"Iai: Flash!"
"Seventh Form: Honoikazuchi no Kami!"
The two roars erupted almost simultaneously, a deafening clash of wills that reverberated through the very soul of Loguetown.
For a moment, the bustling marketplace fell into an absolute silence, all eyes locked on the two swordsmen as an overwhelming surge of sword energy swept outward, a pressure so intense it stole the breath from every onlooker.
Zoro's attack was a marvel of inspired genius.
He had taken the blinding speed of the Thunderclap he had witnessed from Mihawk and fused it with the instantaneous, deadly precision of his own iai slash.
In a fleeting moment, his blade cut through the silence like a thunderclap shattering the sky, its energy tearing forward with a force capable of annihilating everything in its path.
At the same time, Mike met this incredible speed not with equal speed, but with a transcendent display of absolute power.
As he erupted forward, a colossal dragon of golden lightning wreathed in crackling flames, surged from the blade in his hand.
It was not just an attack; it was a divine manifestation, a harbinger of destruction with the power to sever existence itself.
"ROAR—!"
The thunder dragon roared and lunged at Zoro.
The two techniques—one a brilliant imitation born of ambition, the other the perfected ultimate form of the original—collided.
"CLANG—!"
The sound was not of steel meeting steel, but of a man's will crashing against a force of nature.
For a split second, Zoro's blade held.
Then, it was simply... consumed.
The golden dragon of lightning swallowed the silver flash whole, the eruption of sparks so bright it was as if the air itself had been torn apart.
A powerful, concussive shockwave ripped outward, shaking the surrounding buildings and kicking up a storm of dust and debris.
Click.
With a soft, almost insultingly casual sound, Mike sheathed his blade.
He turned around slowly, the Markings on his face fading like dying embers and he leisurely lit a fresh cigar.
His white "Justice" cloak fluttered gently in the breeze behind him as smoke curled lazily into the rain-filled air, creating an aura of nonchalant, undeniable dominance. (aura farming)
"GUSH—!"
A deep, clean slash wound appeared across Zoro's chest.
Blood gushed like a fountain, soaking through his green haramaki and staining the ground crimson with blood.
The strike had been so instantaneous, so utterly beyond the realm of his perception, that his body had only just registered the damage.
His body trembled, a flicker of shock flashing in his eyes before it was swiftly replaced by a strange, almost peaceful resolve.
"Cough—!"
Zoro spat out a mouthful of blood, his legs shaking as he struggled to remain standing.
Through a haze of pain, his gaze locked onto Mike's retreating figure.
A faint, bloody smile tugged at his lips.
"Still... too naive of me..."
'Mike…' he thought, his mind replaying the impossible attack.
'So this is the man acknowledged by Mihawk. Strong. Too strong. Absolutely beyond my current reach…'
He took a deep, ragged breath, feeling the searing pain in his chest—and the fierce, unyielding beat of his own heart.
'But it's precisely because there are mountains like him ahead that I have a reason to climb!'
Mike exhaled a slow ring of smoke, watching Zoro fight to stay on his feet.
In that strike, he had held nothing back in terms of pure swordsmanship.
The Flaming Thunder God, with the Markings at full power, was one of the strongest techniques in his arsenal.
But he hadn't enhanced it with Haki or his monstrous physical strength.
It was a sign of respect, swordsman to swordsman, just as Mihawk had respected Zoro's ambition at the Baratie.
If he had truly wanted to end him, Zoro wouldn't just be wounded.
Blood continued to pour from Zoro's chest, yet a breathless laugh escaped his lips.
The image of the golden thunder dragon was burned into his mind.
'So, beyond the 'Thunderclap and Flash,' there exists a technique of that magnitude! I'm still too weak... far, far too weak!'
"That was... a beautiful strike," he chuckled softly, the sound turning into a wet cough.
"Hahaha... absolutely magnificent!"
"Thud—"
As his laughter faded, Zoro's body finally gave out, collapsing heavily to the ground.
Sanji and the others immediately rushed forward, lifting their crewmate and anxiously checking his injuries.
"It's not fatal," Sanji announced, a wave of relief washing over him as he began applying makeshift bandages.
"He's lost a lot of blood and is completely exhausted, but he'll recover with some proper rest."
"That's good!" Luffy said, his usual grin absent, replaced by a serious look.
Mike stood to the side, his gaze sweeping over the Straw Hat Pirates.
A troublesome bunch for sure.
Especially their captain.
Grandson of Garp, son of Dragon, protege of Shanks.
Getting entangled with this crew was a one-way ticket to a life filled with trouble, paperwork, and effort.
His greatest wish was a quiet life of slacking off at Headquarters, not chasing this rubber-brained storm across the seas.
With that in mind, Mike turned to leave.
His business here was done.
It was finally time to head to the Red-Light District!
"Cough..." At that moment, Zoro spoke, his voice weak but clear.
"Mike..." There was a trace of pleading and profound gratitude in his tone.
"Captain Mike."
Mike's steps paused.
"That move you used earlier... 'Flaming Thunder God'," Zoro's voice carried the pure reverence of a swordsman for his craft.
"May I... take it?"
It was a question of honor.
Every sword style had its own lineage, its own rules.
To learn a technique without the master's consent was theft.
But if Mike agreed, he could freely absorb its essence and make it a new goal to strive for.
"Though I can't even begin to comprehend it yet," Zoro continued, his eyes burning with feverish intensity.
"Just witnessing it once has already taught me so much. Thank you... for your guidance!"
"Haah—" Mike smiled faintly, exhaling a slow smoke ring.
A glint of genuine admiration flashed in his eyes.
'To gain insight even after a defeat like that... Zoro truly is one of the most naturally gifted swordsmen in this world.'
He waved his hand dismissively.
"Do as you please." He looked back, a lazy, challenging smirk on his face.
"Take the move. Master it. And then, go and challenge Mihawk with it."
He puffed on his cigar, his gaze relaxed.
"That throne of the 'World's Strongest Swordsman'... I have no interest in it. I told you from the very beginning. I'm just an ordinary man who wants to enjoy quiet life, that's all."
With those final words, Mike turned and strode leisurely toward the other side of town, flanked by the stoic Kuro and the now deeply respectful Commander Hayes.
The members of the Straw Hat Pirates stood frozen, stunned into silence by what they had just heard.
They watched the impossibly strong Marine walk away, having just redefined the meaning of power for them, only to claim he was an "ordinary man."
They all had the same thought, a perfect, unified chorus of disbelief and exasperation.
'How the hell can someone that strong still call himself ordinary?!'
'What a shameless bastard!'
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If Yoriichi is born in one piece world, who do you think will win in a pure swordsmanship fight between him and mihawk ?