Shiryu was a man defined by bloodlust. During his time as the Head Warden of Impel Down, he frequently executed prisoners without provocation, a habit that eventually led to his own imprisonment. Since turning to piracy, his violent tendencies had only worsened; he killed almost daily. This tournament provided him with a stage to slaughter without restraint, and he intended to save the "best desserts"—Zoro and Cracker—for the end.
As Shiryu began his assault, it was like a tiger leaping into a pack of wolves. The arena floor quickly turned red. Even fighters considered first-rate in the New World could not survive more than two moves against him. Heads rolled and bodies were cleaved in two, creating a scene so gruesome that many spectators felt physically ill despite being used to the violence of the Colosseum.
Zoro watched the carnage with a grim smile. He stepped forward and used one of his blades to parry Shiryu's sword, Raiu. He mocked the former warden, asking what the point was in killing "small fry" and challenging Shiryu to fight him instead. One lucky contestant, who had been seconds away from death, used the distraction to leap into the surrounding water. However, he was quickly attacked by the arena's fighting fish, leaving him severely injured.
Shiryu turned a cruel gaze toward Zoro. He admitted he had wanted to wait, but since Zoro was so eager to die, he would not be polite. With a flick of his wrist, he swung Raiu toward Zoro's neck. Zoro tilted his head just enough to avoid the strike while blocking with the hilt of the sword in his mouth. He then launched a frantic counterattack with his other two blades, Shusui and Sandai Kitetsu.
The two swordsmen were perfectly matched for a time. Zoro's style was airtight, but Shiryu's defense was seamless. While they clashed, the rest of the players faced a different nightmare. Charlotte Cracker was busy creating an army of Biscuit Soldiers to massacre the remaining contestants. Warriors who had been hyped up by Gatz's commentary were crushed instantly. The gap in power was overwhelming; these "masters" were nothing more than targets for the Sweet Commander.
The world watched the broadcast with bated breath. Zoro began rotating through his various techniques, pushing his three-sword style to its limits in a desperate, crazy offensive. Shiryu, however, seemed to handle the pressure with ease. He blocked every move and occasionally found openings to leave shallow cuts on Zoro's skin.
Zoro did not complain about the wounds. Instead, he focused on the murderous pressure coming from Shiryu. He knew that an ordinary person would be paralyzed by such a terrifying aura, but for him, it was the perfect catalyst for a breakthrough. He began to integrate the lessons Rayleigh had taught him during their training, feeling his swordsmanship mature in the heat of battle.
Shiryu had initially looked down on Zoro, assuming his strength was only on the level of an average Marine Vice-Admiral. However, he realized Zoro's potential was frighteningly high. Shiryu was not the type to wait for a rival to grow; he found the idea of killing a young genius far more satisfying.
Metal clashed against metal as their Armament Haki collided repeatedly. Zoro remained at a disadvantage, yet his skills grew with every strike. A feeling of intense stubbornness began to rise in his mind—an emotion he didn't quite understand but followed anyway.
Suddenly, the duel was interrupted. Cracker, having finished off the other contestants, decided to join the fray. A swarm of Biscuit Soldiers rushed toward both Zoro and Shiryu. Two of the soldiers cornered Zoro, forcing him back with heavy biscuit swords. When Zoro struck back, he found the biscuits were harder than steel.
"You interrupted my fight," Zoro growled in frustration. He managed to tear one soldier to pieces, but more quickly took its place, trapping him in a sea of crackers.
Shiryu's eyes turned cold as he looked at the interference. He told Cracker that if he was in such a hurry to die, he would be happy to help him. Shiryu charged toward the main Biscuit Soldier that Cracker used as a disguise. He carved through any blocking units with a single strike. To Shiryu, these puppets were just more "small fry," though he was annoyed that they didn't bleed when cut.
"Die!" Shiryu roared, bringing his blood-red blade down on the head of Cracker's armor. Cracker tried to parry with his own double-edged biscuit sword, but he underestimated his opponent. Shiryu's Raiu sliced through the biscuit weapon and the armor itself. A large gash appeared in the biscuit shell, and real blood began to leak from within.
In the audience, Perospero and Katakuri leaned forward, their expressions changing. They hadn't expected Shiryu to be so mercilessly powerful. If not for the biscuit armor, Cracker would have been cut in half.
Shiryu smiled cruelly and prepared to strike again. Terrified, Cracker commanded all his remaining soldiers to swarm Shiryu while he abandoned the broken shell. He stepped out, revealing his true form to the public for the first time. The audience was stunned to see that the "old man" was just a suit of armor. Even the Marines had been unaware of his real appearance, but that would surely change once the new bounty posters were released.
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