Zoro gripped the wooden sword and approached the Wooden Golem pile. With both hands firmly on the wooden sword, he slashed down onto the pile.
Swish!
The Wooden Golem pile exploded into pieces! Zoro turned towards Sasaki Kojiro. "Senior, I've been practicing swordsmanship since a very young age. I believe I've mastered the basics," Zoro remarked confidently.
Sasaki Kojiro didn't respond verbally. Instead, he calmly walked over to the sword rest and selected another wooden sword.
"Young man, I've now adjusted my strength to match yours," Kojiro said calmly, positioning the wooden sword at a 45-degree angle to the ground, resembling a figure in a tranquil painting.
"Alright! Let's do it!" Zoro eagerly welcomed the opportunity to face such a formidable senior. In the world of pirates, combat was the path to strength, and this opponent presented an excellent challenge.
"Senior, prepare yourself!" Zoro initiated the stance, placing the wooden sword at his waist. With a fierce glint in his eyes, he declared, "One Swords style Lion Song !!——"
In an instant, Zoro vanished from his position, executing an incredibly swift sword-drawing maneuver designed to appear behind the opponent as the sword is drawn—an efficient end to the battle.
However...
Snap!
The wooden sword slipped from Sasaki Kojiro's hand.
Zoro felt a dizzying sensation, collapsing to the ground. "What a swift sword..." he muttered, modeling a bump on his forehead.
"Once more?" Sasaki Kojiro offered Zoro the fallen wooden sword.
"Absolutely!" Zoro responded enthusiastically. Battles always excited him!
Zoro grabbed the sword once more, adopting a stance, and charged forward again.
Snap!
"Ah~" Zoro tumbled to the ground, rubbing his forehead. The first bump had grown larger, but no second bump appeared.
"Again!" Sasaki Kojiro's response remained unchanged.
Picking up another wooden sword from the rack, Zoro contemplated his strategy. He then readied himself.
"Nitōryū, Nigiri !!——"
Snap!
"Ah~" Zoro fell again, patting his forehead in pain.
Ouch! This time the blow hit the same spot, causing more agony than before.
Why? How...?
Despite comprehending the opponent's strategy after the first two encounters, Zoro was confounded by the repetitive blows targeting the same vulnerable spot.
"Again," echoed Sasaki Kojiro's calm voice. He remained rooted in the same position throughout the exchanges.
Frustration welled within Zoro. Why couldn't he make the opponent budge, even with the level playing field? If the opponent unleashed their full strength, Zoro wouldn't mind. But this consistent one-sided dominance, despite matching their level, was intolerable to him.
Zoro, feeling increasingly frustrated compared to his previous fights, couldn't accept the ongoing situation.
"Impossible... Even with vast combat experience, using the same technique flawlessly repeatedly is implausible," Zoro reasoned. He returned to the sword rack and selected another wooden sword.
Perceiving his actions, Sasaki Kojiro frowned slightly. "What's your plan?" he inquired.
"In truth, I am a three-sword swordsman!" Zoro declared, placing the wooden sword between his teeth.
Slightly hesitant, Kojiro replied, "Come again."
"This time it'll be different!" Zoro determinedly gripped the dual Sword, showcasing an impressive burst of muscular power.
With swift movement, he raised both sabers above his head, launching an unrivaled assault towards Kojiro Sasaki.
"Santōryū: Tora Gari!!——"
Zoro's attack, akin to a tiger's fierce leap, struck with incredible speed.
Observing the opponent's attacks thrice earlier, Zoro had deduced the vulnerability lay on the left side due to Kojiro wielding the sword in his right hand. Thus, Zoro aimed his strike towards Kojiro's left.
Snap!
Stunned, Zoro lay on the ground, bewildered.
How was this possible? Despite identifying the loophole, Kojiro's attack landed precisely on the bulging spot on his head.
He touched the bulge in disbelief. "Impossible! How can someone execute the same strike multiple times without losing accuracy?"
Despite being directionally challenged, Zoro was a prodigy in swordsmanship. Unable to discern where he erred, he realized that despite repeated moves, Kojiro's accuracy remained unwavering. This made it impossible to exploit any mistakes.
Wherever Zoro faltered, Kojiro consistently dominated their encounters with unerring strikes.
As a result of his repeated defeats, Zoro made a resolute decision.
"I won't be fighting again," Zoro stated firmly, shaking his head.
He had come to a realization: no matter how many times he challenged Sasaki Kojiro, he couldn't decipher the secrets behind Kojiro's swordsmanship. Each encounter felt like their first, leaving Zoro unable to discern Kojiro's swordplay even after numerous confrontations.
Yes, from the first fight to the thousandth, facing Sasaki Kojiro felt consistently new, as if encountering the legendary swordsman for the very first time. Zoro acknowledged this unchanging reality and found no purpose in persisting.
Seeing Zoro's refusal, Sasaki Kojiro calmly suggested, "Let's resume cutting Wooden Golem piles then," placing the wooden sword back in its holder before heading towards the house.
Zoro acknowledged the decision with a simple acknowledgment. This time, he felt no hint of dissatisfaction.
He understood now—the seemingly ordinary chop executed by Sasaki Kojiro was far from ordinary. It encapsulated the essence of Kojiro's daily practice, something Zoro finally comprehended.
Observing the Wooden Golem pile, Zoro focused on a faint red line in the center—the only mark that intersected the red line on the stake, despite it being split countless times.
Sure, splitting the Wooden Golem pile in one swift stroke was an impressive display of power. Yet, that raw strength was merely superficial. Anyone could achieve it.
However, the true demonstration of power lay in the Wooden Golem pile's condition after years of splitting. Despite numerous cleaves, only a shallow trace remained—a testament to enduring power, depth, and precision, qualities that transcended brute force. This, to Zoro, was the essence of true strength.
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Manage to upload up to ch 95 on my P@treon/goldengaruda
read ahead there