Even though the situation for the Straw Hat Pirates was serious, their lives weren't in any immediate danger.
Zoro, for his part, was in his three-sword style, constantly unleashing one attack after another. However, Vice Admiral Onigumo was a swordsman with extremely high skill, and he easily blocked all of Zoro's moves.
"Huh! Just as I expected from a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral! I thought Onigumo was already strong, but I didn't think you'd be so tough!" Zoro panted, clearly feeling the strain.
Onigumo didn't reply, silently watching Zoro's every move, trying to find a weakness. Fortunately, Zoro's swordsmanship was very mature, and his Armament and Observation Haki were also well-trained. He wasn't at a disadvantage against Onigumo, which made the Vice Admiral feel frustrated.
He had originally heard Onigumo speak highly of Roronoa Zoro and Blackfoot Sanji, saying they would become the mainstays of the Straw Hat Pirates. At the time, Onigumo had thought it was an exaggeration, but now he saw that the evaluation was spot-on.
What's more, not much time had passed since they were in Logue Town, yet Roronoa Zoro had already grown powerful enough to challenge a Headquarters Vice Admiral. This level of growth was unbelievable. After all, back in Logue Town, he had been soundly defeated by Onigumo twice.
"Roronoa Zoro," Onigumo couldn't help but ask, "you have such a talent for swordsmanship, so why did you choose to become a pirate?"
"Haha, it's all thanks to the Marines," Zoro laughed. "I didn't plan on becoming a pirate in the first place! But you know what? There's nothing wrong with it now. Being a pirate lets me get stronger faster, and a Marine wanted poster will make me famous!"
Hearing that, Onigumo's expression turned incredibly grim. According to Zoro, he had become a pirate because of the Marines, and now he was enjoying it, essentially spitting in the face of the organization. Onigumo wondered which idiot was responsible for this. If I had known, I would've killed that bastard! he thought.
Hiding in a corner with Koby, Helmeppo couldn't help but sneeze, thinking he was catching a cold. Koby, meanwhile, had been watching Luffy's fight against Kizaru the entire time. He never expected Luffy to have become this strong. The newspaper reports weren't lying. "Luffy-san, you're so amazing! When will I ever reach that level?" Koby wondered.
The battle raged on, with Zoro constantly switching between one-sword, two-sword, and three-sword styles to attack Onigumo. The longer the fight went on, the more terrified Onigumo became.
He noticed that Zoro's swordsmanship was still improving, not only fixing any existing gaps but also creating new moves. In addition, Zoro's stamina seemed endless, and his strength was truly shocking.
If this keeps up, I won't be able to hold on, Onigumo thought to himself, suddenly accelerating his attack speed.
Zoro noticed Onigumo's desperation. He stomped his feet down, and a ghostly aura began to swirl around him. His entire body transformed into a three-headed, six-armed figure, and his three swords seemed to turn black from Haki.
"Onigiri: Asura: Nine Swords Style!" Zoro roared, as the ghostly mist permeated the air, clouding Onigumo's senses.
A flash of silver light cut through the mist, and Zoro's three swords slashed across Onigumo's chest. Onigumo's chest bled as he fell to the ground, defeated. "He... he grew stronger again!" Onigumo muttered in a daze before completely passing out.
Zoro panted heavily, his face pale and his body exhausted. Wounds he had suffered during the fight against Onigumo were still bleeding. If he hadn't been so young and strong, he would've collapsed long ago.
The defeat of a Vice Admiral sparked panic among the Marines. The surrounding sailors stared at Zoro in disbelief.
"How... how is that possible?! He beat Vice Admiral Onigumo!"
"This can't be true! Vice Admiral Onigumo is so strong, and the Pirate Hunter is so young. How could he do it?"
"But... Vice Admiral Onigumo really fell!"
The Marines' morale was instantly shattered. Onigumo was famous at Headquarters, and every sailor knew he was powerful enough to be a candidate for a future Admiral. Yet, he had been defeated by a pirate from the Straw Hat crew.
"Oh, he's reached this level? Roronoa Zoro, I'm waiting for you to come to me!" Mihawk looked pleased.
"...Is that the swordsman on Ace's little brother's ship? He's really strong!" Vista said, his eyes full of fighting spirit.
Onigumo's face was the most conflicted of all. Zoro had awakened his Armament Haki thanks to him, and he had judged then that Roronoa Zoro's talent was immense and that he would eventually become an enemy of the Marines. That prediction had now come true. He never expected Zoro would be able to defeat a Headquarters Vice Admiral.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku's face darkened, but he quickly grabbed a Den Den Mushi. "What are you afraid of?! We are the righteous Marines, and we will never lose to filthy pirates! The Straw Hat Pirates are a genuine Yonko-level crew. It's not surprising that Vice Admiral Onigumo was defeated. However, justice cannot lose, so do not bring shame to it!"
As Sengoku's words echoed, the Marines' morale began to rise again.
Whitebeard glanced at Sengoku with a smile. "That old guy Sengoku is still so good at inspiring people's hearts!"
However, the Straw Hat Pirates' strength was now undeniable. Whitebeard had originally thought that only Luffy and the others were strong, but it seemed the rest of the crew were just as capable. As Sengoku had said, the Straw Hat Pirates were without a doubt at a Yonko's level.
"Honestly, why are you so anxious at such a young age?" Whitebeard said to himself, though a smile was on his face as he looked at the straw hat on Luffy's back. He remembered what Shanks had said. I bet this arm on the new era.
"Is this the one you chose, Red-Haired? He's really good. I really want to see how far he can go!"
But Whitebeard's expression soon became somber again. He had already set his destiny, and all he could feel was regret. This sea would ultimately be dominated by the younger generation, and it was time for the old generation to step down.
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