Shimotsuki Village-the Price of Arrogance

"Hahaha, a few brats actually dared to come looking for trouble. They really don't know their place."

"While our boss still hasn't lost his temper, get lost!"

"Our boss is going to become the Pirate King's man! If you know what's good for you, stay far away!"

Watching Higuma and his men act so arrogantly, Zoro asked in a low voice, "Kuina, can we beat them?"

Kuina glanced at Lin Mo, who hadn't said a word beside them, took a deep breath, and replied, "Even if we can't beat them, we still have to fight. We can't let them run wild in Shimotsuki Village!"

"Hey!" Kuina stared coldly at Higuma and mocked, "You're nothing but a bunch of thugs bullying people with your numbers. What Pirate King? You're just a pack of vermin that only knows how to bully the weak. I won't let you do whatever you want here!"

"What?" Higuma frowned slightly.

Seeing this, Sugimoto hurriedly said, "Kuina, stop talking. You should leave."

Although Kuina's swordsmanship was among the best in the Isshin Dojo, and many adults couldn't beat her, she was still only a child. With a bamboo sword, how could she possibly defeat these vicious bandits?

The surrounding villagers were all worried and tried to persuade Kuina and the others not to provoke Higuma any further.

"Trying to leave?" Higuma drew the sword at his waist and pointed its tip at Kuina's forehead. "You can leave if you want, but leave one arm behind."

Kuina gritted her teeth.

Zoro suddenly pulled her behind him. Gripping two bamboo swords, he pointed them at Higuma as well. "Kuina, step aside. I'll fight this guy!"

Kuina objected, "Idiot, you're weaker than me. I should fight him!"

"Haha." Higuma burst out laughing. "How touching. Two people fighting over who gets to die first. Fine, I'll grant your wish and let you die together!"

As soon as Higuma finished speaking,

Lin Mo suddenly said, "You're not lining up either?"

The surrounding villagers fell completely silent. No one dared to speak.

No answer meant they had silently agreed.

Lin Mo looked at Higuma. "You arrived later, so you have to line up behind me."

With that, Lin Mo calmly walked past Higuma.

The surrounding villagers all sucked in a breath.

Everyone's eyes fell on Lin Mo, who had already reached the cart piled with wine.

Lin Mo asked, "How much is one jar?"

Sugimoto froze for a moment and instinctively replied, "Fifty Beli per jar..."

Lin Mo casually took out two Beli and handed them to Sugimoto.

Then he picked up a jar of wine, pulled out the wooden stopper, and took a sip in front of everyone.

"Not bad." Lin Mo nodded in approval.

Higuma's face turned livid as he glared viciously at Lin Mo.

Lin Mo ignored him and turned to Zoro and Kuina, who were also standing there in a daze. "You two, weren't you going to help me buy wine?"

The two of them paused, then immediately lowered their bamboo swords and jogged over.

Higuma pressed his sword against Lin Mo's neck and said irritably, "Hey, brat, who allowed you to buy wine?"

Lin Mo glanced at him and said calmly, "Move the sword."

To everyone's surprise, Higuma actually moved his sword away.

But in the next instant, a vicious glint appeared in his eyes, and he swung directly at Lin Mo's neck.

"Ah! Run, Lin Mo!"

"It's over. That child is going to die."

"Someone save that child! Koshiro, where is Mr. Koshiro? Is there still time to fetch him?"

The worried voices of the villagers rang in their ears.

Zoro and Kuina couldn't help breaking into a cold sweat.

As for Lin Mo, just as Higuma's sword was about to strike him, he took half a step back.

The sword's tip swept past half a centimeter in front of his throat.

The corner of Higuma's mouth twitched. When had he ever been so thoroughly humiliated? And by a mere brat, no less!

Now he was furious!

"Brat! You're asking to die!" Higuma raised his sword viciously, preparing to cut Lin Mo down.

Lin Mo still ignored him and turned his head toward Zoro and Kuina. "Buy the wine."

"Seriously, you're still thinking about drinking at a time like this?"

Though she said that, Kuina obediently paid. She and Zoro each picked up a jar of wine.

Chapter 13: Shimotsuki Village—the Price of Arrogance

Bandit Higuma had never suffered such humiliation.

Every sword he swung contained immense rage and killing intent.

Even so,

Lin Mo still dodged all his attacks with ease.

When he realized he truly couldn't hit Lin Mo,

Higuma shifted his attention to Zoro and Kuina, who were holding the wine jars.

Without saying a word,

Higuma immediately changed targets and swung at Zoro, who was closest to him.

Zoro instinctively retreated two steps, but he was still within Higuma's attack range.

"Damn it." Zoro's expression turned grim. He wanted to draw his swords, but with both hands holding the wine jar, he had no way to draw and defend himself.

"Die!" Higuma surged forward with overwhelming momentum.

Kuina wanted to help Zoro, but she was holding a wine jar too and couldn't make a move.

Just as Higuma's sword was about to strike Zoro,

Lin Mo suddenly appeared in front of him. He drew Wado Ichimonji and, with a single strike, cut Higuma's sword in half at the waist.

Whether Zoro got injured or not was irrelevant.

He just didn't want his wine to be smashed.

But in Zoro and Kuina's eyes, it meant something entirely different.

Zoro said excitedly, "I knew you wouldn't ignore my safety. As expected of the person I admire!"

Lin Mo: "..."

Higuma stared fixedly at Wado Ichimonji, the blade that had severed his sword.

There was something unusual about this sword.

Higuma suddenly changed his attitude. "Brat, I've changed my mind. Give me your sword, and I'll let you go."

"No!" Kuina was the first to object. "You can't trust a bandit's word! Lin Mo, you can't give them Wado Ichimonji!"

"Oh, so it's Wado Ichimonji." Higuma's eyes lit up. Greed filled his gaze as he stared at Lin Mo. "A brat like you wielding such a fine sword is a waste. Hand over Wado Ichimonji! Otherwise, don't blame me for what happens next."

With that, Higuma hurled his broken sword at Sugimoto's cart, smashing several jars of wine.

At the same time, his men had already surrounded Lin Mo and the others.

Lin Mo frowned slightly.

He felt a little pained over the fine wine being sold in limited quantities.

Isshin Dojo.

Koshiro was drinking tea with a friend in the tea room.

The two were chatting happily.

At that moment, a villager came rushing over in a panic.

"Mr. Koshiro, please come with me quickly. A group of bandits has come to the village and is causing trouble."

"Bandits?" Koshiro set down his teacup and immediately stood up. "Where are they now?"

The villager quickly replied, "Over by Sugimoto's place."

"Sugimoto?" Koshiro paused. "Are Lin Mo, Kuina, and Zoro there?"

The villager nodded. "They are, but they're still children. They're too weak to face such vicious bandits. Mr. Koshiro, we need to hurry."

"No need, no need." Koshiro sat down again and said with a smile, "Since Lin Mo is there, there's nothing to worry about."

"Huh?" The villager looked completely baffled.

Even Koshiro's friend wore a worried expression. "Mr. Koshiro, are you really not going?"

"No need." Koshiro smiled as he picked up the teacup he had set down only moments earlier. "Don't worry. Nothing will happen."

Back with Lin Mo.

Facing the threats of the bandit Higuma,

Lin Mo didn't feel anything at all.

He even found it rather boring.

But the surrounding villagers didn't see it that way.

Everyone was extremely anxious.

"Lin Mo, hurry and give him the sword. It isn't worth losing your life over one sword."

"Exactly. You're still children. You can't beat so many bandits. Just hand over the sword and save your lives first."

"Brat, stop hesitating. Bandits aren't good people. They really will kill you."

"Damn it!" The more Zoro listened, the angrier he became. He shouted unhappily at the surrounding villagers, "Don't underestimate Lin Mo! He's incredibly strong!"

The bandits burst out laughing.

"Hahaha, he's strong just because he dodged a few attacks from our boss? That's hilarious."

"He only cut our boss's sword because you're using a Famous Sword. Brat, if you don't want to die, hand over the sword!"

Lin Mo silently swept his gaze across the surroundings. Higuma's group had brought more than forty men.

It seemed he wouldn't be able to leave without dealing with them.

What a bother... He really hadn't wanted to fight.

Forget it. He had bought the wine anyway. He might as well return to the dojo early.

Lin Mo said nothing.

Higuma assumed he was afraid and said smugly, "You're pretty skilled. Submit to me, and I might consider letting you join my Higuma Pirates."

Lin Mo couldn't be bothered to waste more words on him.

A glint flashed in his eyes.

A powerful sword aura spread out from him as its center.

At the exact moment Higuma finished speaking arrogantly,

Lin Mo's figure flashed, and he appeared behind Higuma.

Then he calmly and slowly sheathed Wado Ichimonji.

Higuma turned toward him in disbelief.

The instant Wado Ichimonji was completely sheathed,

two extremely long cuts appeared across Higuma's body, and blood gushed uncontrollably from the wounds.

The surrounding villagers were all stunned.