Chapter 179: Roronoa Zoro

After hearing the voice, Zoro immediately looked toward the forest, his pupils shrinking to a point.

He was too familiar with this face!

Although Karl had many titles, Zoro only remembered one: Navy Great Swordsman.

A few years ago, he fought the world's greatest swordsman on the Abandoned Ship Island in Water 7 in the first half of the Grand Line. That time, he wounded Mihawk.

Since then, Zoro had kept this man in his heart, and Karl had also become his imaginary enemy.

As time passed, Karl's fame grew larger and larger. Relying on his superb swordsmanship, he became famous on the sea, defeated countless pirates, and became a true Great Swordsman.

Especially the blades in his hands.

Not to mention the Black Blade Shusui, which was originally a Great Grade Sword and had long been registered in the Great Blade Illustrated Guide.

The focus was on the Raven and Thunder Rain in his hands.

Thunder Rain, a Cursed Blade, originally had no grade, but because of Karl, it actually climbed directly into the Great Blade Illustrated Guide, becoming the most famous Cursed Blade besides the Kitetsu series.

Devil Fruit Weapon: Raven, whose prototype was the Supreme Grade Sword, the First Generation Kitetsu. Because Karl often used it, its fame rose sharply, and it advanced into the ranks of the Supreme Grade Swords.

"You, you are the Navy Great Swordsman, Karl!!!"

Karl, wearing a black suit and a Justice cape, walked slowly out of the forest, looking at the soaking wet Zoro with a smile: "You know me?"

Zoro grinned: "How could I not? You are one of the men I am destined to defeat!"

After speaking, Zoro's expression changed. Oh no, he only brought his training sword today, and Wado Ichimonji wasn't with him. How could he challenge Karl Move Move Like this?

"Oh? Just you? You don't think you can defeat me after practicing swordsmanship for a few years, do you?"

Hearing this, Zoro shouted at Karl with great momentum: "How would I know without trying?"

But soon, Zoro's momentum disappeared without a trace, and he said somewhat awkwardly: "Um, I didn't bring my sword. Why don't you wait for me here for a while, I'll go back and get my sword!"

A strange look appeared in Karl's eyes. Did he hear that right just now?

Zoro actually wanted to go back to get his sword and then come back to find him? Wasn't he afraid of getting lost?

However, probably not, right? This place wasn't that big, and Zoro had been here for so long, so he shouldn't... get lost.

"Young man, being overly ambitious is not a good thing. If you want to challenge me..."

Karl instantly drew Raven, swung it backhand, and a huge golden flying slash swept toward the back.

Swish, swish, swish~

Countless trees were cut in half. With a deafening roar, the trees fell, and the view instantly became wide open.

"Come find me when you can do this much!"

"As for you now... forget it!"

Zoro stared blankly at the forest cleared by Karl, unable to help but swallow. This kind of power, this kind of swordsmanship, wasn't this exactly what he had been pursuing?

Is this what a Great Swordsman is?

Zoro's eyes instantly became sharp. He gripped his training sword tightly, his whole body trembling slightly, and looked at Karl without saying a word.

"Three Sword Style: Zoro, reporting for duty!!!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zoro set his stance and rushed toward Karl. This momentum was Move Move Like a fierce tiger.

Karl shook his head helplessly, took a cigar out of his pocket, lit it, and disappeared from the spot just as Zoro was about to approach.

"What?"

Zoro was shocked, having slashed at nothing. He looked back at Karl in disbelief.

"I said, you are too slow. I don't Move Move Like bullying children."

"Don't look down on people! Draw your sword and fight me!"

Karl gently exhaled a smoke ring, his momentum instantly changing. A suffocating pressure bore down on Zoro.

Zoro immediately felt difficulty breathing, and an urge to kneel and submit surged in his heart, because only then could he save his life.

Click, click-click~

Zoro's teeth chattered, trying his best to resist Karl's pressure. But soon, Karl's momentum disappeared without a trace. Zoro suddenly felt his body relax and let out a sharp gasp.

"Young man, are you sure you want to fight me? You should know very well what the consequences of a swordsman's defeat are, right?"

Huff, huff-huff~

After a burst of panting, Zoro's breathing gradually stabilized. He grinned, took off the black headband from his waist, tied it on his head, and looked at Karl with "greedy" eyes.

"Heh, the moment I decided to become a swordsman, I was already prepared."

While speaking, Zoro carried the two training swords on his back, forming a cross shape with the sword he held in his mouth.

"Three Sword Style: Tiger Hunt!"

Although it was called Tiger Hunt, Karl didn't feel the momentum of a tiger hunting at all. If he had to say there was, it was Zoro's eyes.

Honestly, Zoro's speed wasn't fast, at least in Karl's view. This meant that Karl had plenty of time to break his moves, but there was no need.

Karl was mainly thinking about which sword he should use to play with Zoro.

Raven, Shusui, and Thunder Rain were all not quite right. Using them would be pure bullying. He didn't bring a nail clipper or a fruit knife either. Wait!

Karl looked at the cigar in his hand, and a smile appeared on his face.

Armament Haki: Hardening.

The dark brown cigar instantly turned black, glowing with a metallic luster. The only drawback was that it extinguished the cigar.

Watching Zoro rushing over, Karl held the cigar and drew an arc in a casual manner.

Clack~

Three broken wooden blades flew into the sky, and Zoro, holding the broken swords, lost his balance and lunged toward the ground.

Thump, Zoro fell face-first into the dirt.

"I said, you are too weak now, so weak that I can't even get interested. Besides, even if you really want to fight me, you have to use a real sword, right?"

"Isn't it a bit too disrespectful to use a training sword?"

Zoro: Then why are you using a cigar?

Zoro, kneeling on the ground, clenched his fists unwillingly, leaving finger marks on the ground. One could imagine how hard Zoro was gripping.

Why? He had always trained himself with the highest requirements, honing himself with the goal of becoming the world's greatest swordsman, but in front of Karl, even touching him was a luxury?

At an angle Karl couldn't see, Zoro's eyes turned red, and tears streamed down his cheeks, dripping onto the ground and splashing up dust.

Kuina, can I really become the world's greatest swordsman?

In a trance, Zoro seemed to hear the answer...

Yes! He could. He couldn't give up yet. He was still young, he couldn't give up on himself. It must be that he wasn't working hard enough, his training was far from the highest requirements, his...

But... he had already failed. For a defeated swordsman, there was only one ending.