Instinctively, I drew my wide blade from the sheath on my back to defend myself. I threw it down hard over my head. The black metal made contact with wood and I pushed through it until two halfs of the trunk had fallen to either side of me.

They landed with a deafening thud but behind the noise, I felt a great disturbance from over the tree I raised my blade just in time to catch Zoro's as it came down hard on me. The pressure was too great for me move so I just held on hoping for a stalemate. From the angle of his blade, I figured he has two hands on it meaning I wouldn't have to worry about fending off a simultaneous attack from a two sword style assault.

He backed off and I opened my eyes when I heard the click of his blade back in the sheath. That grin hadn't left his face the whole time.

"Because do you think your opponent is stronger than that tree?"

I took a good look at the trunk I had just cut down. It was just about wide enough for me to wrap my arms around and be able to touch my fingers on the other side. Cassandra wasn't nearly that thick so by that logic, I had just proved that I would be victorious.

"Just relax," Zoro smiled, patting me on the shoulder. "Your worst enemy is yourself."

"Yeah, thanks," I grinned, starting to trust myself almost as much as I trusted Zoro.

Without the nerves blocking my hunger, my stomach groaned and requested we go back home.

"Let's go back and get ready," the swordsman laughed. "No point fighting on an empty stomach is you can't help it."

We reached the edge of the forest and Zoro paused. As he spoke, his voice was more gentle than I was used to.

"Win this one for me, alright?"

"Of course. And for her."

He wasn't expecting me to bring his childhood friend into this. But I knew he wanted to prove to the dojo that a swords woman could flourish just as much as a swordsman under the right mindset.

"I visited her grave this morning," I added quietly, wondering if he would mind that I was intruding on a part of his past.

"Well there's no way you can lose," he grinned and started heading home.