A killer in the navy? I’m just trying my best to survive Chapter 031

“Vice Admiral Hawke…”

Zoro asked in a deep voice, “Is he in this branch now?”

“Hmm…?”

Dane didn’t answer, instead asking, “Are you looking for my big brother for something?”

“Uh…”

Zoro recounted his “grievances” with Hawke in detail, every single one of them.

His tone was full of resentment.

He had fallen from being a somewhat famous “Pirate Hunter” in the East Blue to someone who couldn’t even afford food…

The culprit behind all of this was that bastard, Rain Hawke.

If only he had let one or two low-level pirates slip through his fingers.

He wouldn’t have ended up in this state today!

“Haha——”

Dane finished listening, laughing and shaking his head.

So that was the reason…

He hadn’t expected that his big brother’s clean-up of pirates in the East Blue would lead to bounty hunters collectively losing their jobs.

But there was nothing to be done; exterminating pirates and clearing out evil.

That was the Navy’s duty.

“…”

Soon, both of them had eaten their fill.

“Burp——”

Zoro let out a satisfying burp, “My strength and power are back!”

This feeling was great!

He never wanted to be hungry again…

“Then let’s go, let’s have a duel between swordsmen.”

“Let’s go!”

The two walked out of the mess hall one after another and arrived at the brightly lit training ground.

The surrounding Marines, who had just finished training and were resting, immediately gathered around, eagerly preparing to watch the fight.

“Major Dane is going to have a match!”

“Who’s his opponent? He doesn’t look like someone from our branch.”

“I know him, the Pirate Hunter—Roronoa Zoro, quite famous in the East Blue.”

“Quite famous? Useless! The Major will definitely win.”

“Needless to say! The Major was personally trained by Rear Admiral Hawke!”

The Marines’ discussions rose and fell.

“…”

Zoro ignored all the surrounding noises.

He bit the Wado Ichimonji in his mouth and gripped two other ordinary swords with both hands.

“Sorry…”

“I am a Three-Sword Style swordsman.”

Zoro’s voice squeezed through his teeth, “I have an advantage in both the number and quality of my swords.”

“No… Zoro.”

Dane shook his head, his right hand gripping the hilt of Nightfall, “Big brother said.”

“A swordsman’s strength comes from within.”

“Swords are the least influential factor in a swordsman’s strength.”

“It is the person who gives the sword power.”

“Not the sword that makes the person strong!”

“!!!”

Zoro’s pupils suddenly contracted.

A swordsman’s strength comes from within…

It is the person who gives the sword power…

Not the sword that makes the person strong…

This view, like a clap of thunder, heavily struck his heart of the sword.

The person who said this…

Rain Hawke, is he a Great Swordsman?!

“Whoosh——”

Zoro took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing his surging emotions.

No matter what, he had to complete the duel in front of him first.

He focused his mind, his muscles tensed.

“Three-Sword Style: Oni Giri!”

The two swords in his left and right hands instantly crossed, heading towards Dane.

The Wado Ichimonji in his mouth sealed off any possible escape routes for Dane.

Facing Zoro’s attack, Dane neither dodged nor avoided.

“One-Sword Style: Iaido!”

Nightfall instantly unsheathed, an arc of light flashing.

“Clang——!!!”

A piercing clang of metal suddenly exploded in the quiet night.

Nightfall and Wado Ichimonji fiercely collided in mid-air, sending out a series of dazzling sparks.

“Clang——!!!”

“Clang——!!!”

“Clang——!!!”

After a series of intense collisions, both of them slid back one step.

“Very strong!”

Zoro only felt his tiger’s mouth go numb.

This Marine Major in front of him, his swordsmanship was strong, and his physical combat was strong too!

“…”

A hint of surprise also appeared on Dane’s face; Zoro was indeed a somewhat famous bounty hunter in the East Blue.

His swordsmanship far surpassed that of ordinary swordsmen in the East Blue.

Dane glanced at the moon in the night sky, “Sorry, my shift is almost over.”

“Zoro, your swordsmanship is very strong.”

“But…”

Before he finished speaking, a faint, inky black color appeared on Dane’s right arm, which was holding the sword.

The black color extended along the hilt to Nightfall’s blade.

Nightfall became deep and dark, exuding a chilling sense of oppression.

“……”

Zoro’s breathing instantly stopped.

What was that?!

What was that black mass?!

“But… I have initially mastered Armament Haki.”

Dane’s voice came calmly, “One-Sword Style: Armament Iaido!”

A slash wrapped in pitch black, like an inky lightning bolt, tore through the night sky.

Zoro instinctively used his three swords to block.

“Crack——!”

“Crack——!”

Two crisp snapping sounds rang out.

The two ordinary swords broke in response.

Zoro’s body flew backward uncontrollably, rolling several times on the ground before the force was dispelled.

He ignored the dust on his body and looked down at his hands.

Two bare sword hilts…

The broken blades were scattered on the ground not far away.

This…

Zoro suddenly looked up, staring intently at Dane, his eyes filled with shock.

Why?

Why did the power of Dane’s last slash suddenly increase so much?!

What was that black substance wrapped around the sword blade?!

“Zoro, a very good duel.”

Dane slowly sheathed his sword and walked in front of Zoro, “I look forward to our next duel.”

“I will be at the branch for the next half month.”

“If you want to fight again, just let me know in advance.”

With that, Dane turned and left to go on duty.

This man named Roronoa Zoro…

He was the strongest swordsman he had encountered in the East Blue to date.

In half a month, he would be heading to G- 3 Branch.

The enemies there would be hundreds of times stronger than those in the East Blue.

Before that, more sparring with Zoro would greatly benefit his swordsmanship improvement.

“……”

The surrounding Marines, after a brief silence, erupted into chaos.

“Did I see that right?”

“You didn’t! Major Dane’s move just now was Armament Haki!”

“As expected of someone personally trained by Rear Admiral Hawke, he’s already initially mastered Armament Haki!”

“So, are we still resting?”

“Rest my ass! I want to master Armament Haki too!”

“Charge, put in a hundred times the effort!”

“A hundred times? I’ll put in two hundred times!”

“…”

Zoro watched Dane’s retreating back, falling into thought.

He believed that in pure swordsmanship, he was on par with Dane.

In terms of sword quality, he even had an advantage.

But Hawke had said that swords were the least influential factor in a swordsman’s strength.

So what were the other factors?

Was it that black power just now?

According to the Marines nearby, that seemed to be called Armament Haki…?

Zoro’s curiosity, like dry kindling, burned fiercely.

He had to find out the answer!

He saw the Marines who had been resting but were now back to training, and he made a decision.

He would train with them, and then when Dane finished his shift, he would ask for a clear explanation!

With this in mind, Zoro, mimicking the Marines, took off his shirt, revealing his muscular upper body.

Then, he walked to a huge barbell.

Heavy iron plates hung from both ends of the barbell; it was equipment specifically used to test extreme strength at the branch.

Zoro gripped the barbell bar with both hands and tentatively exerted force.

The heavy barbell was easily lifted over his head, his movements fluid, as if he were just lifting a wooden stick.

“Hmm… not bad.”

“……”

On the training ground, all the Marines who were sweating profusely stopped their movements.

Their gazes were fixated on Zoro and the barbell in a daze.

No, that barbell, besides Rear Admiral Hawke and Major Dane…

The strongest soldier in the branch could only barely push it three times!

How was this moss-head playing with it like it was nothing?

“Hey, is it okay to let an outsider be so arrogant on our turf?”

A Marine with bulging muscles said through gritted teeth.

“Of course not!”

His companion next to him immediately echoed, battle intent burning in his eyes.

They were Rear Admiral Hawke’s soldiers!

They were the most elite Marines in the entire East Blue!

How could they be outdone by an outsider bounty hunter!

“Go! Bench press him into the ground!”

“Go! Deadlift him to oblivion!”

“Go! Squat him to death!”

A silent competition began.

However, against the physical monster Zoro.

The soldiers’ bench presses were crushed…

Their deadlifts were obliterated…

Their squats were dominated…

Soon, a group of Marines lay sprawled across the training ground.

Damn it, physically, they were no match for this moss-head!

“Thud——”

Zoro put the barbell back on the rack and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Not bad, not bad!

The training facilities here were excellent; he hadn’t had such a comfortable workout in a long time!

“Grrr——”

After a duel and high-intensity training, his stomach rumbled again.

Zoro walked up to the collapsed Marines and asked, “Hey, do you guys have any late-night snacks here?”

A Marine who was already so tired his eyes were rolling back answered weakly, “Of course…”

Then, he suddenly reacted.

“No, whether we have late-night snacks here or not, what’s it to you?!”