In the narrow alleys of Alabasta, one could occasionally hear the faint sounds of residents hurriedly packing their belongings.
But after the intimidating aura of Zoro and Mr.1's confrontation spread, even the last few slightly ajar doors and windows were completely shut, leaving only the sound of wind-swept grit scraping against stone walls.
Zoro surveyed the now-empty alley, a mocking curve playing on his lips: "Look at you, you've made it so everyone can't stay home anymore."
Mr.1 merely stepped forward with his right foot, and a clear slash mark instantly appeared on the flagstone beneath him.
He raised his eyes, locking his gaze on Zoro, "You're all talk. Have you forgotten the time I sent you flying?"
Zoro, however, didn't pay much attention, just smiled, "At that time, I hadn't lost yet. But I clearly remember someone being cut down and forced to his knees with a single strike."
Mr.1's face instantly darkened; that scene from Small Garden was still etched firmly in his mind.
That swordsman, with his first move, unleashed a blue arc of light that seemed capable of cutting through anything, making him experience the sensation of near-death for the first time from a blade.
He took a deep breath, suppressing his surging emotions, his eyes sharpening: "Yes, among all the swordsmen I've met, only he could injure me."
"The person I'm waiting for is also him."
"Well now, there's about to be one more person who can cut you down, Octo-bald."
Before he finished speaking, Zoro's body had already leaned forward, his two swords in his left and right hands crossed in front of him to form the starting stance for Oni Giri. In the next instant, he directly lunged forward!
"Three Sword Style: Oni Giri!"
Facing Zoro's fierce slash, Mr.1 didn't dodge. His fingers instantly transformed into gleaming blades, his five fingers clenching into a vicious tiger's claw shape, and he drew his arm back slightly before thrusting it forward to grab!
"Grasp Slash!"
Clang—!
A piercing sound exploded.
Mr.1's sharp claws had squarely caught Zoro's incoming blade! Sparks flew at the point of contact between claw and sword.
Feeling the force transmitted through his palm, a hint of disdain flashed in his eyes as he looked at Zoro, "Isn't this still the same as before? What's the difference?"
"You'll find out soon enough."
Zoro's arm muscles twisted with effort, and the caught blade began to grind, freeing itself from Mr.1's grip. He used the momentum to nimbly leap back two steps, landing steadily.
He then lowered his eyelids slightly, adjusting his breathing, making everything around him seem to become clear at that moment. The faint movement of dust in the cracks of the walls, the hardness of the flagstones underfoot, and the cold, steel-like breathing emanating from Mr.1 in front of him.
Recalling his time in Small Garden, by that house made of wax, the sensation of perceiving the 'breath of all things' now resurfaced, even clearer than before.
Mr.1 frowned, somewhat puzzled, as he watched Zoro suddenly stand still: "What's wrong? Giving up? You're just a loudmouth."
But Zoro ignored his taunt, his mind perfectly clear. He once again adopted the exact same stance as before, crossing his two swords in front of his chest.
"Three Sword Style: Oni Giri!"
The same stance and the same attack name resounded once more.
Mr.1's face finally showed impatience and the anger of being played, and he began to shout: "This move again! What do you take me for?! Spiral Slash!"
He was tired of this meaningless struggle and just wanted to quickly deal with this three-sword style swordsman in front of him to find his true target—Tomioka.
Then Mr.1 transformed his entire arm into several rapidly spinning, sharp blades, charging towards Zoro's blade with a force that seemed capable of pulverizing everything!
He intended to use this move to utterly shred the opponent's weapons!
However, the anticipated sound of shattering blades did not come.
The moment Zoro's blade made contact with his spiral arm, a completely different sensation was transmitted, or rather, it was that familiar feeling, the feeling he had experienced in Small Garden, that resurfaced.
Swoosh—!
A long, huge wound abruptly appeared on Mr.1's spinning arm, and the rotation abruptly ceased.
"Wh-what..."
Mr.1 grunted, the intense pain making him drop to one knee, then he quickly jumped back to create distance.
He looked incredulously at his severed arm, then raised his head to look at Zoro, his eyes filled with shock, "I didn't expect... even you could..."
Ever since he ate the Dice-Dice Devil Fruit and became a Blade Man, no swordsman had been able to contend with him. All their proud sword techniques felt like mere tickles when they landed on him.
And just a few days ago, he had lost to a swordsman for the first time; that power was utterly unstoppable. And now, there was another person who could do it.
Zoro looked at the opponent's astonished expression and grinned in satisfaction: "I told you, didn't I? I'm going to cut you down today, Octo-bald."
Mr.1's face was now so dark it looked like it could drip water. He slowly straightened his body; the pain from the wound instead made him completely calm, and his eyes became incredibly focused.
"I'm serious now... I won't give you another chance like that."
Even a swordsman who can cut steel... his body is still flesh. As long as my blade can cut him, then I will still be the winner... He transformed both his palms and fingers entirely into blades, then brought his wrists together, adopting a familiar starting stance.
"Sparkling Daisy Slash!"
Watching Mr.1's movements, Zoro's eyes narrowed as he recognized the technique that had once sent him flying an unknown distance. He murmured softly:
"I'm not the same now..."
He began to spin the swords in his left and right hands like windmills, generating powerful air currents that stirred up dust from the ground, blurring his figure in the swirling dust.
"Three Sword Style: Secret Technique!"
Both moved almost simultaneously, turning into two afterimages rushing towards each other! Mr.1 lunged forward, his palms furiously thrusting out with radial slashes!
Meanwhile, Zoro's spinning blades transformed into an invisible impact that tore through the wind pressure!
Boom—!!!
A deafening crash! Mr.1's slashes, powerful enough to tear the earth, carved the alley ground into countless fragments, and the walls on both sides, unable to withstand the force, collapsed with a roar, sending dust soaring into the sky.
When the dust had somewhat cleared, only a blood-soaked Zoro could be seen, leaning on his sword, panting heavily, countless dense wounds covering his body.
Behind him, Mr.1 was also covered in crisscrossing slash marks, lying amidst shattered rocks, barely conscious.
Mr.1, lying on the ground, used his last ounce of strength to ask, somewhat haltingly: "You defeated me... What was that move... called..."
Zoro sheathed his sword, not looking back. His voice carried immense pride: "Remember my name, Roronoa Zoro."
"Three Sword Style: Secret Technique: Three Thousand Worlds. This is my life's work, a technique born from day-in and day-out striving to become stronger, not something you can just casually wield like your Devil Fruit ability."
"Swordsmen are not as pathetic as you claim. Even swordsmen who cannot cut steel... the sweat they shed to become stronger... should not be underestimated."
Mr.1, in a barely audible voice, filled with both reluctance and acknowledgment of swordsmen, murmured: "Alright... Next time... I will definitely..."
His words trailed off as he completely lost consciousness.
Zoro let out a long, blood-tinged breath, glanced in the direction where Mr.1 had fallen, then took a step and continued in the direction Luffy had gone earlier.
Master, I finally did it, cutting steel... This is just one step... I will, I will make my name echo throughout the heavens.