Starting as a pirate, he rose to become the strongest Shinigami in Soul Society.

Chapter 59 This ocean is too boring, I'm going to turn it upside down!

After exchanging blows dozens of times, Waver seized an opening, unleashing a surge of wind beneath his feet to create a small distance between himself and Zoro. He then asked with a hint of indignation, "Are you letting me win?"

Zoro spoke calmly, "I'm just being fair because you've just been through a battle and are injured. If you don't like it, I can give it my all."

"Then let's give it our all!" Waver didn't blame Zoro anymore, but responded in a deep voice.

After this exchange, the two were silent for a few seconds. The next moment, Zoro made the first move!

If Zoro was originally a ferocious beast who had bound his own claws, then at this moment, he truly is like a tiger descending from the mountain!

The first change Weber sensed was the atmosphere!

Although he was completely at a disadvantage just now, he was actually no less imposing than the man in front of him. But now, Zoro's beastly aura has overwhelmed him!

"One-Sword Style!" Zoro shouted out his technique for the first time during this exchange.

Waver banished his thoughts, gripped his greatsword tightly once more, unleashed a burst of wind beneath his feet, and charged toward Zoro.

Although their morale was slightly lower, the warriors of Shandia pressed on!

The two figures walked towards each other at a fast pace, which shortened the already short distance between them to its limit in the blink of an eye.

"Lion's Song!" Zoro shouted in a low voice.

A cold light flashed, and blood splattered.

Two figures passed each other, Zoro was unharmed and had already sheathed his sword.

Webber's greatsword, like the priest's before him, had broken in two, the cuts smooth and clean.

Similarly, Weber had a deep wound on his chest, so deep that the bone was visible, and blood was gushing out. He also seemed to be losing his balance, and his figure swayed as if he was about to fall into the sea.

"Waveber!!!" the Shandian warriors cried out in alarm, rushing toward Waver.

Zoro made no attempt to stop him, sighed softly, turned around, and walked across the sea toward the ship.

However, he had only taken three steps when he heard Webber's voice behind him.

"Where are you going!?"

This made Zoro's eyes light up, and his previously somewhat regretful expression quickly changed, with a strange smile appearing on his lips.

He turned around and looked at Weber.

"Our battle is far from over!!!" Waver said to Zoro, his eyes gleaming with intense fighting spirit.

Meanwhile, on that deck, Bane burst into laughter, saying, "Hahahaha, the Ghost of War who will always rise again, no matter how many times?"

"Indeed, you possess a remarkable will." Although he couldn't see, Ichisho nodded in appreciation.

Webber, a man whose strength was not particularly outstanding, received a smile of praise at this moment.

What defines a strong person? Is it possessing formidable strength? Or is it an aura that inspires awe and fear?

Perhaps these are all correct answers, but at the same time, having an unbreakable will, never compromising, refusing to fall, and never admitting defeat can also be called being a strong person.

Zoro showed no mercy, and within three breaths of turning around, he struck again, wounding Waver and knocking him into the arms of the Shandian.

But the great warrior, though severely wounded, still stood up, as if he would never fall down as long as he was alive!

At this moment, Weber has proven his strength with his will!

Blood dripped gently from the blade, staining some of the white clouds beneath Zoro's feet red.

Supported by the crowd, Weber gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand up again.

When Waver stood up again, Zoro didn't attack again. He said, "You are strong, a worthy opponent. I respect your indomitable spirit. Long ago, like you, I faced an opponent I had never defeated. I challenged her two thousand and one times, and all my attempts ended in failure."

Two thousand and one times.

This number was heavy-hearted, and even Weber looked surprised.

Despite his injuries, he forced himself to speak and asked, "And then?"

"And then she died." A hint of sadness flashed in Zoro's eyes, but it was only for a moment. Soon, he continued, "I thought that I would never lose to anyone again. But that's not the case. I lost to two more people, and I still haven't been able to defeat them."

"Who?" Weber asked again.

"One is that guy standing on the deck watching the show," Zoro pointed casually, then continued, "The other is the strongest swordsman of the day, but you wouldn't recognize him."

Blood trickled from Weber's mouth as he glanced at the distant ship. The man with his arms draped over the railing had a smile on his lips; he was indeed watching the show.

After a moment, Waver turned his gaze back to Zoro and asked, "What do you mean by telling me all this?"

"I used to think that never compromising and never admitting defeat was strength, but later I found that it wasn't." Zoro looked at Waver, paused for a moment, and then continued, "Having the courage to face one's own weakness and failure is also a rare kind of courage. Admitting one's shortcomings, carrying that regret, and then moving forward with it is the only way to climb to a higher level."

After saying this, Zoro shook the blood-stained Sandai Kitetsu, then sheathed it. Turning away without looking at Waver again, he said, "I will not fight you anymore, but perhaps I will come back here again in the future. I hope that next time, you can climb to a higher level."

Whether it was because Zoro's words had a real effect or not, Waver, watching Zoro's retreating figure as he walked towards the ship, suddenly asked, "Hey! Roronoa Zoro, what's the name of that power you used to cut my weapon?"

"So imposing," Zoro said without turning his head.

Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!

"Domineering aura?" Weber clearly had no idea about this concept and asked again, "Where did you learn this power?"

"Outside the well," Zoro replied calmly.

Outside the well?

Weber was somewhat puzzled, and for a moment, he seemed to have difficulty understanding the meaning of those words.

Just then, a Shandian female warrior supporting Waver seemed to notice his confusion and couldn't help but speak up, "Idiot, what they mean is, you're just a frog in a well!"

Meanwhile, on the deck, Bane lit a cigar and said to Nami beside him, "See that? Zoro's act was amazing, I give him full marks."

Thirty minutes later, all the Shandian warriors had boarded Bane's ship.

Webber was receiving treatment from the ship's doctor, but the guy had a really strong will. His injuries were extremely severe, with four cuts that exposed bone. Under these circumstances, the ship's doctor was stitching up his wounds, and he endured it without uttering a sound.

Huh? Where did the ship's doctor come from?

Of course, he was one of Bane's hundreds of men. Well, not exactly one; to be precise, they had a dozen or so ship's doctors on board. Although they weren't particularly skilled doctors, they were more than enough.

The members of the God Guard had already run away when Zoro and Waver were fighting, and it was clear that Bane and the others had no intention of paying attention to them.

After his wound was bandaged, Webber was pale, probably from blood loss. Although he had confirmed that the Qinghai people meant him no harm, Webber still couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing up in the sky?"

Bane, a smile playing on his lips, sat beneath the mast and, instead of answering Weber's question, asked, "Hey, I have a big project to do, and I happen to need some help. I think you're passable; want to come with me?"

"I still have unfulfilled responsibilities and obligations," Weber said, shaking his head.

He also needs to fulfill the promise of his ancestors, to ring the bells of Shandola, and to light the lamps there!

Indeed, the Sky Island people may have always believed that the Shandora beasts, who had been fighting for hundreds of years, wanted to reclaim their land. But in reality, for the Shandora people, they simply wanted to fulfill the unfinished promise of their ancestors, to ring that bell, and to light that lamp—nothing more.

Although he declined Bane's invitation, Weber still asked with some curiosity, "And you? What great undertaking are you planning?"

Upon hearing this, Bane broke into a bright smile and said, "This ocean is too boring; I'm going to turn it upside down!"

Weber didn't quite understand what the man meant, but for some reason, he felt that this great undertaking would definitely be very interesting.

(End of this chapter)