Chapter 32 Off-field Rescue, Round Two!
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"Zoro!!!"
Luffy's roar, like that of a wounded beast, echoed throughout the entire sea.
Seeing the blood flowing from Zoro's wounds, the others were also shocked.
Usopp even pulled out first-aid supplies from his bag, ready to go and rescue Zoro.
However, at this moment...
"Don't rush!"
V, who had been silent all along, broke through the frozen air with his voice, which reached everyone's ears precisely.
Before the words were finished, a silver light mixed with white shot out from the direction of the Baratie Restaurant!
When it came up behind Zoro, everyone could see clearly that it was actually a hand wearing a white glove.
In his palm, he also carried a strange blue light potion jar.
Meanwhile, on the Barratier deck, beside V, the space rippled gently like water.
Bucky the Clown, now "shattered," appears silently.
His signature red nose twitched, and his face showed a hint of reluctance.
Thanks to V's reasoned and empathetic communication, Bucky has now officially become V's "partner".
V and Bucky made a three-year agreement.
For the past three years, he has followed V's orders.
Three years later, V set him free.
At the same time, Bucky can also obtain an invincible high-level prosthetic body from V.
No matter how convenient the Puppet program is, it can never replace Bucky's unique personality.
For V, Bucky, who possesses consciousness, is far more useful than a controllable assembly robot.
This is a win-win collaboration.
*Pfft!*
The potion pierced Zoro's heart with pinpoint accuracy, triggering the mechanism.
Cyber Specialty: Fuerkang Type 2.
Effects: Contains nano-repair robots, synthetic stem cell factors, and metabolic accelerators, making it a battlefield-grade "life restart agent" for immediate emergency treatment of massive bleeding, shock, and organ arrest.
Priced at 150 trading points per unit.
For V, which currently only has a reserve of just over 7,000 trading points, this is undoubtedly a luxurious luxury.
But—it's worth the sacrifice to make Zoro stronger.
The moment the potion was injected, Zoro was jolted!
The wound in his chest, pierced by the Eagle Eye knife, stopped gushing blood at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"Well...!"
Zoro grunted, his previously unfocused gaze refocusing.
He looked down at his chest—the wound was still there, but the bleeding had stopped, and he could even feel the muscles twitching and healing slightly.
"This...this is...?"
Hawkeye's golden pupils narrowed slightly.
He didn't intend to kill Zoro, so he deliberately avoided fatal areas during the attack.
In fact, if Zoro hadn't gone mad, he wouldn't have been so badly injured.
Nevertheless, the fact that a single dose of medicine could restore the injury to this extent is beyond imagination.
Such power is rare even in the New World.
"I'm sorry, but my partner doesn't seem to want this battle to end."
You probably won't mind, will you?
Zoro grinned, staggered to his feet, blood seeping from between his teeth, yet his laughter was incredibly arrogant.
As the drug took effect, the fighting spirit in his eyes returned.
Hawkeye's gaze passed over Zoro's shoulder and landed on the figure of the mechanical-armed man on the Baratie deck.
The blue prosthetic eye reflected a cold gleam in the sunlight.
Even though V never harbored any intention to belittle the world.
But the arrogance unique to time travelers was still fully captured by Hawkeye at this moment.
Hawkeye's pupils focused slightly.
He slowly withdrew the cross-shaped knife, the blood at its tip congealing and dripping in the sea breeze.
"Your partner... is no ordinary person."
He slowly withdrew the cross-shaped knife, the blood at its tip congealing and dripping in the sea breeze.
"But injuries healed by external forces can never bridge the gap in strength."
"I know."
Zoro gripped the Wado Ichimonji tightly—his only remaining sword.
Having lost two longswords, the Three-Sword Style technique can no longer be used.
But he did not back down in the slightest.
"Whether it's external forces or luck..."
Zoro slowly raised the tip of his sword, pointing it at Mihawk:
"All I know is that the me standing before you now is stronger than before!"
The moment he finished speaking, Zoro vanished again!
This time, he didn't use complicated steps or fancy techniques.
It's just the simplest and most direct forward dash!
But that aura—
Like a drawn sword, it carries the resolute determination to cut through everything!
"Speaking of which, I really have to thank you."
Zoro wore a grim smile.
"If it weren't for you, I'm afraid it would have taken me much longer to get to this stage."
"One-Sword Style: Iaijutsu - Lion's Lament!"
Zoro, on his charge, sheathed his sword, his low growl echoing across the sea.
At that moment, the image of Hawkeye's slash flashed wildly before his eyes.
It's not about speed or power, but about absolute precision and conviction.
This time, Zoro concentrated all his power, all his will, and all his beliefs into a single strike!
This is the purest slash he honed through countless days and nights!
Clang!
The long sword was drawn.
The blade sliced through the air, emitting a piercing shriek!
Hawkeye's golden pupils reflected Zoro's desperate expression.
But the corners of his mouth slowly turned up.
This time, he did not use the cross-shaped knife to parry.
Instead—
He slowly raised his left hand.
That hand that had been hanging by her side the whole time, never moving.
Buzz—!
He gently grasped the hilt of the Black Blade Night.
Even this simple action caused the surrounding sea to tremble!
The air seemed to be compressed by some invisible force, groaning under the strain.
"Since you've staked everything..."
Hawkeye's voice was deep and solemn:
"Then I will respond with the etiquette of a swordsman."
A blade, as black as night yet seemingly capable of absorbing all light, slowly appeared.
That is the world's strongest black sword—Night!
The moment it was drawn, the atmosphere of the entire sea changed!
Zoro's pupils suddenly dilated.
It's not because of fear.
It was because—he finally saw it!
I saw the insurmountable gap between myself and the "peak"!
But he didn't hesitate for a moment when he swung his sword!
"Drink it—!!!"
Zoro roared, pouring all his power into this one strike!
Clang—!!!
The explosion of metal clashing was more deafening than ever before!
A terrifying shockwave emanated from the two of them and spread outwards with a deafening roar!
The sea surface was forced into a huge dent!
The Barratier restaurant shook violently, and the mast creaked and groaned!
Everyone clung tightly to the fixed objects around them, their eyes fixed on the sea.
There—
Zoro's sword stopped.
It stopped three feet in front of the eagle's eyes.
The back of the black sword, Night, gently pressed against it.
It was not severed.
There was no blocking.
only--
It stopped.
It was as if all the power, momentum, and will of this strike were absorbed and dissolved by some higher-level being the moment it touched the Black Blade Night.
"Why..."
Zoro was panting heavily, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth again.
But what he cares about more is—
Hawkeye clearly displayed his true aura, yet showed no inclination to attack.
"You've grown up very quickly."
Hawkeye spoke slowly.
He could sense that Zoro's strength had been steadily improving from the beginning until now.
It's not just his understanding of swordsmanship, but also his power, technique, speed...
Although it was very subtle, the rate of growth was astonishing even to Hawkeye.
"I sense your ambition, but ambition needs time to be tempered."
Hawkeye took a step back.
The black blade, Night, slowly returned to its sheath.
"This strike is a bit too early for you."
Hawkeye's lips curved into a faint smile, and for the first time, his hawk-like golden eyes revealed an undisguised recognition and expectation of an "opponent."
"State your name, young man."
"Roronoa...Zoro."
Zoro's deep and clear voice echoed across the silent sea.
Hawkeye nodded in approval.
"Roronoa Zoro".
"I've remembered your name."
"As a swordsman, you have already stepped onto the ladder to the top."
"Strive to become stronger."
"I will stay on a better stage after today's attack, and face you again when you are stronger."
"I believe you won't keep me waiting too long."
As soon as he finished speaking, Hawkeye turned and walked toward the small coffin boat, his black trench coat billowing in the sea breeze.
Exhausted, Zoro knelt on one knee on the shattered deck, the only remaining Wado Ichimonji stuck beside him, and blood seeped from the wound in his chest again due to his heavy breathing.
He gritted his teeth, his gaze fixed on Hawkeye's retreating figure.
"The Grand Line..." Zoro growled hoarsely, "I will definitely go! When that time comes—"
"I will win."
Hawkeye paused slightly, glanced at the man, a faint smile playing on his lips, but said nothing more.
The small coffin boat glided silently into the waves, sailing towards the distant sea like a ghost.
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