The ship didn't rush to depart. Everyone drank tea and chatted.
Kuina stayed quietly nearby. She knew she was about to part from her father and grandfather—she wanted to spend what time she could with them, because the next reunion might be far away.
White Ghost, meanwhile, started feeling uncomfortable under Zoro's stare.
I was supposed to give him Sandai Kitetsu eventually… but things kept getting in the way.
Then White Ghost's lips curved. He thought of something amusing.
He looked at Zoro. "You already have a named blade, right? Wado Ichimonji."
Zoro lifted his chin. "And you can see I'm Three-Sword Style now."
"Three-sword style?" White Ghost narrowed his eyes.
"…Or a third-rate swordsman?"
The moment the words landed, Zoro's face went bright red.
"What did you say?!"
"Bastard! I'm dueling you!"
Zoro snapped Wado Ichimonji into his mouth, drew two swords—one in each hand—and took his stance.
The crew all went, "OHHH," suddenly understanding.
"So that's how Three-Sword Style works… he bites the third one!"
Zoro trembled with outrage. "If you're a man, fight me!"
White Ghost pretended to search around for a weapon… then slapped his forehead.
He pulled out a nail clipper from his bracelet storage.
He flicked the tiny file blade open and shrugged at Zoro. "Sorry. This is the smallest 'blade' I've got."
A beat of silence—
Then the deck exploded with laughter.
"PFF—HAHAHAHA!"
"Captain, that's cruel!"
Jango was pounding the deck, laughing so hard he could barely breathe.
Even Kuina and Stella covered their mouths, trying not to laugh out loud.
Zoro's face went dark. Slowly, he spoke each word like it was carved in stone.
"…You're looking down on me."
White Ghost shook his head, still sipping tea. "No. I'm letting you see how big the world is."
"The difference between the ocean… and a puddle."
Consider it an early lesson, he thought. An early beating.
"Don't blame me if you die!" Zoro's eyes burned red.
White Ghost took another sip. "I've got a blade I planned to give you."
"But if you're hesitating—even against a guy holding a nail file—I'll have to reconsider whether that sword should follow you."
Zoro understood the insult immediately.
"Bastard!"
He surged forward.
"Three-Sword Style—Oni Giri!"
Zoro crossed the three blades and lunged.
White Ghost casually tapped the center point where the swords met.
Clink.
Zoro's eyes widened.
Blocked—?! And he didn't even stand up. He's still drinking tea!
"Slurp." White Ghost took a calm sip and flicked Zoro's attack away.
Zoro stumbled back, then charged again.
Clink. "Your footing is unstable."
Clink. "Not enough power."
Clink. "Can you even hold your swords properly?"
"Bastard!" Zoro's face burned with humiliation as he panted, furious.
White Ghost leaned forward, eyebrows waggling. "What's wrong, kid? Done already?"
"You're the one who's done!"
Zoro sprinted in, leapt at the last second, and swung down with everything he had.
"Tiger Hunt!"
White Ghost made a small, lazy motion.
Clink—!
Zoro was blasted backward, skidding across the deck.
"Damn you!" Zoro dragged himself up and attacked again.
He kept attacking.
And every time he was thrown back, he stood up again—faster, angrier, more stubborn.
Soon, no one was laughing anymore.
They watched in silence, respect building in their eyes.
Urouge spoke first, voice low. "Terrifying willpower… What kind of weight is that boy carrying?"
Senior Pink exhaled smoke. "He's a real man."
Brook's laugh echoed softly, more serious than playful. "Yohohoho… what a frightening young swordsman. I should train harder as well."
White Ghost finally set his tea down.
"Still not at your limit?"
"N-no way!" Zoro gritted his teeth, refusing to collapse.
White Ghost stood.
"Have you seen it now? The world's size."
Zoro's lips curled into a wild grin. "Good. This is getting interesting."
White Ghost put the nail clipper away. "I respect swordsmen like you. The kind who won't retreat from their own path."
He drew his true blade.
"This is my sword. I've tempered it into a black blade."
"If your sword path is 'the strongest'…"
White Ghost's eyes narrowed—not cruel, but absolute.
"Then my sword path is freedom."
"Freedom?" Zoro stared.
White Ghost nodded. "If there's an obstacle ahead—cut it open."
"If there's no road—cut one into existence."
"Once the obstruction is gone, the path appears. Simple."
Every swordsman on deck fell quiet.
Ain whispered, as if hearing something unlock inside her. "Freedom… right. If there's no road… then cut one."
Her aura sharpened—rising in a clean surge.
Koushirou's heart jumped. Swordmaster peak…? Now? That fast?!
Kuina, too, focused inward. Cut through the dark… and bring in the light.
Her own presence stabilized fully—her swordmaster realm settling like a blade returning to its sheath.
Kozaburo's mouth curved upward. That's my granddaughter.
Zoro lifted his head and bowed deeply toward White Ghost.
White Ghost accepted it with a grin.
"Roronoa Zoro," he said, raising his sword, "are you ready?"
"Come."
Zoro crossed his blades, eyes locked.
White Ghost vanished—
Whoosh.
He reappeared behind Zoro.
"So fast—when did—?!" Zoro's thoughts detonated—
Crack.
The two swords in his hands snapped.
Zoro stood still for a heartbeat, then calmly sheathed Wado Ichimonji.
"…I lost," he said quietly. "The world really is huge."
He turned, arms open, chin lifted—choosing to face what came next.
White Ghost's grin didn't soften. "Gutsy."
He struck once—clean and controlled.
Slash.
A line of blood opened across Zoro's chest, and Zoro flew backward, landing hard.
"Zoro!" Koushirou surged forward, alarmed—only for Kozaburo to stop him with a hand.
"Don't worry," Kozaburo said calmly. "He'll live."
Kuina's fists tightened at first—then she forced herself to breathe. White Ghost wouldn't kill Zoro.
Senior Pink folded his arms. "A real man doesn't show scars on his back."
The little squirrel healer hurried forward—
White Ghost raised a hand, stopping them.
Not yet.
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