Chapter 426: Giant Corps, Cross Guild Comes to an End!

"A promising young man."

"This will to gamble with one's life is rare, even in our era."

Rydefield nodded slightly.

Zoro's performance far exceeded his expectations.

Even though he had already gauged Zoro's strength during their earlier standoff, the sheer determination to stake everything on victory once he stepped onto the arena still moved him deeply.

Kaido was even more intensely envious:

"If he were willing to submit to me, the position of second-in-command of the Beasts Pirates should belong to him."

"Kozuki Oden from twenty years ago was only at this level."

"No!"

"This kid is even more outstanding than Kozuki Oden was back then!"

Recalling that figure, Kaido couldn't help but reach out and touch the scar on his chest.

Twenty years had passed, yet the scar inflicted by Kozuki Oden still throbbed intermittently.

In Kaido's view,

as a ruler and as a man, Oden was undoubtedly a failure.

But as a swordsman, being able to leave such a wound on him was precisely proof of Kozuki Oden's strength!

And Zoro surpassed even that!

"Round Table Knight, Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro, is it?!"

"I will remember this title!"

"That guy... is strong!"

Luffy's expression turned unusually serious.

Clenching his fists, he repeatedly pondered in his mind what the outcome would be if he faced that single slash of Zoro's...

After a period of deep thought,

Luffy still found no method to counter it in his mind, so he simply stopped thinking, saying carefree:

"Forget it."

"When the time comes to fight, I'll naturally be able to handle it."

Hearing this, Kid froze:

"You have the confidence to defeat those two monsters?!"

"No."

Luffy picked his nose.

"Then what the hell are you so relaxed about!"

Kid was nearly on the verge of breaking down.

Hailing from the South Blue, he had fought his way through countless challenges to reach the New World; every opponent along the way had either fled in panic or knelt to beg for mercy.

Even with exceptions like Kizaru, Kid had still firmly believed he would not lose to any rival of his own generation.

But today, his confidence had been shattered time and again.

Whether it was Black Leg Sanji from earlier or Zoro, who though defeated had earned glory, both had raised the ceiling of the new era to a level he couldn't comprehend.

Wait!

The man currently presiding over Britannias, who stepped upon Whitebeard's shoulders to ascend as the world's strongest, was also only in his twenties.

Yet in terms of age, he wasn't much different from himself.

Thinking of this,

a hint of dejection surfaced in Kid's eyes, while his hand beneath his sleeve clenched tighter and tighter.

In the corner,

Sabo, wearing a top hat, glanced over occasionally; his gaze resting on Straw Hat held concern, pride, and an indescribable emotion.

However,

he knew all too clearly that this was not yet the right moment to reveal their relationship.

A few minutes earlier.

East Blue.

Shimotsuki Village, Isshin Dojo.

Koushirou gathered with his disciples, watching the projected image with rapt attention.

Within their line of sight

was only Zoro, wielding three swords and battling Hawk-Eye!

Blades moving so fast they were nearly invisible, wild aerial slashes radiating enough force to seem capable of cutting down everything, and the Haki between the two men so dense it appeared tangible—all left the apprentices present utterly amazed!

"Is that Senior Zoro?!"

"Truly... truly... truly..."

One apprentice stood with mouth agape, stammering, wanting to describe his shock but unable to utter a single complete sentence.

"Amazing!"

Another apprentice exclaimed, eyes sparkling as he watched Zoro on the screen.

As the most excellent and outstanding disciple in the history of Isshin Dojo, Zoro had become an idol to nearly all the apprentices.

Many had even already decided that after graduating, they would follow in Zoro's footsteps, challenging their way from the East Blue all the way to the New World!

He even launched an assault against that man standing at the pinnacle!

This is the romance of a sword master!

Shimotsuki Koushirou looked at the apprentices present, a gentle smile appearing on his face.

He vaguely remembered that, even among all the apprentices back then, Zoro was the most stubborn, the most obstinate, and the most determined one.

Perhaps only by being so could he reach such heights now?!

"As for Zoro..."

Koushirou murmured:

"Perhaps he is already stronger than that one from the Kouzuki family!"

"It's just that..."

What Koushirou could see was far more than what the apprentices present could see; while marveling at Zoro's growth, he also felt worry for this disciple of his.

After all, his opponent was Hawk Eyes!

The once strongest swordsman in the world!

Only swordsmen who had lived through the era of Hawk Eyes understood just how powerful he truly was; it was an overwhelming strength sufficient to make all swordsmen of his generation pale in comparison!

"Senior Zoro, is he going to surpass the former number one in the world?!"

"He definitely will!"

The eyes of all the apprentices widened, fearing they might miss a single detail of this battle.

Very soon.

Zoro unleashed his Nine Sword Style of Demon Aura, transforming into an Asura form with three heads and six arms, playing out before everyone's eyes.

A chorus of exclamations erupted within the Isshin Dojo!

Yet just as everyone thought Zoro was about to claim victory, the situation suddenly took a sharp turn for the worse; in merely an instant, Hawk Eyes was wounded, while Zoro lost his ability to fight.

Even the Wado Ichimonji, inherited from the hands of Shimotsuki Koushirou, snapped apart in response!

The dojo fell silent for a moment; everyone watching this scene found it somewhat hard to accept!

Shimotsuki Koushirou's gaze remained fixed on the Wado Ichimonji in Zoro's hand.

Watching the broken blade fall to the ground, there was both gratification and desolation in Koushirou's eyes, which ultimately merged into a single whisper:

"Has the Wado Ichimonji failed to keep up with your strides?!"

"That is right."

"This blade never belonged to you in the first place; it was a gift I prepared for Kuina."

"The Guanshi Zhengzong that I originally intended to pass on to you did not choose you, but instead set its sights on another man."

"However..."

Koushirou's line of sight fell upon the Murasama in Zoro's mouth, and he said in surprise:

"To think it was chosen by this monster? It does match your temperament quite well."

"Zoro."

"Still, as your teacher, let me fire the furnace one last time for you and forge a blade, just as a..."

"... graduation gift, shall we say."

With this thought in mind.

Koushirou had already made his decision; after instructing the disciples present a few words, he grabbed a bouquet of flowers at hand and walked toward the hill behind the dojo.

Kuina was buried there.

Marineford.

A group of Headquarters Vice Admirals, looking at Zoro in the arena—covered in blood yet still standing—fell silent for a moment.

The list of the top sixteen for this martial arts tournament had long been placed on the conference table before them.

"Roronoa Zoro."

"Nickname: Pirate Hunter; active in the East Blue three years ago, hunting pirates for bounties and challenging one by one the somewhat famous swordsmen of the East Blue."