Translator: PapaSmurf0700
In the clearing within the dense forest, Zoro was reeling from the recent events. At that moment, he could do nothing but hold the pale, weakly breathing Kuina close. He felt utterly helpless and unsure of what to do next.
Witnessing this, Black Zoro displayed a look of impatience and disgust as he approached. "You guys are really disgusting," he sneered. "I already told you, this girl won't die."
As Black Zoro reached them, he noticed Zoro's lack of response. His irritation grew, and in a sudden move, he kicked Kuina out of Zoro's arms. Zoro, still clinging to her, rolled backward several times before coming to a stop.
Struggling, Zoro crawled toward Kuina, crying out, "Kuina!!" But before he could reach her, Black Zoro grabbed him. Holding Zoro by the collar, Black Zoro's expression seethed with frustration as he stared intently into Zoro's eyes. "How long are you going to hide?" he demanded. "I've stayed in this body long enough, and I'm sick of this disgusting performance!"
"Roronoa Zoro!!" Black Zoro roared, shaking the forest with his fury.
Under his grasp, Zoro stopped struggling and dropped his head in resignation.
Seeing this, a twisted smile spread across Black Zoro's face. He hurled Zoro into the air, taunting, "Heh, are you finally willing to give up?"
As Zoro spun through the air, an incredible transformation occurred. It was as if time accelerated, and in just a turn, he matured from a half-grown boy to an adult, mirroring Black Zoro's own formidable presence. He landed heavily on one knee, and the two swords in his hands transformed into his real, battle-worn blades.
This dramatic change signaled that Zoro was truly back.
Black Zoro's laughter echoed through the forest, mocking the man in front of him who was his exact double. "Hahahaha, I thought you were going to hide forever."
Zoro stood up, facing his dark counterpart with a steely gaze, and declared clearly, "I never intended to hide." He then noticed Kuina standing, seemingly unharmed and as if she had never been injured, puzzling over when this transformation had occurred.
"I originally wanted to finish this after her birthday today," Zoro said slowly. Kuina, observing the serious expression on Zoro's face, felt a wave of sadness wash over her and whispered softly, "Zoro..."
Zoro started to speak, "Actually..." but Black Zoro interrupted him ruthlessly, clearly indifferent to the emotional moment between them: "Actually, are you ready to kill her?"
His words seemed to freeze the forest in time. Suddenly, the ground shook violently, and even the sky appeared to crack, as if the entire world teetered on the brink of collapse.
"Zoro!" Kuina cried out.
Black Zoro's laughter boomed again, finding amusement in the chaos. "Hahahaha, you really are an idiot. Can such a sentence shake the world so much? Ha ha ha ha!!"
Eventually, the tumult subsided, but the world around them had drastically changed. The lush forests and grasslands had vanished, leaving nothing but bare ground beneath their feet.
Black Zoro, with a cruel smile, turned to Zoro. "So, let the game begin. Before that, do I still need to introduce myself?"
Zoro, after a moment of silence, responded, "You are my demon. If I defeat you, I can escape this place." He then turned to Kuina and said, "And you are the memory Kuina left in my heart. At the same time, you are my demonic barrier. Only by defeating you I can reclaim my third sword."
Kuina, understanding the weight of his words, lowered her head, unable to meet Zoro's eyes. She knew all too well the immense courage it took for him to speak those words. As Zoro said, she was his demonic obstacle, born from an illusion, fully aware of her existential purpose.
Yet, despite knowing the cruelty of what was required, she had inherited all the memories of the real Kuina in Zoro's heart, making the decision even more heartrending. She fought against the confines of the illusion, and her plea for Zoro to "go back" was, in a tragic sense, hastening her own end.
She realized that if Zoro did not overcome this challenge by killing her, he would never leave this place, bound to it until his death.
At that moment, Black Zoro shattered the somber mood with his mocking laughter. "Hahaha, yes, it is so! As long as you kill her, you can cut off the past and the shackles binding you."
He raised his sword, the black blade pointing ominously at Zoro. "Because, you, burdened with pain and memories, will never become the strongest! Then, come and kill me!" His voice rang out, tinged with madness.
"To kill me is to kill your foolish past self," Black Zoro taunted. "Then, you will be reborn and become a true swordsman! You will become the strongest in the world!! Hahahaha, haha..."
"I refuse!" Zoro's firm declaration cut through the maniacal laughter, leaving Black Zoro momentarily speechless.
Black Zoro stared at Zoro's stoic face, baffled and frustrated. "Ha?!! Do you know what you're talking about? Idiot!!" In a swift motion, he lunged forward, his black sword descending towards Zoro in a vicious arc.
Clang! The sound of metal striking metal echoed through the clearing as their swords met.
Zoro parried the incoming strike with his two swords, but Black Zoro was relentless, drawing back his blades only to lash out again with increasing speed. His attacks seemed driven by a desire to defeat the man before him with a single, decisive blow.
"You bastard! You're capable of doing whatever you set your mind to, yet you choose to cower and hide here forever?!" Black Zoro bellowed as their blades clashed, his voice filled with fury.
"This world, that woman, and even I—all of us are meant to be your nourishment, to help you become the strongest!" he continued, his voice rising with each word. "But you, you choose to refuse?!"
"Haven't you remembered yet? Before you met that woman, your goal was already to be the strongest!!" With each word, his sword strikes seemed to carry the weight of his anger.
Clang!
Maybe it was the strain of his shouting, but Black Zoro's next attack came with slightly less force, giving Zoro the opening he needed to firmly block the strike.
Zoro slowly raised his head, meeting Black Zoro's furious gaze with a serene expression. "I never forget my goal," he stated calmly. "But I refuse to kill Kuina, and I also refuse—to kill you!"
"I am not burdened by shackles," Zoro declared, turning his gaze towards Kuina. "That is my promise, a promise I am willing to die for!"
"That's why I won't cut her away. I'll continue to carry her memory with me until—" he paused, his resolve firming, "—the day I become the strongest!!" His declaration echoed in the clearing, a vow not just to his opponent but to himself.