Defeat

"ONI GIRI!!!!" Zoro shouted and charged towards Mihawk. But suddenly, Mihawk broke through his attack and stabbed Zoro's chest with his small dagger.

Zoro didn't dare to move as blood was dripping down his mouth. The blood from the wound was staining her clothes.

"Do you want this knife to go through your heart? Why aren't you stepping back? " Mihawk asked her.

" I don't know. However, if I take a step back, I'd feel that I had broken a promise, and I will not be able to stand here again." Zoro answered confidently.

" Right, and that's called losing." Mihawk replied bluntly.

"Ha Ha.... That's why I can't step back. " Zoro said.

" Even if it means you'll lose your life? " Mihawk asked. Zoro narrowed hus eyes at him.

" If I had to lose, I'd rather die!!" Zoro declared. Mihawk widened his eyes a little.

'What a strong will. She chooses to die rather than live with regret. ' Mihawk thought. He pulled out the dagger from Zoro's wound. Zoro coughed out blood and stepped back.

"Tell me your name, kid."

"Roronoa Zoro!" Zoro replied and held two of his swords at an angle against each other. Mihawk nodded and sheathed his dagger back into him cross-shaped necklace.

Mihawk took out Yoru.

"I'll remember that, I haven't met someone with such a strong will like you in such a long time." Mihawk gripped his blade tightly and held it up.

" And to repay that, I will use Yoru, the strongest sword in this world to end your life." Mihawk declared.

'This is my final move, if I miss it, it'll cost me my life! I'll have to choose to become the strongest swordsman or death!' Zoro started rotating his katanas in hand and rapidly rotated them while running towards Mihawk to create momentum.

Mihawk charged towards her too.

"Die!" He whispered.

"SANTORYU OGI: SANZEN SEKAI!!!!"

*SHIIINNG!!!!!*

Zoro was now behind Mihawk. The two katanas in her hands were shattered. Only Wado Ichimonji remained intact.

She sheathed Wado Ichimonji and stood up, facing Mihawk. He stretched out his arms, leaving him an open target.

"What are you doing?" Mihawk asked Zoro who just grinned back at him.

" It's shameful for a swordsman to be hit from behind." Zoro expansion. Mihawk grinned, a rare occurrence.

" Splendid!!" He muttered and slashed downwards diagonally. Zoro now had a large wound stretching from his left shoulder to his right hip.

"ANIKI!!!!" Johnny and Yosaku shouted in horror. Luffy growled while glaring at Mihawk. Zoro had his blood splashing everywhere.

'Don't give up on your life so soon, kid!!' Mihawk thought while Zoro dropped Wado Ichimonji and fell back. Luffy used Soru and reappeared to catch Zoro before he could fall into the water.

He laid Zoro down while having a dark shadow covering his eyes. First Nami betrayed him, now Zoro decided to be an idiot and fight Mihawk, the strongest swordsman in the world.

His happy go lucky personality isn't present anymore. He stood up and looked at Mihawk who looked at him curiously.

Mihawk suddenly widened his eyes as he stared at Luffy's cutlass. 'That cutlass... it's Roger's cutlass!!!' Mihawk thought and looked at Luffy.

'How does he have it? I thought Fire Fist Ace would be the one who should own it, being his daughter and all. ' Mihawk thought.

Behind Luffy, Johnny and Yosaku were carrying Zoro and brought him to their own boat. Kaya and Usopp were already there.

When Zoro was laid beside Kaya, she started treating him. Mihawk decided to say something to her.

"I am Dracule Mihawk. It is too soon for you to die. You have to learn more about the world and discover your true self. You have to become stronger, Roronoa Zoro." Mihawk crossed his arms.

" No matter how long it will take, I will always be the world's greatest swordsman in the world and will be waiting for you!! You have to practice both your skill and heart to become stronger! Dare to challenge me again, Roronoa Zoro! " Mihawk declared. He then looked at Luffy.

"Kid, what's your goal?" Mihawk asked him.

"To become the Pirate King." Luffy replied. Mihawk smiled a little.

" What a stupid dream. It means you have to become stronger than me, you know?"

"I don't care, I will become one and you will see that. " Luffy replied seriously.

" Do you even know what your sword is? " Mihawk suddenly asked.

" It's just a cutlass, ya got a problem with it? " Luffy asked him. Mihawk walked past him.

" It's Roger's cutlass, it's called Ace. It's also one of the 12 Supreme Grade Meito. If you have it, then it must mean something. " Mihawk whispered, shocking Luffy who looked at his cutlass.

'I have the Pirate King's weapon?! Holy shit!!' Luffy thought and looked up to see Zoro raising Wado Ichimonji in the air.

"Lu...Luffy.... Can you hear me?" Zoro asked weakly. Mihawk looked back, interested in what he had to say.

"Yes." Luffy replied.

"I am sorry for making you worry about me. If I can't become the strongest swordswoman you will be worried about me right? Ugh!!" Zoro violently coughed out some blood.

"Aniki!!"

"Don't say anything now aniki!!!"

" From now on.... I won't lose to anyone ever again!!" Zoro declared while having tears falling down his eyes.

" Until I can defeat that man and become the strongest swordsman!! I won't lose again!! Forever!! Do you have any problems, Pirate King?!" Zoro asked Luffy who grinned at her.

" Shishishishishi!!! Nope! Not at all, Zoro!!" Luffy replied happily. Mihawk nodded and started walking away.

"Oi! Mihawk!"

Mihawk turned around and was socked in the face by Luffy.

*BANG!!!*

He stumbled back and touched his face. He looked at Luffy who was narrowing his eyes at him.

"That's for almost killing my vice captain." Luffy explained. Mihawk chuckled.

" You are a very good team. I hope that I will see you again. " Mihawk nodded and walked back onto his ship. He took one last look at Luffy.

"Oh, and finish them off for me. I'm going to go back to sleep." Mihawk requested, but Krieg had something to say about that.

He now wears golden armor, which is fur-lined like the rest of his attire. Consisting of a full-torso carapace, massive shoulder-plates (each emblazoned with his Jolly Roger), and arm-guards.

It is Krieg's main offense and defense against his foes. It is loaded with a variety of weapons. Under those, he has a brown shirt, and his hands are covered by a pair of fur-lined gloves.

Krieg revealed a set of ten gun-barrels—two beneath each shoulder-plate, and three beneath each of the carapace's waist-flaps.

"Before you go back, die!!" Krieg shouted.

He aimed them at Mihawk and through unknown mechanisms, he fired all of these in a single motion.

*BAAANG!!!!*

"Fool, haven't you learned your lesson? Goodbye." Mihawk took out Yoru and sent out a final blow at the ship, fully destroying it.

In all that chaos, he disappeared with no trace left behind.

Mihawk's attack created another giant whirlpool. Luffy looked at his crew who were on Johnny's and Yosaku's boat.

"Usopp!! Why don't all of you go now!" Luffy shouted. Usopp nodded and threw Luffy's straw hat, which he has somehow dropped back to him.

"Roger!! We'll bring back Nami for sure! You have to make that chef join us! After we get her back, we'll go to the Grand Line!" Usopp shouted. Luffy caught the hat and smirked.

"Okay!! Let's do it!!"

To be continued.....