The Swordswoman Questions Her Heart, Battle for the Prison Wagon

Inside the Castle, the crackling flames in the fireplace dispelled the chill brought by the downpour.

Chopper squatted beside the sofa, deftly bandaging his wounds with his hooves, muttering to himself, "Honestly... he always ends up in such a mess!"

Zoro leaned back on the sofa, his body wrapped in bandages, but his eyes remained sharp. "These injuries are nothing."

Mihawk sat quietly in a high-backed chair in front of the fireplace, holding a glass of red wine in one hand; the liquid reflected a deep, blood-red hue in the firelight.

He narrowed his hawk-like golden eyes and slowly swept them over Zoro and Kuina.

"Roy sent you here... what does he want from me?"

Kuina straightened her back. "We must become stronger!"

Mihawk gently swirled his glass. "The way to become stronger is actually quite simple—challenge the strong, and then survive."

After saying that, he turned to Zoro, a rare sharp glint in his eyes. "You did well today."

Zoro simply scoffed, "I'll become stronger, and then I'll defeat you."

Mihawk did not respond, but simply took a sip of his drink and turned his gaze to Kuina.

The Flash insight in those golden eyes made Kuina involuntarily tighten her grip on the hilt of her sword.

"Your swordsmanship is more stable and precise than Zoro's..."

Mihawk spoke slowly, "But something's missing."

Kuina frowned, her gaze darkening slightly. "What's missing?"

Mihawk lowered his gaze slightly, tapping his fingers lightly on the rim of his glass. "Obsession."

"There's only one thing in Zoro's sword—to win no matter what."

"And your sword... is mixed with other things, too mixed, too restrained, not pure enough."

Kuina was startled and wanted to retort, but she couldn't speak under Mihawk's eagle-like gaze.

Those words were like a knife, piercing the deepest question in her heart.

The rain had not stopped, and on the Castle's terrace, the wind howled, carrying damp, cold air.

Kuina stood alone, the Wado Ichimonji tightly gripped in her palm, the icy scabbard emanating a chilling aura.

Her gaze fell upon the dense forest in the downpour, and a voice echoed softly in her heart, "Is my sword... not pure enough?"

"From the very beginning, my goal was clear—to become the World's Strongest Female Swordswoman..."

"Why... would Mihawk say my sword intent is chaotic?"

Images of her battles after gaining the Devil Fruit's power involuntarily surfaced in her mind.

With each swing of her sword, the power of the fruit stirred within her sword intent, adding a layer of power to the strike, but diminishing its pure sharpness.

Is it because... I still resist that force deep down? Or... am I afraid of my true self?

Familiar footsteps sounded behind me.

"Hey, Kuina."

Zoro wore a half-open coat, and his bandages were soaked by the rain, but he showed no signs of weakness.

He walked over to Kuina and casually leaned against the cold railing. "Don't hold me back tomorrow."

Kuina glanced at him. "Take care of yourself first, wounded soldier."

Zoro grinned. "This little injury will be fine after a good night's sleep."

Amidst the sound of rain, Zoro suddenly looked into the distance, his voice lowering slightly. "Mihawk is right, your sword is too... conventional."

Kuina paused slightly, then turned her head to gaze at him.

Zoro didn't look at her; his gaze seemed to pierce through the storm and look towards the endless sea. "You're too concerned with things outside of the 'sword'... especially the power of that Devil Fruit."

"Swordsmanship is not arithmetic; there is no absolute 'correctness'."

"A true swordsman sometimes has to be a little crazy... even if it costs him his life, he must unleash the full power of his sword intent."

Kuina stood frozen in place, her fingers slowly tightening around the hilt of the knife, her heart gradually racing.

Zoro's words were like a slash on the Battlefield, breaking some of the shackles deep within her heart.

Zoro turned his head, glanced at her indifferently, then turned and left. From around the corner came Chopper's angry roar, "Zoro, how dare you get soaked in the rain!"

Kuina gazed at his retreating figure, her heart churning with turmoil.

"Be a little crazy... don't be bound by external things..."

Raindrops slid down her hair, and she slowly closed her eyes, letting the rain hit her face, her breathing gradually becoming steady.

"Perhaps... I really should let go of that part of my power and face myself as I am now."

Sabaody Archipelago - Battlefield on Island 13

"Boom!!"

Vista wielded his twin swords wildly, unleashing a storm of sword energy that tore apart the wall of fire in front of Ace!

Flames surged and scattered, Vista roared, and his sword, carrying a fierce and domineering Haki, went straight for Ace's throat!

Ace's pupils contracted sharply, and his arms instantly burst into blazing orange-red flames, his fists seemingly coalescing into a burning meteor:

"Mirror Flame - Shockwave!!"

"Bang!!"

The giant flaming fist collided head-on with the sword energy, and the shockwave exploded outwards like a hurricane!

Ace was forced back several steps by the shock, but the flames on his forehead burned even more fiercely.

On the other side, Jozu's entire body transformed into Diamond, making him indestructible as he withstood Luffy's "Dragon Fist Cannon," before unleashing a counter-punch:

"Bang--!"

The giant Diamond fist slammed Luffy into the hard ground, causing the ground to crack and split open with radial fissures!

"Kids! Your strength... is still far from enough!!" Jozu roared, the Diamond edges all over his body reflecting a terrifying cold light.

Amidst the rubble, Luffy slowly rose, blood streaming down his face, but his resolute eyes still burned with unwavering intensity.

"Heh, this level... isn't even one percent of Grandpa's Iron Fist!!"

"Again!!"

On one side of the prison van,

Amidst the lightning and Thunderclap, Andre's entire body was charred black, and a gruesome bloody hole was burned into his back by lightning, with blood dripping continuously from his tattered coat.

He charged forward like a wounded beast, his eyes bloodshot, his roar deafening:

"Marco! No matter the cost, I will save you!!"

He swung his massive longsword, bracing himself against the explosive sniper bullets fired by Usopp, yet still gritted his teeth and pressed forward!

"Ah--!" Usopp Shot desperately, his back soaked in cold sweat, and finally, at the last moment, he was forced to roll, and the Sniper Rifle flew out of his hand!

"Oh no!!"

As Andre's longsword slashed straight down at the prison cart with a chilling whistling sound, Usopp's face turned deathly pale!

Just as the blade was about to fall, a streak of silver light suddenly flashed by!

Nami, wielding the "Clima-Tact - Swallowtail Club Beast Form," unleashed a torrential downpour of steel wings, slashing horizontally in an instant!

"Clang!!"

She forcefully blocked Andre's longsword; the steel wings clashed with the blade, producing a piercing metallic clang and sparks flying.

"Don't even think about it!!"

Nami gritted her teeth, her arms trembling from the immense force, the floor tiles beneath her feet cracked into countless fissures, and she knelt on one knee.

Andre's eyes were bloodshot, a mixture of rage and murderous intent surging within him. "Little girl... get the hell out of my way!!"

His arm muscles bulged, and he suddenly thrust his longsword with tremendous force, tearing the air apart with a deafening explosion.

Nami's steel wings let out a mournful cry, as if they were about to shatter at any moment!

"Nami- sama!!" Sanji roared from afar, kicking Aipoita away and rushing towards the prison van.

"Heh... Your opponent is me!!"

Aipoita twisted back like a ghost, his green worm legs flashing with cold light as he aimed straight for Sanji's throat!

"Damn it!!" Sanji was forced to block with Roundhouse Kick, his eyes blazing with fury, unable to break free.

On the other side, Whitey Bay finally broke free from Nami's control, Flash cold light, her longsword pierced precisely at the prison cart chains!

"Snap--!"

The heavy chain snapped under the Razor, sparks flying everywhere!

Inside the prison van, Marco, covered in blood, weakly leaned out, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Whitey Bay... go quickly, don't worry about me..."

With Whitey Bay gripped Marco's hand tightly. "Stop talking nonsense! Let's go together!!"

However, just as she half-pulled Marco out of the prison van—

"Boom!!"

A furious roar, accompanied by a thunderous boom, tore the Battlefield apart!

Jozu raised his Diamond fist, intending to blast Luffy again, but Luffy, like a raging dragon, unleashed his Haki like a tsunami!

"Iron Fist - Dragon Bone Cannon!!"

"Bang!!"

Jozu's Diamond fist was forcefully pushed away, and he was thrown back dozens of meters by the force of the punch, the ground shattered by the pressure of the fist!

"Nami--!"

Luffy roared, his figure transforming into a streak of pink light, like a dragon pouncing, instantly traversing the Battlefield!

"Whoosh!"

"Dragon Bone - Sky Splitter Wave!!"

With a punch as powerful as a raging dragon, Luffy's Dragon Impact Sky Splitter and slammed into Whitey Bay's side!

"Bang!!"

Before Whitey Bay could react, his body was blasted dozens of meters away like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the base of a towering tree. Blood splattered everywhere, and his fate was unknown!

Andre, who was pressing Nami down with his long sword, shuddered, a chill ran down his spine, and he turned around abruptly!

What came into view was a pair of dragon eyes burning with rage, and a voice filled with fury and killing intent, as if roaring from the abyss:

"What do you want to do to Nami?!"