One Piece pirates salty life

The entire boat trembled violently as a powerful vibration shook everyone aboard, tossing them back and forth like rag dolls caught in a storm.

Except for Creek and Akin, nearly all the other pirates were thrown overboard, plunging into the cold, unforgiving sea.

"How is this possible?!"

Creek's voice cracked in disbelief. His body, now somewhat recovered, froze in place. The smile that had previously played on his lips vanished completely, as if time had stopped for a moment. His wide eyes locked onto a distant figure emerging from the chaos.

The sight of the coffin-shaped ship made Creek's pupils dilate, veins quickly reddening around his eyeballs in shock and fury.

"Why? Why won't you just let us go?" Creek growled, his voice hoarse with desperation and rage.

"We already surrendered! We've lost most of my fleet. Do you really have to kill me before you finally stop?"

Clenching his teeth so tightly that his gums bled slightly, Creek felt a surge of bitter resentment flooding through him. At this moment, nothing else mattered—not the pain, not the blood—only the overwhelming sense of injustice.

It was because of this man.

More than ninety percent of Creek's fleet—fifty ships and over five thousand men—now lay wrecked and drowned in that merciless sea. And the cause? Not the Marine forces, nor the strange natural disaster that had roared across the waters. No, they had all been utterly annihilated by a single, peculiar figure.

This fact fueled Creek's anger even more. That tiny, strange individual had not only wiped out his entire force but had also relentlessly hunted him down, driving him like a stray dog until he nearly starved to death.

The massive warship began to slowly part, revealing the figure seated on the coffin-like vessel that had until now been hidden behind its bulk.

Due to the loud noises echoing outside, everyone who emerged onto the deck could see the figure clearly.

"That is... how is it possible? Why would that man appear here?!" Zoro muttered in disbelief as his gaze fixed on the slowly emerging silhouette.

As if sensing fate itself, the man's eyes met Zoro's without flinching, holding his gaze unrelentingly. In that moment, Zoro's heart pounded fiercely.

"That's him... I've been waiting for this moment for so long."

His throat tightened and he swallowed hard, his entire body trembling—not from fear, but from a deep, overwhelming excitement.

The dream he had pursued relentlessly for over ten years, the dream he and his best friend had vowed to chase—was now standing right before him.

For the first time, it felt so real, so close, that Zoro's desire to fight surged beyond anything he had ever known.

"Go ahead. Isn't this what you've always wanted?" Leo's gentle yet firm voice came from beside him.

Zoro turned his head to see Leo watching him intently, unwavering.

Not just Leo, but his entire crew—his loyal companions who had always stood by his side—were behind him, lending their silent support.

"Come on, Zoro! Your dream is right here!" Luffy cheered, his arms waving enthusiastically, a broad smile lighting up his face.

"As a partner of Captain Usopp, don't lose!" Usopp added proudly, giving a nod of encouragement to one of the strong fighters standing beside Leo.

Luffy? Who was Luffy to him? Just a traitor who had turned his back on authority. Captain Usopp certainly wouldn't dare defy him.

"Come on, big brother! You can do it!" Johnny and Joseph shouted, their voices ringing with brotherly love. Having known Zoro for years, they understood the depth of his ambition.

Nami, standing off to the side, looked on with a worried expression. Unlike the others who focused on muscle and bravado, her concern lay with Zoro's safety. She recalled Leo's earlier warning: this world was filled with dangers far beyond ordinary comprehension.

Among the many powerful figures roaming the seas, only a handful could truly be called the strongest—aside from the long-dead Pirate King Roger, there was Whitebeard, known as the strongest man alive, and Dracule Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman.

Feeling the unwavering encouragement from his companions, Zoro's heart swelled with confidence and determination.

"Alright," he said quietly, nodding with solemn resolve.

"If I fail now, I will let this ambition, this dream, and my body be buried beneath the waves."

With every eye fixed upon him, Zoro stepped boldly onto the deck of the dreadnought battleship Sabre, a massive warship that had miraculously not yet sunk beneath the water's surface.

Before him, Dracule Mihawk—widely acknowledged as the world's greatest swordsman—gently swung his black sword in a sweeping arc, effortlessly deflecting the remaining bullets fired by the desperate pirates.

After dispatching the last of the attackers with grace and precision, Mihawk glanced at Zoro with an air of detached indifference. He quietly slid the black blade back into its sheath strapped across his back.

He regarded Zoro as one would regard a mere insignificant ant.

Nearby, Nami slowly moved toward Leo, her face etched with concern.

"I don't think Zoro can beat him," she whispered, her voice tinged with worry and doubt.

Though phrased as a question, the tone was resigned—Nami was almost certain Zoro would lose.

"No way! There's no problem with big brother. He's been training for more than ten years!" Zoro's younger brothers immediately fired back. To them, even Nami's doubts could not shake their faith in their eldest sibling.

Usopp remained silent but nodded in agreement. After witnessing Zoro's formidable skills on the slope, he too believed in his potential to succeed.

Leo glanced at Nami with mild amusement. He didn't understand why she would question something so obvious.

"If nothing unexpected happens... Zoro will be killed with a single strike."

"One strike?!" Nami gasped, shocked. Though she already feared the outcome, she hadn't imagined the gap in strength could be so vast.

"And Mihawk probably hasn't even taken this seriously," Leo added calmly.

"Then why didn't you stop him? Why encourage him to go forward?" Zoro's brothers exclaimed anxiously.

Leo's reputation and strength had already left a deep impression on them, so when he spoke, they listened attentively.

His gaze turned distant and quiet.

"That is his dream. Why would we stop someone from pursuing their dream?"

Leo's voice was soft, almost speaking to himself rather than the others.

Yet, despite the quiet tone, his words rang clear to everyone present.

Luffy, who was standing nearby, felt his eyes light up with renewed passion. He was more convinced than ever that bringing Leo onboard had been the right choice.

Sanji, standing among the cooks, silently lit a cigarette. His gaze involuntarily drifted toward the green-haired swordsman who often clashed with him.

A dream... what a magnificent dream.

The battle about to unfold, with its staggering disparity in power, drew everyone's full attention. The tension was palpable, and the atmosphere grew heavy with seriousness.

Except for two men: Hawkeye Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman, calm and composed at the center of it all, and Leo, who already knew the outcome.

---

The Calm Before the Storm

The ocean breeze was cool and sharp, carrying the salty scent of the sea. Above, dark clouds gathered, as if even the heavens anticipated the coming clash.

Zoro took a deep breath, steadying his nerves as he stepped fully onto the deck. His hand instinctively tightened around the hilt of his swords.

This was the moment he had waited years for—the moment to test himself against the man who had defined his dream.

Mihawk's eyes, cold and calculating, regarded him like a predator sizing up prey.

Zoro's gaze didn't waver.

The crew, the pirates, the friends who had stood by him—all watched in silence, holding their breath.

A single battle could change everything.

---

A World Apart

Mihawk moved first, his black blade flashing like a streak of midnight lightning.

The strike was swift, precise, and devastating.

Zoro barely managed to parry, the force nearly driving him backward.

He gritted his teeth, muscles straining against the overwhelming power.

Each movement Mihawk made was effortless and fluid, as if the sword itself flowed through his hands.

Zoro's heart pounded—he was fighting against a force so much greater than his own, yet his spirit refused to break.

This was not just a test of skill, but of will.

Leo watched intently, a faint smile touching his lips.

"He's more prepared than I thought," Leo murmured softly.

The battle between the young swordsman and the legendary Mihawk was a testament to dreams, to perseverance, and to the eternal struggle to surpass one's limits.pàtreøn (Gk31)