"As expected of Brother Zoro! He easily defeated David, that notorious pirate with a bounty of 3 million berries!" exclaimed one of the young swordsmen.
"That's right! If it weren't for Brother Zoro, Joseph and I would have been defeated by David in an instant," the other added enthusiastically.
The two young men, clutching their swords, rushed toward the three-sword style swordsman Zoro, their faces bright with admiration.
"Heh, a pirate with a mere 3 million berry bounty is nothing special," Zoro remarked casually, sliding his three katanas back into their respective sheaths. He turned to face his companions. "Johnny, Yosaku, help me take David to the Marines to collect the bounty. We'll enjoy some good sake afterward."
The bounty hunter duo nodded eagerly at Zoro's suggestion. Despite being bounty hunters themselves, they could only capture low-level pirates on their own. Since teaming up with Zoro, they'd managed to claim more substantial bounties, naturally fostering deep respect for the swordsman.
As they moved to lift David's unconscious body, an unfamiliar voice reached their ears.
"Roronoa Zoro... I didn't expect to encounter you here."
The words carried a chilling sword intent that cut through the air.
"Who are you?" Zoro raised an eyebrow, turning toward the sound.
Not far away stood a man approximately 1.9 meters tall with a powerful build, handsome features, black hair, and piercing dark eyes, approaching at a leisurely pace.
Zoro's gaze shifted downward, his keen senses immediately locking onto the long sword hanging at the man's waist. As a swordsman, his sharp instincts told him that the stranger's blade was no ordinary weapon.
"I'm Ikki Kurogane. As you can see, I'm a swordsman as well." Ikki smiled, resting his left hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Hey, who do you think you are? Don't you know our Brother Zoro is a renowned pirate hunter?" Johnny stepped forward indignantly.
"That's right! If you're looking for trouble, you've chosen the wrong opponent," Yosaku added, equally displeased.
The two positioned themselves protectively, assuming Ikki intended to steal the bounty from the pirate Zoro had just defeated. Little did they know that although Ikki worked as a pirate hunter himself, he had no interest in their trophy. His target was Zoro—or more specifically, the famous sword Wado Ichimonji in Zoro's possession.
Ikki cast a dismissive glance at the duo. As a time traveler who had awakened the "All Great Swordsman" system, he had targeted Zoro from the beginning.
'I'm incredibly fortunate,' Ikki thought to himself. 'Just one month after arriving in this world of pirates, I've finally encountered Zoro in this East Blue town. He's still traveling with Johnny and Yosaku, which means it's still some time before he meets Luffy.'
While these thoughts crossed his mind, Ikki drew the zanpakutō named "Zangetsu" from his waist—a blade he'd obtained from the system's novice gift pack upon arriving in this world.
Even without undergoing Shikai release, the quality of this Zangetsu already matched the level of a supreme grade sword in the pirate world. Unlike the unreleased Zangetsu wielded by Kurosaki Ichigo in the original Shinigami work, the Zangetsu in Ikki's hand wasn't enormous in its sealed state. Instead, it was similar in size to Zoro's Wado Ichimonji.
"You have quite the reputation, pirate hunter Zoro," Ikki said with a smile. "Why not stake your Wado Ichimonji, one of the 21 Great Grade Swords, in a duel between swordsmen?"
Upon hearing this, Zoro immediately frowned. Wado Ichimonji had been his childhood friend's sword. At the suggestion that Ikki wanted to take it away, his expression turned fierce.
Before Zoro could respond, Yosaku stepped forward. "Since you know Brother Zoro's reputation as a pirate hunter and still dare to challenge him, you must have a death wish! Brother, just watch from the sidelines. I'll teach this guy a lesson."
Disgruntled, Yosaku drew the long sword from his waist, determined to put Ikki in his place. As he approached, however, a cold flash of light streaked before him.
Swish!
"Huh?!"
Yosaku blinked, instinctively recoiling from the cold light that had just flashed. The next moment brought a shocking revelation—the sword in his hand had been cleanly cut in half. The severed portion was still flying through the air before clattering to the ground.
"What... what just happened?!" exclaimed Yosaku, bewildered.
Johnny, watching from the side, widened his eyes in disbelief.
"A steel-cutting swordsman!" Zoro remarked with surprise. "So you can cut through steel!"
"Well then, am I qualified to challenge you, the Three-Sword Style master?" Ikki casually waved Zangetsu, regarding Zoro with a cool gaze.
"Interesting. If I defeat you, perhaps I too can become a swordsman who cuts steel." Zoro grinned.
He untied the bandana from his arm and wrapped it around his head. Then, drawing all three of his swords, he pointed them toward Ikki.
"As you wish—let's have a duel between swordsmen. However, taking my Wado Ichimonji won't be easy. This sword means everything to me!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Zoro rushed toward Ikki, his blades gleaming with deadly intent.