Zoro was kicked high into the air by Benn Beckman, yet his expression did not change.
Swish!
He sheathed two of his swords, then clenched Wado Ichimonji between his teeth. His body twisted midair, reversing direction as he dove downward, eyes locked onto Benn below.
"One-Sword Style Secret Art…"
Whoosh!
Zoro descended like a falcon hunting its prey. The blade in his hand was coated in Armament Haki, dark energy surging along its edge as he brought it down with overwhelming force.
"Black Blade: Hawkeye's Gaze!!!"
When Shirogai first met Zoro, the swordsman had unleashed a slash that split a distant island apart.
Now, Zoro had reached the level where he could truly cut down an island with a single strike.
This attack was both a tribute to Shirogai's past feat and a declaration of his pursuit.
...
"This Haki…"
In the distance, Sanji paused mid-battle, glancing toward the sky with a frown.
"Hey! That moss-headed idiot is going overboard!"
Zzt!
A lightning-charged staff came crashing down behind him, but it struck nothing. Sanji had already vanished from that spot, reappearing to kick the weapon aside.
"Hmph. Getting distracted while fighting me? You think that little of me?"
...
Crack!!!!!
Zoro's slash expanded across the sky, forming a blinding arc of cutting force.
Crack! Crack! Crack!!!
The attack spread outward as if it intended to split the entire island of Elbaf in half.
Snap!!!
The very air trembled, as though heaven and earth were about to be severed.
"Where did that Luffy kid find monsters like you? This is getting interesting."
Benn calmly lit his cigarette again. With his other hand, he raised his flintlock rifle and aimed directly at the descending slash.
"But don't go cutting this place apart, kid!"
Boom!!!!!
The gunshot thundered through the forest, shaking even the massive Treasure Tree Adam.
Armament Haki condensed around the rifle. The bullet compressed further and further until it transformed into a solid mass of Haki itself.
Zzt! Zzt!!!
What erupted was no ordinary shot, but a condensed projectile of destructive Haki energy.
As it fired, the Haki remained connected, forming a pitch-black beam that surged upward.
Zoro's descending slash and Benn's rising Haki projectile clashed in an instant.
…
Silence.
For a brief moment, the world lost its voice.
Then—
Woooooo!!!
The air twisted violently, and sound returned in a deafening explosion.
Boom!!!!!
The collision shattered the clouds above, tearing them apart layer by layer. The sky itself seemed to warp under the force.
Two overwhelming Armament Haki attacks collided, neither yielding, forming a chaotic mass of destruction.
Crack!!
Nearby giant trees were ripped apart, reduced to splinters and scattered into the air.
Whoosh!!!!
A figure burst through the violent storm of Haki.
Zoro landed heavily, his body still coated in Armament Haki, completely unscathed.
"One-Sword Style Secret Art: Black Blade: Hawkeye's Gaze!!!"
Though his earlier slash had been neutralized, the Haki on his blade remained unwavering.
Whoosh!
In the next instant, Wado Ichimonji descended toward Benn's forehead with lethal precision.
"The power behind that strike…"
Benn inhaled sharply. His rifle, coated in Armament Haki, swung upward to meet the blade.
"Can't be taken lightly!"
Boom!!!!!
The ground beneath Benn collapsed into a spiderweb of cracks, dust erupting into the air as the island trembled.
…
The dust slowly settled.
Benn stood unharmed.
Opposite him, Roronoa Zoro remained steady, gripping his sword with unwavering focus.
"It seems you've crossed blades with Dracule Mihawk."
Benn glanced at the faint scratch on his rifle.
"Only Hawkeye has ever marked this weapon before. Now you have as well."
Clang!
Zoro sheathed his sword.
"My skills were shaped by him. I still can't defeat him… but that will change soon."
"So your goal is the title of World's Strongest Swordsman?"
Benn exhaled a stream of smoke.
"Many chase that title. Hawkeye isn't the only one standing at the top."
"So what."
Zoro rested his hand on his swords, his voice steady.
"I will climb to the top step by step. That throne will be mine."
"Hahaha! I like that!"
Benn laughed, a rare hint of nostalgia crossing his face.
"That sounds just like Monkey D. Luffy. He's been shouting about becoming Pirate King since he was a kid. Your ambition is no less intense."
His tone sharpened slightly.
"But the path to that title is soaked in blood. Countless swordsmen will challenge you for it."
…
Zoro's gaze shifted upward.
Far above, two overwhelming presences clashed silently, their pressure alone sending chills through the air.
"The World's Strongest Swordsman…"
He spoke quietly.
"…is not the strongest person in this world."
His eyes hardened as he focused on those distant auras.
"The strongest person in the world is Shirogai."
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