Just as the doubt began to surface in Zoro's mind, Edmond, who had been coldly observing everything beside William, suddenly made his move.
Among the many officers under William's command, Edmond was undoubtedly one of the strongest. This was due to three reasons: first, his solid foundation built from learning swordsmanship at the Isshin Dojo from a very young age; second, his natural talent; and third, his relentless determination.
Edmond's personality, though somewhat erratic, had a certain single-mindedness that resembled Zoro's in some ways. This trait made him one of the most diligent in training among his peers.
Years of accumulation, combined with sparring and exchanging techniques with William and his companions, as well as countless real battles at sea, had brought Edmond's strength to a bottleneck. But today, after William told him that they would sever ties with Koushirou and the dojo—the place where he had grown up—something deep within Edmond seemed to stir as he walked through the familiar courtyard, taking in the sights of the grass and trees he had known since childhood.
Edmond heard the voice of the world around him.
With a textbook-perfect iaido draw, Edmond unsheathed his blade. The crisp sound of steel rang out—clang!—and Zoro was sent flying through the air. The two swords in his hands were shattered into pieces, while the Wado Ichimonji was flung high into the sky.
Without even lifting his head, William extended a hand and effortlessly caught the falling Wado Ichimonji. A perceptive black-suited subordinate at the back of the group quickly picked up the discarded scabbard Zoro had thrown on the ground earlier.
"Can't even hold onto one sword properly, and you want to wield three?" William sheathed the Wado Ichimonji and sneered. "Know your limits."
His words were eerily similar to what Kuina had once said to Zoro in mockery.
"Dividing your strength only makes you weaker. Don't you understand even that much?" William slid the Wado Ichimonji into his own waist sash. "You're not qualified to make me draw my blade."
Zoro struggled to his feet, glaring at William. "Give me back my sword!"
William pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the saliva Zoro had left on the sword's hilt. "You're not worthy of such a fine blade," he said indifferently. "Besides, this was Kuina's sword. You have even less right to wield it."
Unwilling to admit defeat, Zoro stood up again, picked up the two broken blades, and charged at William once more.
This time, William finally moved. He drew the Wado Ichimonji from his waist, still in its scabbard, and struck Zoro on the right temple before Zoro could even react.
Zoro flew backward even faster than he had charged forward.
William had held back; otherwise, with his current strength, even a blow with the scabbard could have been fatal. Zoro's temple split open, blood streaming down his face. Though unconscious, he was in no danger of dying.
Turning away, William started walking off. But after taking a few steps, he suddenly felt a shift in his consciousness. Within the Plaza of Fate, something stirred—a new feat had appeared. With a thought, he summoned it into view.
Background Feat: [Swordsman's Obsession]: You have become a pivotal target in Roronoa Zoro's journey to become a master swordsman, dedicated to challenging and defeating you.
William couldn't help but glance back at Zoro, who lay unconscious by the roadside. The appearance of this feat confirmed Zoro's extraordinary potential. By now, William had pieced together some understanding of the Plaza of Fate. For a feat to appear not as a result of a major, far-reaching event but rather from influencing a single individual, it could only mean that the person in question held exceptional significance—either due to a hidden identity or an important role in the original story.
In William's hazy memories, wasn't there a young man with green hair who followed the protagonist in the original series? Could it be this boy named Zoro?
But William quickly dismissed the thought and resumed walking toward the harbor.
With Koushirou protecting him, William had no chance of recruiting Zoro.
In the original story, Zoro had trained at the dojo for nearly ten years without ever becoming entangled with the Revolutionary Army. He eventually set out to pursue his own goals. While William didn't know the specifics, he at least understood that neither he, nor Gin, Aramis, Vallon, nor even Edmond had been drawn into Koushirou's plans during their time at the dojo. Koushirou had never used his position as their teacher to drag them onto his own path.
If that was the case, Koushirou would never stand by and let William turn the dojo's students into his own soldiers. Gin, Aramis, and Vallon had joined William's crew from the start as part of his inner circle. Edmond had actively sought out William because he had always wanted to become a pirate. But Zoro was different.
Even before today, any attempt by William to recruit Zoro had been blocked by Koushirou. Now that their relationship had publicly soured, it was even less likely.
That night, William stood on the deck of his ship, staring blankly in the direction of Frost Moon Village. Unable to sleep, Edmond wandered up to the bow and, upon seeing William's silhouette, hesitated for a moment before approaching him.
Scratching his head, Edmond spoke with a complicated tone. "Don't you think what we did today was a bit... excessive?"
"It wasn't excessive," William replied calmly, his gaze still fixed on the distant village. "Dampier once told me something. After the capture of the Pirate King, it didn't matter whether someone was guilty or innocent. Anyone connected to him was hunted down by the World Government and the Marines. That shipwright in Water 7 was nothing compared to what they did elsewhere. When the World Government received intelligence that Roger might have left behind a child on a certain island, do you know what they did?"
Edmond shook his head, bewildered.
"Every baby born on that island within ten months of Roger's imprisonment, as well as every pregnant woman, was rounded up. Anyone deemed suspicious was executed," William said, his expression devoid of emotion.
Edmond's jaw dropped. He wasn't exactly a soft-hearted person—he had killed his fair share of people over the years at sea—but the sheer cruelty of the World Government and the Marines left him stunned.
"If we want to achieve what Roger did, we must be prepared to face the same punishment," William said, turning to look at Edmond. "No one can guarantee they'll never fail. If failure only costs your own life, then you can afford to be reckless. But if it costs the lives of many others, you must tread carefully."
"I have some guesses about what Koushirou has been doing all these years," William continued with a sigh. "It's probably not too different from what we're doing. And like me, he's likely kept his students out of it because of the same concerns. This time, what happened was a way for both of us to make a clean break. From now on, we owe each other nothing—at least on the surface."
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