Suppressing his doubts, the man whose face closely resembled Zoro's stepped forward, his hand silently settling on the sword hilt at his waist.
"Visitor from overseas, state your intentions.
Otherwise-"
Killing intent spread around Shimotsuki Ushimaru like a thin mist, but Rossi merely raised a hand and pulled aside his feathered cloak, revealing the Sandai Kitetsu hanging at his waist.
"There's no hurry."
His voice was calm.
"First, let me experience Wano Country's swordsmanship."
Shimotsuki Ushimaru nodded slightly and said nothing more.
He lowered his stance a little, assuming a perfectly orthodox sword-drawing posture. His presence abruptly withdrew, as though he had merged into the frozen air around him.
Utter stillness often heralded a thunderous eruption.
The sharp scrape of metal tore through the silence.
"Shimotsuki: Clear Wind."
The instant his blade left its sheath, the flow of time seemed to go awry.
The transition from absolute stillness to extreme motion took only a blink. That cold gleam seemed to leap across the space between them, abruptly vanishing and reappearing, while its fierce cutting force had already blasted toward Rossi.
"Passable."
His appraisal rang out at the same moment as the clash of blades.
The Sandai Kitetsu sprang from its sheath, precisely intercepting the slash that blurred with speed.
Rossi even had enough leisure to raise his eyebrows.
"That strike would be enough to kill a pirate with a bounty of two hundred million."
Shimotsuki Ushimaru's gaze turned cold.
Before he withdrew the intercepted sword, the other sword at his waist leaped from its sheath on its own. The instant it landed in his reverse grip, jet-black Armament Haki covered it completely.
His wrist turned, and the second blade swept diagonally upward, a piercing shriek trailing its gleam as it tore through the air.
Swish-
The blade cut through