Marineford War: I Will Stand in the Sky

In a way, Dragon felt that Arn and Koushirou shared a similar temperament and demeanor. This kind of man always made people feel reliable without them even realizing it, and it just didn't seem like him at all...

'hiss……'

Suddenly, Dragon looked at Yann with a strange expression, recalling Yann's various indecent acts.

"It's not impossible," Dragon muttered to himself.

"Or perhaps..."

Just then, Yan slowly spoke. "Tashigi is Kuina, and it was Koushirou who secretly chose a different path for Kuina. However..."

After a pause, Yann shook his head and said.

“I didn’t tell Tashigi anything about Zoro beforehand. I even stopped the Straw Hat Pirates from getting their bounties. There’s no way Tashigi could have known about Zoro beforehand, but her expression was completely normal when she first met him.”

Finally, Yann said with relative certainty, "So, it must be a coincidence."

Dragon, who was more familiar with Koushirou, spoke with certainty.

"Mr. Koushirou's private lifestyle may be questionable, but given his beliefs and will, there is no need to worry about him betraying the organization. He was a comrade who secretly assisted the organization with all his might when it was still extremely weak."

For some inexplicable reason, Yann felt that the scoundrel in front of him was alluding to something. After glancing at Dorrag, he agreed.

"Of course, I'm not doubting what comrades mean,"

Dragon coughed twice, then turned his attention back to the rather naive swordsmanship duel between Daschi and Zoro, and asked.

"Chief of Staff, why did you deliberately arrange a sword duel between Tashigi and Zoro? Was it to allow Zoro, as Koushirou's disciple, to sever his past regrets and further hone his swordsmanship?"

"Uh, this..."

Yan used the tea to cover up his somewhat embarrassed expression, but he was too embarrassed to say his main purpose, and that meeting Tashigi was purely coincidental and a spur-of-the-moment thing.

However, almost instantly, Yann came up with a brilliant excuse and said...

"That's right. Zoro's dream of becoming the 'world's greatest swordsman' is closely related to Kuina. So I plan to use this sword duel to let Zoro taste the bitterness of his past defeats, thereby spurring him to grow even faster."

"I see……"

However, Dragon asked with some doubt, "But it would be quite difficult for Tashigi to defeat Zoro, wouldn't it?"

"On the contrary, in this fair and square sword duel, Zoro's task of defeating Tashigi is the most difficult," Yan said with certainty.

"Why?" Dragon asked.

"It's simple. Even if Tashigi admits that she is not Kuina, would Zoro dare to gamble on that one percent possibility that might not even exist?"

"How could Zoro possibly win a sword duel if he didn't even know whether his target was Tashigi or Kuina?"

"Yarn continued."

"So Zoro will continue the 2001st defeat and taste the 2002nd defeat, losing to Tashigi, and also losing to Kuina from his memories."

"Do not……"

However, upon hearing Arn's analysis, Dragon spoke up in a dissenting tone. "Chief of Staff, Mr. Koushirou mentioned Zoro to me."

"Hmm?" Yann.

"This is a swordsman who never gave up his desire for victory even after suffering 2001 consecutive defeats..."

After a pause, Dragon said with certainty.

"I believe that a swordsman like this would never give up the pursuit of victory in sword duels because of regrets in his memory."

Ya'en's expression stiffened slightly, but he had also considered this possibility.

……

Meanwhile, in the underground kendo room, after hundreds of collisions, Tashigi was already panting, but Zoro, whose breathing was being suppressed on the surface, remained steady.

"Delaying time? I know my physical abilities are no match for men," Tashigi said breathlessly.

This sentence caused a subtle change in Zoro's expression, and he tightened his grip on the "Wado Ichimonji" even more.

"Hey……"

Zoro suddenly stepped back a few paces, then looked up at Tashigi and said, "The way you said that with that face makes me want something important."

"What?" Tashigi asked, puzzled.

"but……"

Zoro subconsciously turned his head to look at Ying, who was standing on the edge and looked delicate and cute, and then said with a slight twitch of his expression.

"Among female swordsmen, there are also monsters with terrifying physical strength and physique, so this is just an excuse. If the physique is insufficient, then train; if the physical strength is poor, then train the physical strength; if the sword skills are poor, then study the techniques. Only weakness... will always have all sorts of excuses."

[Chapter 724. One-Sword Style: A Great Shock]

The next moment, Zoro's aura changed, and he suddenly exuded a kind of oppressive aura like a demon as he enveloped Tashigi.

"Wh...what..."

Tashigi instinctively raised her sword to defend herself.

In that instant, in Zoro's eyes, Tashigi and young Kuina's figures seemed to overlap, just like that moment before.

'Kuina, this is the answer!!!'

"One-Sword Style: Great Shock!"

This is a technique that Zoro learned on the spot. He did not actually attack Tashigi when she blocked his attack. Instead, he simply unleashed his full aura to intimidate her with a single swing of his sword!

Tashigi froze, facing that demonic slash, feeling an overwhelming fear, her pupils even dilating several times as if they were unfocused.

As the two figures crossed paths, Zoro slowly sheathed his "Wado Ichimonji," while Tashigi, gripping her "Sayonara Shigure" loosely due to fear, could only let it fall to the ground with a crisp sound.

Zoro turned his head slightly to look at Tashigi behind him and said, "It has nothing to do with physical ability. The real difference in strength lies solely in their aura."

"That's right..."

Ying, standing to the side, spoke with a hint of joy on her face.

"Just like my idol, 'Naval Hero' Terfim Yarn, he was never known for his physical strength, but he still stood at the top of the world."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

On the rooftop, Yann's previously grim expression, tinged with sadness at Tashigi's defeat, suddenly softened into one of pride. He spoke to Dragon with a hint of disdain.

"That idiot Ying, who would idolize their own father..."

After a pause, Yern turned to Dragon and asked, "You agree, right, Dragon?"

……

Dorlag.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Inside the kendo room, Zoro listened to Ying's words with some confusion and asked, "Ying, your idol is actually Vice Admiral 'Sakura Dragon' Yann?"

"Is there a problem? Don't you think Lieutenant General Yann is outstanding?" Ying retorted.

"Uh, it's alright..."

Zoro scratched his ear with his index finger and said.

"However, I've heard that guy is also a very strong swordsman. Before I defeat 'the greatest swordsman of the sea,' Mihawk, I will challenge him sooner or later and then defeat him!"

In an instant, not only did Ying's expression become somewhat strange, but Ya'en's expression was also unusually complicated.

Dragon, who was standing to the side, suppressed a laugh and said, "Chief of Staff, it seems you'd better be careful. Who knows when Zoro will come with Luminous to challenge you."

"You ignorant brat!"

Yann suppressed the urge to appear right in front of Ying and break Zoro's limbs, and said coldly.

“Every year, many supernovas emerge from the sea claiming to challenge the admirals and emperors of the sea, but the final result is never good.”

Dragon took a sip of tea with a satisfied look and said, "Really? Then remember to go easy on me when you do it, or Ying might come after you."

"Do you think Ying would even look at a brat with green hair like that?"

Yan said dismissively, then looked at the image with a hint of anticipation in his eyes, as if hoping that Ying would teach Zoro a lesson on the spot.

However, Ying, with a slightly strange expression, spoke up to remind him, "Zoro, you've got the order wrong."

"What?" Zoro asked.

“If you want to challenge Lieutenant General ‘Sakura Dragon’ Yann, then at the very least you need to have the ability to defeat Mihawk before you are qualified to truly stand in front of that man,” Ying said.

"That guy... is he that strong?" Zoro asked, puzzled.

Just then, Tashigi, still unable to shake off her fear, angrily warned, "You are not allowed to insult Lieutenant General Yann!"

"Uh, sorry..."

Noticing that Ying's eyes also seemed somewhat dissatisfied, Zoro scratched his head and said something.

"Sorry, I just heard that Lieutenant General Yann is quite lecherous, and usually guys like that can't really stand at the top."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

As Yan watched helplessly as Zoro relentlessly ruined his image in front of Ying, constantly slandering him, his face almost dripping with gloom.

"Humph!"

Ahn suddenly stood up, turned around and walked towards the door.

"Hey, Chief of the General Staff, calm down, calm down..."

Seeing this, Dorrag quickly got up and began to persuade him, saying...

"What could that brat Zoro possibly know? He's just influenced by some unfounded rumors. Don't act rashly."

"Don't worry, I wouldn't stoop to directly attacking a brat like that," Yann said.

For some reason, Dorrag sensed a hint of gritted teeth in his voice.

"I'll leave this place to you, Dragon. I'll be back soon."

As soon as Yann finished speaking, his figure completely disappeared from Dragon's sight.

Almost instantly, Yann used his Observation Haki to locate Sanji, Reiju, Nami, and their group who were shopping for supplies.

"Um?!"

With Yann deliberately making his appearance, Sanji quickly discovered Yann's presence.