Defeat

"Hawkeye!"

Zoro was startled when he heard that name. He abruptly rose to his feet, his gaze locking onto the man in the corner.

His hands rested on his sword hilts, tightening around them unconsciously.

"What's wrong, Zoro?" The others looked puzzled.

How could Reiner not know what he intended to do? But—

The gap in strength is too great. Should I stop him? Reiner could not help thinking.

He could not guarantee that events would unfold exactly as they had originally. What if Zoro just got himself killed here?

But when he looked up and saw the resolve in Zoro's eyes, he gave up on the idea of stopping him.

This was Zoro's own path. Besides, even if Reiner tried to talk him out of it, Zoro definitely would not listen.

Hawkeye headed straight for the door, not even sparing the intensely focused Zoro a second glance.

"Wait!" Zoro shouted. "You're the World's Greatest Swordsman, aren't you?"

As he spoke, he drew a sword with one hand and pointed it at Hawkeye. "I challenge you!"

"I have no interest in the weak."

Hawkeye spoke indifferently and continued toward the door.

"Don't look down on me, bastard!" Zoro gritted his teeth and chased after him.

"Hey, Zoro!" Nami hurriedly called out, then looked at the others. "Go stop him! Didn't you hear? That guy cut a pirate ship in half with one strike!"

"You can't, Nami." Luffy put down his food, his expression serious. "I promised Zoro I wouldn't become an obstacle in his way."

"Ah, let's go." Reiner sighed and got up to head outside.

Several cooks froze in place, then immediately ran toward the kitchen.

"Hey, come out and look! Those customers are challenging Hawkeye!"

"Seriously?!"

"Wait, isn't that guy the famous Bounty Hunter?"

"It's really him—Roronoa Zoro!"

The kitchen instantly erupted into commotion as everyone poured out into the restaurant.

Sanji looked strange as he put down his cooking utensils and walked out. "Honestly, what is with this group? Do they like dueling that much?"

On the deck outside the restaurant, Zoro blocked Hawkeye's path, Wado Ichimonji already clenched between his teeth.

The reason he had set sail was to find the man standing before him.

He would defeat him, make his name resound across the seas, and fulfill the promise he had made all those years ago.

A desire Zoro had never felt before appeared in his eyes.

"I admire that look in your eyes. In that case, let's call this some post-meal exercise."

Hawkeye took the cross from around his neck and drew a Little Blade. "I didn't bring a smaller knife. Come."

On the second-floor deck, aside from Reiner and the others, the Baratie cooks led by Sanji had gathered as well, all watching the duel with expectant expressions.

"World's Greatest Swordsman versus Roronoa Zoro!"

"I never thought I'd get to witness a duel of this caliber."

"I can't even imagine what it'll look like once they start fighting."

Every cook stared eagerly down at the scene below. They only knew both men were strong, but they had no concrete understanding of just how strong.

Their own strength was nowhere near either man's level, so they could only judge by reputation. And Zoro was quite famous in the East Blue.

However,

Three minutes later

"A wound on the back!"

"IS A SWORDSMAN'S SHAME!!!"

"."

Would it be rude to laugh right now?

Watching this iconic scene, Reiner felt both amused and exasperated. While concern filled his eyes, he could not help gaining a little more respect for Zoro.

Hawkeye drew Black Blade Yoru and brought the battle to an end with one final strike.

With his back to the fallen Zoro, Hawkeye strolled away, leaving only a single indifferent sentence behind:

"Grow stronger, Roronoa. I will wait for you upon the throne of the greatest swordsman."

Lying on the deck, Zoro covered his face with one hand and raised Wado Ichimonji toward the sky.

"Until I defeat him! I will never lose again!!!"

It was as if he were saying it for everyone present to hear.

And as if he were swearing an oath to someone who did not exist in the heavens.

The duel ended, and Reiner and Usopp immediately rushed down to help Zoro to his feet.

A horrifying gash ran across his chest, extending from his upper right side across his entire torso.

Reiner jumped back onto the ship to fetch medicine, and the two of them bandaged Zoro.

Meanwhile, at the restaurant entrance.

"That idiot is your companion, right? Why didn't you stop him?" Sanji lit a cigarette and asked Luffy beside him.

Luffy glanced at Sanji. "That's his dream. Zoro has his own path."

"Did he really have to go that far?" Sanji raised his head and exhaled a cloud of smoke. "...A dream, huh? Is something so vague really worth betting your life on?"

"Yeah. That's why it's called a dream." Luffy's tone was calm but resolute. "Don't you have something worth risking your life for?"

"Something worth risking my life for..."

Leaning against the wall, Sanji closed his eyes. After a long while, he said, "Have you heard of the All Blue?"

"The All Blue?"

"It's a legendary sea where every kind of fish from the four seas gathers.

"They say it's somewhere on the Grand Line. Once the old man dies, I'll head for the Grand Line. Even if it takes my whole life, I'll find that sea."

Luffy could not help looking at Sanji, then suddenly made a strange expression. "Shishishi, we're heading there too. We happen to need a cook, so come with us!"

"No. I have a reason I have to stay here..."

"What? Didn't you say you wanted to go to the Grand Line?"

On the third-floor deck, Zeff rested both hands on the railing and looked down at Sanji and Luffy below. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly as he murmured:

"You look pretty happy, brat. Maybe you've finally found a ship worth boarding."

After Reiner finished bandaging Zoro, he helped him back inside the restaurant. Fortunately, his heart had not been injured. Hawkeye had still shown mercy out of appreciation for talent.

Although the wound was deep, it had only damaged flesh. With Zoro's constitution, some rest would be enough.

Seeing that Zoro was all right, everyone relaxed.

Reiner, Nami, and Usopp slowly enjoyed their food, while Luffy and Sanji continued their duel.

It was worth mentioning that, under Luffy's pestering, they had placed a bet on this duel: if Luffy won, Sanji would go with them; if he lost, they would never come to Baratie to look for him again—

—except for Nami.

"With Luffy's appetite, he's guaranteed to win." Nami spoke confidently. She had seen just yesterday how Luffy had exhausted five villagers.

Reiner was unconvinced. "With Sanji, it's hard to say. I'm already thinking about how to cheat."

Right, I'm despicable. That's right.

However, before Reiner could make a move, someone in the kitchen had already beaten him to it.

"Sanji, it's time for you to leave this place." Zeff spoke calmly.

Sanji did not react. He was busy competing with Luffy, all his attention focused on the cooking utensils in his hands.

"I said, you're fired, Sanji." Zeff continued.

Only then did Sanji slowly put down his cooking utensils, his face gradually darkening.

"Old man, what kind of joke are you playing?!"

"Do you want me to die with regrets? Set sail, Sanji. I don't want to be your burden."

"What burden?! I'm staying here because I want to! It has nothing to do with you!"

"What about the All Blue?" Zeff's voice remained calm.

"I'll set sail once you're dead!"

"Rather than see you send me off, tell me the All Blue truly exists while I still have a few years left to live."

Zeff turned to look out the window, where the azure sky met the tranquil sea. "One of us has to go see it, doesn't he?"

The kitchen gradually fell silent. Sanji lowered his head and took the cigarette from his lips. His blond hair hid his face, making it impossible to see the expression beneath the shadows.

Thud.

Then, when a large teardrop slid down his face and fell, he suddenly dropped to both knees with a thump, braced his hands on the floor, and heavily bowed to Zeff.

"Thank you!" Sanji cried, tears streaming down his face.

"Thank you! Old man, I will never forget your great kindness for as long as I live!"

The kitchen was utterly silent. Every cook had consciously left when Zeff entered.

Zeff looked down at the man he had raised with one hand, and tears could not help welling in his eyes as well. But he immediately raised a hand to wipe them away, because a man had chosen a terribly inappropriate moment to sneak in.

"Uh, sorry. Wrong room."

At the kitchen door, Reiner stood there blankly, his toes practically digging cracks into the floor. The touching scene before him was rather awkward.

He looked down at the nest of ants in his hands. He had just found them outside and turned them into undead, planning to sneak in and cause trouble.

Instead, he had stumbled upon this scene the moment he entered.

"Sorry, I didn't see anything."

Sanji: "."