Everyone Has Their Own Destiny

"Do you want me to join the World Government?"

Zoro lay sprawled over the chair, blood seeping from the wounds on his back and slowly dripping through the gaps in the chair onto the deck, but his voice was unusually clear.

He was not stupid. He could hear the meaning hidden in Carina's words.

If he wanted to catch up to the two people before him, he had to take the right path.

And clearly, joining the World Government was one of the most direct paths.

"That depends on you." Carina shrugged, her attitude open and frank. "I'm only delivering an invitation on Princess Shirahoshi's behalf. The princess thinks your aptitude is good. Of course, the most important part is that Kuina personally asked her for a favor."

"Kuina... went to ask Princess Shirahoshi?"

Zoro's fist tightened around his sword, so hard even his knuckles trembled faintly.

The person he had always been chasing was actually helping him in this way.

For a swordsman's pride, that feeling was almost a cruel blow.

"Whew."

He drew in a deep breath, then slowly, slowly exhaled.

Then he raised his eyes and focused on the two sides locked in battle. Their exchange seemed a little slower than when it had first begun.

But even so, he could only barely make out two blade shadows, one silver and one black, crisscrossing and flashing through the air.

He did not see any eruption of Haki, nor did he see any exaggerated blade light being released outward.

Those two were clashing blades in the plainest, most unadorned way, using their respective insight and understanding of swordsmanship to collide without holding anything back.

"I don't reject the World Government," he said, his voice very low, but very steady. "But I won't join for now."

"If you don't