One Piece: The user of the Nen-Nen Fruit, who overturned the sea.

The Flower Capital, the "Mumei-ryu" swordsmanship dojo.

This is an old-established dojo. The storefront is not large, but the signboard at the entrance is carved from a single piece of ebony wood. The lettering is somewhat blurred, indicating that it has been around for many years.

The dojo itself is quite spacious.

Both walls were lined with knife racks displaying all kinds of knives—katana, tachi, wakizashi, and even a few less common styles.

The floor was made of light-colored cypress wood, worn smooth and shiny by the footsteps of the disciples.

More than twenty disciples were lined up in two rows, practicing basic chopping under their master's guidance.

Their movements were perfectly synchronized, each swing of the knife accompanied by a powerful shout.

The owner of the museum is an elderly man with white hair.

His back was already a little hunched, and the wrinkles on his face were as deep as if they had been carved by a knife, but his hands holding the knife were still as steady as a mountain.

At this moment, he was kneeling on the cushion in front of the dojo, with his eyes closed, seemingly meditating, or perhaps listening to the sound of the wind generated by the disciples swinging their swords.

The door was pushed open.

A young man wearing a tattered coat and carrying three knives at his waist walked in.

The disciples paused for a moment, turning to look at the uninvited guest.

Zoro stood at the entrance, his gaze sweeping over the furnishings of the dojo before finally settling on the white-haired old man directly in front of him.

His expression was calm, but there was a composure in that calmness that belonged only to the strong.

"I'm here to challenge them."

Zoro's arrogant words initially stunned the disciples in the arena, but then they erupted in chaos.

"Challenge them?"

"Who is this guy?!"

"Three knives? Pretending to be something they're not!"

The curator opened his eyes.

Those cloudy old eyes looked at Zoro, lingered for a moment on the three swords at Zoro's waist, and then slowly stood up.

"Three-sword style?"

"Yes."

"I have practiced swordsmanship for fifty years and have seen countless swordsmen, but this is the first time I have seen one who uses three swords."

The curator took an antique katana from the sword rack.

The paint on the scabbard was peeling and faded, but the moment he drew the sword, the cold glint of it silenced everyone present.

"I won't ask your name. Since you're going to challenge me, let's settle things with our swords."

Zoro's lips curled up slightly as he placed his hands on the hilt of his sword.

"One-sword style or three-sword style?"

The curator smiled:

"Don't be shy."

"Since you're a three-sword style swordsman, use your best technique."

"Then—"

Zoro drew three swords, biting Wado Ichimonji in his mouth and holding the other two in his hands.

He crouched slightly, his whole body resembling a fully drawn bow.

"Three-Sword Style: Demon Slash".

His figure disappeared from the spot.

The next second, the cold light of the three swords being drawn simultaneously exploded in the center of the dojo.

The museum owner raised his knife to parry.

The moment the blades clashed, the old master felt his hand holding the sword go numb from the force. A shallow nick appeared on his katana, while Zoro's sword had already been sheathed.

One round.

In just one round, the gym leader knew he was no match for this young man.

It's not that their skills are inferior, but rather that there's a pure difference in their level of understanding.

There was something in this young man's knife that he had never been able to cultivate in his sixty years of life—a murderous aura.

It seemed that nothing was unbreakable in the face of this young man.

"The younger generation is truly formidable."

The museum owner sheathed his katana, his tone devoid of any resentment, but rather tinged with satisfaction.

He had seen countless swordsmen in his life, but very few could reach such a level at such a young age.

"Young man, who is your teacher?"

Just as Zoro was about to answer, a vein suddenly bulged on his forehead.

Because he heard a familiar sound of gnawing on meat.

It came from the walls of the dojo.

All the disciples looked in the direction of the sound and saw a boy wearing a straw hat squatting on the wall.

He was holding a skewer of meat that he had somehow gotten his hands on, his mouth was stuffed full, and his cheeks looked like a squirrel's.

"Hey! Zoro! Where are we now?"

Luffy raised the skewer of meat and waved it at him, his tone as casual as if he were just saying hello.

Zoro almost drew his sword again.

He gritted his teeth and forced out a sentence through the gaps in his mouth:

"You idiot—why did you follow me here...?"

Luffy jumped down from the wall and landed next to Zoro, completely ignoring Zoro's face, which was so dark it looked like it could drip water.

"Because it looks boring."

If you go out to fight alone, I'll fight too.

Zoro took a deep breath and sheathed the three swords.

I decided not to stoop to the level of this idiot.

However, at that moment...

On the street outside the dojo, four figures landed from different directions, completely surrounding the entrance to the dojo.

·······

Let's go back a few hours.

Oni Island Grand Hall.

Jhin stood below the throne, his face, hidden by a mask, expressionless.

Behind him were burning torches, their flames dancing on his black wings and casting distorted shadows on the ground.

Four figures knelt on one knee in front of him.

Scratchmen Apoo, user of the Sound Wave Fruit, has a bounty of 350 million Berries.

He was picking his ear out of boredom, his long face full of impatience.

Basil Hawkins, user of the Straw-Straw Fruit, with a bounty of 320 million Berries. He lowered his head, flipping through a stack of tarot cards, muttering to himself.

X Drake, a Zoan-type Ancient Species Allosaurus user, with a bounty of 222 million Berries. His expression remained as silent as ever, his eyes holding something unreadable to anyone.

Capone Bege, user of the Castle-Castle Fruit, has a bounty of 300 million Berries.

He was kneeling there, a cigar dangling from his lips, dressed in a suit and tie. He looked more like a mafia godfather than a pirate.

"Straw Hat Luffy has infiltrated Wano Country."

"The four of you, go to the City of Flowers and find him."

Apoo paused in his ear-picking motion. "Looking for Straw Hat Boy? And then?"

"Know their whereabouts and keep a close watch on them."

Hawkins' hand, which was about to flip the card, froze in mid-air. He glanced down at the card and frowned slightly.

"Lord Jin, my divination indicates—"

"I'm not interested in your divination."

Jhin interrupted him; the eyes behind the mask held no warmth.

"This is an order. Just execute it."

Ap shrugged and was the first to stand up: "Alright, alright, I'm just killing time anyway."

Becky exhaled a puff of smoke, slowly stood up, and dusted off his suit: "Perfect timing, my city's forts haven't fired in ages."

Drake stood up silently without saying a word.

Hawkins put away his tarot cards, and the face of the card that had been turned over was revealed the moment it was put back into the deck—the reversed "Tower".

The four turned and walked out of the main hall.

········

At the entrance of the dojo.

When Zoro came out of the dojo, Luffy was still chattering beside him.

He pulled out another string of dumplings from somewhere and ate them, his mouth covered in sauce.

"Zoro, that Demon Slash you just used was so fast! That old man didn't even see it!"

"Shut up."

"But that old man was pretty amazing too; his knife didn't even fall after you hit him—"

"Can you go back?"

"I do not want."