Characters read Rewind One Piece

By: FunahoMisaki

(A/N: I own nothing and read last chapter)

"What the hell?" Krieg was shocked and a bit pale when the three blades crossed with Mihawks one. There had been a brief moment of nothing after the blades crashed before there was a large blast of wind and it seemed as if everything got sharper or slashed. There was a parting in the sea around them, the few clouds above moved apart as if they had been slashed, and anyone that had been near them that wasn't a StrawHat or Zeff was knocked back just by the air pressure and a few poor sods lost a limb or two."

Smoothie let out a low whistle at that, she knew she wasn't an avid swordswoman like her sister was but she could do a bit more than most people. That kind of thing though? No Devil Fruit at all? Way outside of her limits.

"A fight between two true swordsmen. Engrave this in your minds folks cause you'll never see a fight like this again in your lifetimes." Zeff said staring as the two swordsmen exchanged more attacks, swords blocking swords and creating sparks where they impacted as the two men moved fluidly and faster than most could keep up with. Small and deep slashes appeared on both fighters in various spots as they dashed back and forth.

"Sister Amande would betray mama to see this."

"I would." Amande said nodding and she was avidly paying attention to the fight.

"To be fair I think most serious sword users would do the same." Vista said although he'd never betray Pops, but he would want to see that fight.

"Brulee murmured as she watched the fight with wide eyes behind the rather crystal like mirrors. She had arranged them so that they were small mirrors that all stuck together and reflected anything to either side of her face as well as in front of her above her head, and behind her since she was adding more pieces to it to make it more like a helmet than a mask and with the way she made it arranged it didn't even look like glass."

"That way you could watch all of your blind spots. Smart." Big Mom said admitting that with a small grunt and glance at her daughter who smiled slightly at that.

"I don't blame her. I'd betray someone who treats their children like property for an apple pie."

Big Mom winced at how her actions were described from the outside and the fact that none of her children protested or refuted it meant that they saw it the same way.

"Luffy said without ever moving his eyes from his swordsman who seemed to be fighting Mihawk on even grounds.

"And you hate pies." Sanji voiced unnecessarily as he watched, wincing when one swipe of Mihawks sword cut off Zoro's left ear."

Everyone glanced at Zoro who was missing his ear and relaxing, eyes closed as he just listened to the story and remembered the fight.

"Zoro didn't hesitate even if Mihawk was surprised just a bit by actually getting in a blow like that so early in the fight, Mihawk promptly lost his nose to the sword in Zoro's left hand before he could regain his composure."

Here everyone glanced at Mihawk who was paying avid attention to the book.

"You're doing well for someone whose swords are holding him back." Mihawk said his voice a bit off as he narrowed his eyes while he seemed to move just a bit faster as blood poured from where his nose had been a mere moment prior, although more than a few chefs and even the Krieg Pirates looked sick at the sight."

"Wimps." Every pirate in the room snorted at how weak stomached the Krieg Pirates were.

"Work with what you have yes?" Zoro asked around Wado as he kept up with Mihawks increased pace but his swords were beginning to crack."

"Although it is impressive that you managed to defeat him with two basic swords and one named blade. Makes me wonder how the fight would have gone if you had the swords from your future self?" Brulee wondered about that as she glanced at the swordsman who shrugged.

"They wouldn't have broken but that's probably the only difference."

"Hmph. True." Mihawk said although you could tell he was impressed by now as he sent a green slash at Zoro, who just cut through it with Wado and sent his own flying slash back in return.

"I did not expect to run into someone like you here in East Blue, the weakest of the seas." Mihawk said barely avoiding the flying slash due to his surprise of meeting someone who knew that technique in this sea."

"Can't blame him there. Honestly finding someone that skilled in East Blue and who isn't an arrogant blowhard?" Shanks said shaking his head slightly in disbelief.

"He then had to avoid the tornado that Zoro sent at him even as the cracks on the two nameless swords got worse. They'd never survive this fight."

"A tornado? A devil fruit then?" Smoothie asked eyeing Zoro who gave a small smirk.

"Nope. Zoro doesn't have a devil fruit at all. The tornado is just one of his skills." Nami spoke up immediately and everyone was a little more impressed by that.

"East Blue may be called the weakest but make no mistake." Zoro then got into one of his more advanced stances as he prepared to try and end this before the blood loss got to him too badly and his swords broke.

"This Sea brought forth not just the new Greatest Swordsman…but it is also the sea that birthed the next KING OF PIRATES!"

Zoro held his fist out to Luffy and the two pounded fists while the rest of the room stared at them.

"Zoro yelled the last part proudly as he prepared the attack just as Mihawk closed in on him.

"Santoryu: Demon Mutts Piercing Bite!"

"I think it's hilarious how you developed an entirely new technique just because of your nickname." Franky said grinning slightly and the rest of the crew nodded in agreement while Zoro just grinned, never once opening his eye.

"Zoro said causing a few people to faceplant while Zoro threw his head back and spat out the sword in his mouth, making it arc high up into the air as he dashed forward and clashed with Mihawk. Using some pretty fancy weaving and dodging, Zoro blocked the Black Blade with the two in his hand and then leaned his head back to catch Wado back in his mouth by the hilt although his swords all turned black with Armament Haki much to Mihawks surprise."

"Got to admit that technique would take a lot of practice and luck. If the sword landed wrong and you tried to grab it in your mouth…" Shanks said with a whistle while Mihawk was interested in this sword skill that helped defeat him.

"Swinging his head around Zoro's sword struck true and ripped across Mihawks chest in a motion that left what vaguely resembled a fang on the mans chest as he fell backwards a bit. To the onlookers amazement the blast let out a flying slash after it finished cleaving it's path, splitting a good chunk of sea and the fish in it that had been in that direction. Thankfully it hadn't been aimed in the Baratie's direction."

"If it was a flying slash that did that much damage outside of his body, imagine what it did to the inside of Mihawks body." Jimbe said and everyone paled or looked horrified at the amount of damage it could do.

"Oh it'd certainly slice through several major organs, especially since it was imbued with Haki!, and possibly even liquify a few which would cause them to drip out of the open wounds." Chopper said brightly at that and scaring the hell out of a few people not used to him.

"You've been spending too much time with Robin." Usopp said flatly to the doctor.

"I-Impressive. Not many can make me bleed so much." Mihawk said although he was starting to lose consciousness due to blood loss but hung on stubbornly. He could tell that Zoro was the same however."

"Due to the internal injuries there was no way you were going to survive that fight man." Shanks said shaking his head as he glanced at his friend who gave a small shrug. It must have been one hell of a fight and there was no higher honor than dying in a honor duel between true swordsmen.

"Tch. That attack is usually aimed at a persons throat. A dog always lunges for the throat after all." Zoro said smirking a bit and yet looking a bit annoyed that his attack was off even as one sword finally broke, leaving him to put Wado in his right hand now."

"That's what happens when you have to get reused to having your depth perception off." Zoro said making the others give him blank looks.

"You could have opened your eye you know." Nami reminded the first mate who shrugged.

"Could have but saw no reason too. I either won with it closed as a challenge or I lost and wasn't ready yet. No two ways about it." Zoro grunted and everyone slowly processed what this implied. He defeated Mihawk with a handicap.

Ace's whisper 'Holy shit' earned him a smack from his wife but dumb nods from the rest of the room. The Straw Hats weren't the least bit surprised though.

"Tell me was that one of your actual moves or just something you developed for laughs?" Mihawk asked with a bit of a weak laugh making Zoro grin at him despite the cut across his jaw and his missing ear making his teeth look bloody.

"Everyone says I'm like a dog that attacks all whom get in my masters way…shall we end this in one last blow Mihawk-sensei?" Zoro asked making Mihawk give a deep laugh that echoed along the waves.

"Yes I believe we shall. Tell me though, Demon Mutt, what is your name?" Mihawk asked grinning at Zoro who smiled back even wider with his teeth painted red."

"That made you look ten times more intimidating I'm sure." Usopp said dryly to the swordsman who just gave him a small smirk.

"Zoro. Rorona Zoro." Zoro answered making Mihawk nod.

"A fine, proud name Rorona. Now then. Let's finish this." Mihawk said launching back towards Zoro who launched at him at the same time. Mihawks blade slashed across Zoro's chest, causing there to be a spray of blood as they passed each other before Zoro fell down a bit gasping for air and clutching his chest-"

"But…didn't you win?"

"as his remaining regular sword broke before he stood back up. The Krieg flagship that had been behind Zoro was completely ripped apart by the aftereffect of the slash, killing quite a few of the poor bastards on board.

That's when the Black Blade and the arm still holding it fell to the wooden deck."

"Oh."

"Congratulations Rorona." Mihawk gasped out as well, falling to the ground next to his right arm…as well as a good portion of his stomach and chest which had also been cut. The slash that Zoro's last attack had made in the sea went on as far as the eye could see and it seemed as if the very clouds above them had been torn apart by the sword."

"They might have been." Luffy said snickering. That was his first mate!

"Thank you Mihawk-sensei. For everything." Zoro said making Mihawk give a wet laugh as his necklace sword fell, the chain having been cut by Zoro's last attack as well and it clattered to the deck next to him.

"Don't thank me for anything. Now they will all come after you. Not many will be worthy of your true blade though." Mihawk warned as he grasped his Black Blade tightly in his left hand now, wanting to hold the sword as he died."

"We weren't going to take it from you. After all it was your sword and yours alone." Luffy said nodding to the swordsman who nodded back gratefully.

"I understand…may I keep the necklace sword for those unworthy of Wado and the blades I will get in the future?" Zoro asked bowing to Mihawk who let out another wet weak laugh.

"Yes. Now…make the world… no make me proud. Make your captain proud…" Mihawk said before the light left his eyes."

There was a moment of silence as everyone bowed their heads for the fallen sword master.

"I will sensei." Zoro said blinking back the tears in his one good eye as he picked up the necklace before turning towards where Luffy and the others were watching stunned as he hobbled over. Luffy was just grinning so wide a few were worried his face would break if it weren't made of rubber as Zoro made it back aboard the Baratie amidst the shocked dead silence."

"I bet you he is proud. You did defeat the Worlds Greatest after all." Carue said and Luffy grinned at him.

"I was already proud of Zoro! Worlds Greatest or not it doesn't matter! I'm proud of each and every one of my Nakama!" The rest of the crew got a bit blushy and pleased at hearing this.

"I did it captain! Now…I promise that I…will make you… THE PIRATE KING!" Zoro shouted planting Wado in the wooden deck as he kneeled before Luffy who laughed at him and nodded. Zoro began to tilt sideways however as blood loss finally caught up with him.

"Looks…Looks like I did it huh? Kuina?"

"Who's Kuina?" Smoothie wondered as she looked at Zoro who gave a small far away smile.

"An old friend of mine. It was her dream for one of us to become the Worlds Greatest. She never got a chance to try for that dream so I fulfilled it both for myself and for her." Zoro said and that raised the respect everyone had for him a good bit as they understand what he meant by her never getting a chance to try.

"Zoro whispered slightly as he gripped the sword tighter. The last thing he heard before blacking out was his captains gentle order

"Rest Zoro. You've more than earned it."

"Like that lazy moss head needs any excuse to nap." Sanji said grinning at Zoro.

"He was able to sleep through the storms and all from when we entered Paradise while unexperienced with the Grand Line. He can sleep through anything." Nami said with a snort as she remembered that, making those that had been there aside from Zoro snicker or laugh while the book flashed to Whitebeards hands.