Wasuremono: The Things We Leave Behind
Author's note - Hahah, see, I'm not dead at all. Last time, we left Sanji victorious over the evil Solomon after a titantic battle in a house of mirrors. Sanji has won, but he's also out of the fight. With Nami sleeping off a love potion, Chopper caring for the wounded, Luffy chasing the one who stole his hat, and Usopp off doing Usopp things (hiding somewhere, maybe?), Zoro is left to face the remaining member of the Swiss' underlings. And Robin is on the way as well...
Chapter 8 - Yontoryu
Zoro crashed through the brush, growing more and more frustrated with each branch he had to slash out of his way.
Where was that blasted ship? And why couldn't he get anywhere, ANYWHERE without getting lost? He couldn't have been in the woods for more than an hour, but subjectively, it felt like the better part of a year since he'd left the park.
"Roronoa Zoro." The deep, rumbling voice sounded from somewhere ahead of him. "I hear you out there, cutting through the forest. I've been looking for you! You weren't at your ship." Stepping into a clearing, Zoro got a good look at the hulking man in front of him, made even larger-seeming by the enormous pack he carried on his back. The man chuckled as he stroked the scars on his chest. "Did you think you could get away from me so easily?"
"I'm on my way to the Merry now." Zoro snapped. "And I have no idea who you are, but if you're looking for a challenge, I suppose I'm late enough that a few extra seconds won't make much difference one way or the other."
"Confident, aren't you?" The lower sliver of a smile was visible under the large man's bushy mustache. "I know your three swords style is something to be feared. But when you count on simply having more blades than your opponent can block, well, that tends to fall through when you meet someone who wields more than you can." He ran a finger along one brawny upper arm, over a tattoo in black ink - four swords, arrayed in a cross pattern around a single point, the blades pointing outwards.
"Perhaps you've heard of me? Paul, the master of yontoryu, four-swords style?"
"No."
"Oh, perhaps it was not by that name. Perhaps it was in a hushed whisper in a tavern, or perhaps in the stories you were told when you were but a child ... dark rumors, stories of a man who carried death split into quarters, who wielded four blades at once..."
"No, I'm sure I've never heard of you." Zoro answered.
"...terrifying legends told by old sea dogs as they gathered over their ale-cups... you're sure? You've never heard of me?"
"I'm quite sure." Zoro drew his swords. "But why don't you show me what this 'yontoryu' is all about?"
"Very well, I will. I'll defeat you, and take your swords to add to my collection." Paul shrugged the massive pack off of his back and it hit the ground heavily. He open the flap and looked over the bundle of swords inside, pulling two out. "You know, all these swords belonged to other warriors - ones who thought they could defeat me holding their swords in ones and twos. You're a step up from them, but still no match for four." He carefully positioned the swords so that he could hold them in his preferred manner, with his hands free, and then drew out two more.
Zoro almost did a double take at the sight of the meaty, bushy-mustached man ... with two swords jammed into his mouth, one on either side, descending like massive steel tusks. All he would have needed was a pair of flippers and the illusion of a walrus would have been complete. Without meaning to, the young swordsman snickered.
"You LAUGH at me?" Paul boomed. "You mock the majesty of yontoryu?" As he spoke, the swords - which were turned blades-inward for some reason - made fresh nicks in his chest.
"Did someone let you play with your chopsticks too much as a child?" Zoro sighed, putting his own third sword into his mouth. "Let's do this quickly."
Paul must have agreed, for without further warning he lunged at Zoro, opening his mouth wide so the 'tusks' stood straight out. He slashed with the two swords in his hands while bringing down his head sharply at the same time, driving the blades into the forest soil. It would have been a devastating attack if Zoro hadn't easily moved out of the way.
Paul brought one sword back, hoping to catch his opponent off guard, but Zoro easily parried. As the fight continued, it became more and more obvious that Zoro clearly outmatched his opponent - and also more and more obvious that Paul wouldn't accept that. He charged back and forth, roaring in anger and in the process rendering his own chest a mess of a tiny but bloody cuts.
"I don't suppose you'll agree to yield." Zoro asked. He almost felt bad about striking someone who was already injuring himself so thoroughly.
"Three swords can never beat four!" Paul answered defiantly. "You've beaten enough yourself to know that the one with more swords always wins!"
This guy ... is an IDIOT, Zoro thought. Aloud, he said, "So then, tell me - what happens if someone comes along who uses FIVE swords? Will you just roll over?"
"Five swords?" Paul snorted. "Don't be stupid. Nobody could hold five swords at once, not without making themselves look ridiculous, anyway."
This ought to be interesting, Zoro told himself. It might even be worth waiting until SHE shows up. He glanced up at the position of the moon. It shouldn't be that long, he figured. We were supposed to meet at the ship, so she should be coming right through here. It'll be a good test for her.
"What's wrong? Finding it a little difficult to get through my defenses?" Paul sneered. "Now do you understand? I can defend against all three of YOUR swords, and have one left over for offense! You've got no chance!"
"I'm refraining from cutting you down because I'm waiting for someone." Zoro explained. "At the rate we're going, though, I'm starting to think you may pass out from the blood loss from your self inflicted wounds before she gets here. Shall we call a brief
truce?"
The sound of a woman clearing her throat echoed through the woods. "That won't be necessary." Robin said from the edge of the clearing. "I'm here now. I didn't expect to find him - " she nodded at Paul " - still standing when I arrived, though."
"I'm ... saving him for you." Zoro smiled. "I think he's just about right for you to cut your teeth on, and I knew you'd be through here sooner or later on the way back to the Merry."
"Actually, we're on the other side of the island from the Merry." Robin said. "We're halfway to Tortugan, in fact."
"What? Then how did you find me here?"
Robin looked over her shoulder at the broad swath of cleanly-severed branches and stumps Zoro had left behind him all the way from the park. "I ... used some old tracker's techniques." She turned back to him, looking him straight in the eye. "You really think I'm ready for this?"
"I think there's a good chance. And if you're not, you can always just take care of him the usual way."
"What in blazes are you two babbling about?" Paul harrumphed, nearly severing his carotid artery. "Are you going to fight me or not, Roronoa?"
"I'm not." Zoro jerked his thumb in Robin's direction. "She is. That is, if you'll lend her a few weapons from your collection, there."
"Oh, very magnanimous of me, that would be, wouldn't it?" Paul laughed. "Well, I suppose I can afford it. Listen, Miss, if you really want to go through with this, I promise I'll only use the flat of my blades on you, and then once I've knocked you silly with it, I'll take my swords back and your boyfriend's as well."
"I can pick any of these?" Robin looked down at the pack bulging with blades of every shape and description.
"Take one, or two. Take three if you like. Unless you can come up with a way to hold four, you've got no chance."
"You really think that more swords will always beat fewer. This should be interesting." Robin smiled cryptically. "I think I'll take..." Her hand hovered over the pack for a moment. "All of them."
"ALL of them?"
Robin straightened herself up and faced Paul. "All of them." she confirmed. "It's time to introduce 'Hyakutoryu' to the world."
Next time! Robin unleashes Hundred-Swords Style! And why was she learning sword fighting? The AMAZINGLY SHOCKING (actually, not at all) answer in the next chapter! Estimated date of publication: Spring, 2009!