Zoro's hand resting on his sword hilt trembled slightly.
"Thump. Thump."
He tried to calm his heartbeat with deep breaths, only to find that no matter what he did, he could not.
It was not fear. Every cell in his body was screaming with excitement.
He had not expected it to happen so soon... that he would truly meet him so soon.
An unprecedented blaze of fighting spirit burst from Zoro's eyes, as if it could set the air before him aflame.
The promised moment... had finally arrived.
Victor glanced at him. Seeing Zoro tense from head to toe, looking as though he was ready to die at any moment yet burning with fanatical fervor, Victor could not help but feel stirred as well.
"So this is... what they call ambition?"
Victor raised his head slightly and looked toward the vast, boundless sky.
"Then what is my ambition?
"Endless treasure? Surviving in this world? Or perhaps gaining absolute power?"
Looking at the curly-browed cook lighting a cigarette in the distance, Victor suddenly felt an inexplicable urge to try smoking.
Perhaps that stuff was useful when contemplating life.
"Luffy! Can you do me a favor?!"
Zoro suddenly shouted, interrupting Victor's thoughts.
He pointed at the relatively intact section of massive wreckage ahead of Hawk-Eye and stared resolutely ahead.
"Get me over there!"
"Yeah! Leave it to me!"
Holding down his Straw Hat, Luffy grinned as he agreed. His arm instantly stretched out and grabbed Zoro by the back.
"Gum-Gum—Rocket!!"
Elsewhere, atop the floating wreckage of Krieg's pirate ship.
An atmosphere of fear continued to spread.
A pirate who looked like a squad captain, his eyes bloodshot, forced himself upright and roared at the man on the small boat.
"Bastard!! What the hell did we ever do to you?! Why are