North Alubarna
"My body is made of steel… so how exactly do you plan to defeat ?"
Mr. 1 said coldly.
The mont his words fell, Zoro felt a violent gust of wind rushing toward him, tearing painfully at his face.
The air exploded with a thunderous crack.
So fast!!
Startled, Zoro instinctively crossed his two swords in front of him.
CLANG!!
Mr. 1's blade-like arm slamd heavily into the swords.
Zoro felt an overwhelming force surge through him—as if he had been struck head-on by a speeding Sea Train. His body shot backward like a cannonball.
—Screech!
His boots scraped across the ground, carving nearly ten ters of cracks into the stone.
A thin line of blood appeared at the corner of Zoro's mouth.
His sword hand trembled violently, blood dripping from the torn skin of his palm. A burning pain spread through his grip.
His heart churned with shock.
A body of steel…
And speed and strength no weaker than mine.
Then a grin slowly spread across his face.
"Now this is exciting!"
Zoro tied on his bandana and drew Wado Ichimonji, clenching it between his teeth.
"I've been waiting for a situation like this… I want to grow stronger and reach the next level!"
"When I defeat you…"
"That will an I've beco a man who can cut steel!"
Crackle… crackle…
Power surged through his body.
The ground beneath his feet cracked under the pressure of the explosive aura.
Veins bulged across Zoro's body as the three legendary swords glead with chilling light.
BOOM!
His speed exploded to the limit as he charged toward Mr. 1 like a falling teor.
"Defeat ?"
Mr. 1 sneered.
"Let pour so cold water on that fantasy. Ever since I gained the power of the Dice-Dice Fruit, not a single swordsman has ever injured ."
"Swordsn cannot defeat ."
He planted his feet firmly into the ground.
Both arms transford into blades.
His entire body hardened like steel.
He was actually planning to tank Zoro's ultimate technique head-on.
"That's because you've never t !"
A dazzling flash of sword light cut through the air.
Zoro swung down fiercely.
Three-Sword Style: Oni Giri (Demon Slash)!
CLANG!!
In that instant—
Both Zoro and Mr. 1's expressions changed.
Ripples of air pressure spread outward through the sky.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Mr. 1's body smashed through several stone pillars before tumbling across the ground.
Zoro himself was blasted back nearly ten ters. When he landed, his swords shook violently—almost flying from his hands.
Such incredible strength!
Such a terrifying body!
The two n stared at each other.
Their eyes filled with shock…
recognition…
and killing intent.
At the sa mont—
They both leapt forward.
Their movents were like shadows, their speed like thunder.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The sounds of steel echoed continuously.
Elsewhere
Nami ran desperately through the streets, gasping for breath.
Co on… just hold out until Zoro finishes his fight…
But when she rembered Mr. 1's steel body, her confidence wavered.
Behind her, a woman with an enormous afro was rapidly closing the distance.
In a single leap, the woman landed directly in front of Nami.
"Well now, little girl… stop running."
"Wouldn't it be better to just die quietly?"
Miss Doublefinger smiled playfully as all ten of her fingers transford into sharp spikes.
—SWISH!
Nami twisted her body and dodged.
The spikes stabbed deep into the wall behind her, leaving a massive hole.
"Haa…"
Nami sighed helplessly and pulled out several segnts of a strange staff.
"This thing Usopp made… I wonder if it even works…"
The Clima-Tact clicked together in her hands.
Back to Zoro
A sharp blade sliced through the air with a piercing whistle.
Mr. 1 was knocked back again—
but still suffered no real damage.
"A weakness!"
Zoro's eyes flashed.
He burst forward like a streak of light, instantly appearing above Mr. 1.
Yubashiri and Sandai Kitetsu rose high into the air.
The blades tore through the wind.
Three-Sword Style: Tora Gari (Tiger Hunt)!
CLANG!!
Sparks exploded across Mr. 1's chest.
The piercing sound rang out violently.
BOOM!!
Mr. 1 crashed into the ground, creating a human-shaped crater.
Dust rose into the air.
Slowly—
Mr. 1 climbed back to his feet.
Blood trickled from his mouth.
Zoro's expression tightened.
He stared at Mr. 1's chest.
Not a scratch.
Not even the faintest blade mark.
"You've got great strength… but your swordsmanship is lacking."
Mr. 1's tone remained cold.
"So tell …"
"Are you planning to crush with brute force?"
"Or do you really think your swords can break my Steel Body?"
"Of course I am!!"
Zoro grinned fiercely.
"If I can't cut through your steel body…"
"Then how the hell am I supposed to grow stronger?!"
"I'm not a swordsman," Mr. 1 replied coldly.
He spread his arms and brought his palms together.
"In my world, any thod that kills is a good thod."
Sparkling Daisy Slash!
A claw-shaped blade wave shot toward Zoro.
Zoro suddenly fell into deep thought.
I train harder than anyone…
I've survived countless near-death situations…
So what exactly am I missing?
His mind drifted back to Shimotsuki Village.
His master's words echoed in his ears.
"Listen carefully, Zoro.
There are swordsn in this world who can cut nothing… yet they can cut steel—and anything else."
"The strongest sword protects what it wants to protect… and cuts what it wants to cut."
"A sword that cuts everything it touches… is not truly a sword."
"Do you understand, Zoro?"
"I don't understand at all!!"
Zoro roared and charged forward like an arrow.
His blade shattered the incoming slash.
He closed the distance instantly.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The two clashed repeatedly at terrifying speed.
Zoro attacked with everything he had.
Each strike landed perfectly on Mr. 1's body—
but the steel-like body left him completely unhard.
At the sa ti
"Damn it, Usopp! What kind of useless thing did you build?!"
Nami angrily threw the Clima-Tact onto the ground.
Suddenly—
A spike shot out from the ground.
SHK!
It pierced straight through Nami's ankle.
"Ahh—!"
Blood spilled onto the street.
"Don't worry, little girl," Miss Doublefinger said with a playful smile.
"I'll make sure your death isn't painful."
Spikes extended from her wrist as she threw a devastating punch.
Nami's pupils shrank.
At that mont—
Ti seed to stop.
Suddenly—
A figure dropped from the sky.
CLANG!
A hand grabbed Miss Doublefinger's wrist.
The sound of tal clashing echoed.
Nami's eyes widened with excitent.
"Luffy!!"
"Huh?"
Luffy turned his head toward her and smiled.
"Sorry, Nami… looks like I'm a little late."
Miss Doublefinger trembled.
What the hell…?
Her spikes could pierce solid walls.
Yet Luffy was gripping them with his bare hand—
without a single scratch.
"So you're the one who hurt my friend?"
Luffy's voice suddenly turned cold.
His fist expanded in her vision.
BAM!!
The punch slamd into Miss Doublefinger's face.
A shockwave exploded outward.
She flew nearly a hundred ters, crashing through multiple buildings.
Her fate was unknown.
Nami collapsed to her knees in shock.
She felt sothing about Luffy had changed.
He had always been strong…
but not this outrageous.
Luffy walked over.
Looking at her bleeding ankle, he asked,
"Can you still stand?"
"…Yeah."
Nami bit her lip and grabbed his hand, forcing herself up.
But the next mont—
Her leg gave out.
She fell straight into Luffy's arms.
Her face flushed red.
Luffy, however, seed completely oblivious.
Seeing her limp against him, he sighed.
"That's why you shouldn't push yourself."
He crouched down.
"Get on."
Nami blinked before wrapping her arms around his neck.
Luffy lifted her easily onto his back.
Now let's go check on Zoro, he thought.
The story says he wins… but just in case.
High in the sky—
A giant bird circled overhead.
Watching them.
anwhile — Zoro's battlefield
Zoro had been pushed to the brink.
"I told you not to treat like a swordsman."
Mr. 1's voice was cold as iron.
Blade fragnts surrounded his arms, spinning rapidly into a deadly grinder.
The wind roared as he charged forward.
Zoro grinned despite the blood covering his chest.
"I never considered you a swordsman either."
"You're just a whetstone."
Zoro closed his eyes.
His swords spun slowly as fierce winds gathered.
Then—
He opened them.
Three-Sword Style Secret Technique: Sanzen Sekai (Three Thousand Worlds)!
CLANG!!
Sparks exploded across Mr. 1's chest.
A shallow cut appeared.
But at the sa mont—
Zoro's chest erupted in a cloud of blood.
He knew the truth.
He had lost.
His body had reached its limit before he could grasp the secret of cutting steel.
Mr. 1 turned around.
"Die."
His clawed hands struck forward.
SLASH!
Blood sprayed everywhere.
Zoro was sent flying into a stone pillar.
Rubble collapsed around him.
Mr. 1 stopped walking.
Ahead of him stood a man carrying a woman on his back.
"Straw Hat Luffy… captain of the Straw Hat Pirates."
"Bounty: 30 million berries."
Mr. 1 launched forward instantly.
His blade arm slashed down.
CLANG!
Then his expression froze.
"What…?!"
Luffy had caught the blade—
with one hand.
He squeezed slightly.
CRACK… CRACK…
Cracks spread across the blade.
Up Mr. 1's entire arm.
The blade shattered into fragnts.
"AAAAAH!!"
Agonizing pain shot through Mr. 1's nerves.
His right arm—
was gone.
Luffy smiled toward the ruins.
"Zoro."
"Do you want him… or should I take him?"
Through his Observation Haki, Luffy could sense sothing strange.
Zoro had entered a mysterious state.
Almost like sudden enlightennt.
A bloody hand suddenly rose from the rubble.
"Obviously…"
"…he's mine!!"
Zoro stood up.
Covered in blood.
Holding Wado Ichimonji.
But his presence continued to rise.
"Alright."
Luffy nodded.
"Then he's yours."
He turned and walked away with Nami on his back.
Mr. 1 trembled with rage.
"If I can't kill Straw Hat…"
"Then killing the vice-captain of the Straw Hats will do!"
He rushed toward Zoro.
His remaining arm transford into a blade.
Zoro slowly drew Wado Ichimonji.
He closed his eyes.
He heard the breathing of everything—
The sea.
The sky.
The earth.
The wind.
And even…
the sword.
So… do I now have the power to cut steel?
His hand gripped the hilt.
In the next instant—
Zoro opened his eyes.
They were sharper than blades.
SHING!!
The sword left its sheath.
A blue slash cut through the air.
One-Sword Style Iaido: Lion's Song!
The two crossed paths.
Zoro calmly sheathed his sword.
A massive wound appeared across Mr. 1's chest.
Blood burst out.
He collapsed.
"Thanks."
Zoro said quietly.
"I just got stronger."
Mr. 1's heart trembled.
He actually grew stronger during the battle…
"In that case…"
"Next ti… will you cut diamond?"
Zoro smirked.
"Wouldn't that be a waste?"
Mr. 1 closed his eyes.
"I… lost."
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