The revolution in the Goa Republic had finally come to a close.
Sasuke had successfully become the newly established republic's first president, elected through what the people called a "fair, just, and transparent" democratic process.
As for the second president?
Who knows. After all, there was no term limit written into their constitution.
That said, Sasuke did not disappoint the people's trust. He truly delivered on his promises:
Anyone willing to work hard would have food to eat and clothes to wear.
Every farmer now owned their own land.
Though land taxes were still hefty, it was far better than the old days, working the land for nobles and getting nothing in return.
After the turmoil of war, the first priority was rebuilding and reorganization.
Over the past few days, President Sasuke, accompanied by his secretary Naruto, had been running around non-stop, giving speeches, inspecting facilities, leading reconstruction efforts.
Perhaps it was Luffy's teachings that inspired him, whatever the reason, the Goa Republic was now filled with peace and prosperity. The people were genuinely happy. Gone were the days of listless, zombie-like existence.
Two months had passed.
The bloodshed and horror of war had been replaced by hope and anticipation for a brighter future.
After all, in this country, people die mysteriously every day. This time, a few more had died, that was all.
But in the world of pirates, people were hardy by nature and used to hardship. With their resilience and strength, schools, hospitals, courts, police stations, and all kinds of public services were springing up like mushrooms after a rainstorm.
Even the infamous Gray Terminal, or Trash Heap, still physically present, had been evacuated. Every person living there was brought back to the city.
Massive manpower and resources were poured into organizing the trash, and guided by the philosophy of "frugality starts with me," the dump was divided into two zones:
Useful waste: Open for anyone to take and repurpose.
Useless waste: Sent for incineration.
After all, in the world of One Piece, things like environmental pollution weren't exactly a concern.
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Meanwhile…
While the entire nation was busy with revolutionary reconstruction, far away, in a spiritual realm unseen by any mortal eye,
Zoro, now fully grown, sat cross-armed beside a massive boulder.
His head was bowed, and soft, shallow breaths passed through his lips.
His eyes were shut tight, he was fast asleep in a deep and peaceful slumber.
Suddenly, two faint figures materialized in the nearby open space.
"Zoro's been asleep for three days now…"
Kuina, the spirit of Zoro's sword, looked at him with a mixture of concern and pride in her eyes.
"Well, he did train non-stop for a whole month. Even in Mental Power form, that kind of strain takes its toll…"
The voice of the Beast Spirit rumbled low and deep, tinged with pride. Zoro's perseverance was indeed something to admire.
"Hm…?"
Perhaps disturbed by their voices, Zoro's fingers twitched slightly.
Then, his eyes slowly opened.
One advantage of being in soul form: no matter how long you slept, you never had crust in your eyes.
"Aahhh~"
Zoro let out a long, satisfying stretch, arms raised overhead, like putting a period on a beautiful dream.
"You awake, Zoro?" Kuina asked, stepping forward.
Her petite frame looked almost adorable next to Zoro's tall, solid build. The question was obvious, but her tone was warm.
"Yeah."
Zoro nodded with renewed energy. His Mental Power had fully recovered, he was ready.
After all, this time…
He planned to end everything.
"Are you ready…?"
A voice boomed through the spiritual realm, ancient, vast, and powerful.
Zoro and the others didn't flinch. They'd heard it many times before.
Whoosh…
A breeze swept across the ground, kicking up blood-colored dust that twisted into the air, forming a small, swirling vortex.
The crimson mist began to coalesce… revealing a figure soaked in the aura of blood, like a demon god bathed in slaughter:
Asura.
Zoro looked at Asura and gave a confident smile.
"Of course I'm ready!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, mysterious lights erupted from both Kuina and the Beast, one white, one black.
Zoro raised his arms, thrusting them into the swirling light.
When he pulled them out, he held two swords.
One, a brilliant white blade that shimmered with cold, radiant beauty.
The other, a jet-black sword that exuded a sinister energy like it came from the depths of the abyss.
"It's time… to finish this."
Swords in hand, Zoro's battle aura exploded, unrestrained, lethal, and fierce.
It was as if he had crawled through hell and returned, his killing intent screaming to be unleashed.
The two Wado Ichimonji swords responded to Zoro's resolve. They glowed with an intense frost-like light, stretching from hilt to tip, sharper and deadlier than ever.
Then, that ancient voice echoed once more, directly into Zoro's mind:
"I've… been waiting for this!"
Even the cold, aloof Asura seemed fired up for this battle. His tone was different, excited, even.
Whoosh, whoosh…
Another breeze passed between the two.
The final battle was about to begin.
Clang!
In the blink of an eye, Zoro vanished, and reappeared directly in front of Asura, blades clashing with a thunderous impact.
Zoro grinned wildly, lifting his gaze to meet Asura's.
"You flinched."
To everyone's surprise, Asura smiled too.
His blood-red skin cracked into a rare expression, and his wrathful eyes narrowed, an unfamiliar softness in his voice:
"Yes…"
It was calm and low, yet carried weight, like he was genuinely pleased with how far Zoro had come.
BOOM!
The ground beneath them shattered from the shockwave of their clash. Cracks raced outward, and earth splintered into fragments.
The two leapt away, using the rising dust to reposition and reset.
But the brief moment of stillness lasted less than a second.
Zoro became a streak of blazing green light, charging in once more like a missile.
With a light leap, he soared high above Asura's towering frame.
His right arm lifted, holding the radiant white sword.
A blinding flash flared from its edge, like a laser, drawing Asura's attention upward.
Just as Asura was about to counter the overhead slash, he sensed something wrong.
His expression shifted.
At the last moment, he twisted his sword horizontally across his chest in defense.
"Two-Sword Style: Demon of Heaven!"
Unnoticed, Zoro's left-hand black sword had dulled, its presence nearly erased, silent and deadly.
It slashed upward from below, following the strange markings across Asura's crimson skin.
CLANG!!!
Three identical long blades collided in a violent crash. Another massive shockwave burst outward.
Zoro's double strike, a black and white arc of razor-sharp energy, clashed directly with Asura's dark red blade.
Shhhhh!
The always-dominant Asura was forced back a full ten meters, driven by the sheer force of Zoro's attack.
But this…
Was only the beginning!
As the brilliant arcs of light dispersed, Zoro suddenly emerged from the glow.
The dazzling white light behind him cast him in shadow, his entire figure turned black…
Except for his eyes.
Those bloodthirsty eyes glowed with terrifying resolve.
His hands clenched his swords tight, blades aimed directly at Asura's chest.
A mad grin spread across his face, and his voice exploded like thunder:
"If you don't go all out, I'm going to WIN this fight!!!"
"Two-Sword Style: Unified Slash!!!"
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