The Match Ends; Koushiro Is Shocked

"Kuina! Have you ever heard the saying, 'After three days apart, you should see a person in a new light'?"

Kuina froze. She had never heard the saying, but her father clearly meant that Dongze had grown stronger—perhaps even strong enough to match Zoro.

But how was that possible?

Zoro had challenged her constantly these past few days, and his strength seemed to change every day. If she hadn't trained hard in secret herself, she might already have lost to him.

If even she had struggled to keep ahead, she couldn't believe Dongze had quietly surpassed Zoro.

Seeing his daughter's expression, Koshiro gazed into the distance. "A swordsman must not let appearances blind him. Only then can he see the path beneath his feet and earn the right to pursue the title of World's Strongest!"

"Kuina, you and Zoro aren't the only ones who've improved. Dongze has been advancing at a speed neither of you can imagine!"

Kuina looked baffled. "But his talent..."

Koshiro sighed inwardly. If not for Kuina, he would never have discovered Dongze's talent either. A gem could lie buried in dust, and those who failed to spot it had only themselves to blame. How could he fault his daughter for missing what he had missed himself?

Let me see what you're made of. Can you truly pursue the title of World's Greatest Swordsman?

At that thought, Koshiro's eyes brightened. Even now, the astonishing leap he had witnessed still left him in awe.

At Isshin Dojo, Dongze glanced at the single sword in Zoro's hand and shook his head. He knew Zoro wasn't taking him seriously.

Perhaps Zoro was already thinking about challenging Kuina again after beating him. But Dongze was certain this match would give Zoro a memory he would never forget.

So Dongze said nothing in response to Zoro's contempt.

"Begin!"

At the shout, Zoro lowered his stance, then charged like a wild boar. He raised his bamboo sword and brought it down hard at Dongze.

He was young, but he was far from weak. His strength already rivaled that of an ordinary adult.

Hearing the blade cut through the air, Dongze's eyes lit up. With Mantra, he caught the bamboo sword's path in an instant.

He bent his knees, lowering his center of gravity, then thrust his bamboo sword forward.

The thrust was calm and unhurried, a stroke of brilliance that flashed out of nowhere.

A fight could be decided in an instant. When the spectators came to their senses, they saw something they could hardly believe.

The swords had met, but not blade against blade. The tip of one had struck the body of the other.

Dongze's bamboo sword rested firmly against Zoro's blade.

It was much like the day Zoro would challenge Hawkeye at Baratie and be taught a lesson by the little knife hanging from Hawkeye's cross.

Now the same thing was happening between Dongze and Zoro.

"Impossible!"

The spectators could hardly believe it, and neither could Zoro.

For Dongze to stop such a fierce blow that way could mean only one thing.

Dongze was far stronger than him.

This could hardly be called a match anymore. It was more like a lesson. But how could proud Zoro accept that?

After all, he had beaten Dongze before.

Zoro wasn't one to give up easily, though. He had challenged Kuina more than a thousand times.

He backed away, then charged again, bringing his bamboo sword down even harder than before.

Unfortunately for him, Dongze had changed completely. His true fighting strength was beyond any student at Isshin Dojo.

What happened next left the onlookers speechless. Time after time, the tip of Dongze's bamboo sword landed precisely on Zoro's blade.

Bamboo swords cracked together again and again. Every attack ended the same way: Dongze calmly stopped it with the tip of his sword.

The longer the spectators watched, the wider their eyes grew. Their legs began to tremble, and their hearts pounded wildly.

"What the hell? This is unreal!"

"Hey, what's going on?"

"You're the one who said it's unreal! How should I know?"

"When did Dongze get so strong?"

"Holy shit!"

The Match Ends, Koshiro Is Stunned

The fierce clashes in the ring made everyone suck in a breath. Kuina's eyes went round, and she turned to her father in disbelief.

"Father! What's going on?"

Koshiro seemed not to hear her. In a low voice, he said to Zoro, "Zoro, how can you go into a swordsman's duel hoping to get lucky?"

Koshiro's words brought Zoro back to his senses. He seemed to understand. Without a word, he turned, took two more swords from the rack, and assumed the opening stance of Three-Sword Style. His eyes changed, and a fierce resolve settled over him.

"Hyaa!"

With a shout, Zoro became a blur and rushed at Dongze again.

The bamboo swords in his hands whistled through the air as he swung them down. His attack was so savage it looked less like a sword match than a contest with clubs.

But it was still no use. Dongze's bamboo sword seemed guided by an unseen hand. Once again, its tip touched Zoro's swords—not one blade this time, but the point where two crossed.

Crack!

Zoro stared at Dongze's bamboo sword in disbelief. From the corner of his eye, he could see it pinning his two swords in place like a nail driven into their weakest point.

He wanted to take another step forward, but he couldn't.

"Impossible!"

"This is impossible!"

Unable to bear it, Zoro flew into a rage. The two bamboo swords in his hands became blurs.

Yet every counter from Dongze was effortless, landing precisely where Zoro's two—or three—swords met.

He cut off each attack before it could reach him.

The onlookers stared, dumbfounded.

"Hey, am I dreaming?"

"Yeah, looks like you haven't woken up. Take this!"

"Aah!"

"Nita, I'm going to kill you! Where the hell do you think you're kicking?"

"Wasn't that kid always at the bottom?"

"At the bottom? As if you could beat him."

"Uh..."

"Think he's possessed?"

"Could be!"

Kuina's heart pounded as she watched the two figures in the ring without blinking.

They looked no different from the two boys she saw every day.

So what was happening?

Dongze, whom Zoro used to beat with ease, was overturning everything they thought they knew with a single bamboo sword!

Koshiro was the exception. He knew why this was happening.

"Father!"

"What's going on?"

After a while, Kuina could no longer hold back her question.

Koshiro watched the two fighters intently. After a moment's silence, he said softly, "It seems I was right. His mastery is on another level."

Kuina blinked. "His mastery?"

It wasn't her fault she was confused. Koshiro had never spoken to her about levels of mastery before.

Until now, he had only told them about the ranks of swordsmen: those who could cut through steel were called Swordmasters. He had said little beyond that.

How was she supposed to understand this sudden explanation?

Watching Zoro press his relentless attack, Koshiro said, "Swordsmen have ranks, and so do sword techniques. They're generally divided into Initiate, Proficient, Expert, Peak, and Return to the Unadorned."

"When it comes to Basic Swordsmanship, Dongze is far beyond anyone here. This match is like those early bouts when you taught Zoro a lesson. But Dongze's swordsmanship has reached an almost unbelievable level. He can see the opening in every move Zoro makes and stop his attacks with ease!"

There was one thing Koshiro kept to himself. Watching Dongze's perfectly timed strikes, he slowly clenched the hand at his side.

Impossible!

Observation Haki!

That technique is known only in the latter half of the Grand Line. How could anyone use it here in the East Blue, the weakest of the Four Blues?

Who is he?

Kuina looked up at the fighters. "Him?" she said in disbelief.

Koshiro heard the doubt in her voice. "If you were in Zoro's place, you wouldn't fare much better."

"Impossible! How can the gap be this big?"

"I don't believe it!"

"Dongze, you bastard!"

"Are you looking down on me?"

"Why won't you attack?"

After attacking for so long without success, Zoro burned with anger at Dongze's continued defense.

He had beaten Dongze easily not long ago. He had never felt the humiliation of being overtaken like this.

Seeing the resolve in Zoro's eyes, Dongze answered calmly, "If that's what you want, then so be it."

As soon as he spoke, his eyes changed. He drew back slightly, then pushed off hard, shooting forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.

The bamboo sword in his hand seemed to come alive. Every move struck at an opening, and Zoro's three swords might as well not have been there.

Suddenly, Dongze blurred. The onlookers' eyes flickered, and he vanished right in front of them.

"What the hell? He's gone!"

"Holy shit!"

"Where did Dongze go?"

Zoro was just as bewildered. His eyes darted around, searching for any trace of Dongze.

By now, he could feel how much Dongze had changed. His Basic Swordsmanship was exquisite, his gaze razor-sharp. Before him, Zoro's prized Three-Sword Style felt like a joke.

As Zoro searched in vain, a voice rang out.

"Moss Head, behind you!"

It was Kuina, but her warning came too late. The moment Zoro turned, a powerful upward strike was already upon him.

His vision blurred. His hands suddenly felt light, and his jaw ached. All three bamboo swords flew from his grasp.

Zoro stared at his trembling hands, his eyes shaking. The strength he had always prided himself on had been useless against Dongze. Now he couldn't even hold on to his swords. Dongze had knocked them away with ease.

He looked at Dongze, breathing hard, disbelief in his eyes. He had lost—and the outcome had never been in doubt.

After a long silence, Zoro said with unwavering resolve, "Dongze, I'll be back."