Before Zaraki's foot even hit the deck, the remaining pirates broke.
"M-monster!"
Some dropped their swords while others jumped straight into the sea.
Their terrified screams drowned out the waves.
"Damn it! Anyone who runs, I will cut them down first!"
Black Axe Buck yelled.
His eyes looked bloodshot, and the flesh on his face shook hard. He knew running from a monster like this meant sure death.
Buck shoved aside a shaking gunner. He ripped the tarp off the number two cannon, lowered the dark muzzle, and aimed right at Zaraki.
His target stood just five meters away.
At this range, the cannon will acted like a giant shotgun.
"Go to hell! I refuse to believe you are made of iron!" Buck roared.
Ssss—!
The burning fuse lit up his twisted face.
Zaraki stopped walking. He looked at the cannon, and his eyes turned cold.
"Pointing something like that at a swordsman…" he said with a bored sigh. "Guess I overestimated you."
Right before the fuse burned out, Zaraki moved his wooden sword.
A heavy, dark-golden glow wrapped around the wood.
"If this is all you have, then you can disappear with this pile of scrap metal."
He swung the sword in a simple, flat arc.
VMMMM—!
A crescent blade of golden light blasted forward.
The cannon fired, and the golden light swallowed the muzzle flash instantly.
The heavy cannon, Black Axe Buck, and half the front deck.... slid apart silently.
A few seconds later.
CRASH!
The broken piece of the ship smashed into the sea, kicking up a massive wave.
The whole pirate ship rocked hard, groaning under the strain.
Zaraki stood at the edge of the broken deck. The sea breeze blew through his messy hair, yet his clothes stayed perfectly intact.
"Job's done." He shook his sore wrist.
He rolled his wrist a little, then turned toward the cabin, thinking about finding some decent wine.
Then—
He felt it.
A burning stare on his back.
The green-haired guy, who looked half-dead a minute ago, had somehow climbed onto the sinking pirate ship.
His eyes looked unnaturally bright.
He stared right at the wooden sword in Zaraki's hand. The image of that golden slash still played in his head.
"A flying... slash..."
Zoro's voice sounded rough and shaky. "That was a flying slash. Only a great swordsman can do that!"
Zaraki raised an eyebrow.
This guy looked like he could collapse any second… yet his spirit was stronger than ever.
"Hey, you look like you can barely walk straight," Zaraki said, resting the wooden sword on his shoulder.
"If you want leftovers, the treasure on this ship is yours. I just want the booze and meat."
"Cut the crap!"
Zoro bit down on the Wado Ichimonji, drew his other two swords, and took his Three-Sword stance.
His presence changed instantly.
Like a dying wolf still ready to bite.
"I don't care who you are…" Zoro growled. "But now that I've met you… I'll never forgive myself if I don't try to cut you at least once!"
"Let's settle this!"
Zaraki looked at the chipped blades, then at Zoro's shaking legs.
He let out a smirk.
"Settle this? In your current state?"
He stood completely chill, showing cold eyes. "Too weak. Right now, you're not even strong enough to make me use both of my hands."
"You bastard!"
Zoro's pale face turned red.
"Oni Giri!"
He let out an angry yell and turned into a green blur.
His three swords crossed as he aimed straight for Zaraki's chest as he used his strongest attack.
The strike hit fast and hard, but to Zaraki.... it was full of openings.
"Too slow."
Zaraki did not even swing his sword.
Right as Zoro reached him, Zaraki casually raised one finger.
Clink!
Zoro felt his best attack hit an iron wall!
Zaraki's finger pressed perfectly against the point where the swords met, stopping all his momentum.
"Wh—" Zoro's eyes shrank down to dots.
'With just one finger?'
"Your swordsmanship isn't bad," Zaraki said coldly. "But that's all it is."
Zaraki's cold voice hit Zoro's ear.
Right after, the wooden sword filled his vision.
"Go cool your head dumbass."
The wooden sword smashed down onto Zoro's crossed blades!
CRACK—!
Both of his regular swords shattered instantly.
The heavy hit smashed into Zoro and he flew backward like a speeding rhino had hit him.
The Wado Ichimonji fell from his teeth. It stabbed into the deck a few feet away.
Thud!
Zoro crashed into the railing and dropped hard onto the floor, coughing up blood.
He ignored the pain and left his famous sword stuck in the wood.
He struggled to look up.
He just stared at Zaraki.
How could the gap be this big?
He couldn't even survive one attack from him?
"Who... who in the world are you..." Zoro asked, gasping for air.
Zaraki walked over and pulled the Wado Ichimonji from the floorboards.
He tapped the blade with his finger.
He listened to the nice, clear ring, then turned to the beaten Zoro with a smirk.
"You want to know?"
Zaraki tossed the sword back to Zoro.
He stood with his back to the setting sun, making his shadow stretch out long.
"Remember this. In this boring sea of pirates and marines, I come from a different place... It's called the Soul Society. I am the Captain of the 11th Division of the Gotei 13."
Zaraki's voice was low, but it drilled right into Zoro's ears.
"Gotei... 13..." Zoro lay on the wet deck.
He struggled to repeat the new name, his fingers digging into the cracks between the wood.
"Don't give me that look like you have never seen the world," Zaraki looked down at the green-haired guy.
"At your current level, you would count as a weakling over there. If you want to challenge me, you should try to break into the top one hundred first."
Zaraki was just making things up.
But to Zoro, it felt real, those words felt like a giant mountain pressing down on his chest.
'The top one hundred...'
Zoro's eyes shrank down.
Someone this strong… and there were more like him?
Instead of despair, something lit up inside him.
Excitement.
Ambition.
"Top one hundred... you say?"
Zoro ground his teeth. He pushed his bleeding body up and tried to stand.
He stared at Zaraki's back.
"Fine…" he said hoarsely, staring at Zaraki's back. "Remember this. One day, I'll fight my way into that Gotei 13… and I'll cut you down!"
Zaraki didn't turn around. He just waved his hand.
"Then get stronger. And don't die on the way mosshead."
Right now, Zaraki just wanted to find some good wine on this sinking ship.
Zaraki stepped over the broken wood and headed for the closed cabin door.
A large brass lock secured the heavy oak wood.
"What a hassle."
Too lazy to find a key, he flicked his wooden sword upward.
BANG—!
The heavy door and its frame blew into a shower of wood splinters with a loud noise.
Dust and broken pieces filled the air.
Zaraki stepped into the dark cabin.
Inside, two slim figures stood frozen next to a large iron chest.
The setting sun shined through the doorway and Zaraki got a clear look at them.
On the left, a girl with short orange hair hugged a bag of treasure.
On the right, a girl with long purple hair tried to stuff a gold watch into her shirt.
The two thieves froze in place, their bodies shook hard.
When Zaraki looked at them, the orange-haired girl, Nami, reacted the fastest.
She hid the money bag behind her back and she forced a tough look on her face, but her voice shook.
"D-Don't come any closer! We are Captain Black Axe Buck's trusted crew! If you touch us, Captain Buck is right outside, and he will blow you to pieces!"
The purple-haired girl, Carina, nodded fast. "Th-That's right! Scram if you know what's good for you!"
Zaraki raised an eyebrow.
He looked at their pale faces and the gold coins at their feet.
A playful smirk touched his lips.
'Using a dead man as a shield?'
He stayed quiet and walked toward them step by step.
His heavy footsteps echoed in the cabin. Each of his step struck pure terror into the girls' hearts.
The air grew tense.
Zaraki stopped just three steps away, his shadow completely covering them.
Slowly, he reached into his robe.
Both girls shut their eyes, bracing themselves.
"Men from the Black Axe?" Zaraki said, his voice low, almost amused. "Perfect. I've got something I want you two to take a look at."