In the simple wooden hut, a man and a woman sat close together.
The man smiled brightly, his eyes full of tenderness and love.
The woman, however, appeared wooden in expression, like a puppet.
"Kuina! What's wrong? You don't seem very happy. Are you still upset with the old master? Ah, don't blame him. The old man has it hard too - at his age, still teaching swordsmanship at the dojo."
Zoro stroked Kuina's black hair as he continued speaking with a smile.
"Hey, how about I tell you about my experiences since I set out to sea? It's really interesting - lots of different adventures and powerful enemies. I know you're interested in master swordsmen. Let me tell you, I've encountered quite a few on the sea. Like the world's greatest swordsman Hawkeye - he became my teacher, haha, you didn't expect that, did you? And Ryuma, and Oden..."
As Zoro spoke excitedly, the wooden expression on the woman's face before him slowly became more animated, as if being infused with a soul.
The woman's empty eyes gradually gained a trace of emotion.
Suddenly, her long eyelashes fluttered.
Then she slowly turned her head to look at Zoro.
The corners of her mouth slowly lifted, as if trying to form a smile.
Though the smile appeared somewhat stiff and unnatural.
From the distant sea came unusual sounds of waves, as if ships were approaching late at night.
Zoro, who had been telling stories to the woman, stiffened.
Soon, an angry expression appeared on his face.
"Just some reckless little thieves. I'll deal with them. Wait here for me."
As Zoro spoke, he stood up and walked out of the wooden hut.
As he left, the woman followed him out, like a puppet controlled by his strings.
Zoro turned back with a smile: "Why did you come out too? Huh? You want to fight? Haha, alright then, I wouldn't dare compete with you."
On the beach, a medium-sized pirate ship slowly approached the shore.
Over a hundred pirates armed with blades carefully jumped off the ship, holding their breath as they quickly advanced toward them.
Zoro smiled as he extended his right hand to the woman beside him.
"Kuina, my wife, my sword - let's reach the position of world's strongest swordsman together!"
The woman placed her hand on Zoro's.
Under the moonlight, the woman's body collapsed, transforming into an ink-black shadow that merged into Zoro's body.
The next moment, Zoro's body began to emit boiling azure flames, swirling and dancing as they rose from him.
A tall feminine silhouette emerged from his shadow, standing behind Zoro and spreading her arms to envelop him in an embrace.
"Through the cycles of life and death, all things revolve; even the Asura holds compassion."
"Through twelve years of time, I awaken to boundless divine light."
"The Netherworld holds no appeal for me; my heart belongs to the mortal realm."
Zoro spread the fingers of his right hand, and a slender long sword materialized from nothingness—it was Wado Ichimonji.
He raised Wado Ichimonji vertically before his eyes.
Behind him, the towering female phantom embracing him also manifested a massive Wado Ichimonji in her hand.
Mimicking Zoro's movements, the phantom simultaneously lifted her great sword.
"Ashura-Ichibugin!"
Zoro executed a sweeping downward slash.
There were no visible sword energies crisscrossing the air, no deafening roars.
The hundred-plus pirates sprinting across the beach suddenly froze mid-stride.
Some leaned forward, one foot already suspended in mid-air, yet they remained petrified in that position.
As if time had stopped, their tilted bodies maintained postures that should have been impossible without falling, eerily immobilized on the sand.
Whoosh.
A coastal breeze swept through.
Starting from the far right, pirates touched by the sea breeze began dissolving one by one, turning into specks of black ash.
Along with the long swords they held, they vanished without a sound.
As the wind swept across, all hundred pirates dissipated into black ash without uttering a single cry, erased from existence on the beach.
Far out at sea, the medium-sized pirate ship capable of carrying over a hundred people also gradually crumbled in the sea breeze, silently disintegrating and merging with the ocean.
Zoro's figure vanished instantly, reappearing moments later at the shoreline.
He gazed toward the dark horizon, his eyes burning with cyan flames, resembling a Netherworld monarch from the deepest hell.
"The scent of blood... my heart stirs. Is this... someone connected to me facing danger?"
Zoro turned to the giant female phantom behind him and grinned.
"Kuina, I need to set sail. It seems someone's targeting my crew. What? I'm not directionally challenged! Hehehe, alright, you'll guide me, won't you?... With your assurance, I'm at ease."
Zoro turned back and took a decisive step onto the sea's surface.
Swish!
A cyan sword flash erupted beneath his feet as Zoro's figure instantly disappeared from the beach.
After Zoro's departure, a figure materialized where he had stood moments before.
The newcomer adjusted his glasses, his gaze profound as he observed the black ash scattering in the wind across the beach.
"Zoro... seeking enlightenment through emotion was utterly sincere and true. Your body in purgatory, your soul in light. Your sword path has transcended my understanding. Zoro, could you truly bring Kuina back from the underworld to the human world? Perhaps, in the way of the sword, you shall surpass all and tread an uncharted path!"
...
Over Cocoyasi Village, oppressive storm clouds swirled, lightning flickering through them with terrifying brilliance.
"Bastards! Release Genzo!"
Nami stood clad in orange-patterned pajamas, brandishing her Clima tact as she shouted at the dense crowd of pirates.
"That's right! Let Genzo go—he's a good man!"
Beside Nami, a blond giant clenched his sandbag-sized fists, eyes blazing with fury.
"Who are these people, and how dare they cause trouble in Cocoyashi Village? Don't they know this is your hometown, Nami?"
Nojiko's face was full of confusion.
Ever since the Straw Hat Pirates became famous worldwide, no foolish pirates had dared to cause trouble in the hometowns of their crew members.
Who would risk their lives to offend such a powerful supernova pirate crew?
Yet this group before them, numbering at least several thousand, had swarmed into Cocoyashi Village under cover of darkness.
Before Nami and the others could react, they had already taken control of the villagers.
Fortunately, Chopper's keen sense of smell detected the strangers' scent before they could approach the tangerine grove.
This allowed Nami and Nojiko, who had been sleeping, to avoid being successfully ambushed by the intruders.
"Hahahaha! The little thief cat Nami, truly terrifying. I never expected that even a weak woman like you would possess such fearsome abilities after just two short years."
Krieg parted the crowd, leaning on his large war spear as he walked up to Nami, then tossed a round object toward her.
"However, I don't think you want anything to happen to the villagers of this village, do you?"