Absalom anticipated an answer to his queries, however Sear pretends to act willfully ignorant.
'I was bluffing but looking at that stupid face, guess he took the bait.'
To Sear's trained senses, Absalom's smell was hard to miss, particularly when his sense of smell was enhanced, the moment he tapped into the full potential of his breathing technique.
Still it was nowhere near comparable to Observation Haki. If the pirate had been a little more creative with his power, Sear could have been in serious trouble.
Thus he is careful not to push the man anymore more than necessary. His own body is in turmoil after using the technique, fatigue has already started to grip him.
"So?... What now? Still wanna fight?"
"A-Are you going to let me go?" Absalom asked, voice shaken.
A glint appears in Sear's pupils, he glares at the man while his fingers glide along the edges of his kukri.
"Hmm!! Maybe!.. personally I am fine with it. The village is largely untouched and the men fighting here are warriors so I won't meddle in their revenge unnecessarily, besides nobody among our people have died. That's lucky for you."
For a while Absalom's trembling brows fix at the young man.
Next..
He glances over to his fallen subordinates, sprawled around the sandy beach, clicks his tongue and then along with the survivors, turns heel to escape.
God forbid the monstrous boy changes his mind, he thought.
—Nobody bothered pursuing them. Sear alone stood there and kept a close watch over the retreating figures, while the rest rushed to attend the wounded, especially Arashi, who was missing an arm.
—No doctor in proximity of the island possessed enough skills to reattach a limb, therefore it was absolutely certain that Zoro's father would be crippled for life. On the bright side, at least his life wasn't lost, if it was then Zoro would have become both mother and fatherless.
Sear remains there, standing like a statue until the pirate ship disappears into the horizon.
Falling to his knees right afterwards; dizzy and bloodied, condition so dire; left untreated could lead to death.
. . .
—Beyond the horizon, on the deck of the ship, a drained Absalom sat slumped on his seat, having had the middle of his face bandaged up to stop the non-stop bleeding..
"Boss.. some day, are we going return for revenge on those people?" His top henchman, who's flopped onto the wooden floor beside his chair, casually inquired.
To which the now noseless man has just a completely neutral expression.
"Nothing's as simple as it seems. Those villagers were skilled swordsmen. It's very well possible that they are connected to some New World monster that we have only ever known through newspaper and word of mouth."
He went on..
"I have seen enough rookies get destroyed by provoking men they shouldn't have. Losing only a nose isn't so bad in comparison."
"Wise as always boss.. but if you don't mind me asking. Your nose, don't you feel any pain? You seem oddly fine!"
"Ouuuch!!, did you have to remind me. Find a doctor, you bastard."
Absalom is shouting at the man when..
"Ouch! Boss!! W-Wait, I know just the guy. He's an expert on stitching things, but I doubt that nose of yours will remain fresh for long. How about replacing it with a lion's nose?, I saw a man with a clown's nose, the other day."
"I may accidently kill you one of these days.."
—Recuperating his health in one of the rooms at the dojo, Sear; bedridden, had nothing better to do other than to aimlessly stare at the ceiling with hands behind his head.
"Agghhh!! I can't take this no more!!!" He rose from the bed, startling a group of kids, who were secretly observing him from behind the window.
*Smirk!
Satisfied with his little prank, he takes difficult steps and grabs his kukri, before the peeking gazes.
His weapon was intentionally left nearby, leaning against the wall by the doctor, so that he could easily reach it.
After sheathing the blade, he swings it in different directions, performing the 9 basic strokes with unmatched precision..
"Gasp!!!"
The kids gasp in awe at the show, among them is a young boy, Roronoa Zoro. Unlike the rest who just looked amazed, Zoro concentrates at each and every action that Sear makes..
Following the small practice, Sear begins to walk outside.
Seeing his eyes land on them, all the kids except Zoro, scatter and run away..
"Come here" he ordered the boy.
? "Who, me??" In confusion, Zoro turns for his buddies but finding them missing, is flabbergasted "Huh!? where did those guys go??" he exclaims.
"Dumbass don't just look around, do as I say!!"
"Hmmm.. alright!"
Sear inquires Zoro about the injured Arashi.
"Dad was at the clinic, until yesterday. Only today the doctor allowed him to come home."
"How is his recovery going, are there any problem?, though I figure, if he was discharged then there mustn't be any.."
"He seemed fine.." Zoro states, not that a boy like him would easily notice, even if something was indeed wrong.
The kid goes on, "By the way, Big bro, what is your weird katana called?"
"Haha!!"
"What's funny?"
"Well nothing, I just remembered something" Sear found it ironic how in the series, it is Zoro who introduces readers to kukri, while right now he is mistaking it for a katana.
He resolves the misunderstanding that the kid has.
"This isn't a katana. It's a curved blade, called kukri. A versatile weapon that is easy to carry and is something in between a short and a long sword, mine is longer than usual."
"Can I touch it?"
"No!!"
"Why??"
"Just cause"
"Tch! cheap horn-head!"
"Don't call me that!!"
A fist lands on Zoro's head, nevertheless, he doesn't let up.. the rascal keeps on disturbing him
Annoyed out of his mind after repeated requests, Sear reluctantly allows him to see the blade up-close.
'Can't believe I was bested by a kid'
. . .
After taking a detailed look at the kukri, Zoro finally left. Murmuring, along the lines of how he will defeat Kuina for sure this time, as he went.
Sear, busy practicing the sword moves; doesn't pay him any mind.