"Whether you accept it or not, you have to admit it," Kuina said, unmoved. "The Eight Desolations Sword Case is the best weapon for directly testing a swordsman's skill. When Lin Mo fought me back then, he could only draw four swords, too. In other words, my swordsmanship now should be on par with his a year ago."
"I don't buy it. Come on, it's been ages since we last fought, hasn't it?" Zoro's interest in a fight flared at once.
But Kuina had no intention of fighting him now. "With you in this condition, even if I won, it wouldn't be a fair victory. If you want to fight me, heal up first."
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Zoro asked unhappily. "These little scratches won't affect my strength. Are you fighting me or not?"
"No!" Kuina said firmly. "If we fight, we fight fairly. Those injuries won't heal anytime soon, and I can't stay on this island for too long. I was a little worried about Mr. Hawk-Eye, but with you here, that won't be a problem."
"What do you mean?" Zoro sensed something was wrong. "What happened to Hawk-Eye?"
"Don't worry. He's fine for now, just in a deep sleep. I'm not sure when he'll wake up."
Chapter 1165: Pirate: Challenge
Kuina's words left Zoro silent for a long while.
Only after some time did he ask again, "Why is Hawk-Eye in a deep sleep? What exactly happened?"
After thinking it over, Kuina gave Zoro a brief explanation of what had happened to Lin Mo.
Apart from her father and her current companions, Zoro was the person Kuina trusted most in the world.
After learning the truth, Zoro was surprisingly calm.
"It sounds bizarre, but I believe you," Zoro said calmly. "I understand. Leave Hawk-Eye to me."