THE KING OF THE PIRATES AND THE MASTER SWORDSMAN

Inside the Marine base, Luffy drags a battered Helmeppo by the face down a hallway. Luffy angrily demands, "TELL ME! WHERE ARE ZOLO'S SWORDS!?" Helmeppo, crying and struggling, begs, "S-STOP DRAGGING ME AND I'LL TELL YOU!" Luffy drops him to the floor with a thud and says, "OKAY, TELL ME!" Panting and terrified, Helmeppo reveals, "THEY'RE IN MY ROOM! WE PASSED IT A LONG WAY BACK." Annoyed by the detour, Luffy punches Helmeppo in the face again. Helmeppo cries out, "OUCH! YOU HIT ME AGAIN!" to which Luffy replies, "YOU SHOULD'VE TOLD ME! YOU'RE WASTING TIME!" Suddenly, a squad of Marines appears at the end of the hall, aiming their rifles at Luffy. They order, "DROP THE CAPTAIN'S SON OR WE'LL SHOOT!" Luffy casually holds Helmeppo up and refuses, saying, "I DON'T WANT TO."

Instead of surrendering, Luffy grabs Helmeppo by the collar and holds him out in front as a human shield. He charges straight down the hallway toward the armed Marines, yelling, "OKAY! GO AHEAD AND SHOOT!" The Marines panic, lowering their weapons and screaming, "DON'T SHOOT! DON'T SHOOT! HE'S USING HELMEPPO AS A SHIELD!!" Helmeppo is dragged along, screaming in absolute terror. In the chaos, Helmeppo looks down at his hand and realizes it is covered in blood. He bursts into fresh, hysterical tears, screaming, "I'VE BEEN SHOT! AAAAH! BLOOD! I'M BLEEDING!! AAAH!!"

Out in the execution yard, Koby runs desperately toward Zoro, who is still tied to the wooden cross. Koby cries out, "I'M GONNA DIE!!!" Zoro looks at him in surprise and says, "GOOD! YOU'RE ALIVE!" Koby reaches the cross and urges Zoro, "NOW GET OUTTA HERE! THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY DOWN." As Koby struggles to untie the thick ropes, he pants, "BUT... I HAVEN'T UNTIED YOU..." Zoro tells him to stop, saying, "DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME. I JUST HAVE TO SURVIVE THE MONTH AND THEY'LL LET ME GO. SO JUST BEAT IT-- THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LET YOU GO!" Koby, tears streaming down his face, reveals the grim truth: "YOU'RE GOING TO BE EXECUTED THREE DAYS FROM NOW!!" Zoro's eyes widen in shock as he yells, "WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!? THAT IDIOT PROMISED ME! IF I SURVIVE HERE FOR A MONTH, I'LL BE SET FREE!!"

Koby cries as he explains the reality of the situation, accompanied by a brief flashback of Luffy punching Helmeppo. Koby says, "HE NEVER INTENDED TO KEEP THAT PROMISE! THAT'S WHY LUFFY PUNCHED HELMEPPO! BECAUSE HE FOUND OUT HELMEPPO LIED TO YOU!!" Zoro is stunned, muttering, "WHAT!?" Koby continues to weep, telling Zoro, "THE NAVY IS YOUR ENEMY NOW!! PLEASE! IF I UNTIE YOU, WILL YOU HELP LUFFY!?" Zoro looks down silently as Koby pleads with him. Koby adds, "HE SAVED MY LIFE! I WON'T ASK YOU TO BECOME A PIRATE, BUT......YOU CAN ESCAPE FROM HERE! PLEASE, HELP HIM!"

Suddenly, a squad of Marines rushes into the execution yard, aiming their rifles directly at Koby and Zoro. One of them shouts, "STAY WHERE YOU ARE! CAPTAIN MORGAN HAS ORDERED YOUR IMMEDIATE EXECUTION!!!" Zoro looks up, sweat forming on his face as he realizes the danger, while Koby screams in sheer terror. Meanwhile, inside the Marine base, Luffy kicks open a door with a loud slam. He looks into the room and declares, "THIS MUST BE THE ROOM!" Inside, he spots a display stand holding several weapons and happily exclaims, "THE SWORDS!"

Luffy approaches the display stand and finds three swords tied together. He scratches his head, wondering, "BUT THERE ARE THREE SWORDS!? WHICH ONES ARE ZOLO'S?" Glancing out the window, he notices Helmeppo lying unconscious on the floor nearby and mutters, "HUH? HE FAINTED?" Hearing a commotion outside, Luffy looks down into the yard and is shocked to see Koby in danger, yelling his name. Down in the yard, Captain Morgan stands furiously before his men, roaring, "SURROUND THE FORTRESS!! IF THAT RASCAL IN THE STRAW HAT ESCAPES, YOU'LL ALL BE SORRY!!!!" He then glares at Zoro and Koby, accusing them, "YOU THREE AREN'T SIMPLE OUTLAWS, ARE YOU!? YOU'RE TRYING TO OVERTHROW ME!!"

Captain Morgan stands imposingly, his massive axe-hand gleaming. He boasts to Zoro, "RORONOA ZOLO! PEASANTS AND PIRATES MAY TREMBLE AT YOUR NAME... BUT YOU'RE NO MATCH FOR THE GREAT ONE! YOU MAY BE A BARRACUDA... BUT I'M A GREAT WHITE SHARK!" The Marines line up and prepare their rifles, shouting, "TAKE AIM!" Koby watches in absolute terror, tears streaming down his face. Zoro, still tied to the cross, looks desperate. Sweat drips down his face as he thinks to himself, "I... I CAN'T DIE YET! THERE'S SOME-THING I HAVE TO DO..."

A flashback begins. A young Zoro is struck hard on the head with a bamboo sword and falls backward with a grunt. The other dojo students watch, announcing, "KUINA WINS AGAIN!! TWO-SWORD ZOLO LOSES!!" They note that Zoro is now 0 for 2000 against Kuina. Young Kuina stands over him, smiling confidently, and says, "PATHETIC... KIND OF WEAK FOR A BOY, AREN'T YOU?" The other students defend Zoro, arguing, "HEY! ZOLO'S NOT WEAK! YEAH! HE'S THE STRONGEST IN OUR DOJO! HE'S EVEN STRONGER THAN THE GROWN-UPS!" Kuina dismisses them, replying, "THAT SO? WELL, HE'S NOT AS STRONG AS ME! LOSERS SHOULD LEARN TO SUFFER DEFEAT IN SILENCE. EVEN IF HE CAN USE TWO SWORDS, HE'S STILL WEAK!" Zoro pounds the ground in frustration, thinking, "DARN! KUINA MAKES ME SO MAD! SHE THINKS SHE'S SO GREAT JUST BECAUSE SHE'S THE SENSEI'S DAUGHTER!" Meanwhile, the other boys blush and whisper, "SHE'S KINDA CUTE, THOUGH..."

The flashback continues inside the dojo. The Sensei smiles gently at Zoro and says, "LOST AGAIN, EH, ZOLO? IT'S ODD BECAUSE YOU ARE ACTUALLY VERY STRONG." Zoro angrily points at him and yells, "SENSEI! ARE YOU TEACHING HER SECRET TRICKS BECAUSE SHE'S YOUR DAUGHTER!?" The Sensei calmly replies, "OF COURSE NOT!" while the other students complain that it's not fair. Zoro hits the floor in frustration, crying out, "DARN! WHY CAN'T I BEAT THAT GIRL!?" The Sensei reminds him, "DON'T FORGET THAT KUINA IS A LITTLE OLDER THAN YOU." Zoro retorts, "BUT I CAN BEAT GROWN-UPS!" Filled with determination, Zoro yells, "I'M GOING TO SAIL THE SEAS AND BECOME THE GREATEST SWORD MASTER IN THE WORLD! I CAN'T KEEP LOSING TO THAT GIRL!"

Later that night, the flashback shows Zoro approaching Kuina outside the dojo while she is practicing her swings. She stops and looks at him, saying, "ZOLO..." Zoro stands before her holding two real swords and declares, "KUINA! I CHALLENGE YOU TO A DUEL... WITH REAL SWORDS!!" Kuina looks surprised for a moment before her expression turns serious. She replies, "REAL SWORDS? OKAY... YOU'RE NOT AFRAID OF REAL SWORDS, ARE YOU? IT'S YOUR FUNERAL." Zoro gets into his two-sword fighting stance and shouts, "ON GUARD!" Kuina readies her own sword and responds, "I'M READY!"

Under the bright moonlight, Zoro and Kuina clash fiercely with their real swords. They yell as they strike, the sound of metal ringing out in the night. Kuina moves swiftly, parrying Zoro's attacks and striking back with precision. With a powerful swing, she knocks both of Zoro's swords from his hands. The blades spin through the air and stick into the ground. Kuina points her sword at the defeated Zoro and declares, "THAT MAKES 2001 TIMES I'VE BEATEN YOU!" Zoro falls to his knees, gripping the dirt tightly. Tears stream down his face as he cries out, "DARN! IT'S SO FRUSTRATING!"

Kuina sits down next to Zoro on the porch, surprisingly revealing, "I'M THE ONE WHO'S FRUSTRATED..." Zoro looks up, confused. Kuina explains, "WHEN GIRLS GET OLDER, THEY BECOME WEAKER THAN THE BOYS. PRETTY SOON YOU'LL ALL BE STRONGER THAN ME." She looks at him sadly and continues, "ZOLO, YOU'RE ALWAYS SAYING......THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BECOME THE WORLD'S GREATEST SWORDSMAN... DAD SAYS THAT GIRLS CAN'T BE MASTER SWORDSMEN..." Tears begin to fall from her eyes as she confesses, "YOU'RE LUCKY YOU'RE A BOY, ZOLO... I WANNA BECOME THE WORLD'S GREATEST SWORDSMAN TOO!! BUT I'M STARTING TO GET BREASTS... I WISH I WAS A BOY..." Zoro suddenly gets angry, yelling at her, "WHAT ARE YOU CRYING ABOUT! YOU BEAT ME!! THAT'S NOT FAIR! BEATING YOU IS MY DREAM!"

Zoro passionately yells at Kuina, "SOMEDAY I'LL BEAT YOU BECAUSE I WORKED HARD, NOT BECAUSE YOU GOT WEAKER!! IT'S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH BEING A BOY OR A GIRL!! I'M TRAINING ALL THE TIME TO BEAT YOU! YOU'RE MAKING ME LOOK BAD!" Kuina looks at him in surprise. Zoro holds up his sword and proposes, "LET'S MAKE A PROMISE TO EACH OTHER! SOMEDAY, ONE OF US WILL BECOME THE GREATEST SWORDSMAN EVER!!" Kuina wipes her tears, a smile breaking across her face, and agrees, "WE'LL FIGHT EACH OTHER FOR THE TITLE!" She calls him an idiot and says he's too puny, but they clasp hands firmly, sealing their vow with the words, "IT'S A PROMISE!"

The flashback ends with a sudden tragedy. A dojo student runs up to Zoro, crying out, "ZOLO! THERE'S BEEN AN ACCIDENT! IT'S KUINA! SHE FELL DOWN THE STAIRS... SHE'S DEAD!!!" Zoro is devastated. At her funeral, he yells toward Kuina, "MAN! YOU MADE A PROMISE YESTERDAY! YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY FROM YOUR PROMISE!?" while others shout, "ZOLO! STOP IT!" Kuina's body lies covered with a cloth. The Sensei solemnly tells him, "HUMANS ARE FRAGILE THINGS, ZOLO..." Zoro bows deeply to the Sensei and asks, "SENSEI! MAY I HAVE HER SWORD?" The Sensei agrees. Gripping the sword, Zoro cries intensely, tears streaming down his face as he vows, "I'LL HAVE TO KEEP THE PROMISE FOR BOTH OF US. I'M GOING TO BECOME SUCH A GREAT MASTER SWORDSMAN THAT MY NAME WILL BE KNOWN EVEN IN HEAVEN!!!!"

Back in the present, Zoro stares down the Marine firing squad. Sweat drips from his face as he remembers his vow, thinking, "I PROMISED HER! I CAN'T DIE YET!!" Up in the Marine base, Luffy stretches his arms far out the window, holding the three swords he found. He calls out his attack, "GUM-GUM..." Down below, Captain Morgan roars the order, "FIRE!!!" Just as the Marines pull their triggers, Luffy launches himself out the window, shouting, "...ROCKET!!" He flies through the air directly toward the execution yard.

Luffy lands squarely in front of Zoro and Koby just as the Marines fire their rifles. The bullets strike Luffy's body with a series of "BAP BAP BAP" sounds, but instead of piercing him, they stretch his rubber skin backward. Zoro and Koby stare in absolute shock at the impossible sight. Zoro gasps, "YOU!?" while Koby yells, "LUFFY!!!" Captain Morgan and his Marines are equally horrified, their eyes wide with disbelief as Morgan mutters, "STRAW HAT..."

Luffy's stretched rubber body violently snaps back to its original shape, reflecting all the bullets back at the Marines. He proudly declares, "BULLETS CAN'T HURT ME!!" The ricocheting bullets tear through the yard, causing the Marines to panic and dive for cover, screaming, "LOOK OUT!!!" As the Marines fall over each other in chaos, Luffy stands tall, throwing his head back and laughing uproariously, "HA HA HA HA HA!!!"

Zoro looks at Luffy in disbelief and asks, "WHAT ARE YOU!?" Luffy smiles confidently and replies, "I'M THE GUY... WHO'S GONNA BE KING OF THE PIRATES!!!" He then holds out the three swords he brought and asks, "SO WHICH SWORDS ARE YOURS? I DIDN'T KNOW, SO I BROUGHT ALL THREE..." Zoro smiles, revealing, "THEY'RE ALL MINE. I PRACTICE SANTORYU-- THREE-SWORD STYLE." Luffy gives him an ultimatum: "IF YOU FIGHT THE NAVY WITH ME HERE AND NOW, IN THE EYES OF THE GOVERNMENT, YOU'LL BE ONE OF THE BAD GUYS! OF COURSE, YOU COULD OBEY THE LAW... AND LET THEM KILL YOU!" Zoro smirks and says, "YOU MUST BE DEMON SPAWN... BUT I'M NOT READY TO DIE WITHOUT A FIGHT! ALL RIGHT! YOU'VE GOT YOURSELF A PIRATE!!!"

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