The sound of clashing could be heard inside the dojo, sword against sword. Zoro was not willing to lose this. He would give it his all even if it took his soul.
Zoro slashed at his double, and the double copied his move and slashed at him.
The two blades met in the middle, clashing against each other. Sparks of Haki could be seen.
Zoro's brow furrowed.
'He is matching my Haki.'
Beat for beat, his other side was a perfect replica of him. The only way he could win was to out-adapt himself, as the double wasn't stagnant. Unlike that Quincy with the copy power, this guy actually copied everything and improved on it.
Zoro slashed his sword at the creature's neck. It twisted its sword around and blocked Zoro's blade.
"...That it?"
The creature sounded unimpressed, as if he had expected much more from Zoro.
Zoro twisted his blade, trying to pull away, yet there seemed to be some kind of link between the swords. He couldn't pull free.
Then—
CRACK.
A fist slammed into Zoro's ribs so hard the sickening crunch of his bones being shattered could be heard all around the realm.
Zoro flew back, skidding across the stone before rolling to his feet again, the same stoic expression placed on his face.
His ribs were screaming at him, but he showed no expression. This was his battle, and unlike Mihawk, it wasn't unwinnable.
Zoro stood up, his hand clenched around his only sword in this place.
The creature began walking toward Zoro, a smile playing on its lips.
"You see the problem?" he said casually.
"You're soft."
Zoro spat blood onto the floor.
"You talk a lot."
He didn't expect his inner self to be so talkative.
"Oh, I talk because you refuse to listen."
The creature vanished.
Zoro barely raised his blade in time—
CLANG.
The strike landed so hard that Zoro could feel his ligaments clocking out from the blow. Shit was bad. It was bad, bad.
The other Zoro leaned in close, red eyes glowing faintly.
"You kneel to a captain."
Another strike.
Zoro blocked.
Barely.
"You protect weaklings."
Another strike.
His defense cracked.
"You limit yourself because of promises."
A kick sent Zoro tumbling across the floor again.
The other Zoro followed instantly, stepping on his chest.
The sickening crunch of his ribs being crushed once more echoed in the void.
"You call that strength?"
Zoro coughed, blood running down the side of his face.
"It is," Zoro groaned. Fuck, that hurt.
The creature tilted its head.
"No."
"It's not."
The beast looked angry, stomping Zoro out.
"You are weak. Remember your place."
"GWAHH!"
Zoro puked out blood as a blade was stabbed deeply into him.
His other half smiled, only inserting the tip. As Zoro groaned on the floor, he began to move the tip in and out... and yes, they were still talking about a fight here.
"You're a swordsman," the creature continued. "A warrior. And yet you bow your head to serve someone else."
"Captain," Zoro corrected through clenched teeth.
"Slave," the creature replied flatly.
Zoro's one good eye twitched.
The other Zoro stood back up and stretched his shoulders.
"Tell me something," it said.
"Why does a samurai follow a monkey?"
Zoro got up slowly.
"You don't know him."
"Oh, I know enough," the creature replied.
It circled Zoro like a predator.
"You could've led your own crew."
"You could've carved your own empire."
"You could've been the one people bowed to."
Its voice sharpened.
"But instead you follow a loud idiot with a straw hat."
Zoro swung.
Fast.
Clean.
And as his slash landed, dealing some damage, it healed immediately after.
"How many times do I have to tell you? You cannot beat me without Conqueror's Haki."
The creature then proceeded to kick Zoro in the chest, sending him skidding back.
And thus this was repeated over and over again, each clash ending with Zoro getting his ass handed to him, with one more injury than the previous clash. He was utterly outmatched here.
At one point the other Zoro casually kicked Wado Ichimonji out of his hands.
Zoro dove for it.
Too slow.
A knee smashed into his spine.
The swordsman collapsed face-first onto the stone.
The other Zoro sighed.
"This is why you lose."
It crouched beside him.
"You cling to ideals."
It grabbed Zoro by the collar and lifted him up.
"You think strength is protecting people."
It slammed him into the ground.
"You think loyalty makes you noble."
Another punch.
"But the truth?"
The creature leaned close, voice dripping with disdain.
"You're just a dumb pirate who lets other people decide your path."
Zoro lay there breathing heavily.
Blood pooled beneath him.
Then—
He laughed.
The other Zoro blinked.
"...What's funny?"
Zoro wiped blood from his mouth.
"You're really stupid."
"How so?" the creature mocked.
"This."
Before the creature could react, Zoro would poof.
Heh... a clone.
Before he could even process what happened, Zoro had already slashed at the creature's back.
"AHHH!"
The pain was unbearable. Shit hurt like a motherfucker.
The monster groaned in pain. Fuck, he had forgotten about those tricks.
"How lowly of you, using tricks to defeat me."
Zoro had a blank look on his face.
"It's not a trick. It's a skill that I learned and now use."
He looked annoyed.
"Though I'd rather not have to resort to it so soon."
Yes, Zoro had learned the basic function of the Body Replacement Jutsu, not the Clone Jutsu, as if you were to look closer, all the wounds which had been inflicted onto his body were still there.
He had simply used the Body Replacement Jutsu, and that helped him out.
Zoro's blade had Conqueror's Haki all over it.
"You think you can defeat me with some tricks?"
The beast wasn't happy. It would break Zoro if need be.
Zoro took in a deep breath. All of his earlier strikes had done no damage. While yes, he had used Conqueror's Haki for all of them, he had been outmatched and outskilled every single time they clashed. All he had thought about was overpowering the creature with Conqueror's Haki, but now he saw he couldn't.
Kairo's words echoed in his mind.
"From what I was taught, you can use Observation Haki to sense that other half, or at least be aware of it. Conqueror's Spirit will allow you to overcome that spirit, and Armament allows you to wield it."
He sensed the creature, his hand around his blade.
His hands then turned black, and so did the blade, as he began using Conqueror's Haki on it.
Kuina's blade flickered.
He felt a will there.
He would use his Conqueror's Haki to subdue it.
He felt the blade accepting him. A small little child could be seen next to him. He, however, didn't see her.
She smiled as she looked at him.
"We will become the best swordsman in the world."
Then, using Armament Haki to wield that power—
"As if I would let you!"
The creature rushed at Zoro, suddenly worried as the man's Haki was growing way too fast, his harmony with the sword growing by the second.
"If any obstacle stands in your path... We will let you cut them down."
The gentle voice spoke.
Zoro opened both of his eyes, though his right eye was different. It was red, and it was ringed... like Mihawk, Imu, and Kairo.
Raising his sword in the air, Zoro would, for the first time, use a new move.
"Baki."
One slash.
And everything was cut in half.
The whole realm shook.
Zoro's other half's body was cleanly cut in half.
A/N will have his scared eye be sucking him dry of haki when it's open, but in exchange the boost is big....
I am slowly realizing by the time the timeskip is over, there ass would be the level they are on Elbath rn.(1180)
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