Zoro gripped his sword tightly, the fire in his eyes burning even brighter. But just then, Gawain's teasing voice cut through the tension.
"You're still far from ready."
The next moment, a palm pressed gently against Zoro's chest.
With a light push—
Zoro, already teetering at the edge of the deck, lost his balance. He flailed, waving his two swords as he plunged into the sea.
Splash!
A column of seawater shot into the air.
"Hahahaha~"
Nami let out a clear, bell-like laugh and tossed a life buoy into the water with practiced ease.
"Bastard!"
Clutching the buoy, soaked from head to toe, Zoro glared at Gawain—still standing calmly on the deck with that ever-present smirk.
Teeth clenched, he shouted,
"Just you wait!"
"Sooner or later, I'm throwing you into the sea!"
Gawain remained unfazed.
"Well, if that's the case, I'd better enjoy myself while I still can—wouldn't want to disappoint my future self."
He paused, then added dryly:
"Not that I think you'll ever beat me."
"Have a little fun in advance?"
Zoro froze mid-paddle. A sudden sense of unease crept up his spine.
A few minutes later...
Zoro finally hauled himself back onto the ship, soaked and scowling. Determined to continue the fight, he strode toward Gawain—but his legs gave out beneath him.
He looked down.
The wound on his chest and abdomen had reopened, blood soaking through the bandages. Aggravated by the saltwater, the pain was intense.
"Don't push yourself when you're injured. Heal first."
Gawain's voice drifted from the deck.
"We're more than ten days from my base. With your physique, you'll recover in three days tops. Come at me then."
"I'll be waiting."
"Tch."
Zoro winced, but he knew Gawain was right.
"What an arrogant bastard..."
He slowly sheathed his sword—then collapsed backward in a dizzy spell.
The last thing he heard was Johnny and Yosaku's panicked shouting.
The two hurried over and examined his wound. After confirming that Zoro was simply weakened from days without food, they sighed in relief.
Yosaku looked up at Gawain with concern.
"Captain Gawain, about Zoro..."
Over the past few days, they'd come to understand that Gawain was different from most pirates.
He wasn't cruel or ruthless. In fact, his demeanor fit his moniker Knight quite well.
Their initial panic and unease had gradually faded.
Gawain waved them off.
"Take care of him. Actually, forget it—let the ship's doctor rebandage him. If that wound gets infected, it'll be trouble."
"Thank you!"
Yosaku bowed gratefully. Gawain simply nodded, allowing the two to carry Zoro into the cabin.
Kuro passed by them on the way to the deck and came to stand beside Gawain.
He glanced at Zoro's wounds, then noticed the look of subtle admiration in Gawain's eyes.
"You rate that kid that highly?"
Gawain didn't even look at him.
"Right now, he's got the highest potential on this ship—even higher than mine."
"You serious?"
"Give him proper guidance and a few years..."
"He'll be bullying you."
Kuro rolled his eyes.
He was about to retort—but caught sight of Nami lounging in her chair, sipping orange juice.
He shut his mouth instinctively.
The memories were still too fresh. A whole month of washing everyone's socks. The humiliation.
He subconsciously sniffed himself to make sure there was no lingering odor before letting out a long sigh.
Then he muttered,
"A freak like Nami only shows up in the East Blue once a decade. You think you'll find another one tomorrow?"
Gawain chuckled.
"Are you volunteering to wash socks again?"
"Screw off!"
Kuro flushed at the reminder of his dark past, shot Gawain a murderous look, and turned to head back inside.
But before stepping through the cabin door, he glanced back.
"Just wait and see."
"If you keep slacking off, I'll surpass you in no time."
Bang!
He slammed the door behind him.
Inside the training room, he stopped in his tracks.
Gin was already there, looking at him with a provocative smirk.
Hmm?
Why does that look feel... familiar? Like I've seen it in a mirror?
Kuro's heart skipped a beat.
Back on deck, Gawain watched him go and casually touched his nose.
He smiled but said nothing.
Between the battles and training sessions, both Kuro and Gin had contributed plenty of experience to him.
It would still take some time to level up—but who didn't enjoy watching that experience bar slowly rise?
"I like you young, fiery types."
And with Nami joining the crew, Gawain's navigation skills had already risen to Level 2.
Far surpassing the ship's so-called "ambitious" vice-captain.
Three days passed. Zoro's wounds healed completely.
Even from a purely physical standpoint, his recovery speed proved his remarkable potential.
And the moment he recovered, he issued a challenge.
No sneak attacks. No tricks. No poison.
A straight-up, head-on fight.
That was his way—
If he wanted victory, it had to be earned with dignity. A title gained through cheap tricks was meaningless to him.
Everyone gathered on deck to watch.
Kuro shook his head as Zoro took the stage.
"Even with rapid growth, a few days isn't enough. Doesn't he realize the gap between him and Gawain?"
"There's no way he can win in a direct clash."
Gin was silent for a moment, then said quietly,
"Maybe... he doesn't want to win this time."
Kuro froze, then turned back toward the fight, saying nothing.
Gawain stood with his blade, calm and composed.
Zoro approached, eyes blazing.
Clang!
All three of his swords left their sheaths.
He took his stance, and the aura around him had clearly grown stronger since last time.
Gawain's eyes lit up.
"Whoa. That's a serious leap."
One defeat had brought about such growth?
Then again—this was the man aiming to take the title of the world's strongest swordsman from Mihawk.
That kind of ambition wasn't backed by nothing.
Kuro stood slack-jawed at the transformation.
As the strongest on board besides Gawain, he saw it too—Zoro had changed dramatically.
"Seriously? In just a few days?"
"What is it with the freaks in the East Blue?!"
His gaze swept from Gawain, to Gin, to Nami, then back to Zoro. He frowned.
"Once is luck. Twice is coincidence. But three times..."
"You can't explain that with common sense."
A thought struck him like lightning.
"Could Gawain have some ability to judge others' talent? Like he can sense their potential at first glance?"
"How the hell does he do that?"
He paused—then laughed dryly to himself.
"Don't tell me this world is actually a manga... and Gawain's read the script."