After a few days sailing, I finally arrived here in Shimotsuki village, but it's already nighttime. It took longer than expected to arrive, almost a week, but I managed to get a few points. Swimming during the day and sailing through the night is extremely mentally demanding. The solution for that, of course, is you use points to remove that mental anguish, but every time I use points to do that, the amount of points necessary to do so increases.
Since it's nighttime, let me sleep on the shore of the island and not bother the people who are most assuredly sleeping. I can always meet Zoro tomorrow. Besides, I need the rest. I must admit I'm a little bit excited. I finally got to meet my future right-hand man, Zoro. He was also my favorite character from the Straw Hat crew because when the going got tough, he was the voice of reason for Luffy.
I woke up early today and got dressed. I'm getting ready to go to the Isshin dojo to find Zoro.
"Hello, is anyone there? I'm here to challenge this dojo."
"Laughter, a dojo challenger, huh? It's been a few years since this dojo has been challenged."
"Send out this dojo's representative, old man. I'm here to fight."
"Before I do that, state your terms, young man".
"My terms are straightforward. If you win, I'll give you all the money I possess, but if you lose, a member of my choosing will have to leave this dojo and join my pirate crew."
"You are a pirate, huh? This is the first time a pirate has come to challenge this dojo. What is your name?"
"My name is Portgas D. Ace."
"Portgas D. Ace, huh? I never heard of you. Did you just become a pirate?"
"Yeah, that's right, just about a week ago, and I'm now looking for potential crew members, and I saw a dojo."
"So in other words, if you win against our best, you take him out to sea, huh?"
"That's right, I figured that my Vice Captain should be a swordsman, and it seems luck is on my side because the first island I visit has a dojo."
"Very well, it's a little strange, but accept your terms. Hey Zoro, come on out, you've got a challenger."
Zoro walks out of the dojo. His face looks like he's been sleeping, and he looks at me and asks,
"Huh, and who the hell are you ?"
"My name is Portgas D. Ace and I'm a pirate."
"You're a pirate, huh? Are you trying to rob this dojo?"
"No, in fact, I'm here to challenge this dojo."
"Huh, challenge this dojo? Why would a pirate want to challenge a dojo?"
"Zoro, he's challenging you. If he wins, he wants you to join his crew. He said he wants to recruit the strongest members here."
"What happens if I win this challenge?"
"If you win this challenge, I'll give you all the money I saved up to take to the sea."
"All the money you have, huh, and how do I know you even have any money? You're a pirate after all".
"So you want proof, huh? "That's right, before we do anything, I have to see proof."
"Very well, I'll show you." I took my bag full of valuables and took a stack of berries out, showed them to him, and asked him
'Satisfied?'
"Where did you get all that amount?"
"I'm a pirate, what do you think?"
"Well, it doesn't matter. I'll be defeating you and taking it for myself".
'That's the spirit, that's how a pirate should think. '
"I told you I'm not a pirate".
"Correction, my good friend, you're not a pirate yet."