RORONOA ZORO FALLS INTO THE SEA

Zoro stands on the floating wooden debris of the destroyed galleon, facing the tall, imposing figure of Dracule Mihawk, who has his back turned. Mihawk carries a massive, cross-shaped black sword on his back. Mihawk says calmly, "A waste, if you ask me." Zoro, holding a sword in each hand and one in his mouth, replies with a determined grin, "I never thought I'd be able to meet you so early on... To be honest,"

Zoro finishes his sentence, "Versus the pirate hunter Zoro...! The world's strongest swordsman," On the balcony of the Baratie restaurant ship, Zeff and the other cooks watch the confrontation in stunned silence. Nearby, Luffy, Usopp, Yosaku, and Johnny observe from a small boat. Yosaku and Johnny look nervous, but Luffy watches intently. Don Krieg is shown sitting amidst the wreckage of his massive galleon, sweating and gritting his teeth in disbelief. He mutters, "That man... Just what did he do to this ship...!"

Zoro ties his dark bandana tightly around his head, preparing for battle. Mihawk watches him and asks, "Just what're you planning to do with that?" With a sharp "SHING", Mihawk draws a tiny, cross-shaped knife from a pendant around his neck. He holds it up and says, "I'm different from those stupid brutes who'd go all out just to hunt a mere rabbit. Though you may be a swordsman of some renown, this is East Blue, the weakest of the four seas, that are separated by Red Line and Grand Line." A map of the world is displayed, showing the North Blue, West Blue, South Blue, East Blue, the Red Line, and the Grand Line.

Zoro glares angrily, biting down hard on his sword. "To just how much you can underestimate me...!" Mihawk holds up the tiny knife, his expression unreadable. "There's a limit, unfortunately, I do not have a blade smaller than this at the moment." Zoro charges forward with incredible speed, his swords poised to strike. "You better not regret it when you die! ONI! (demon)" Mihawk stands completely still, holding the small knife out defensively. "Hear me, little frog in his well. It's time for you to realize that the world is bigger than what it seems from your well."

Zoro unleashes his powerful attack with a loud "GIRI! (cut)". However, the impact is abruptly halted. Mihawk has perfectly blocked the tips of all three of Zoro's swords using only the point of his tiny knife. Zoro's eyes widen in absolute shock as he realizes his attack has been stopped dead in its tracks. "!!? AH...!"

Mihawk effortlessly holds Zoro's three swords at bay with the small blade. Yosaku and Johnny scream in disbelief, "Brother's 'Oni Giri' was stopped! His signature attack that sends his opponents flying 100% was stopped!?" Luffy looks on, stunned, muttering, "Zoro?" Zoro struggles, sweating profusely as he tries to push forward against the tiny knife. "I... can't move... There hasn't been a single man who could see through that move until now! So how can he stop me with that toy...!?" Mihawk looks back at him with piercing, calm eyes. "This is... ridiculous!!!"

Zoro desperately swings his swords in a flurry of rapid, heavy attacks. "It's not possible for the world to be this far away! ARGHHHH!" Mihawk casually deflects every single strike with the tiny knife, the metal clashing repeatedly as he easily parries the blows. Zoro grunts in frustration, pushing himself to the limit. "Ugh! ARGHHHH! There shouldn't be such a vast difference between us! There can't be!"

Mihawk continues to easily parry Zoro's frantic assaults, noting, "Such ferocity..." Johnny and Yosaku cheer him on enthusiastically, "Come on, bro! Show him what you've really got! Come on!" The Baratie cooks watch in awe as Mihawk dodges and blocks. "He's easily taking on Roronoa Zoro's 3 swords with that little thing!" A flashback begins, showing a young Kuina holding a bamboo sword. She says, "I didn't train so hard until today, just to fight against this stupid little toy...! I trained to win!" A young Zoro is also shown listening to her. Kuina continues, "You're lucky you're a boy, Zoro....I wanted to become the world's best too!"

The flashback continues with young Zoro and Kuina making a promise. Kuina says, "Someday, one of us will become the world's greatest swordsman! Let's compete to see which of us will be that person!" Zoro replies with determination, "It's a promise!" In the present, Zoro fiercely attacks Mihawk, thinking, "I came to beat this man! I'll become even stronger for her sake! I swear I'll become the world's strongest swordsman whose name is famous enough to reach even the heavens!" Another brief flashback shows Yosaku and Johnny introducing themselves to Zoro in the past. "Aghhh! It's pirate hunter Zoro! We're the bounty hunters, Yosaku and Johnny! Even crying babies will almost stop crying by a slim margin at the mere mention of our names! We're impressed by your skill! Let us work together with you!" Back in the present, Mihawk easily dodges Zoro's strikes and asks, "What burdens you so? What do you still desire at the extent of your strength, weakling...?"

Luffy stretches his arms out wide to hold back Yosaku and Johnny, who are trying to rush forward in anger. They yell, "How dare you call our bro a weakling!? We oughta teach you a lesson, you bastard!" Luffy commands them firmly, "Stay put right here...!" Usopp looks at him nervously, saying, "Luffy..." Meanwhile, Mihawk steps inside Zoro's guard and thrusts his tiny knife directly into Zoro's chest. Zoro gasps in pain, "OOF!"

Despite being stabbed, Zoro doesn't retreat. He crosses his swords in front of him, preparing another technique. "TORA (tiger) OOO" Luffy watches intently, remembering Zoro's past words to him: "World's strongest swordsman! Sounds great! If you're gonna be the pirate king's shipmate, you should be able to accomplish at least that much! Otherwise, it'll be embarrassing for me!" Zoro's eyes burn with intense determination as he unleashes his attack. "The world's greatest... GARI (hunting)"

Zoro swings his swords forward, but Mihawk's knife remains firmly planted in his chest. Blood spurts violently from the wound. Luffy, Yosaku, and Johnny scream in horror, "BRO!!!" Zoro grits his teeth in immense pain, "NGHH!" Mihawk looks slightly surprised by Zoro's sheer refusal to back down despite the lethal strike.

Blood drips heavily from Zoro's wound, pooling on the wooden planks beneath him. Mihawk asks, "Do you wish for me to pierce your heart thus? Why do you refuse to step back?" Zoro, sweating and bleeding profusely, replies, "Beats me... Not really sure myself... But I get the feeling... that if I were to take even one step back right now, I'd lose something very important to me... A promise or oath... or whatever it is would be irreversibly broken, and that I'd never be able to return back to where I'm standing right now."

Mihawk states calmly, "Yes, such is defeat." Zoro chuckles weakly, blood dripping from his mouth. "Haha... Then that's why I can't step back." Mihawk questions him further, "Even if it means your death...?" Zoro replies without hesitation, "I'd much rather die." Mihawk pulls his knife out of Zoro's chest. He thinks to himself, "What conviction he possesses! To rather choose death than defeat..." Mihawk then asks, "Kid... tell me your name."

Zoro steps back, spinning his swords to ready his stance once more. "Roronoa Zoro." Mihawk reaches over his shoulder and draws his massive, black, cross-shaped sword. "I shall remember it, and to pay my respect to you as a fellow swordsman, I shall end this duel with my black sword, the world's strongest sword. For your strength is not oft seen in this world."

The Baratie cooks panic upon seeing the giant blade. "He unsheathed it! That sword he used to cut our ship with!" Zoro prepares his ultimate stance, spinning his two hand swords rapidly like a windmill. "So this is it... The final blow... If I miss here, I'll die... To be the world's strongest... or to die here and now...!" Luffy screams desperately, "Bro, that's enough! Stop!" Zoro ignores him, fully committed to the attack. "SANTOURYYUU OUGI! (Three swords style secret)"

Zoro and Mihawk charge at each other, crossing paths in a massive, explosive clash. "SANZEN SEKAI!! (3000 worlds)" As they pass each other, the blades of Zoro's two hand swords shatter into pieces. Zoro stands frozen, realizing the outcome. "I lost... I'm no match for him... So this is... the strength of the world's strongest...! Never even thought about the possibility of losing..." Mihawk calmly begins to sheathe his black sword.

Zoro turns around to face Mihawk, spreading his arms wide open, exposing his chest. Mihawk looks surprised. "What...?" Zoro smiles confidently, "A wound on one's back, is the shame of a swordsman." Mihawk grins widely, "Splendid." With a swift motion, Mihawk slashes his giant black sword diagonally across Zoro's chest, sending a massive spray of blood into the air. Luffy screams in absolute terror, "ZORO!"

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