No one had told him anything, and he didn't know what to do. He just felt it was troublesome, merely troublesome, with nothing else significant happening. To him, these things weren't important at all.
He believed that if he kept asking, he'd eventually figure things out. Surely, the language here wasn't completely incomprehensible to him, right? That seemed impossible. And since it was impossible, there was no need to worry too much. He trusted that the world would give him a chance!
So, he continued to ask around until he encountered a swordsman. He figured people here probably hadn't ventured out much, so they might know something. Asking someone like this might actually yield some results.
"Do you know where this place is? Do you know where Sabaody Archipelago in the Grand Line is? I got separated from my crew!"
Zoro ran up to ask, seeing that this person's strength seemed quite ordinary in his eyes. He wasn't afraid of this individual at all, believing he could easily handle them.
"Hey, what are you saying? I don't understand. Don't bother me!"
But the swordsman clearly had no interest in talking to him. And rightfully so—talking to someone who made no sense was certainly stressful. And that much stress wasn't a good thing!
"I'm just asking for directions; is that all you've got? Are you looking for a fight?!"
Zoro's expression darkened. He saw the impatience in the other man's eyes. He was just asking for directions, still trying to figure out what was going on! Even if they didn't understand him, they shouldn't act like this!
"I said I don't know! What kind of look is that? Do you want to taste my swordsmanship?!"
The other man's temper flared instantly. Zoro was just as annoyed. This guy wanted to pick a fight, did he? That look—it meant a brawl!
Suddenly, Zoro's eyes turned terrifying, like those of a wild beast, chillingly fearsome. The swordsman saw his sudden change and felt a surge of terror. Such power, emanating from someone so seemingly frail!
Zoro spotted an axe nearby. It seemed a fight was now truly necessary. Although he didn't know what this new body was capable of, he wasn't one to be looked down upon. If this guy wanted a fight, then so be it!
"Why does this kid give me such a terrifying feeling?! Forget it, I just heard this guy might be from the Roronoa family. If I accidentally kill the wrong person, I might end up being hunted myself!"
The swordsman weighed his options and decided not to make a move. But by then, Zoro had already grabbed an axe. He felt a surprising amount of weight, not because the axe was heavy, but because this body was truly too weak!
"What do you want to do?!"
The swordsman finally drew his blade, feeling that this guy actually wanted to fight him. This feeling told him that this person was definitely no ordinary individual!
"You want to fight?! It seems I'm destined to never find peace!"
Zoro assessed the situation. He realized this body's stamina would probably only allow him one attack! So he had to be cautious.
"Good kid, I can't feel any 'Haki' from you! Yet you want to fight me. Even if I'm stronger, I'll still take you down!"
"What incomprehensible nonsense are you spewing?! If you want to fight, then come on!"
Zoro made the first move. He wanted to test the man's strength while conserving his last ounce of usable power!
Clang!
The axe struck the other's sword, but the swordsman didn't budge an inch. Instead, Zoro felt the powerful force from his opponent.
"Is that all the strength you have? You really are just an ordinary person. But you're still going to die! In a swordsman's duel, only one can survive!"
The man's strength completely overwhelmed him, sending him flying backward. He slid over a dozen steps before stopping, his hand numb! This guy's power was incredible!
"Damn it! In that case, I'll show you a flying slash! I refuse to believe you can withstand this!"
This would be his final attack. If it landed, the opponent shouldn't be able to fight anymore! He braced himself in a wide stance, holding the axe at a forty-five-degree angle. His concentration seemed to sharpen, and at that moment, a strange aura emanated from him, an aura that made his opponent feel a chilling dread!
"What's wrong with this kid? How can he have such a terrifying aura?!"
The man realized this guy was different. This person's power was probably the strongest among those without "Haki"! He had that feeling! This guy would definitely become terrifying!
"One World, Thirty-Six Pound Phoenix!"
Just then, an astonishing flying sword slash erupted! This was a sword slash unleashed by someone who seemingly had no "Haki"!
"What?! That's a sword slash! What a powerful sword slash! Can a person without 'Haki' really unleash something like that?!"
The man was clearly shocked. He had never imagined that an ordinary person could produce such a powerful sword slash!
"Tch, it's so small, and the axe broke. It seems this body really needs training! This is going to be so tough!"
Zoro felt the sheer difficulty. This body really wasn't suited for him! If he wanted to survive, he had to train this body, or how could he ever face his friends again?
The other man didn't dare hesitate either, unleashing a sword slash of his own. A sword aura appeared, but it was completely different from Zoro's, seeming to contain some other kind of power!
Boom! The two sword slashes directly canceled each other out! But Zoro felt an overwhelming exhaustion. That was it—he had no fight left in him! This body's weakness was probably even worse than Usopp's!
"Truly terrifying. A person like this cannot be allowed to live. Since it's a duel, he has no reason to live!"
The man sensed Zoro's potential. If he gave him a chance, allowed him to live and grow stronger, wouldn't he eventually surpass him? Then he'd truly be in trouble! So, he couldn't spare him!