📖 Chapter 15: Whispers of Blood and Mist
The rumors didn't spread.
They lingered.
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Not loud.
Not urgent.
But impossible to ignore.
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Whispers moved through the Hidden Leaf like a slow poison.
Unseen—
But working.
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"A shinobi who drops enemies without touching them…"
"They say he crushed a Root squad alone…"
"That's not chakra…"
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Fear didn't come all at once.
It never did.
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It built.
Quietly.
Patiently.
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And now—
It was real.
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Roronoa Zoro heard everything.
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Of course he did.
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Voices died when he passed.
Eyes followed him.
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Not respect.
Not trust.
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Something colder.
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"…Tch."
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He kept walking.
Like it didn't matter.
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But the air had changed.
The village—
Was watching him now.
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🏯 Mission Assignment
The Hokage's office felt… tighter.
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Hiruzen Sarutobi sat still.
Too still.
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Across from him—
Zoro.
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"…You've drawn attention," Hiruzen said.
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Zoro shrugged.
"…Not my problem."
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A pause.
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"…It is now."
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Zoro's eyes shifted slightly.
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"…There's movement near the forest border."
"…Hidden Mist."
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Silence.
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Zoro frowned.
"…So?"
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"…They're not here officially."
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That was enough.
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Zoro smirked faintly.
"…Good."
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Hiruzen's gaze hardened.
"…Do not escalate."
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Zoro turned away.
"…No promises."
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🌲 The Forest
The forest felt wrong.
Too dense.
Too quiet.
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Even sound struggled to exist here.
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Zoro walked alone.
No backup.
No hesitation.
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"…If you're hiding…"
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He stopped.
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"…you're wasting my time."
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Silence.
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Then—
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Mist.
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Thick.
Heavy.
Alive.
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Zoro's grip tightened slightly.
"…Hidden Mist."
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Figures formed inside it.
Blurry.
Distorted.
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Then clear.
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Three.
No—
Four.
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One stepped forward.
"…You're the one."
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Zoro smirked.
"…You talk too much."
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⚔️ Mist Clash
They vanished.
The mist swallowed them.
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Then—
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Attack.
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From the side—
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Clang!
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Zoro blocked, sliding slightly across the ground.
"…Not bad."
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Another strike came low—
He jumped—twisted—
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Slash.
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One fell.
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But visibility dropped further.
Sound bent.
Distance lied.
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"…Annoying."
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A voice echoed through the fog:
"You rely too much on strength."
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Zoro's eyes sharpened.
"…Then come prove it."
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Suddenly—
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Chains burst from the mist.
Wrapped around his arm.
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"…Tch!"
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Another locked his leg.
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A third strike came—straight for his chest—
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He twisted—
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Too late.
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Slash.
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Blood spilled.
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Zoro froze for half a second.
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Then smiled.
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"…Good."
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Silence.
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"…Now I'm awake."
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🌑 Pressure Rising
The air changed.
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Subtly.
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Then violently.
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That pressure returned.
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Not controlled.
Not stable.
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But alive.
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The mist trembled.
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"…What is this…?"
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Zoro stepped forward.
Slow.
Heavy.
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Each step pressed against the world itself.
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"…Come out."
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The pressure spread.
Crushing.
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One shinobi dropped.
Another struggled to breathe.
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"…Impossible…"
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Zoro moved.
Fast.
Precise.
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The mist split—
So did they.
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Until one remained.
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The leader.
Breathing hard.
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"…Monster…"
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Zoro stopped.
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"…No."
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A pause.
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"…Just a swordsman."
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⚔️ Final Exchange
They clashed.
Hard.
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Steel screamed.
The ground cracked beneath them.
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But something—
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Slipped.
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Zoro's footing faltered.
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That pressure again.
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Unstable.
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"…Damn it…"
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The enemy saw it instantly.
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"You're not in control."
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Zoro's eyes darkened.
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"…Shut up."
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But it was true.
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For one second—
That was enough.
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Slash.
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Deeper.
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Zoro stepped back.
Blood dripping.
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Silence.
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Then—
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The enemy lowered his blade.
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"…We've seen enough."
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Zoro frowned.
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"…Running?"
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"…No."
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A pause.
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"…Reporting."
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The mist began to fade.
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"…Next time…"
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"…we kill you."
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Gone.
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🌒 Return
The gates of Konoha stood tall.
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Zoro walked through them.
Blood marking his path.
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This time—
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No whispers.
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Only silence.
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"…He's hurt…"
"…Who did that…?"
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Fear.
Real.
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Zoro ignored it.
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But his steps—
Heavier.
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🩸 The Weight
He didn't go to the hospital.
Didn't stop.
Didn't slow down.
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Zoro walked past the main street.
Past the lights.
Past the voices.
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But this time—
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They didn't whisper.
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They stared.
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A child hid behind his mother.
A shinobi stepped back instinctively.
Even the ANBU on the rooftops—
Watched him.
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Not like a comrade.
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Like a problem.
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Zoro's steps slowed.
Just slightly.
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"…Tch."
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His hand pressed harder against the wound.
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Pain shot through his side.
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Sharp.
Real.
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But that wasn't what bothered him.
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"…They saw it…"
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That moment.
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When he lost control.
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His eyes darkened.
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"…Damn it."
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For the first time—
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Zoro didn't feel anger.
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He felt…
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Unstable.
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A faint pressure flickered around him.
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Gone instantly.
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But enough.
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A nearby shinobi flinched.
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Zoro noticed.
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Silence.
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Then—
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"…Yeah…"
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A faint smirk.
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"…Next time…"
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His grip tightened on his sword.
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"…I won't slip."
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🌑 Final Scene
Darkness.
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Danzo watched.
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"…So even the Mist drew blood."
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A pause.
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"…Good."
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His grip tightened.
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"…He's still unstable."
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Behind him—
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A presence stepped forward.
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Heavier.
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Different.
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"…The sealing unit is ready."
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Silence.
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Danzo didn't hesitate.
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"…Then begin."
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A pause.
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"…Next time…"
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His voice dropped.
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"…we break him."
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Far away—
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Zoro stopped.
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That pressure flickered again.
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Unstable.
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Dangerous.
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He smirked faintly.
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"…Next time…"
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"…I won't slip."
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🔒😈 End of Chapter 15
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The mist wasn't the real danger.
It was only a warning.
Something far worse is coming.
A trap.
A force designed not to fight Zoro—
But to break him.
🔥 Continue the story in Chapter 16.
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