One Piece: King of the World

Chapter 187: Mihawk: Sooner or Later, I Will Cut the Poneglyph!

At the Isshin Dojo, Roronoa Zoro was training harder than anyone else. His dedication and effort surpassed all the other apprentices combined. Recently, he'd been pushing himself so hard that every day he practiced until he could no longer move and had to be carried back to his room.

Now, he lay in his room, his body aching and immobile, staring at the ceiling as though lost in thought.

The door suddenly opened, and Koshiro entered.

"Master!" Zoro called out upon seeing him, struggling to get up.

"There's no need to get up. Just lie down, Zoro," Koshiro said kindly, smiling as he gently pressed Zoro's shoulders back down to the bed.

"You've done this to yourself again. Haven't I told you? Even during training, you need to know when to relax. If you push too hard, you'll harm your body," Koshiro said softly.

Zoro nodded but said with determination, "I can handle it, Master. Every day I feel myself getting just a little bit stronger."

Koshiro nodded but didn't press further. Instead, he asked, "Why are you so desperate to push yourself this hard?"

"Isn't it obvious? I need to surpass Kuina," Zoro said without hesitation.

Koshiro smiled faintly and replied, "Kuina is gone now. There's no one left in the dojo who can challenge you."

"She didn't leave," Zoro said stubbornly. "She just followed those people to the sea. Sooner or later, I'll go to the sea and find her. She defeated me 1,250 times and then just left? How could I accept that? I'll make sure I beat her, fair and square!"

Indeed, Claudius and his group had left Shimotsuki Village some time ago, and Kuina had been persuaded to leave with them. This had left Zoro behind, frustrated and alone, with a burning determination to one day surpass his rival.

It wasn't that Claudius had dismissed Zoro's potential, on the contrary, he'd briefly considered taking the boy along as well. But Koshiro had already been hesitant about letting Kuina go, and Claudius felt it would be unfair to take away both of Koshiro's most talented apprentices.

Even I have my limits, Claudius had thought at the time, deciding to leave Zoro behind. Besides, Kuina needs guidance to avoid a tragic fate, but Zoro? That kid is tougher than steel. He'll be fine on his own.

---

Meanwhile, somewhere in the waters of East Blue, Claudius's ship, Prometheus, drifted leisurely. With both of his primary goals accomplished—recruiting Mihawk into the Seven Warlords of the Sea and securing Kuina—Claudius had no immediate plans.

Claudius had recently visited Cocoyasi Village, where he'd met the young Nami, her sister Nojiko, and their adoptive mother Bell-mère, a former Marine.

At the moment, the three were living happily in their quiet village. However, Captain Nezumi occasionally harassed them, though nothing serious had happened—yet.

Remembering this, Claudius decided to take action, which was why he'd instructed Spandine to clean up East Blue's Marines. While it was partly out of sympathy for the villagers, it was also out of respect for Bell-mère, a strong woman who had fought for her family.

By doing so, Claudius hoped to alter Cocoyasi Village's future. Perhaps this would prevent Nami from becoming a pirate, allowing her to stay in the village and focus on growing oranges.

Of course, Claudius had overlooked one key detail: Nami's dream was far bigger than her village. She wanted to map the entire world. Even if she didn't become a pirate, she would undoubtedly find her way to the sea.

---

"Your Highness!" Robin's voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts. The young girl came running from the deck, looking alarmed.

"What's wrong?" Claudius asked, surprised by her panic.

"It's Mihawk!" Robin said, her tone urgent. "He's in the library, trying to slash the Poneglyph!"

Claudius froze for a moment, then narrowed his eyes. "That bastard..."

Before Claudius could even move, Mihawk came strolling down the stairs, his usual stoic expression intact.

"What the hell were you doing?" Claudius demanded angrily.

"Nothing," Mihawk replied calmly. "I went to explore your library, and the girl told me the stone tablet couldn't be destroyed. I was curious, so I tested it. Don't worry, I didn't damage anything."

"And?" Claudius asked, his tone still sharp.

"It's true. I couldn't cut it. Not with my current strength," Mihawk admitted. Then, with a serious expression, he added, "But one day, I will. Sooner or later, I'll cut through that stone."

"You're delusional!" Claudius snapped. "That's part of my collection, and you think I'll let you destroy it?"