Naturally, Zoro and Sanji didn't argue for long before falling silent. Both scoffed in unison.
"I'll let you off this time. I'll make you understand," Sanji said, his eyes narrowing as he clamped his cigarette between his lips. "Exactly who you're winning because of, Moss Head."
He didn't have the time to bicker. The prize was the legendary Romance Dawn VIP Card. Possessing it meant an automatic fifty percent discount on every purchase and three free Premium services every month.
Rumor had it that fewer than ten people had ever been lucky enough to obtain this card. One could only imagine its value. How could he waste another second on this detestable swordsman?
"What a coincidence. I was thinking the exact same thing." Zoro fixed his gaze on the cook and sneered. "I'll make you understand who carried this team. Curly Brows."
For a tense moment, the two men simply glared at each other under the watchful eyes of their remaining teammates. Just as Chopper hesitated, wondering if he should intervene,
"Hmph!"
With matching scoffs, Zoro and Sanji marched to the shoreline. Under the bewildered gazes of Helmeppo, Usopp, and Chopper, they stripped off their outer clothes and dove straight into the sea.
The sudden move terrified the onlookers, but seeing the two men swimming nimbly through the water allowed Usopp and Chopper to breathe sighs of relief.
Helmeppo, however, still looked tense. He shouted anxiously, "Zoro! Sanji!"
Then he covered his face in exaggerated despair. "We're doomed!"
Chopper and Usopp exchanged a confused glance.
"Although jumping into the sea was unexpected," Usopp said with a frown, "it's not that big a deal, is it?"
"That's right," Chopper nodded his small head. "The deserted island isn't far. I'm sure they can swim across, and then they can come back on Captain Luffy's boat."
But before Usopp and Chopper could ask what Helmeppo meant, the speakers crackled to life.
"How unexpected! Truly unexpected!" Host Genny's voice boomed. "Zoro and Sanji from the Straw Hat Contractors jumped right into the ocean! But why choose to swim instead of taking a boat? Could there be a secret strategy at play?"
"Wait, Zoro isn't heading toward the deserted island! What is he doing? Is this part of the plan?"
"Where exactly is he swimming to?!"
"Another unexpected development! A third member of the Straw Hat Team has jumped into the sea, it's Helmeppo! What are they trying to do? Why swim? And that tanuki... why is it jumping around on the shore?"
"I'm a reindeer! A reindeer!" Chopper screamed at the projection.
"Helmeppo is swimming toward Zoro, but that's still not the direction of the deserted island," Genny continued, ignoring the furious reindeer. His tone grew gravely puzzled. "What exactly is their plan? Let us wait and..."
Genny's tone suddenly shifted. "Wait, Helmeppo is shouting! Let's listen closely."
"Zoro! Zoro! Stop swimming! Stop! You bastard, you're going the wrong way!"
As Helmeppo's desperate shouts echoed through the arena, Genny fell silent. The entire audience fell silent.
A single, undeniable thought surfaced in their minds, one they couldn't quite believe, yet were forced to accept.
"Um..." Genny paused before speaking with heavy hesitation. "Could Zoro from the Straw Hat Contractors be... lost?"
--**--**
Up in the stands, Mihawk also fell silent.
He turned to look at Dante, a rare look of hesitation crossing his sharp features. "This is what you meant by surprising me?"
It certainly was a surprise. His kouhai was actually directionally challenged?
"It's nothing!" Dante waved his hand dismissively. "He just got a little turned around..."
"This is not 'a little'."
Dante stared blankly at the deserted island, which was clearly visible from the shore. He ignored Mihawk's remark and forced a casual tone. "It's just a slightly more serious case of getting lost. It doesn't hinder becoming a sword master. Who says a swordsman can't get lost?"
Mihawk fought to keep a straight face, eventually nodding. "True, no one has said that swordsmen must possess a sense of direction. Since you say so, I'll keep my expectations high."
As soon as he finished speaking, Genny's voice rang out again.
"They've arrived! They've reached the opposite shore! Despite a small mishap, Helmeppo successfully guided Zoro to the deserted island!"
The crowd looked back at the disaster-prone Straw Hat Contractors. Compared to the professionals, this group was far more entertaining to watch.
"So what about their captain? How much wood has he cut on his own? The other teams have already loaded their first boats and started the return trip. They're behind by a full load, can they still catch up?" Genny asked doubtfully. "Let's check on the Straw Hat captain! Found him! He's currently..."
Genny trailed off. Naturally, something unexpected had happened again.
"He's... watching the robot team cut wood?" Even the seasoned host sounded bewildered. "I have to say, yet another surprise! Do they really have no plan at all? I can't understand their strategy!"
He sighed heavily. "Although that logging robot is quite interesting, this is a competition! Franky's machine already has a massive pile of timber beneath its feet! Luffy, please don't watch so entranced! Let's turn our attention back to Zoro, Sanji, and Helmeppo!"
The screen shifted back to the shoreline.
"Hahaha! Moss Head!" Sanji burst into laughter, dripping wet on the sand. "You're actually directionally challenged?"
"W-who's directionally challenged?" Zoro's reddened defensively. "I was just warming up my muscles!"
Seeing this cook's smug face made his blood boil. But glancing down the beach at the other teams already hauling timber, he scowled.
"What the hell is our idiot captain doing? Never mind." He scoffed, turning away. "I don't have time to argue with you."
"What a coincidence, neither do I." Sanji stopped mocking him. He frowned, scanning the area while flicking the water from his lighter to spark a fresh cigarette. "Running into you unreliable idiots really gives me a headache."
He sighed, blowing a plume of smoke. "We're this far behind. Fine, looks like I'll have to..."
"Behind?" Zoro sneered. He drew Yubashiri from his waist, gripping the scabbard and securing the hilt firmly between his teeth. His voice was cold. "Who said anything about being behind?"
Before a confused Sanji could ask why he was holding a sword in his mouth, Zoro drew the other two blades from his waist, gripping them tightly in his hands.
"Three-Sword Style?" Sanji looked at him in surprise. He hadn't expected a mere construction worker to use such a stance.
"Your blades are pretty dull," Sanji noted, frowning at the severely notched edges in Zoro's hands. He now understood why this man was just as stubborn as he was. "What can you do with two ruined swords?"
"Dull?" Zoro scoffed with disdain. "My swords are plenty sharp."
He didn't bother listening to whatever Sanji was about to say next. Falling into his stance, Zoro narrowed his eyes. In that instant, his entire demeanor shifted, radiating a razor-sharp, cutting aura.
"Three-Sword Style Logging: Sawtooth Slash!"
As the words left his mouth, a sawtooth-like beam of fierce sword energy erupted forward.
Gasps filled the arena.
"He... he's actually a Three-Sword Style Lumberjack?"
===============
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