I'll Carry Your Share and Grow Stronger Too

Mu Yu wasn't worried about the outcome of the fight.

Despite Zoro's cocky, cool, and badass appearance, he didn't actually know any swordsmanship.

Even if his talent was exceptional and he could strike a Two-Sword Style pose right away, it was ultimately just for show.

However, Zoro didn't see it that way.

Deep down, he genuinely believed he was strong enough to be undefeated throughout the neighboring villages.

Koshiro said, "Pick a weapon. Use whichever one you want!"

"Any one of them?" Zoro confirmed.

Koshiro said, "Anything you like."

Zoro spat the leaf from his mouth, flashed a wicked grin, and then grabbed a huge bundle of bamboo swords.

He held three in his left hand and three in his right, while the most outrageous part was that he had another three clenched in his mouth.

The disciples kneeling in the spectators' area were stunned. Was he serious?

He was supposedly here to challenge the dojo, so how had this turned into a monkey show?

Even Mu Yu, who had long known this scene would happen, couldn't help smiling.

Zoro had understood the true meaning of "I want them all" from such a young age!

If this were the adult Zoro, Nine-Sword Style really wouldn't have been a joke. But now?

"Bow to the shrine."

At Koshiro's words, Mu Yu, Koshiro, and Zoro all lowered their heads.

But with a clatter, one of the bamboo swords clenched in Zoro's mouth fell to the floor.

"Bow to each other."

Another clatter rang out, and another bamboo sword fell from Zoro's mouth.

Everyone was speechless. Wasn't this too stupid?

Yet Zoro didn't care in the slightest and still wore a grave, serious expression.

"Then, get ready."

At Koshiro's words, Zoro immediately took a stance.

Mu Yu found it rather interesting. Zoro's stance actually looked quite convincing.

Mu Yu didn't underestimate him either and immediately assumed a middle stance that balanced offense and defense.

Zoro was one of the main characters, after all. Who knew whether he might suddenly erupt with power?

The combat strength of main characters was always a mystery. How did that saying go again???

Never underestimate a Konoha genin!

"Begin."

The moment he heard Master Koshiro's command, Mu Yu hesitated no longer. He switched from the middle stance to the upper stance and brought a bamboo sword crashing down at Zoro's head.

Zoro reacted quickly. He crossed his two swords diagonally, intending to block Mu Yu's Cutting Down.

But Mu Yu's physique had already leveled up to LV3, and this was an aggressive, fiery upper-stance slash. How could it be so easily blocked?

With a smack, Zoro's hands were immediately numbed by the impact.

Before he could react, Mu Yu's powerful second slash arrived, instantly knocking every bamboo sword from Zoro's hands.

"D-Damn it!"

Zoro looked at Mu Yu's calm face, unwilling to accept defeat. He climbed back up, casually picked up two scattered bamboo swords, and took another stance.

Seeing the stance Zoro assumed, both Koshiro and Kuina were somewhat surprised.

From their first exchange just now, Zoro had clearly been a novice who knew nothing about swordsmanship.

Otherwise, he never would have done something as stupid as holding three swords in his mouth.

Yet the Two-Sword Style stance Zoro took this time was extremely standard.

Mu Yu wasn't surprised at all. Instead, he felt like he had learned something.

So this was the opening stance of Two-Sword Style?

What first came to Mu Yu's mind, though, was the Two-Sword Style master Kirito.

Three Sword Style required clenching a sword in one's mouth. Without strong teeth, it really wasn't something one could learn.

Still, learning Two-Sword Style as a trump card would actually be pretty good.

"Damn it, you actually spaced out while fighting me with swords? Aren't you looking down on me too much?!"

Mu Yu was surprised and praised him. "Your observation skills are pretty good."

Zoro grew even angrier. Mu Yu was his opponent and wasn't even much older than him, so what was with that adult-like tone?

"I'm very strong, and I'll become even stronger in the future! How could I, how could I lose to some smug little brat like you?!"

"Smug?!"

Anger rose in Mu Yu's heart. Looking down at the moss-headed idiot, he decided he would take this match seriously.

Zoro shouted and crossed his swords, as though he had two bull horns raised before him.

Though Zoro's Two-Sword Style looked imposing, he was too short, and the "bull horns" were centered too low. The opening was far too obvious.

To Mu Yu, Zoro's move didn't look bullish at all. Instead, it looked like—"Reckless Boar Charge," "Reckless Boar Charge," "Reckless Boar Charge"!

Smack!

Mu Yu's sword struck Zoro heavily across the face. Zoro stiffened instantly, as if struck by lightning.

The little brats kneeling nearby trembled in fright and instinctively leaned backward, as though that blow had landed on their own faces.

There was a kind of pain that hurt just from watching!

"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!"

"Why didn't he dodge?"

A straight red mark appeared on Zoro's face as he collapsed to the floor, completely losing his ability to fight.

Koshiro said, "One point. That's enough!"

Seeing Zoro lying on the ground, Mu Yu said nothing. He merely gave a calm bow according to the rules of the match.

It was better not to provoke main characters!

Once provoked, who knew what kind of trouble they might stir up?

Mu Yu didn't provoke Zoro, but the surrounding little brats couldn't help assisting him!

"Junior Brother Mu Yu is way too strong, isn't he?"

"That Cutting Down just now was really beautiful. He's only been here three days—is this what they call a genius?"

"What? He's only been here for three days?"

Zoro immediately suffered a massive blow.

He felt extremely slighted. He had come to challenge the dojo, yet they had sent out a rookie who had only joined three days ago.

Even if Mu Yu was a genius, Zoro still felt utterly humiliated!

Besides, he was going to become the Number One Swordsman Under Heaven. How could he lose to a genius like this?

"Damn it! I'll train desperately, desperately, desperately, and then I'll definitely defeat you! Remember that!"

Mu Yu hadn't expected this turn of events, but faced with Zoro's challenge, there was naturally no reason for him to back down.

Zoro was strong, but Mu Yu had a cheat system too!

If he didn't even dare accept this challenge, what kind of swordsman would he be? He might as well hide in his shell like a turtle!

Mu Yu said, "Then work hard."

Zoro was furious. Mu Yu's lofty, calm-as-water attitude inexplicably made him burn with rage.

What Zoro didn't know was that Mu Yu felt as though he had been struck by lightning.

There was no other reason. At that moment, the system's voice rang out in his mind.

You defeated Zoro and obtained the first victory of your life. You are specially rewarded with one million energy points.

You replaced Kuina and became the first target Zoro wholeheartedly wished to defeat. Plot twist degree: 10%. You are specially rewarded with one lottery draw.

As one of the core reasons that drove Zoro to unwaveringly pursue the goal of becoming the World's Greatest Swordsman, Kuina's death carried an extremely important mission. By taking on Kuina's mission, the host also bears the same danger as Kuina. World difficulty increases by 10%.

The main storyline has begun. Strengthen Zoro's resolve to become the World's Greatest Swordsman. Time limit: one year.

Mission reward: Energy + Tree Seed + One Piece world-exclusive item.

Hearing the system notifications, Mu Yu felt like he had been screwed over by a dog.

Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!

Had he really replaced Kuina and become at risk of being killed off by the plot?

At the thought of Zoro kneeling before his grave and sobbing, "Mu Yu, I'll carry your share and grow stronger too," Mu Yu felt a chill run down his spine.

Damn it all!

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