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'Zoro truly has reached the Iron-Cutting Realm,' Ikki thought to himself. 'I didn't expect he would come here to give me such a valuable gift before we leave Loguetown. I wonder if I continued to push him, would he quickly advance to the Sky-Cutting Realm and challenge me?'
Ikki smiled, looking at Zoro with interest.
As one of the main characters, Zoro's talent for swordsmanship was undeniable. Tashigi had been able to quickly reach the Iron-Cutting Realm under Ikki's careful teaching and the guidance of Water Breathing. But Zoro had entered the Iron-Cutting Realm on his own, driven by his determination to reclaim Wado Ichimonji.
Such talent far surpassed Tashigi's. Ikki felt that Zoro wouldn't take long to advance to the next level of swordsmanship.
'Perhaps there's no need to push Zoro further,' Ikki thought, looking at the swordsman's clenched fists. Losing to Nami had already given him enough motivation.
...
"Woman, I'll let you keep my sword for now," Zoro said. "When I become stronger, I'll definitely come back for a duel with that guy Ikki."
He took one last long look at Wado Ichimonji in Nami's belt, then turned and walked toward Luffy and the others.
"Come on, Luffy! My sword is broken, and I need to go to town to buy a new one."
Hearing this, Luffy and the others nodded and followed him. Although Zoro had lost his duel, he wasn't seriously injured. Therefore, Luffy's group saw no reason to cause trouble for Ikki and his crew.
"By the way, there's something that might interest you," Zoro suddenly stopped and turned to look at Ikki. "I met Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman, at the Baratie Sea Restaurant recently. He's very interested in you—the person who claims he'll take the black sword Yoru from him. I told him about you. I think you also want to meet him, right?"
With that, Zoro waved to Ikki, turned around, jumped off the Explorer, and headed toward Loguetown.
"This guy actually advertised me to Hawk-Eye," Ikki muttered, patting his forehead. "I don't have the ability to fight Hawk-Eye right now. I hope Tashigi teaches you a good lesson later."
But soon, he put aside these thoughts. Although he was indeed no match for Hawk-Eye at the moment, as long as he collected more famous swords to exchange for lottery opportunities, Ikki believed he would eventually surpass Mihawk. When that time came, the black sword Yoru in Hawk-Eye's hands would naturally become his.
Ikki shook his head as he watched Zoro's retreating figure. He had initially planned to give Sandai Kitetsu to Zoro, then find an opportunity to defeat him again to reclaim it for the system. But considering the vastness of the sea and the possibility they might not meet again soon—and that Zoro might not advance in strength quickly enough to meet the challenge requirements—Ikki decided to find someone else to help him meet the conditions for handing Sandai Kitetsu over to the system.
"Now we're really leaving," Ikki said, patting Nami and Nojiko on their shoulders with a smile. "Let's go toward our great voyage!"
Upon hearing this, Nami and Nojiko raised their hands and laughed happily.
Soon, the sea breeze filled the sails, and the Explorer began its new journey.
At the same time, atop a tall building in Loguetown, a middle-aged man appeared wearing a green cloak that concealed his face. If Ikki had seen him, he would have recognized him as Monkey D. Dragon—Straw Hat Luffy's father and the leader of the Revolutionary Army.
"The East Blue has a swordsman who can perform flying slashes," Dragon observed. "And that girl's skill with that sword... Perhaps the Grand Line will become more lively."
Dragon smiled and turned to watch Luffy, who was running toward the center of Loguetown.
...
A few hours later, Loguetown's clear sky was suddenly covered by dark clouds. Large raindrops fell from the sky.
In an alley near the coast, the sounds of clashing metal continued to echo.
"Water Breathing, Third Form: Flowing Dance!" Tashigi cried out, her body rushing forward like flowing water while holding her sword, leaving afterimages wherever she passed. With the blessing of rain, Tashigi's Water Breathing techniques seemed even more powerful.
"Damn it, this woman!" Zoro growled. "Three-Sword Style: Oni Giri!"
The green-haired swordsman, now the target of Tashigi's attack, frowned as he used a technique with both offensive and defensive capabilities to counter the fluid movements of Water Breathing.
"Roronoa Zoro! You're a pirate!" Tashigi accused while swinging her blade. "How dare you lie to me! I won't let you escape Loguetown!"
"I never said I wasn't a pirate," Zoro retorted. "And I should be the one who was deceived, right? You have the face of my dead friend. And you even use that bastard Ikki's sword techniques. You're in the same group as the man who took away my Wado Ichimonji!"
Zoro gritted his teeth in anger. The Water Breathing techniques used by Tashigi were the same ones Ikki had used in their first battle, so Zoro recognized them immediately.
"Whatever you say," Tashigi replied coldly, "I won't let you leave here. Not just you—your captain Straw Hat Luffy can't escape either."
Tashigi's eyes narrowed as she stepped back. After glancing at Captain Smoker, who was fighting with Luffy nearby, she held her sword above her head with both hands. The surrounding rainwater began to gather around the blade, forming a thin stream.
"Water Breathing, Twelfth Form: Dancing Blade Cascade!" she called out, her body rushing toward Zoro with incredible speed.
"Damn it, I can't afford to lose to another woman connected to that man," Zoro declared. "Three-Sword Style: Sanzen Sekai!"
Zoro twisted his three swords and charged toward Tashigi.
When the two Iron-Cutting Realm swordsmen collided, they scattered the raindrops around them in all directions, creating a momentary vacuum without rain around them.
'So heavy!' Zoro thought, feeling the power behind Tashigi's strike. 'But she's weaker than that orange-haired woman with Ikki. I can handle this!'
Just then, a clicking sound caught Zoro's attention. Looking closely, he spotted a thin crack forming where one of his swords made contact with Tashigi's blade.
Seeing this, Zoro's eyes widened in surprise. At that moment, Tashigi increased her effort. Because of the distraction caused by the cracking sword, Zoro was knocked backward by the force of Tashigi's attack.
"What the hell was that move just now?" Zoro asked, looking at Tashigi with confusion. He couldn't understand why he had nearly been cut by her when they had similar strength and were both in the Iron-Cutting Realm.
A strong feeling of frustration grew in Zoro's heart.
Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind blew from the direction of Loguetown toward the coast. Zoro, who was still retreating, and Luffy, who had been caught by Smoker, were swept up by the strong wind and landed on the Going Merry out at sea.
Smoker and Tashigi stood stunned for a moment, and were about to give chase when the figure of Monkey D. Dragon appeared before them.