The fact that Hawkeye-boy had managed to gain some enlightenment wasn't what bothered Rowan the most. What truly made him grit his teeth was that the realization had come from his own hand.
He had never intended to become Hawkeye's mentor.
But Rowan could only swallow his frustration in silence. After all, in everyone's eyes, he was currently a legendary senior of the Way of the Sword. He desperately wanted to ask what exactly the kid had realized, but having already committed to the "aloof master" persona, he had to play the part to the bitter end.
Rowan offered a feigned, gratified nod. "Very well. Then we shall meet again in one month. I hope you can provide me with a surprise by then."
Hawkeye Mihawk nodded solemnly. His tone was etched with gravity. "I will not fail to live up to the Senior's expectations!"
With those words, Mihawk turned to leave, but he paused abruptly as if remembering something. He looked back at Rowan with profound respect and asked, "I am Dracule Mihawk! Might I know the Senior's honored name...?"
Seeing Mihawk's humble attitude, much of the indignation in Rowan's heart dissipated.
Fine. If the kid gained something on his own, then it's his destiny. Why should an old man like me hold a grudge against a junior?
Amused by his own pettiness, Rowan let a faint smile play across his lips. "Marine... Rowan."
"Marine... Rowan?"
Mihawk repeated the name internally, etching it into his memory. He offered a deep, respectful bow before finally turning to depart.
Rowan did not know that his name had been silently carved into the hearts of every single person in the crowd. Even more, he didn't realize that even without a fight, even without officially taking the title of the World's Greatest Swordsman from Mihawk, his name was destined to thunder across the seas in a very short time.
Watching Hawkeye's silhouette disappear into the crowd, Rowan finally exhaled a breath of relief.
Glad to be rid of that kid.
However, the thought of actually having to fight him in a month still gave Rowan a bit of a headache. These swordsmen were truly a tiresome lot, always wanting to challenge one another. Wasn't it a waste of stamina? If he had that much time, he'd rather go to the New World and find a few juniors with hundred-million-Berri bounties to stretch his bones.
As Rowan was grumbling to himself, Zoro—wrapped from head to toe like a mummy—suddenly forced himself up despite the pain. Even as his wounds began to seep red again, he didn't stop. He limped before Rowan and knelt directly on the ground. Pressing his forehead to the pavement, he spoke in a resonant voice that reached every ear in the plaza.
"Senior Rowan, please take me as your disciple! Allow me to follow you and train!"
"Take you as a disciple?" The tobacco pipe Rowan was about to raise froze in mid-air. He narrowed his eyes.
Though he hadn't spent much time with the boy, Rowan remembered him clearly from the original story. This kid was incredibly prideful. In the original timeline, even after being defeated by Mihawk, Zoro's spirit was acknowledged, but he merely pointed his sword to the sky and vowed through tears never to lose again.
He only knelt to Hawkeye much later, after the Straw Hat crew was decimated at Sabaody Archipelago by Kizaru and the Pacifistas. It was only the feeling of powerlessness as his comrades were swatted away that forced Zoro to bow his head. He had knelt to Hawkeye to gain the strength to protect his friends.
But now, the boy wanted to become his disciple. It was unexpected.
Rowan eventually brought the pipe to his lips. After a slow exhale, he spoke calmly. "Why do you want me as your master? With your current insight, if you wander the seas for two or three years, your own talent and hard work might be enough to make you a Grandmaster. Why tie yourself to an old man like me?"
"For a promise! For the conviction in my heart! To surpass you! To become the strongest—to become the true World's Greatest Swordsman!" Zoro raised his head, his words striking the air with the force of iron.
"Roronoa Zoro..."
Listening to his ringing declaration, Tashigi bit her lip, her eyes shimmering. As a fellow swordsman, she understood Zoro's mindset perfectly. After the miraculous displays Mr. Rowan had just shown, the Old Man had become the ultimate peak on the path of the sword for someone like her—and even for someone of Zoro's caliber.
In Tashigi's mind, surpassing such a mountain through solo effort felt impossible. That terrifying, peerless Sword Intent alone was enough to make her want to retreat. To her, even approaching Rowan's level was a dream beyond reach.
Yet, she never expected Roronoa Zoro would choose to become the Old Man's disciple specifically so he could one day surpass him. Does he really believe he can do it? At that moment, Tashigi realized she had underestimated the young swordsman before her. It seemed his goal had been the world's peak from the very beginning, and his entire life was fuel for that ambition. Whether the goal was reachable or not didn't matter—he had to pursue it.
She couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration—and a touch of envy—for a conviction that strong.
"To surpass me?" Rowan burst into a hearty laugh.
He didn't overthink it like Tashigi did; he was simply surprised by Zoro's answer. "The student surpassing the master? Hahaha! Interesting. Truly interesting."
"That is exactly the kind of thing Roronoa Zoro would say."
Seeing Rowan laughing as he stroked his beard, Zoro ignored the stares of the crowd and spoke with total sincerity. "Senior Rowan, please accept me!"
"I will not take you as my disciple." Rowan's answer, however, caught everyone by surprise.
"Why?" Zoro looked up, searching Rowan's face for an answer.
Rowan smiled and said, "Little guy, you need to understand one thing: a path others have walked, no matter how long or smooth it is, is still someone else's path. It might let you travel fast, but it isn't necessarily the right fit for you."
"If you follow me, you might become very strong. But you will never become the strongest!"
............BONUS CHAPTER IS COMING...........
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