VS Roronoa Zoro

Moke shook his head at that.

Joining the Marines would not be bad, but there was far too little freedom. Just like Smoker before him—if Marine Headquarters told him to stay in Loguetown, then he had to stay in Loguetown.

Most importantly, Moke had no desire to serve beneath someone else. Much less become a lackey of the Celestial Dragons...

So he shook his head without hesitation. "Thank you for thinking highly of me, but that is not my ambition."

Smoker's expression shifted slightly at those words. His gaze upon Moke also sharpened, because in this world, one either became a Marine or a pirate.

There were very few other possibilities.

So this kid's decisive refusal very likely meant that he had already made up his mind to set sail as a pirate.

And with this kid's talent, if he became a pirate, he would surely become a grave threat.

That was not something Smoker wanted to see.

However, Moke was not yet a pirate, nor had he done anything illegal or harmed anyone. Smoker's principles prevented him from eliminating a future threat under such circumstances.

"...Sigh."

In the end, Smoker could not help sighing. I only hope this kid won't go down the wrong path for Tashigi's sake!

"Colonel Smoker..."

Just then, a Marine soldier hurried over.

"Hm?"

Smoker frowned. "What happened?"

Marine soldier: "The Straw Hat Crew has been spotted..."

"The Straw Hat Pirates?!"

Smoker was startled at first, but his gaze quickly turned sharp. In his eyes, people like them absolutely could not be allowed to leave the East Blue.

Otherwise, once they grew stronger, they would inevitably become a force that even the Marines would find troublesome.

A month ago, Luffy had defeated Arlong and received a bounty of 30 million Beli, becoming the highest-bountied pirate in the East Blue. And that had been his first bounty...

Naturally, he had become a target of special attention for the Loguetown Marines.

"Whoosh..."

Both Tashigi and Moke turned to look over. Tashigi did so because she knew the Straw Hat Crew had an outstanding swordsman.

Moke, however, grew excited.

He murmured inwardly, They're finally here... Luffy, Roronoa Zoro, Nami, Usopp... Today is definitely going to be interesting.

He could hardly wait.

Smoker turned to Tashigi. "Tashigi, let's go!"

Tashigi said, "Yes, Colonel Smoker!"

She immediately followed Smoker. Yet as she passed Moke, her gaze fell upon him, filled with complicated emotions.

Moke acted as though he had not noticed, merely watching quietly as she left. Then he raised a hand toward the sun overhead, feeling the warmth of the sunlight on his palm.

Light elements were immediately absorbed.

Moke transformed into a body of light once again. After absorbing Sandai Kitetsu and gaining a permanent ability, he could still absorb other substances to transform his body after activating the Absorb-Absorb Fruit.

It was simply that when he did not use the ability, he would revert to the state of a "Kitetsu Swordman."

"Whoosh..."

Moke turned into a beam of light and shot directly toward the center of Loguetown.

"What was that?"

Since Moke had not deliberately avoided them, both Smoker and Tashigi noticed the beam of light. Their pupils contracted as confusion filled their hearts.

Smoker in particular thought that the beam resembled a Logia ability like his own.

Moke quickly arrived in town and returned to that weapon shop. He knew that Roronoa Zoro would definitely still visit that shop.

Sure enough, when he entered the weapon shop again—

Roronoa Zoro was already inside. However, Moke had already taken Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri, so there were no Meito left in the shop.

Thus, Zoro ultimately only bought two 50,000-Beli swords.

Of course, another reason was that he had no money. Otherwise, he would not have bought the worst swords in the shop!

The weapon shop owner's eyes lit up the moment he saw Moke. "Honored customer, what would you like to buy this time?"

When the owner saw Moke, it was as if he were looking at glittering gold!

Moke chuckled. "I'm not here to buy swords this time..."

Then he pointed at Roronoa Zoro. "I came for him."

"Hm?"

Roronoa Zoro looked surprised. He then studied Moke carefully, but after thinking it over and over, he could not recall where he had seen him before.

However, his gaze soon fell upon the Sandai Kitetsu at Moke's waist.

His pupils shrank slightly. Though he did not recognize the sword, as a swordsman, his instincts told him it was an excellent blade.

At the same time, he sensed an aura similar to his own from Moke.

An aura unique to swordsmen.

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, for he had already guessed why the other man had come.

His hand also instinctively settled on Wado Ichimonji. Somewhat excited, he said, "If you want to fight, then fight..."

The owner froze for a moment, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Roronoa Zoro and Moke. Then he understood.

He immediately said, "Behind my shop, there's a small Sword Testing Grounds. How about..."

He did not finish speaking, but his meaning could not have been clearer.

Moke and Roronoa Zoro nodded in unison. "Fine!"

They were remarkably in sync.

The two followed the owner through the door behind the counter, passed through a small storeroom, and arrived at a Sword Testing Grounds of about fifty square meters.

Moke and Roronoa Zoro exchanged a look, then nodded in satisfaction.

This place was enough for their match.

The two walked one after the other to the center of the Sword Testing Grounds. After stopping four or five meters apart, they both assumed sword-drawing stances...

Roronoa Zoro's gaze fell upon Sandai Kitetsu again. He was certain it was a fine sword, while the two utterly ordinary blades in his hands likely could not withstand it.

"Then I'll use One Sword Style!"

His sword-drawing posture changed, and his right hand gripped the hilt of Wado Ichimonji.

The next second, both men drew their swords at once and charged each other. They slashed simultaneously, Wado Ichimonji and Sandai Kitetsu crashing fiercely together.

The tremendous force drove them both several steps back.

That exchange had ended evenly.

Moke and Roronoa Zoro's eyes both lit up. For Moke, it was because he had gained an accurate understanding of his own strength in swordsmanship.

He was also delighted—delighted that his swordsmanship had already reached the same starting line as this world's swordsmanship prodigy.

Furthermore, with the Devil Fruit's enhancement and his training over the past three months, he no longer lost to Roronoa Zoro in terms of strength either...

At that moment, his state of mind completely ascended.

His aura changed as well, becoming even sharper. His entire body seemed like a sword drawn from its sheath.

Roronoa Zoro naturally sensed the change in Moke, but rather than retreating, his fighting spirit grew even stronger. This guy before him was the strongest swordsman he had encountered in the East Blue.

Of course, that excluded the man with Hawkeye.