He still lost; he was simply not as skilled. Zoro closed his sword and opened his arms to Mihawk.
Mihawk was startled by his rather effeminate gesture: "What do you mean by this?"
Zoro gave him a profound, crazy smile: "A wound on the back is a swordsman's shame."
"Bold!" Mihawk realized that this was also a man who valued his image.
He brought his sword down, knocking his opponent into the sea. After his companions helped Zoro onto a small boat, Mihawk continued, "Don't be in such a hurry to die, young man. My name is Dracule Mihawk!"
"Understand the gap between yourself and the world, become stronger, and try to surpass me, Roronoa!"
Lying on the small boat, Zoro did not answer Mihawk, but instead gasped and choked out, "Luffy, if I can't become the Worlds Greatest Swordsman, it would probably trouble you greatly, wouldn't it?"
Luffy stared blankly at the small boat where Zoro lay. The boat's hull blocked the lying Zoro from view, and he could only hear Zoro's unwilling shouts.
"I will absolutely never fail a second time!"
On the small boat, Zoro's tears, mixed with blood and seawater, dripped onto the deck: "Until I defeat this guy and become a Great Swordsman, I will never lose again!"
"Do you have anything to say, Pirate King!"
Luffy's lips curled into a wide grin, revealing a mouthful of white teeth, and he only replied with three words: "Not anymore!"
Mihawk sensed something extraordinary about these two. The surging ambition of the young men reignited a heroic spirit in his heart, which had originally been somewhat lax and lost.
It was a worthwhile trip; just meeting this Roronoa fellow made this journey to the East Blue sufficient.
Mihawk jumped onto his small boat. There was no need to say anything more. He hoped that in the future, this man named Roronoa would once again stand before him.
Just as he was about to leave, Zoro propped himself up and asked an unexpected question: "Hey, Mihawk! Who is stronger in swordsmanship, you or Nero?"
Mihawk glanced sideways, a little enlightened: "Only people from the Four Seas would ask such a question."
"Everyone knows Nero is stronger, but purely in terms of swordsmanship, many still feel that the gap between her and me isn't that great."
"Ridiculous." Mihawk thought of his years of ceaseless effort and countless defeats: "Even if we only talk about swordsmanship ability, the gap between Nero and me is probably greater than the gap between you and me."
"This is no secret on the Grand Line; only you young people from the Four Seas are unaware."
Zoro was utterly shocked. Was that Nero really that strong?
Mihawk paused and then said, "However, it's not wrong to call me the Worlds Greatest Swordsman."
"That Empress's swordsmanship cannot be simply described by a Great Swordsman. I estimate she has reached an unprecedented peak of swordsmanship."
"To exist in the same era as such a being is both a swordsman's fortune and a swordsman's sorrow."
Seemingly realizing he had said a bit too much, Mihawk stopped his lament.
"Broaden your world. To say you are a frog in a well right now would be an overstatement."
After leaving these words, Mihawk no longer lingered this time and departed directly on his small boat.
"...Is the world... really that distant?" Zoro relaxed his body and lay down.
Was the cheap master he knew in his youth truly an unprecedented peak?
From Hawkeye Mihawk's few words, Zoro could already see that the path ahead would be unimaginably grand.
Originally, after years of training, Zoro thought he must have surpassed Kuina and could now stand alongside Nero.
But now, it seemed that Kuina, who had been training with Nero all this time, must have become even stronger.
"The Worlds Greatest Swordsman... and even beyond that? That's just too much." Zoro clenched his fists, and at the same time, a more expansive ambition subtly grew within him... the golden rose.
Kuina's eyelids fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes. Her entire body felt like it was falling apart, with every part groaning in pain.
After a ringing in her ears, she finally heard the conversation in the room.
"Your Majesty, no matter what, it's still too difficult for Kuina to directly challenge a Four Emperors right now."
"Hmm, for Kuina to reach the level of a Great Swordsman at this age, the resources expended were more than ten times what I used back then."
"Fighting against Nicuss's people, she knows they won't kill her. This is the fastest way to break through to a better realm."
Hathaway and Nero's conversation reached her ears, and only then did Kuina understand Nero's purpose in having her challenge Big Mom.
"Hmm... hmm-mm... hmm???" Kuina tried to speak but only made meaningless whimpers.
Her eyeballs darted around, and she barely made out her situation: her entire body, except for her eyes, was completely wrapped in bandages.
But this movement was enough to attract Nero and Hathaway.
"Daijobu? Is there still any pain in your body?" Nero asked with concern.
This long-lost concern made Kuina's eyes sting. Although her body still throbbed with pain from time to time, she still shook her head slightly.
"You've been unconscious for ten days. Are you really not uncomfortable anywhere?" Hathaway also asked with concern.
Ten days? This number surprised her. Just as Nero said, the resources consumed on her were considerable, and her current physique now surpassed most people in the New World.
Even so, she was still unconscious for ten days? Big Mom was truly terrifying.
Kuina still shook her head. A warm current flowed through her chest. Sure enough, when it came to a critical moment, Master would still care about her.
Seeing this, Nero finally let out a breath, patted her chest, and triumphantly said to Hathaway, "How about that? I told you Kuina would be fine. Even if it's my first time setting bones, there's absolutely no problem!"
Did you hear that? This injury, even the bones, Master helped... bones?
Kuina's eyes almost popped out of their sockets as she stared intently at Nero. First time setting bones?
Hathaway sighed: "Linlin clearly said she could help with her Devil Fruit; she could have healed her on the spot, there was no need..."
On the spot?
"Hmm, how was Linlin helping? She was clearly looking down on me! Can't I do such a small thing? Even if it's my first time, didn't I do it with ease?"
First time?
"Didn't you miscount the ribs midway, and ended up with an extra one?"
???
"Didn't I break it and start over? Wasn't the second time perfect? There's no doctor here!"
Second time... The warm current in her chest disappeared. Only a chilling cold remained in Kuina's chest, and she didn't know why the bandage at the corner of her eye was a little damp.
The originally cozy bedroom suddenly became horrifyingly grotesque.
I want to get off this ship!!!
Tears streaming down her face, Kuina desperately screamed internally...
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