Boom!
Red Hou slammed a palm into Zoro as they fought. The earth shook, a gale roared, and countless cracks split the solid ground. Zoro went flying.
Red Hou's strength was monstrous. After fighting for so long, Zoro had been on the defensive the entire time.
Hard he landed, Zoro drove Yubashiri and Kitetsu into the ground. Only then did he barely manage to steady himself.
"Roar!"
Red Hou advanced again, looming like a mountain as he bore down on Zoro.
His dried-out skull had no eyeballs, yet blood-red light still blazed from its hollow sockets. Zoro saw it clearly. It was as though two burning fireballs had been stuffed inside.
Oars, the monster aboard Moria's Thriller Bark, had no eyes either, but a terrifying red glow had shone from his dark, empty sockets.
"Kid, is that all you've got?"
Red Hou gave him a mocking smile.
His laugh grated on Zoro, filling him with shame. Zoro clenched his teeth, his eyes sharpening as he made up his mind. Then he smiled with sudden confidence. "I'm going to win."
"Hm?"
Red Hou looked at Zoro as though he were an idiot. It was the most ridiculous joke he had ever heard. As one of the three demon kings under Klyde, he had absolute confidence. "Brat, I'll show you that tough talk won't help."
Red Hou lunged in and swung his right hand at Zoro. Zoro flipped backward and nimbly evaded the blow. Red Hou's palm struck the ground, gouging out a huge crater and sending sand, stones, and dust flying.
Red Hou threw back his head and roared, then charged again. His moves were simple—he either pounced or struck with his palms. They were crude, but brutally effective. Against his monstrous strength, Zoro's Three-Sword Style held no advantage.
But Zoro