The air in Shells Town was tense as Cassandra and Zoro stood across from each other in the open field outside of town near a nice looking forest. The wind carried the scent of salt from the sea, but all Cassandra could focus on was the swordsman before her. Roronoa Zoro, the man destined to become the world's greatest swordsman, or at least, that was supposed to be his fate.
She had other plans.
Zoro slowly unsheathed his two unnamed and ordinary blades. He studied Cassandra carefully, recognizing the skill in her stance.
"You've got three swords, but you only hold one," Zoro observed. "Do you think I am not worthy of you using all of them?"
Cassandra smirked. "I don't need to hold them to use them."
With a flicker of thought, Kashu and Yamaoroshi floated beside her, positioned at the ready. She was still using Shigure as her main sword, because of nostalgia.
Zoro's eyes narrowed. "You have special powers?"
She grinned. "A Devil Fruit. The Nen Nen no Mi grants me telekinesis. I can control my swords with my mind."
Zoro's lips curled into a grin. "Then I'll have to take you seriously from the start."
He pulled his third sword from his belt, the legendary Wado Ichimonji an Great Grade Blade and the target of Cassandra and clenched it between his teeth. Three-Sword Style: Santoryu.
With that the duel began.
Zoro rushed in first, swinging all three blades in a simultaneous arc. Cassandra met him head-on, parrying his attack with Shigure while Kashu and Yamaoroshi struck from the sides. Zoro barely managed to twist his body out of the way, deflecting the floating swords just in time.
Their movements blurred as they exchanged strike after strike, Cassandra's telekinetically controlled blades adding an unpredictable layer to the battle. Zoro's attacks were relentless and strong, yet Cassandra's agility allowed her to evade and counter with precision.
Zoro attempted Oni Giri, crossing his swords to unleash a powerful slashing strike, but Cassandra intercepted it mid-motion. She twisted her body, dodging the force of the attack and retaliated with Kaze no Ikari her flying slash infused with a strong gust of wind.
The cutting wind roared toward Zoro, slicing through the ground and tearing into his side, leaving a deep gash on his torso.
He gritted his teeth. "Tch… that's new."
Cassandra didn't give him a chance to recover. With a flick of her wrist, she sent Yamaoroshi and Kashu lunging at him like twin spears.
Zoro barely managed to deflect one but failed to block the second Kashu pierced through his shoulder, drawing a spray of blood.
Still, he didn't falter.
Zoro gripped his swords tighter, blood trickling down his arm. He took a deep breath and lowered his stance. Cassandra recognized the shift, he was about to go all out.
"Looks like I'll have to end this now," he said, his voice calm but resolute. He reached up and tied his black bandana around his head.
Cassandra felt a thrill of excitement. "Show me what you've got, Roronoa Zoro."
Zoro exhaled and steadied his stance. "Three-Sword Style's strongest technique…"
Cassandra's pulse quickened. She sheathed Shigure and focused hard, purple lightning crackling around her.
Zoro lunged forward, his swords rotating before him. "Sanzen Sekai!"
Cassandra answered with a strike of her own, her sword glowing with electric energy. "Raikiri!"
The two attacks met in a clash that sent shockwaves through the place. Lightning crackled and steel screamed as their blades collided. Unfortunatly for Zoro, Cassandra had already mastered the technique to cut steel and with one precise strike, she did the impossible. She cut fate and the canon storyline in one strike.
Her blade carved through Zoro's swords as if they were paper, shattering the two of them instantly. This final strike went all the way, slicing cleanly through his neck.
Zoro's head fell to the ground.
A lone tear rolled down Cassandra's cheek. She had killed one of her favorite characters in all of anime. Not just some ink on paper, a real breathing human with dreams. Her dreams were more important than some sentiments from her past life though, so she shrugged it away.
She closed her eyes and let out a slow breath before kneeling down and taking Wado Ichimonji from Zoro's lifeless head. She ran her fingers along its pristine white sheath.
This sword is mine now.
Cassandra sheathed Wado Ichimonji at her waist. To carry around four swords was rather uncomfortable. She had to think of a solution, before she aquired even more swords. In the East Blue were two swords she knew of would go into her collection and carrying six swords around will be a hassle.
She also felt the limitations of Shigure. It was her worst sword right know and even though it held a special meaning for her, Cassandra knew, she had to use the best sword in her collection or she would never achieve true greatness. The Wado Ichimonji will now be her main weapon for the time beeing.
Cassandra looked at Zoros lifeless body and decided to give him the last honors and bury him at the edge of the forest. She didn't put a gravestone there just his broken swords. Cassandra thought about visiting Zoros master, but decided against it not knowing how he would react and how strong he truly is. She would never give up on a sword she collected and she wasn't sure if Koushirou would demand it back. After all it was originally the sword of his beloved daughter.
Cassandra started to walk towards a bar. Inside, she saw a familiar scene playing out. Helmeppo, the cowardly son of Captain Morgan, was about to sic his wolf on a little girl.
The moment the wolf lunged, Cassandra moved faster than anyone could see. Her blade flashed once.
The wolf fell, dead before it even hit the ground.
Helmeppo turned to her, his face a mixture of horror and outrage. "W-Who the hell are you?!"
Cassandra smirked. "Just a passing girl that hates your fucking guts bowlhead."
She delivered a devastating punch to his gut, sending him crashing into a table. The Marines who had been standing by rushed her, but she dispatched them effortlessly, knocking them out in mere seconds.
As she was finishing up contemplating to just kill them all, the doors to the bar swung open.
A familiar straw-hatted figure stood there, grinning from ear to ear. "Oi! That was awesome! Are you the piratehunter Zoro?"
Cassandra turned to face him. Monkey D. Luffy had arrived.
Koby stepped in behind him, gasping at the unconscious Marines. His eyes widened when he saw Cassandra. "Luffy, that's not Zoro! Zoro's a man!"
Luffy tilted his head. "Oh? Then who is she?"
Koby straightened up and swallowed nervously. "That's Cassandra… the Dancing Blademaster."
Luffy's grin widened. He pointed at her swords. "You're strong! You should join my crew!"
Cassandra raised an eyebrow. She hadn't planned for this. This wasn't how the story was supposed to go. She knew that, because she was the cause of this.
Cassandra looked at Luffy's outstretched hand. The world of One Piece had already changed irreversibly, but this was her opportunity to be part of a great adventure.
Maybe it was time to see where this new path would take her.
Cassandra was contemplating Luffy's offer, her fingers brushing over the hilt of Wado Ichimonji. A smirk played on her lips.
Perhaps, the Straw Hat Pirates could use a swordswoman.