Taking a deep breath, Zoro placed the Wado Ichimonji by his side and knelt solemnly before Rowan. With his forehead touching the ground, he spoke loudly and clearly.
"I can never fully repay the Great Senior for this kindness. If you ever have a need in the future, I, Zoro, will go through fire and water without a second thought!"
Rowan extended his tobacco pipe, nudging Zoro upward to help him stand. He laughed and said, "There's no need for such grand gestures as kneeling. My guidance was merely a trade for that meal. After all, with a status like mine, if word got out that I actually freeloaded off a youngster like you, this old face of mine would be stared to death by the public."
Zoro was dazed. A single meal in exchange for such a destiny-altering opportunity? Do things like this really happen on the high seas?
Thinking of this, Zoro couldn't help but glance at Tashigi in the crowd, whose expression was full of excitement. He whispered in his heart: Kuina, is this the chance you granted me from the heavens?
Earlier, if it hadn't been for this girl who looked exactly like Kuina, Zoro might not have agreed to the old man's request. Now, looking back, it truly felt as if Kuina's spirit was guiding him from the shadows.
If Rowan knew what Zoro was thinking, his face would be covered in black lines. This brat actually credited my elite teaching to Kuina? Talk about a wild imagination.
Suddenly, Zoro's vision went dark as a familiar, grinning face blocked his view.
"Heehee! Your name is Zoro, right? I'm Luffy! Monkey D. Luffy! That's my Great-Grandpa. Since you want to thank him, why not become my crewmate!"
"Become your... crewmate?"
Zoro didn't react immediately. He remembered this person—the one who had been sleeping at the table while the old man tried to strike a deal with him earlier.
"Yeah! When I set sail to become a pirate, you come be my partner. Your goal is to be the world's strongest swordsman, and mine is to be the Pirate King. We're the perfect match!" Luffy explained with a wide beam.
The moment Luffy said this, the surrounding crowd was utterly bewildered.
Wait, what's the situation here? The old gentleman who just mentored Zoro is a guest of Tashigi and Colonel Smoker. That means even if he isn't a Marine, he's closely tied to them. Yet his great-grandson is claiming he'll be the Pirate King and is inviting a Pirate Hunter to join him right in front of the old man?
For a moment, many people couldn't untangle the relationships between these individuals.
WHACK!
Before Zoro could respond, the heavy tobacco pipe landed squarely on Luffy's head.
Looking at Luffy, who was now clutching his head and squatting in pain, Rowan glared at him. "You brat! How many times have I told you? If you want crewmates, find them with your own strength! What kind of skill is it to use the Old Man's name?!"
"Great-Grandpa, I just wanted a strong partner..." Luffy muttered, pouting through the pain.
"Still talking back!" Rowan raised his pipe again.
Luffy finally shut up, though he kept winking and making faces at Zoro whenever Rowan wasn't looking.
Ignoring Luffy's antics, Rowan turned to Zoro. "Alright, little guy. Now you can challenge your dream once more."
Zoro didn't say much. He picked up the Wado Ichimonji from the ground, took a deep breath, and after reaching his peak state, marched toward Hawkeye Mihawk.
Rowan, meanwhile, grabbed the squatting Luffy by the collar and hauled him back into the crowd. The onlookers near Rowan immediately grew tense and awkward. They never would have guessed that this seemingly ordinary, albeit sturdy, old man was a hidden Grandmaster. Some had even been secretly complaining that his tall stature was blocking their view; now they were just relieved they hadn't said it out loud.
Tashigi's admiration was written all over her face. As Rowan returned to her side, her eyes turned into literal stars. She clasped her hands to her chest and whispered:
"Mr. Rowan, the way you mentored Zoro just now was so cool. When can you give me some pointers too?"
Smoking his pipe, Rowan turned to look at his fan-girl. "Did you not bother to memorize what I just said?"
Tashigi's expression froze, turning into an embarrassed blush. She scratched her head. "Ah... I'm sorry, Mr. Rowan. My attention was... elsewhere."
She really hadn't focused on the words. In her eyes, the Rowan who was shouting commands and guiding Zoro looked as if he were radiating light. She was so busy admiring the old man's charisma that she hadn't caught a single word of the technical advice.
Rowan sighed and shook his head. "Sigh. I thought you were a girl with grand ambitions who would seize every chance to get stronger. I didn't expect you to be like the rest of the common folk—easily distracted by the Old Man's charm and forgetting your own path."
Tashigi lowered her head in shame. Recalling how she had boasted about her dream to collect all the world's famous blades in front of him, she felt her face burning as if it were on fire. Her ambition was real, but she had let her focus slip.
She fanned her cheeks with her hands. Once her face cooled down, she stole a glance at Rowan, only to see he had already refocused on the plaza. She stuck her tongue out playfully and vowed to herself never to be so unprofessional again.
She turned her gaze back to Zoro and Mihawk, who were facing off once more.
This time, Zoro hadn't picked up his other two swords. In his hand, there was only the Wado Ichimonji.
Stopping five or six meters away from Hawkeye, Zoro drew the blade with a solemn face and took a simple starting stance. Mihawk's face turned serious. He unsheathed the Black Blade, Yoru, and spoke deeply:
"Come, Roronoa Zoro!"
In an instant, the atmosphere of the small plaza became incredibly heavy. No one dared to breathe loudly, fearing a single movement might shatter the tension. Everyone wanted to see just how far Zoro could go after Rowan's guidance.
Zoro didn't make them wait long. After a brief standoff, he struck first.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
⭐ Read chapters early on Patreon → https://www.patreon.com/Bagga_10 ⭐
BONUS CHAPTER REWARDS
• Every 20 reviews = 1 bonus chapter
• Every 100 Power Stones = 1 bonus chapter
Your support directly unlocks more content and faster releases.