A door creaked open and Zoro stepped inside.
"What is this place," Zoro said.
The room was quiet. Flowers grew everywhere, green vines crawling along the stone walls.
Zoro rested one of his swords on his shoulder.
"Tch… this place stinks," he said.
Kaku stood at the center of the garden, hands behind his back, smiling like he was greeting an old friend.
"You're late, swordsman. I've been waiting," Kaku said, smiling.
"So you're my opponent," Zoro replied.
"Correct. This room is perfect for a duel. Open space… fresh air… a nice place to bury you," Kaku said.
Zoro stepped forward. Leaves crunched under his boots.
"I don't plan to die today," Zoro said.
"We'll see," Kaku replied.
Wind blew across the garden, making the flowers sway.
Zoro slowly unsheathed Wado Ichimonji.
Suddenly—Kaku vanished.
SWOOSH!
Zoro's eye widened.
"Shave," Kaku said.
He reappeared behind Zoro, leg raised like a blade.
"Tempest Kick!" Kaku said.
A sharp wind slash ripped toward Zoro, cutting the flowers clean in half. Petals blew into the air like red snow.
Zoro blocked with two swords, sliding back across the ground.
"Tch… fast," Zoro said.
Kaku landed light on his feet.
"I haven't even warmed up," Kaku said.
Zoro ran at Kaku, swinging his swords fast.
CLANG!
Kaku blocked with his leg.
Zoro slashed again.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Kaku kicked. Zoro blocked. Sparks flew everywhere. Each impact shook the garden. Flowers ripped from the ground. Vines tore apart.
"You're strong. But not strong enough," Kaku said.
He spins into the air.
"Tempest-Whip!" Kaku said.
His leg swept out like a blade, unleashing a long curved slash.
Zoro dodged the attack barely but the slash cut through a row of stone pillars behind him, slicing them.
"Not bad. But I'm not done," Zoro said.
Zoro darted in, blades swinging.
One strike grazed Kaku's cheek.
A thin line of blood dripped down.
Kaku wiped it with two fingers… and smiled.
"Good. Make me feel alive," Kaku said.
He kicked the ground, shooting forward like a bullet.
BAM!
His knee slammed into Zoro's gut.
Zoro coughed blood, crashing into a flower bed and rolling through dirt and petals.
Kaku walked toward him slowly.
"Does it hurt? Don't worry… this garden drinks blood well," Kaku said.
Zoro stood up, wiping blood from his mouth, breathing heavy.
"You talk too much," Zoro replied.
Kaku jumped high into the air, spinning.
Dozens of wind slashes rained down like falling blades.
"Tempest Barrage!" Kaku said.
The ground exploded. Flowers shredded. Dust shot up. Stone statues cracked and fell. The whole garden shook under the attack.
When the dust settled, Kaku landed.
Silence.
Then—
A shape moved.
Zoro walked out of the smoke, covered in dirt and blood, clothes torn.
"You finished?" Zoro said.
Kaku's smile widened with real excitement.
"…Now the real duel begins," Kaku replied.
Zoro lowered his stance.
"Three sword style."
His aura grew heavy and dark.
Kaku's eyes glinted.
"You're holding back," he said.
"I don't hold back," Zoro replied, tightening his grip on his swords.
Kaku moved like a shadow, vanishing and reappearing behind Zoro.
"Tempest Kick!"
Zoro twisted, barely avoiding the sharp wind that shredded the ground near his feet.
Zoro lunged forward.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
"You fight well… but can you keep up?" Kaku said, stepping back.
Zoro gritted his teeth. "I've fought worse."
"Tempest-Whip!" Kaku shouts.
The wind cut through the air like a blade.
Zoro blocked then attack.
Zoro swings left, then right.
Kaku blocked with a leg, then another.
Zoro's eyes narrowed. "I need to end this."
Kaku's smile grew wider. "Then show me."
The two clashed in a flurry of blades and kicks. The sound of metal clashing against metal filled the room.
Zoro leapt high, spinning his swords deadly.
Kaku's legs kicked out, meeting each strike, the force of their battle creating gusts of wind that ripped through the garden.
"You're strong… stronger than I expected," Kaku said, breathing heavier.
"Same goes for you," Zoro replied, blood trickling down his jaw.
Kaku's eyes darkened. He vanished again, landing behind Zoro.
"Tempest Kick!"
The strike knocked Zoro to the ground. He rolled and jump back up, ignoring the pain in his ribs.
"I won't lose," Zoro said.
Kaku's smile faded slightly. "Good… let's see how far you can go."
He charged, faster than before, wind slashing in all directions.
"Three Sword Style—Ashura!"
The aura around him flared. Shadows stretched from his swords, creating the terrifying image of nine ghostly blades spinning around him.
Kaku staggered, his grin now gone. "What… what is this?"
"This is the end… for you." Zoro replied.
With a roar, Zoro launched forward, nine swords swinging deadly.
Kaku tried to block, but the sheer force of the attack shattered his stance.
Kaku crashed to the ground, bleeding and panting.
Zoro stood above him, breathing hard, blades still glowing with energy.
The room was silent except for the soft moan of wind and the faint crackle of debris.
Zoro sheathed his swords slowly, eyes scanning the ruined garden.
Kaku's chest rose and fell, blood soaking his clothes. He struggled to stand.
"You… didn't hold back," Kaku said, voice weak.
"I never do," Zoro replied.
The garden lay in ruins. The flowers were gone, stone pillars shattered, and vines torn apart. Blood stained the ground like dark paint.
As Zoro turned to walk away, Kaku began to laugh, low and menacing.
"Did you really think you defeated me?" Kaku said, his voice echoing through the ruined garden.
Zoro froze, gripping his swords tighter.
Suddenly, Kaku's body twisted and shifted. His limbs stretched unnaturally, his muscles bulging. Shadows coiled around him like living snakes.
His eyes glowed with a dark light.
"I told you… the real duel begins now," Kaku said, his voice deeper, almost monstrous.
The garden trembled beneath his transformation.
Zoro's eyes narrowed. "So you're going to play dirty, huh?" he said, raising all three swords.
Kaku's new form towered over him.
"This ends here," Zoro said.