Marine Branch 16 operated two distinct weapon shops for the public. The first was a standard armory that sold reliable, affordable gear to regular sailors and mercenaries.

The second was Velvet Scabbard, a boutique specifically designed to separate wealthy, gullible tourists from their money.

Everyone on Dante’s payroll knew exactly how the Establishment operated. The swords themselves weren’t garbage, of course. Though they were mass-produced on an assembly line, the machinery was engineered by Vegapunk. The structural integrity of the steel was genuinely top-tier, easily matching the 50 Skillful Grade Blades. In the hands of a capable master, one of those flashy replicas could easily carve out a legendary reputation. After all, it was the swordsman who made the blade famous, not the other way around.

A weakling with a mythic weapon was still a weakling. And once a fighter mastered Haki, the base grade of the steel hardly mattered.

But the markup inside the Establishment was borderline scam. Some of those factory-line swords were priced higher than the well known 12 Supreme Grade Blades. The designs were ridiculously over-the-top, meaning practical, veteran fighters almost never shopped there. Buying a blade that expensive and flashy to actually fight with felt like a waste, they were meant to be displayed in glass cases in some noble’s mansion.

So, Zoro had spent a few years chopping logs, saved up a tiny bit of pride, and immediately walked into a luxury tourist trap?

Dante stared at the jagged Kokusai and the pitch-black Zangetsu, his frown deepening.

"What’s with that look?" Zoro demanded. "Are there quality issues with the swords from that shop?"

"How could that be? We run a highly ethical, legitimate business here. Who would sell fake swords?" Dante quickly waved his hand, coughing into his fist. "It’s just... they look so incredibly cool!"

Zoro gave him a deadpan stare. ’This guy has serious problems. Isn’t that shop on his own turf?’

Already locked into his Three-Sword Style stance, Zoro didn’t let the bizarre reaction distract him. He spoke through clenched teeth around Yubashiri’s hilt. "Are you fighting or not?"

"What’s the rush?"

Dante sighed. He had specifically placed the cursed blade, Sandai Kitetsu, inside the normal weapon shop as a test, and Zoro had completely bypassed it for the shiny tourist bait. Perhaps it was fate. He wouldn’t stop him. At the very least, if Zoro used those ridiculous swords in combat, it would be great free advertising for the Establishment

"It’s rare for you to bring friends to visit your Senpai." Dante glanced past Zoro. Luffy, Helmeppo, and even Chopper were standing nearby. He completely ignored the imposing presence of Mihawk, Kuzan, and Garp lounging in the background.

"Seeing you make so many friends... as your Senpai, I am deeply relieved," Dante nodded sagely. "Since you brought guests, shouldn’t I host a proper tea for them? Wouldn’t it be rude to start swinging swords immediately? Where are you rushing off to?"

Used to his Senpai’s endless stalling tactics, Zoro stayed silent for a moment before replying flatly, "I have to get back to my work shift."

Dante choked slightly. ’I really can’t argue with that excuse.’

He couldn’t exactly stand in the way of his kouhai’s employment. With a sigh, Dante drew Shusui. Unlike Mihawk, he wasn’t arrogant enough to use a pocket knife to humiliate a challenger.

Seeing the pitch-black blade drawn, Zoro looked surprised. "You changed swords?"

But he quickly shook his head, his gaze sharpening into a lethal glare. "Never mind. It doesn’t matter. I’ve been training relentlessly these past few years."

A fierce, bloodthirsty grin spread across Zoro’s face. "Today, I wipe away years of humiliation!"

His aura exploded outward, sharp and oppressive. He coiled his muscles, preparing to launch his opening strike.

"Wait!" Dante suddenly shouted, raising Shusui with a solemn, reverent expression. "This blade is Shusui! One of the 21 Great Grade Blades. It was once wielded by the legendary Wano samurai, Ryuma."

He held it flat across his chest, presenting the weapon to Zoro with theatrical ceremony. "It is rumored to have slain a dragon in a single strike. And now, it serves as my fangs!"

Zoro and Mihawk both fell silent.

Mihawk scowled in the background. The scene felt entirely familiar. Would Dante really use the same cheap mental trick on his own kouhai?

Zoro’s built-up momentum hit a brick wall. He stared at Dante in utter confusion, completely derailed by the dramatic exposition. He had fought Dante thousands of times, and the man had never acted like this before.

Since when did their spars include historical monologues?

Still biting down on Yubashiri, Zoro looked awkwardly at the Zangetsu and Kokusai in his hands. He had no idea how to introduce them. Did he have to recite the crazy legends the clerk told him?

Just as he debated whether to introduce one sword or all three,

"A swordsman must never lose focus. Do you freeze in battle just because your opponent opens his mouth?" Dante’s voice suddenly shifted, sounding incredibly weary and deeply disappointed. "You disappoint me, Zoro. Is this the extent of your growth?"

Zoro snapped back to reality, his eyes widening in horror.

’I fell for it!’

But it was too late.

A massive, overwhelming wave of sword slash was already launching toward him. Zoro knew he had improved vastly over the years, but he hadn’t expected Dante’s power to have multiplied so absurdly.

Without hesitation, he dropped his center of gravity, gripping his hilts tight.

"Three-Sword Style Logging: Sky Splitter!"

It was the absolute strongest technique he had honed while clearing the forests.

But... he still lost. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

His three blades caught the terrifying slash, but the sheer kinetic force and razor-sharp energy shattered his stance instantly. The shockwave ripped through his defenses, tearing his clothes to shreds and sending him flying backward like a ragdoll. He crashed heavily into the dirt, carving a deep trench into the courtyard.

"Zoro!" Luffy and Helmeppo yelled, rushing forward in a panic.

When the dust settled, they found Zoro lying in the crater, his eyes wide open, staring blankly at the sky. They breathed a sigh of relief that he was alive, but still turned furious glares on the Marine Captain.

’Is he really your Senpai? He used a cheap sneak attack!’

Before Luffy or Helmeppo could yell at Dante,

"I lost," Zoro rasped, lying motionless in the dirt. Yubashiri had slipped from his mouth. "Don’t interfere. I lost."

"It was a sneak attack!" Helmeppo protested. "He talked just to distract you!"

"No. I lost. Even if I had attacked first, the result would be the same." Zoro forced a heavy breath and sat up slowly. He looked at Dante with a complex mix of frustration and awe. He ignored the swords scattered around him.

"I knew you would have gotten stronger," Zoro forced the words out, "but I didn’t expect the gap to be this massive."

He had trained until his hands bled every single day. He had grown so much. And yet, the chasm between them had only widened.

"Only a terrifying sword style like yours deserves the throne of the World’s Greatest Swordsman," Zoro muttered bitterly.

Before Dante could respond, Zoro grabbed his three swords and forced himself to stand. His eyes burned with an unwavering determination.

"It doesn’t matter! I won’t give up! I will keep getting stronger, and when I do, I’ll take that title from you myself!"

It was his ultimate dream. He glared fiercely at Dante. "I will beat you eventually, and I’ll wipe away the shame of my eight thousand and one defeat!"

He is Roronoa Zoro. He would never be broken so easily.

"The throne of the World’s Greatest Swordsman?" Dante raised an eyebrow and let out a melancholic sigh. "I am still far from that peak."

He shook his head as he turned away.

"You think I’m strong? No, I am still weak. You simply haven’t witnessed true power, so you think my meager level is the ceiling of this world. Let me tell you..." His tone turned utterly desolate. "I am not there yet. But I have seen the true World’s Greatest Swordsman. I challenged him once, and he faced my strongest strike by drawing nothing more than a tiny dining knife."

Dante walked over to where a furious Mihawk was standing, pointing directly at the small cross-shaped pendant hanging around the Warlord’s neck.

"Small like this knife," Dante said solemnly. "You might think I’m invincible now, but unfortunately... I am merely a small-time Marine Captain who hasn’t even set foot in the Grand Line."

Zoro trembled, his eyes locking onto the tiny blade resting against Mihawk’s chest. "The World’s Greatest Swordsman is really that strong?"

"Monstrously strong," Dante nodded heavily. "Only a swordsman who truly earns his respect deserves to see him draw his real sword."

"But even so, I won’t give up! I’ll challenge that man. I will take the throne before you do!"

"Mhm. You must force him to draw his black blade Yoru. He is incredibly strong. If you don’t believe me, ask my good friend Mihawk right here!"

Mihawk stared at Dante in utter silence.

’Ask me, like hell. Who is your good friend?’

In that moment, Mihawk genuinely wished he had drawn Yoru to cut the shameless Marine down where he stood.

===============

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