7. Demon Beast Forest

One month had passed since Zoro was expelled from the Xiao family.

Inside an ordinary looking building, a youngster about fourteen was seated in a meditative position. He had sharp features, and a handsome face. His hair was a mixture of black and green, this only added a certain charm to him.

A sword was resting on his lap, his breathing was steady and calm like still water.

This was Zoro.

Several minutes later he opened his eyes. His entire body seemed to be filled with power, he picked up his sword and made a cut across his right and sheathed it.

Nothing seemed to have happened, but if one looked closely a fly several meters away was perfectly split from the middle.

Zoro was satisfied with the results of a months training. The difference between him one month ago and now was like day and night.

" Now I am ready."

Zoro cleaned himself and put on a robe much like the one he wore in his past life. With his Sword on his waist Zoro walked out of his house, he followed the crowd and reached a large gate.

The door were tens of meters in height and width. This was the city's entrance, Demon Beast Forest lie fifteen miles outside the city.

Zoro could make out a vague shadow of a forest in the distance, all he need to do is to go at it, as long as he follows his line of sight he won't be lost.

Zoro let out a grin and walked forward.

As he went out the guard near the entrance took out a slip and said several words into it. Zoro didn't notice this and walked towards his destination.

The path to Demon Beast Forest was a straight one, no detours. Even with the forest in sight somehow he ended up going in a different direction, but good thing was that the forest was right infront of him.

After three hour Zoro stood infront of a thick forest. Several trees reaching tens of meters in height covered the entrance, it's trunks was so wide that it would atleast take seven people to hug it.

Zoro took a deep breath and entered.

While Zoro entered the forest through god knows where, three people were looking at the Demon Forest warily.

" Are you sure he entered??? "

" I am positive. His destination was here."

" Did he perhaps knew we were following and changed his route? "

" Hmm.. not an impossibility. Let's go in, even if he entered via a different path it doesn't matter we can find him."

These three people were discussing about Zoro, their objective was to kill him.

One among them brought out a small piece of cloth. Another one was holding a small rat, several times bigger than a normal one, it's fur was golden yellow with several streaks of purple on it.

The man holding the cloth made the mouse smell it before letting it on the ground. The mouse twitched it's nose around and settled on a direction before moving.

" Huh? That way? "

" He is smart. He is obviously wary of others following him so he changed his direction."

" Doesn't matter, he can't escape our tracking mouse."

The tracking mouse they were talking about was special. It's ability of smell was several times keener than any feline creature.

Now that it got a scent of Zoro, it made a beeline towards him.

Zoro had no idea he was being tracked. He walked silently inside the forest, his body was moving tens of meters with each step.

It didn't take much time before he came across a demon beast.

What was infront of him was a Mad eyed Bull. This Demonic Beast was crazy and it would attack any who come near it, it's fur was very thick as well.

Zoro scanned it's surrounding to determine the presence of no other Beasts before stepping out.

The bull seemed to have noticed an intruder in its place. It's eyes were bloodshot as if it was raging and rushed at Zoro.

The Bull was a class one demonic beast. Zoro took out his Sword and assumed a stance. Just as the bull was about to plunge it's horn into his chest Zoro moved.

His body slid past the Bull.

The beast obviously didn't expect the human to suddenly dodge it at such close distance. It stopped and looked at Zoro with Madness.

A streak of blood poured down from its chest, it was injured.

The moment Zoro slipped by, he made an attack as well but he underestimated the bull's defence. He was only able to make a shallow would.

The bull attacked madly, Zoro dodged it again and again. He was finding out where his power stood in this world. He could easily kill this bull but it would take almost all of his Haki if he were to defeat a class two Beast.

Zoro got a clear understanding of his strength, just as the bull made an attack he slipped by its neck and sheathed his sword.

Thud!!

The bull's body went forward due to its momentum and fell down. A deep clear cut was now on its neck, blood poured out endlessly.

Zoro went towards it and cut open its head. He dug out a red crystal the size of a nail, he looked at the crystal before putting it away.

The red crystal was the core of a demonic beast. Every demonic Beast has one, it contains pure energy which Warriors use to train thus they are well sought out.

The higher the class of a beast the higher quality crystal it can produce. This bull was a fire type beast thus it produced a fire crystal, though it's a class one crystal it would still fetch about fifty to hundred silver.

Zoro cut out a big part of the bull, set up a fire and started to feast. He had walked for nearly twenty miles before coming across this beast so he was very hungry.

The fire roasted the large red meat, oil dripped down from it. Zoro waited eagerly before munching down on it.

As a mouthful of meat reached his stomach a warm sensation spread out through his body.

Zoro was shocked by this

" What the....