"How was it?"
He turned to see Koushirou's face, returned to its usual gentleness.
"...I understand, Teacher."
Zoro wasn't stupid.
By now, even he realized Koushirou's intention.
"The true powerhouses of this sea, like you, like that guy..."
His voice was low.
"If I challenge them rashly... I will die."
He didn't hesitate to admit it.
"Good."
Koushirou nodded with satisfaction, then asked again. "Do you still want to set sail?"
He looked at his prized disciple.
Not long ago, Zoro was high-spirited, believing his Three-Sword Style was enough to roam the seas.
Youthful spirit was precious, but on this sea, it was also the easiest way to get killed.
Especially after Zoro saw Inoshishi and yearned for the Grand Line.
Koushirou realized he had to show Zoro the truth of the sea.
That was why he did everything today.
His goal was to ask this question.
After seeing the power of the true strong, knowing how immature his own sword was, and understanding the cruelty and truth...
Would Roronoa Zoro still set sail?
The answer... was obvious.
"Of course!"
Zoro answered without hesitation.
He placed his hand on the white-hilted sword at his waist, the Wado Ichimonji.
"Thanks, Teacher."
"I'll stay in the East Blue first, temper my sword... and when I'm strong enough... I'll enter the Grand Line."
He grinned. "I'm going to become the World's Greatest Swordsman!"
"After all, I promised her... I'd make my name reach the heavens!"
He stated his goal as always.
But unlike before...
This time, he had seen the rugged path ahead and the monsters he was destined to face.
This time...
"I am ready."
Because it was a promise.
Because it was ambition.
Koushirou finally smiled broadly.
Looking at Zoro, he seemed to see three shadows overlapping.
Exceptional talent, tenacious will, immense ambition, and stubborn persistence.
"Dad, I'm going to become the World's Greatest Swordsman!"
That was his daughter, Kuina.
"Teacher, I'm going to become the World's Greatest Swordsman!"
That was his disciple, Zoro.
"Father, I'm going to become the World's Greatest Swordsman!"
That was his younger self.
His eyes grew moist.
But he wiped them quickly and stood up.
"Since you've decided, then go."
He sheathed his sword and turned to leave.
"And—no need to thank me, Zoro."
Only his fading voice reached Zoro's ears.
"It's been a long time... since I swung my sword so freely."
☆☆☆
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