I'll Grow Stronger with Your Share Too

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

Zoro might have looked all arrogant and badass, but he didn't actually know any swordsmanship.

Even with exceptional talent, even if he could strike a Two-Sword Style stance right away, it was fundamentally just a flashy pose.

But 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, "Choose a weapon. Any one will do!"

"Any one?" Zoro confirmed.

Koshiro said, "Whatever you like."

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

He held three in his left hand and three in his right. Most ridiculously, he even clenched three more in his mouth.

The disciples kneeling in the audience were all stunned. Was he serious?

He had come to Challenge a Dojo, so how had this turned into some kind of monkey show?

Even Mu Yu, who had long known this 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 be a joke. But right 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 sounded, and yet another bamboo sword fell from Zoro's mouth.

Everyone was speechless. Wasn't this too stupid?

Yet Zoro didn't care in the slightest, maintaining a completely serious expression.

"Then, get ready."

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

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

Mu Yu didn't underestimate him either, immediately taking 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 hidden 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 shifted from the middle stance to an upper stance and brought his bamboo sword crashing down at Zoro's head.

Zoro reacted quickly enough. He crossed his two swords into a diagonal X, intending to block Mu Yu's Cutting Down.

But Mu Yu's physique had already Leveled Up to LV3, and his upper-stance slash was as aggressive as fire. How could it be blocked so easily?

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

Before he could even react, Mu Yu's second heavy slash arrived, knocking every one of Zoro's bamboo swords from his hands.

"D-Damn it!"

Zoro looked at Mu Yu's calm face, got up from the ground unwillingly, grabbed two scattered bamboo swords, and assumed another stance.

Seeing the stance Zoro had taken, both Koshiro and Kuina were surprised.

From their first exchange just now, Zoro had clearly been a complete 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 as though he had learned something.

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

What surfaced in Mu Yu's mind first was actually that Two-Sword Style master, Kirito.

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

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

"Damn it! You actually let your mind wander while fighting me? Aren't you looking down on me too much?!"

Mu Yu was surprised and praised him, "Your observation skills aren't bad."

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 can I, how can I lose to some stuck-up brat like you?!"

"Stuck-up?!"

Mu Yu's temper flared. Looking down at the Moss Head idiot, he decided he would take this match seriously.

Zoro shouted and crossed his two swords, looking as though he had two bull horns on his head.

Zoro's Two-Sword Style looked imposing enough, but he was too short, and the center of gravity of those "bull horns" was too low. The opening was far too obvious.

To Mu Yu, Zoro's move not only failed to look "bullish," it instead resembled—"a charging boar," "a charging boar," "a charging boar"!

Smack!

Mu Yu's sword struck Zoro hard across the face. Zoro froze instantly, as though he had been hit by lightning.

The little brats kneeling off to the side shuddered in fright and instinctively leaned back, as though the blow had landed on their own faces.

There was a kind of pain called pain just from watching!

"That hurts, hurts, hurts!"

"Why didn't he dodge?"

Zoro, with a straight red mark across his face, fell to the ground and completely lost his ability to fight.

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

Seeing Zoro collapsed 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 hadn't provoked Zoro, but the little brats around them couldn't stop themselves from helping out!

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

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

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

Zoro was instantly dealt a massive blow.

He felt utterly looked down upon. He had clearly come to Challenge a 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 deeply humiliated!

More importantly, he was supposed 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 development, but faced with Zoro's challenge, there was naturally no reason for him to back down.

Zoro was strong, but Mu Yu had a golden finger 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 do your best."

Zoro was furious. Mu Yu's lofty, calm-as-water demeanor inexplicably made his blood boil.

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

For no other reason than that the system's voice rang out in his mind.

You defeated Zoro and obtained your first victory in life. Special reward: 1,000,000 energy points.

You replaced Kuina and became the first target Zoro wholeheartedly wished to defeat. Plot Twist Degree: 10%. Special reward: one lottery chance.

As one of the core reasons driving Zoro to resolutely pursue the goal of becoming the World's Greatest Swordsman, Kuina's death bore an extremely important mission. By taking on Kuina's mission, the host also bears the same level of danger as Kuina. World difficulty increased by 10%.

Main storyline begins: Strengthen Zoro's resolve to become the World's Greatest Swordsman. Time limit: one year.

Mission reward: Energy + Tree Seed + an item unique to the One Piece world.

Hearing the system notifications, Mu Yu felt like he had been utterly screwed.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

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

The thought of Zoro kneeling before his grave and weeping as he said, "Mu Yu, I'll grow stronger with your share too," sent chills down Mu Yu's spine.

Fuck!

Please provide the text you would like me to translate or revise. Once you paste the content, I will ensure it is converted into natural, punchy English while strictly adhering to your formatting requirements.