Chapter 74: A Familiar Face! A Destiny That Cannot Be Severed
Loguetown Central Plaza.
"Huff... huff... I finally made it!!"
Luffy had sprinted all the way and finally stood beneath the legendary Execution Platform.
He looked up at the high platform that had endured twenty-two years of wind and rain, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Is this where the Pirate King died... It's so high!"
Luffy pressed down on his Straw Hat and began to climb using both his hands and feet.
"I want to climb up and see too! I want to see what the scenery the Pirate King saw at the very end was like!"
"Stop right there! Straw Hat!"
Before he could even climb the first step, two figures blocked his path once again.
It was the persistent Alvida and Buggy the Clown.
"You guys are so annoying!"
Luffy was a bit irritated. Without a second thought, he swung his fist and threw a powerful punch.
"Gomu Gomu no Pistol!!"
"It's useless~"
Alvida giggled and puffed out her chest, making no attempt to dodge.
Sliiiip!
Luffy's fist hit her skin, which was as smooth as a mirror, instantly losing all friction and sliding off her shoulder to the side.
Luffy himself stumbled forward a step due to inertia, losing his balance.
"Now! Captain Buggy!" Alvida shouted.
"Chop-Chop Festival!!"
Buggy, who had been ready and waiting, immediately activated his ability.
His body split into countless pieces; two hands grabbed Luffy's wrists tightly, while two flying feet kicked hard into the back of Luffy's knees.
Thud!
Taking advantage of the moment Luffy lost his balance, Buggy controlled his body parts.
Like a living shackle, he forcibly pinned Luffy into the wooden stocks on the Execution Platform that had been empty for twenty-two years.
Click!
The shackles originally used to restrain the Pirate King now clamped tightly around Luffy's neck and hands.
"Eh?!"
Luffy struggled hard but found he couldn't move an inch. He looked completely bewildered.
"I... I can't move?! Hey! Big Red Nose! You're cheating! Let me go!"
"Wahahaha! Cheating? Don't make me laugh!"
Buggy stood on the Execution Platform, looking down at the immobilized Luffy, letting out a hysterical laugh.
"Whether it's cheating or whatever, a pirate's victory or defeat is only determined by the result! Winning is justice!"
He pulled a large, gleaming sword from his coat. On his face painted with makeup, the pleasure of revenge was almost overflowing.
"To end you at the place where Roger died... this is the most flashiest revenge for yours truly!!!"
...
Marine Base at Loguetown, Captain's Office.
In the smoke-filled room, Smoker had his feet propped up on the desk, with two cigars clamped in his mouth.
"Captain! Something's wrong!!"
A Marine rushed in frantically.
"A large number of pirates have gathered at the Execution Platform plaza! It seems to be 'Buggy the Clown's' crew!"
"And... and that Straw Hat Luffy with the 30 million bounty is there too!"
"Buggy? Straw Hat?"
Smoker snapped his eyes open, grabbed the Jitte on the desk, and white smoke began to surge from his body.
He threw on his coat with the word 'Justice' written on the back and strode out, his eyes as fierce as a wolf's.
"So they've finally shown their heads... those rats."
"All units assemble! Target: the Execution Platform!!"
"Since they're all gathered together, today I'll catch all these arrogant pirates... in one fell swoop!"
...
In front of the 'Ipponmatsu' weapon shop.
"Stop lying! You are Crimson Lotus!"
Tashigi took off her glasses, wiped them vigorously with the hem of her shirt, and put them back on.
This time, there was no more confusion or ditziness in her brown eyes; instead, they were filled with incomparable sharpness and anger.
Her gaze went past Tatsuya and stared intently at the white longsword at Zoro's waist—Wado Ichimonji.
"That sword... that straight blade pattern... there's no mistake!"
Tashigi's voice trembled slightly with excitement.
"That is one of the Twenty-One Great Grade Swords, 'Wado Ichimonji'!!"
Clang!
She angrily drew her famous sword, 'Shigure', pointing the sharp tip directly at the center of Zoro's brow.
"Why is such a noble and famous sword in the hands of a villain like you?!"
"A man like you who becomes a pirate for bounties and fame, a cold-blooded killer... you don't deserve to own it! Give it back!!"
Zoro's hand rested on the hilt of his sword as he looked at Tashigi's face, which was flushed with anger.
That face... it looked exactly like Kuina's.
Even her angry expression was identical.
Zoro's expression became extremely complicated.
"Tsk..."
Zoro clicked his tongue and didn't draw his sword immediately.
"This is a matter between swordsmen."
Tatsuya, who had been standing by, tactfully took a step back and leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, adopting the posture of a spectator.
He glanced at the dark clouds gathering in the sky and said with a smile:
"Although I'd like to take you and leave right now, looking at you, it seems you won't be able to move until you deal with her."
"I'll give you three minutes, Zoro. Don't let a woman delay the real business."
"Hmph, three minutes won't be necessary."
Zoro's eyes turned cold. He didn't draw Wado Ichimonji, but instead pulled out the 'Yubashiri' he had just acquired.
"A villain, huh... say whatever you want."
"If you want this sword, then take it with your own strength!"
"Yahhh!!"
Tashigi struck out in anger, her form as swift as a swallow, as Shigure turned into a streak of light aimed straight at Zoro's throat.
This strike was fast, accurate, and ruthless—far beyond what a normal Marine soldier could achieve.
But in Zoro's eyes...
Clang!
Zoro held his sword with one hand and, with a casual swing, precisely parried Tashigi's thrust.
"Too slow," Zoro whispered.
"I'm not done yet!!"
Tashigi grit her teeth, changed her move, and attacked again, her sword light falling like raindrops.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Zoro swung Yubashiri with one hand, parrying all her attacks as if he were taking a stroll in a park.
The level of their swordsmanship was simply not in the same dimension.
"Is this all you've got?"
Zoro looked at Tashigi, who was still desperately swinging her sword, and his patience ran out.
At the moment Tashigi swung her sword down once more.
Clang——!!
A crisp, metallic clashing sound rang out.
Zoro suddenly applied force, and the blade of Yubashiri slammed heavily against the guard of Shigure.
The immense force instantly numbed the web of Tashigi's thumb and forefinger.
"Ah!"
Tashigi cried out as the famous sword flew from her hand, spinning a few times in the air before landing with a 'ding' in the ground some distance away.
The battle was decided.
Zoro's longsword stopped right in front of Tashigi's neck, the sharp blade only millimeters away from her skin.
With just a slight thrust, this Marine girl named Tashigi would lose her life.
Tashigi closed her eyes tightly, waiting for death to arrive.
However.
One second, two seconds.
The expected pain did not come.
Shing.
Zoro expressionlessly sheathed his sword, turned around, and walked away, his voice cold:
"I don't kill women. You can go."
These words were like a needle, ruthlessly piercing Tashigi's pride.
She opened her eyes, looked at her beloved sword that had been knocked away, and then at the back of the man walking away. A massive sense of humiliation welled up in her heart.
Tears uncontrollably burst from her eyes.
"Why... why didn't you cut me?!"
Tashigi shouted at Zoro's back, her voice carrying a sob:
"Is it because I'm a woman?! If you were facing a man just now, you would have finished him off long ago!!"
"Damn it... I don't need your pity!!"
She knelt on the ground, her hands clutching the earth tightly, weeping piteously.
"Whether it's swordsmanship or my dignity as a swordsman... I've lost completely... uuuu..."
"I clearly practice harder than anyone else... is it just because I'm a woman..."
Hearing the crying behind him, Zoro stopped in his tracks.
His body trembled slightly. That crying seemed to pierce through time, overlapping with the memory of that frustrated short-haired girl.
—[Girls become weaker than boys when they grow up. I want to be the world's greatest swordsman too!]
A surge of inexplicable anger rushed to his head.
Zoro spun around and roared furiously at the kneeling Tashigi:
"Shut up!!! Stop blaming everything on being a man or a woman!!"
"Crying like a baby just because you lost, what kind of swordsman is that!!"
"Just looking at your face makes me furious!! Can you just stay out of my sight!!"
Zoro's roar echoed through the street.
Tashigi was stunned by the roar, forgetting even to cry, and stared blankly at this ferocious pirate.
"Hey, moss-head."
A hand patted Zoro's shoulder.
Tatsuya interrupted this argument full of 'fated tension' with a smile.
"Time's up. We have to go. Luffy is over there."
Tatsuya pointed toward the plaza, where a deafening clamor was already rising.
"Tch."
Zoro grit his teeth, forcibly suppressed the irritation in his heart, gave Tashigi one last look, then turned and sprinted off after Tatsuya.
...
In two other parts of town.
The seafood market.
Sanji, who was carefully selecting a top-grade bluefin tuna, suddenly heard the massive commotion coming from the plaza.
"Is that... Luffy's voice?"
Sanji's expression changed: "That idiot! Didn't he say he'd just go take a look and come back?!"
"This is bad!!"
Sanji dropped the tuna, and with a stride of his long legs, he dashed out like an arrow from a bow.
On another street.
Usopp, who had just bought the latest model of windproof goggles, hadn't even had time to be happy before he saw a large number of fully armed Marines assembling toward the plaza.
"Are those... Marines? Such a big mobilization?!"
Usopp's legs went weak with fear, but then he thought of that Captain who was always causing trouble.
"Damn it... that guy Luffy... he definitely caused trouble again!!"
Despite his fear, Usopp grit his teeth, adjusted his backpack, and blended into the crowd, running toward that dangerous plaza.
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