With Zoro, Yosaku, and Johnny all rowing together, they finally caught up with the Tulip Pirates' ship and pulled alongside it.
Zoro excitedly charged aboard, eager to claim the bounty money and pay for food and drinks. He hadn't landed a job in days, and had been living the miserable life of eating his fill one day and going hungry for the next two.
After all, thanks to his terrible sense of direction, his pirate-hunting strategy was basically to go wherever fate took him.
But yesterday, he'd run into two little admirers, Yosaku and Johnny. With them leading the way, he'd found a bounty target today.
His two underlings were a bit weak, but as long as they could lead him to his target, that was enough. He'd handle the cutting!
The Tulip Pirates' captain had an eight-million-berry bounty, enough to let them live comfortably for quite a while.
After boarding the ship, Roronoa Zoro cut down everyone in sight. Blood sprayed everywhere.
Just then, Daddy Babaya's sailboat caught up, too. Without a word, he jumped aboard the pirate ship and saw a group of pirates surrounding Zoro. Yosaku and Johnny could barely handle three or four grunts between them. They were a bit weak!
"You dared to fire a cannon at my ship. Are you ready to pay for it now?!"
As soon as Daddy jumped aboard, he drew Sandai Kitetsu. Its powerful, ominous aura immediately drew everyone's attention. Even Roronoa Zoro looked at the Cursed Blade in Daddy's hand, a gleam appearing in his eyes.
"Hey! These guys are my prey!"
Zoro cut down another pirate grunt and, like a beast, glared at Daddy, the stranger who seemed to be pretty strong.
"They fired a cannon at my ship. That makes them your prey and mine!"
Daddy rushed at Captain Rika of the Tulip Pirates. With one slash, he cut through the long sword Rika had raised to block, then struck his shoulder hard, leaving a huge wound!
"Argh!"
Captain Rika fell to the ground, crying out in pain as he kicked backward. Daddy's second slash came down quickly. Rika stared in terror at the ominous Cursed Blade and felt despair well up inside him.
Clang!
A long sword suddenly appeared, blocking the murderous Cursed Blade. The two blades collided, sparks flying as they shuddered against each other.
"Hey, hey, you've got some strength! And a good sword, too! You cut that guy's sword in half with one strike. But I told you, he's my prey!"
Roronoa Zoro grinned, his eyes filled with fighting spirit as he stared at the stranger, as if he'd found a powerful opponent!
"Roronoa Zoro, I know who you are. You're a swordsman who went to sea to challenge the World's Greatest Swordsman. But with your strength and your terrible sense of direction, you probably won't make it out of the weakest sea, the East Blue, even in your whole life!
"My name is Daddy Babaya. How about forming a crew and setting sail for the Grand Line together, to take on the World's Strongest?!"
Daddy grinned, too. Sandai Kitetsu pressed down harder and harder, and he even coated it in basic Armament Haki to make up for the slight difference in quality between the Skillful Grade Sword Sandai Kitetsu and the Great Grade Sword Wado Ichimonji.
"Let's see what you've got!"
Zoro quickly drew another standard long sword with his left hand and slashed at Daddy's waist. The attack was so fierce that the air itself seemed to explode.
"I'm not a Two-Sword Style swordsman, but I know a little of it!"
Daddy drew Skillful Grade Sword Yubashiri from his waist and blocked Zoro's fierce strike.
"Another Famous Sword?!"
Zoro's eyes lit up. He'd come across two Famous Swords in a single day. If he could get them both, he'd have three perfectly suited weapons for his Three-Sword Style.
"Skillful Grade Sword Yubashiri! What do you think? Want it? Beat me, and it's yours! If you lose or we draw, you're coming to sea with me!"
Daddy laughed and knocked Zoro back. They both retreated a few steps, putting some distance between them as they stared intently at each other.
"That's a pretty good wager! Then I'll take Yubashiri!"
Roronoa Zoro grinned, his voice turning serious. He quickly tied on his bandana, his eyes taking on a beastlike look. Then he clenched Wado Ichimonji between his teeth and held a sword in each hand.
Whether it was for the Skillful Grade Sword Yubashiri or the Tulip Pirates' eight-million-berry bounty, it was worth using his strongest techniques!
Besides, he was confident in his own strength!
"Haha! I like how decisive you are! Once you become my partner, I'll give you this sword, too! You've got nothing to lose!"
Daddy smiled, pleased that his plan had worked. He sheathed Skillful Grade Sword Yubashiri, then thrust it into the deck and aimed Sandai Kitetsu at Zoro.
He wasn't good at Two-Sword Style. Besides, his strongest power came from his Devil Fruit ability, which required hand gestures to help him bring out his full fighting strength.
"I'm not going to lose!"
Zoro smiled with confidence and resolve.
"And you definitely won't beat me!"
Daddy replied firmly. With the power of the Barrier-Barrier Fruit, how could he possibly lose?
Three Sword Style: Ox Demon: Brave Claws!
Without a word, Zoro surged forward and slashed at Daddy. With three swords, he could strike his enemy from three different directions.
"This is my first time fighting a Three-Sword Style swordsman. It really does take some getting used to!"
Barrier: Armor!
Daddy crossed the index and middle fingers of his left hand. Dozens of small barrier shields appeared over his limbs and body, forming a simple suit of armor that covered him.
Ignoring the two ordinary long swords striking him, Daddy gripped Sandai Kitetsu with both hands and swung it fiercely at Zoro.
Seeing Daddy use such a reckless move, Zoro hurriedly pulled back to defend himself. He wasn't about to throw his life away like that!
But that was when the advantage of his three swords came into play. The sword in his right hand and the one in his mouth both blocked Daddy's fierce strike, while the sword in his left hand had already slashed into Daddy's waist!
Clang! ×2.
Zoro felt as if his left-hand sword had struck solid steel, while Daddy's Cursed Blade had actually chipped his right-hand sword. Then Daddy's two-handed, full-force strike sent him flying!
"What kind of power is that? You can make armor appear?"
Zoro looked at the hard, transparent armor covering Daddy and realized how troublesome it was. His left-hand sword had even been chipped by it.
What the hell was that thing?!
"It's the power of a Devil Fruit, so you don't have to worry about me competing with you for the title of World's Greatest Swordsman!"
Daddy smiled. He wasn't a pure swordsman, and he had no interest in becoming the World's Greatest Swordsman.
"Hmph! I'm not afraid of any opponent! But you've already damaged two of my swords in one blow. Looks like I'll have to finish this quickly!"
Three Sword Style: Oni Giri!
Zoro could tell his two ordinary swords wouldn't last much longer, so he immediately used his finishing move.
Holding a sword in each hand, he crossed his arms. In an instant, he vanished from where he stood and slashed at Daddy, appearing behind him in the blink of an eye.
Barrier: Spherical Shield!
Clang!!! ×3.
Daddy stood there completely unscathed, while the cracks in the two swords in Zoro's hands had multiplied. They looked ready to break into several pieces at any moment.
Sorry for the trouble.
Before you continue