THE ABSOLUTE HAKI IS COMPLETED

The sickening crack of breaking bone echoed in the air as Carl's strike landed. Zoro staggered, his breathing ragged, yet his grip on his swords refused to loosen.

Carl sighed, already turning to leave.

Then, behind him, the faint rustle of movement.

Zoro's trembling hand slowly tightened around the hilt of Wado Ichimonji.

Carl frowned. Why doesn't he give up?

"I… don't know," Zoro rasped, his voice hoarse yet unwavering. "I only know that I can't… lose!"

Carl's eyes narrowed. "Why are you so obsessed? If you keep fighting, you'll die."

"It's better to die than to be defeated!" Zoro's eyes burned with a fierce light, and an inexplicable grin stretched across his bloodied face.

Carl pinched the bridge of his nose. "So that's how it is… fine. I'll grant you death."

For the first time, his hand reached for his sword.

Senbonzakura slid smoothly from its sheath, the polished steel gleaming under the afternoon sun.

"Heh… that's more like it." Zoro inhaled deeply and raised his remaining swords. The battered blades began to spin, carving through the air like a windmill, stirring the atmosphere itself.

On the Going Merry, Johnny and Joseph were on the verge of jumping into the sea.

"Zoro Dage! No!"

"Calm down."

Luffy's outstretched hands clamped down on their heads, his fingers digging in to keep them still.

His own hands were trembling. He wanted to intervene. But he couldn't.

This was Zoro's fight.

To step in now would be to insult everything Zoro stood for.

"Why… why is he doing this?" Sanji's cigarette trembled at the edge of his lips, his usual aloofness shattered. "Giving up his life just to become the world's greatest swordsman…?"

Zeff remained silent, watching the battle unfold with keen eyes.

The difference in strength was too overwhelming.

Anyone could see it.

Zoro had attacked with everything he had, but he couldn't even get past one finger.

It wasn't a fight—it was a demonstration. A reminder of the gulf between them.

Back on the wreckage, Zoro's aura surged to its peak. His entire being was consumed by his will to fight.

A fire burned in his eyes as he declared:

"Nine mountains and eight seas, those who are not selfless…"

"Three-Sword Style… Three Thousand Worlds!"

Carl exhaled. This time, he raised Senbonzakura properly, keeping it in its blade form.

The two figures blurred.

A metallic clang rang out.

Time seemed to freeze.

Then—

CRACK!

Zoro's two swords snapped clean in half.

Only Wado Ichimonji remained, gripped between his teeth.

A deep slash now ran across his chest.

Blood sprayed into the air.

"You're strong enough to know my name," Carl said, his voice carrying over the battlefield. His gaze lifted toward the sky. "Solomon Carl."

Though I'm not a swordsman, I'll send you off like one.

Shiiink!

The sound of a sword sliding into its sheath.

Zoro exhaled, his body trembling, but he refused to collapse. Slowly, he returned Wado Ichimonji to its scabbard.

Then, to Carl's astonishment, he spread his arms wide.

A challenge.

An invitation for the finishing blow.

"You're surrendering?" Carl's brow furrowed.

"Heh…" Zoro's lips curled into a grin despite the blood dribbling from his mouth.

"A scar on the back… is a swordsman's greatest shame."

Carl's pupils contracted.

"…I see."

A moment later, Senbonzakura flashed downward.

Carl's voice was barely above a whisper.

"You're impressive."

Splurt!

Blood sprayed.

"Zoro!!"

Luffy and Usopp's screams filled the air.

The swordsman's body fell.

Into the sea.

SPLASH!

"Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT!"

Luffy stretched his arm back, slingshotting toward the wreckage. He crashed into a floating wooden board, wedging himself in.

Carl, utterly unbothered, stepped to the side.

"Idiot."

Luffy pried himself out and glared at Carl.

Carl exhaled slowly, sheathing Senbonzakura.

"Though I don't like you pirates, I respect that you didn't interfere," he admitted. "That took restraint."

His eyes flickered toward the sea.

"And don't worry. That green-haired bastard isn't dead yet."

He understood now why Mihawk had spared Zoro in the original story.

That guy… was stubborn to the core.

Even if it seemed foolish.

Even if the odds were against him.

Carl had been in this world for nearly two decades.

And this was the first person who'd actually intrigued him.

He wanted to see—just how far would Zoro go?

On the Going Merry, Johnny and Joseph dragged Zoro from the sea, sobbing as they laid him down.

Carl barely spared them a glance before stepping lightly onto his warship's deck.

"Roy," he said, reclining into a chair, "set course for Branch 148."

"Yes, sir!" Roy responded eagerly. His eyes were practically glowing with excitement after witnessing Carl's overwhelming strength.

The warship turned, heading back toward Marine waters.

On the drifting wreckage—

Zoro lay on his back, his fingers tightening around the hilt of Wado Ichimonji.

"…Luffy."

"Yeah?"

"If I don't become the world's strongest swordsman… would that be a problem for you?"

Luffy blinked.

Then, a grin stretched across his face.

"Nope."

Zoro clenched his teeth, his chest rising and falling with ragged breaths.

"Then I swear—"

Tears burned at the corners of his eyes as he struggled to speak.

"I will never lose again."

"Not until I defeat him—Solomon Carl—"

"And become the world's greatest swordsman!"

His voice echoed across the ocean.

"Do you have a problem with that… One Piece?!"

Luffy's eyes widened—

Then, he threw back his head and laughed.

"Nope."

Meanwhile, aboard the warship—

Carl rested his head on one hand, staring up at the sky.

"…This world really is something else."

Even after eighteen years, he still struggled to understand it.

These so-called 'pirates'—

Their ridiculous dreams.

Their unwavering convictions.

Roger had started this whole era.

And in doing so, he'd unleashed chaos.

Countless innocents had suffered.

Towns razed. Families slaughtered.

Even Luffy and his crew—they'd one day be responsible for breaking into Impel Down, setting criminals free to wreak havoc on the world.

Maybe it wasn't intentional.

But it would happen.

Carl exhaled sharply.

"…What a messed-up world."

At the end of the day, what did 'justice' even mean in a place like this?

Whatever.

It wasn't his problem.

He was just a lowly Marine.

Trying to live peacefully in East Blue.

"By the way," Carl muttered, "system, you there?"

[At your service.]

His brow twitched. "I was at Baratie. Shouldn't I have gotten a sign-in reward?"

[Baratie is a mobile vessel and not a fixed check-in location.]

Carl clicked his tongue.

"So only islands count?"

[Correct. Locations such as Marineford, Sabaody, and Fish-Man Island qualify. Mobile locations like Baratie or Gran Tesoro do not.]

Carl rubbed his chin. That's good to know.

"Report!"

A Marine rushed onto the deck.

"Carl Ensign! A Marine warship has been spotted ahead!"