Chapter 74: Things More Important Than Life

The scene before his eyes was one Roronoa knew all too well.

It was simply because two months ago, a captain with a certain twisted sense of humor had done exactly the same thing as the man before him.

Such a near-humiliating attitude was an immense insult to any swordsman.

Even having gone through a similar scene once before, the veins on Zoro's forehead still rose uncontrollably at this very moment:

"Even a twisted sense of humor should have its limits!"

"Bastard!"

Along with Zoro's furious shout, his steps subtly retreated, and then the three blades in his hands once again became three streaks of flowing light, slashing toward Hawkeye.

Clearly, having gone through a battle with Gao Wen, he had already understood the principle of striking with seventy percent of his strength and holding back thirty, so as to balance offense and defense.

Hiss!

Hiss!

Hiss!

Amid the sounds of cutting through the air, Zoro's lightning-swift strikes were precisely intercepted by the unremarkable little knife in Hawkeye's hand.

That blade, less than five centimeters long, would even be somewhat of a struggle to use for chopping vegetables, yet in Hawkeye's hands it could withstand every one of Zoro's attacks.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

……

On the flat deck, for a time there was nothing but the ceaseless clashing of blades, the sound numbing everyone's eardrums.

The chefs of the seafaring restaurant Baratie were already utterly dumbfounded.

"Roronoa's strikes are already so fast one can't see them clearly; even across the entire East Blue, he's probably one of the top swordsmen."

"And yet this man, with a weapon like a toy… can actually reach this level?"

"What the hell!"

Patty's teeth were chattering, his words barely coherent.

Especially since just yesterday he had been thinking of making a move on Hawkeye, it was all the more so.

Thinking about it now.

If Zeff hadn't stopped him in time, he would have been no different from a fish on a cutting board.

"That kind of little knife, let alone using it in combat, is even a struggle for chopping vegetables."

Wearing sunglasses, a build a size smaller than Patty's, yet with an equally fierce look, Carne also swallowed hard in secret.

He was originally a pirate by origin, and considered himself well-traveled, but even now such a scene still made him tremble involuntarily.

What made that man terrifying was not only his eyes, but also a strength so overwhelming it left one in despair.

No.

The two were inherently cause and effect — only by possessing strength powerful enough could one have such a gaze!

"Is this the power of the world's greatest swordsman?"

"Of course not!"

Zeff shook his head, his gaze utterly Solemn:

"That man hasn't even drawn his sword; for him this is nothing more than an appetizer — no, this is even a snack that doesn't even qualify as an appetizer."

"And his true target should be the East Blue's strongest swordsman."

Saying so.

Zeff turned his head to look at Gao Wen beside him, and saw that the latter's expression was as usual, his eyes showing not the slightest ripple, as if he had long anticipated this scene.

In the arena.

Zoro's three blades flowed like a howling gale, the edges tearing through the air and emitting a piercing tremor.

Yet such a terrifying offensive could not shake Hawkeye in the slightest; his posture instead grew ever more elegant and composed, as if strolling leisurely through a courtyard.

……

Seeing this scene, Gao Wen had already placed his hand on his sword hilt.

Responding to Zoro's offensive with a short dagger as Hawkeye did, Gao Wen was confident he could also achieve it — after all, he had done something similar on Rare Beast Island before.

But there was an essential difference between the two.

Gao Wen relied on an overwhelming superiority in swordsmanship, intercepting Zoro before his moves had formed and his force had gathered.

Hawkeye, however, met force with force; every time his short dagger came out, it was at the moment Zoro's blade carried its greatest force — striking precisely when you were at your strongest!

"Truly as arrogant as expected."

Gao Wen murmured softly. The battle in the arena, however, was gradually drawing to a close.

Even wielding three blades and with unprecedented fighting spirit, Zoro facing Hawkeye at this moment was still far too green.

The short dagger in Hawkeye's hand forcefully flicked aside the three blades in Zoro's hands, and then a thrust pierced into his chest.

Hiss!

Blood splashed!

The searing pain made Zoro clench his jaw tight, yet his body did not retreat a single step; the corner of his mouth curled up, and a hint of helplessness strangely surfaced in his eyes:

"Even the spot you hit is exactly the same — did you monsters all agree on this beforehand?"

Hawkeye was somewhat baffled, but that did not prevent his appreciation for the young man before him; his hawk-like, razor-sharp gaze settled on Zoro as he said:

"Why won't you retreat?"

Zoro met that gaze, enough to make ordinary men shudder, the corner of his mouth curling up:

"Who knows~"

"I have always felt that when facing that man, I never retreated; facing you, I certainly cannot retreat, or how could I stand before him again and wield my blade?!"

"Remarkable!"

!

A smile curled at the corner of Hawk Eyes' mouth. He casually tossed aside his short blade, gripped the exaggerated black blade Night on his back with his other hand, and said solemnly:

"This is the respect you deserve!"

"Don't die!"

Having lost the power to resist, Zoro simply spread his arms, the blood-stained corner of his mouth curling into a proud smile just as it once had:

"Of course!"

"A wound on the back is a swordsman's shame!"

Shhh!

A pitch-black blade slash cut through the air, severing Zoro from his right shoulder down to his lower right abdomen, carrying with it a thin mist of blood.

The momentum did not cease, nearly splitting a deck of the Baratie in two.

Zoro's body slowly fell, blood gushing from the wound, quickly spreading across the deck.

Everyone was momentarily stunned.

Although they already knew Zoro was far from a match for Hawk Eyes, they had not expected him to be defeated so quickly.

And that single slash from Hawk Eyes filled them with awe from the depths of their hearts.

Yet at this moment.

A figure with golden hair stepped forward and shouted angrily at Gao Wen:

"Why did you watch him get injured without lending a hand?"

Seeing Zoro lying in a pool of blood while Gao Wen stood aside without any reaction, Sanji felt anger rise in his heart for no reason.

Wasn't this scene exactly the same as the one with the Wang Fei back then?

"Isn't that guy your comrade?"

"A hand?"

Hearing the voice, Gao Wen turned his head and saw a somewhat familiar face.

Curled eyebrows, golden hair, a suit.

With such distinct features, how could he not recognize that the person before him was Sanji, whom he had been searching for so long?

Yet when he truly saw this face, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, as if he had seen this face in the memories of his predecessor, though much younger.

After pondering without result.

Gao Wen did not dwell on this issue, speaking lightly:

"If I had intervened at this moment, it would have been an insult to that guy. Just look at his face; that is... what kind of satisfaction?!"

Sanji looked down and saw that on Zoro's face, who had long lost consciousness, there was actually a smile.

It was not a distorted face from an inability to control his expression, but a genuine smile from the depths of his heart; injured like this, yet he could show such an expression?

Sanji was utterly shocked.

Yet at this moment, the voice of Zeff reached his ears:

"In this world, there are things that far surpass life and profit."

"Just like when you secretly fed those penniless pirates, just like the All Blue you longed to find, which could provide every ingredient in the world!"

"And for a swordsman loyal to the Way of the Sword, nothing is more important than defeating that man!"

(End of this chapter)