A Swordsman's Consultation, the Cessation of Clashing Swords

Drunkards in Dresrossa disregard a swordsman's consultation

Three Marines walk into a bar.

This particular bar was in the city center of Dresrossa.

The Heavenly Demon Doflamingo was overthrown by Straw Hat Luffy only two days ago. The city was still in ruins from the fight, but the citizens had bright expressions on their faces.

The country was still recovering from the damage caused by the "Bird Cage," yet the citizens had obtained a fluttering freedom in that big sky.

The bar was filled with people and the sound of cheerful voices and clinking glasses. One couldn't say whether or not that fluttering sound was the appearance of change in the works.

Now for the three Marines who entered the bar. They were already completely red-faced. It seemed they'd had a few drinks before even coming to the bar.

This bar was a stand-up-and-drink style and there was a slick line of wine and beer barrels along one wall. Inside, the tables here and there were replaced by wooden crates, but the customers were tucked in all around them.

"Uuiii~, *hic* This place here," said the Marine with a scruff beard.

"Yeah, *burp*" said the slender Marine.

"Yeah, this one," said the young, glasses wearing Marine with a nod.

The Marines roughly looked around for a wooden crate with only one person at it and spotting one, made their way over to it.

"Is it okay if we sit here, mister?"

Scruff Marine asked on behalf of the others. The man already at the crate, who was wearing a hooded coat with its deep hood drawn up, with a nod said, "Sure, go ahead."

They ordered sake from a passing employee, who quickly carried some mugs back out to them, including one for the man who was already there, and they gave a toast once they got their drinks.

After the first sip, Slender Marine rubbed his belly.

"Ugh, I might have drunken too much lately 'cause my stomach doesn't feel so good."

"Are you okay?" Glasses Marine asked. Apparently when it came to their hierarchy, Scruff and Slender were on the same level while Glasses was either a subordinate or simply junior to them.

"It's cold, my stomach, I mean. That's why I should drink more," continued Slender.

Scruff laughed and said, "That's why it's fine to drink while wearing a haramaki. See, like this Nii-chan here."

Taking a look, the hooded man was wearing a white shirt and a green haramaki.

"Is your stomach cold too? Drink some more." Slender asked, but the hooded man just said "No" in reply.

The hooded man was wearing three katana at his waist and when Slender finally noticed, he said, "Oh? What's this? That's *hic* a lot of swords you've got there. You a swords salesman?"

"Haha. There's no way," Glasses quickly refuted. "I've never seen a swords salesman carry his products at his hip."

The red-faced marines that had come in were annoying and the hooded man was a little tongue tied, but the three weren't done talking yet.

"Oi, speaking of katanas reminds me," said Scruff. "That conversation we were having on our way here."

"Oh, right, that. We didn't reach a conclusion to that," Slender responded.

"Eh? Have you not had enough of that yet?" Glasses cut in, but the two didn't stop.

"It's fine."

"Exactly. It's fine."

"See?" Scruff said. "So the world's strongest swordsman is definitely Hawk Eyes Mihawk."

Hearing that, Slender turned to look at him. "No, no. The best swordsman is Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro. I won't take any objections."

"Well," Glasses said with a sigh. "It doesn't particularly matter either way."

"Is that so?"

"I see. So what do you think, which one's the World's Strongest Swordsman?" Slender asked, and Glasses crossed his arms.

"Hmmm… Which one, huh? I haven't yet decided which one… And there's others besides those two…"

"That's true, guess we can't just narrow it down to just those two," Scruff said, taking a drink from his mug.

"Yo," the hooded man grunted. With a smirk he continued, "That's quite the interesting sounding conversation you're having. Mind if I join you?"

The subject was "Who is the World's Strongest Swordsman?"

Scruff guessed it was Mihawk, Slender said Zoro, and Glasses was still undecided. The hooded man had joined them and they were off to a sensational start─

"Get it? Mihawk can do it," Scruff emphasized. "I saw it. At Marineford and the War of the Best, he cut an iceberg the size of an island in one attack. With that technique, there's no way he's not the strongest swordsman."

"Okay, sure," Slender fired back. "But the fight two days ago─ Zoro and, what was his name, the Doflamingo Family's, um, Pica! You didn't see those two fight, did'ja? If it's cutting big things, Zoro cutting down Pica was more impressive."

"Yeah, he's got a point," the hooded man said with a big nod. "That big bastard was trouble."

"No, I've heard this story. The one about Pica and Zoro's fight," Scruff rubbed his head. "But, at that time I was in a special area, so in fact I did actually see it."

"So what do you think?" Slender asked Glasses, passing him a water. "Mihawk cutting the iceberg or Zoro cutting Pica? Which one's got your vote?"

"Hmm, which one, huh? I still don't know…"

"Right, so who else is there?" the hooded man asked this time, taking an irritated swig of sake.

"What are you getting mad for?" came out of Glasses mouth.

"He's got a point," Scruff said. "If you don't think it's Mihawk or Zoro, who else is there? What's your counter and who's our third contender?"

"Hey, don't encourage him!" said the hooded man.

"Right, who else is there…" After staring off into space, Glasses held up his finger. "Ah ha! How's this-su? Um, that subordinate of Whitebeard's… Flower Sword Vista! He uses a two-sword style, and you caught a glimpse of him too like you did with Mihawk, right?"

"Oh, right, right. Vista, huh?" said Scruff.

"He and Mihawk met for a moment at Marineford, right? Ah, wait a minute," Glasses babbled. "I remembered another from Marineford, that guy, Red-haired Shanks! He was also quite the swordsman."

"I guess he was," said Slender.

"It seems he was Mihawk's rival, and at Marineford he confronted Admiral Sakazuki without fear, right? Wouldn't that make Shanks the strongest?"

"Mmm, but at the time I didn't see Shanks do anything particularly impressive with a sword," said Scruff.

"That's true. Speaking of Marineford, weren't there any swordsmen *hic* on the marine's side playing an active roll? For example─" Slender started to say.

"Wait, wait," the hooded man interrupted. "You guys keeping saying 'Marinford this' and 'Marineford that,' but you can't just judge this by their performance at Marineford. It's not fair at all!"

"'Not fair' you say?" Scruff said, letting out an alcohol scented huff.

"Uh, um," the hooded man struggled to get words out for a moment. "Well, that is, Roronoa Zoro wasn't able to go to Marineford, so it's not really fair to focus on that."

"He 'wasn't able to go' you say? Do you know Zoro's circumstances from back then?" Slender asked.

"Ah─, well, it just seemed that way…" the hooded man said, giving a dry cough.

"Well, I guess so, but when deciding the World's Strongest, in the wide world you have to consider the samurai of Wano! … umm, Ryuuma? Yeah, it was Ryuuma!"

"Ryuuma?" said Scruff.

"Ryuuma… ah!" Slender seemed to recognize the name. "That guy! Said to have cut down a dragon, that legendary swordsman?"

"Right, right, that guy! Couldn't it be Wano's Ryuuma?"

"Mmm, he sure was strong," the hooded man said a bit sadly. "But even though I said he was strong, that was just Ryuuma's body with Brook's shadow in it. Ah, so I guess strictly speaking it wasn't─"

"What are you talking about?" Slender said.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing," the hooded man said, taking a drink from his mug.

"Anyways…" Scruff said, crossing his arms. "The thing is, this Ryuuma guy is already dead, right? So how strong was he really? I mean, he became a legend, but for the time being let's exclude him."

"You heard him," Slender said to Glasses. "Right now, the finalists are Mihawk and Zoro, so give one your vote so we can end this conversation."

"Huh? My vote isn't that big of a deal, is it?"

"Wrong, it's very important," the hooded man said, turning his sharp and burning gaze to Glasses. "So keep that in mind and vote."

"What is this? You guys are putting me under a lot of pressure…" Glasses said, ashamed.

"Which one?" Scruff said.

"Choose. Which one?" said Slender.

"Uuuuuuuummmm…" Glasses scratched his neck, bit his knuckles, and looked up to the heavens, and then clenched his fists.

"Weeell… I vote for Mihawk!"

"What!?" the hooded man exclaimed, hitting the table.

"Out with your reason, out with it!" the hooded man bit out at Glasses.

"Sure, I'd like to know your reason too," said Scruff.

"Ah, well, my reason…" said Glasses. "His appearance, I suppose."

"Huh!?"

"What are you getting all worked up about?"

"'His appearance,' huh…" said Slender. "Just looking at his bounty poster, Roronoa Zoro doesn't really send a shiver of fear down your spine, does he? He's more like a fearless ikemen *, isn't he?"

"Oh? So there's opinions like that," said the hooded man.

"Well, he doesn't look particularly intimidating," Glasses hedged. "However, visually, for me, it's gotta be the haramaki… It's─" Glasses was saying when chuckles started to escape him.

"What's so funny?" Scruff asked.

"Ah, sorry, kuhaha… It's just that Zoro, look, the cloth, it's green, isn't it? Isn't green an eye friendly color? He's a swordsman, yet… that eye friendly color just makes me think he looks old… kuku."

"It's not old looking!" the hooded man exclaimed as he ate. "So what, he should dye it shocking pink, huh!?"

"But anyways, it might look old-fashioned," said Scruff with a smirk. "An easy on the eyes swordsman… Ugufufu."

"What are you bastards laughing at!"

"What are you getting so worked up over?" Scruff said, taking a drink from his mug and ordering another.

"There's that too," Glasses continued. He was building up steam and licked his lips. "Roronoa Zoro uses santouryuu, right? When I was playing around, I tried it once, santouryuu."

"It's not a game!" the hooded man tried to derail him, but the drunk marines paid him no mind.

"Yeah, but it was impossible!" Glasses said, raising his hands in defeat. "He holds one more in his mouth, right? That additional one is so tiring. For your jaw and neck muscles."

"That's because you didn't train enough!" said the hooded man. "Santouryuu takes determination and guts!"

"Yeah, but…" Scruff said with a serious face. "It seems like there'd be a lot of problems with holding a sword in your mouth. For example, saying technique names seems hard."

Having said that, Scruff put his index finger in his mouth and said, "Mohi hihi!"

"What did you say?" Glasses asked.

Taking his finger out, Scruff repeated, "Oni Giri!"

"You can't talk at all like that!" Glasses said, continuing to laugh.

Taking care, Scruff continued in the same style.

"O-a a-i!"

"That was?"

"Tora Gari!"

"I totally can't understand you-su! You really can't talk like that!"

"Fan En Hefai!

"San Zen Sekai!"

"I didn't get it!" Glasses hit the table and laughed. "Really, Senpai, I guess in comparison to Mihawk, Zoro's techniques are strange!"

"You bastards…"

If you looked, the hooded man's body was shaking in anger.

"We've been having fun making fun of Roronoa Zoro for a while now, haven't we?"

"Nah, that's just what it's like when normal people do it…"

"I've decided!" Slender suddenly shouted,

"Wha- what's this so suddenly?" said Scruff.

"What have you decided?" asked Glasses.

Slender nodded and said, "Yeah, you see, listening to you guys debate, I've changed my mind. I too… guess it's Mihawk!"

"No way, the results can't be all three of you agreeing!" the hooded man barked.

"You bastards, just be quiet and listen, all you need is the right idea!"

"No, why would we sit quietly and listen to you," Glasses said back.

"Shut up! You can't just go and change your mind," the hooded man said to Slender. "At least you said that you thought it was Roronoa."

"I guessh *hic* I did," Slender returned with a confused face. "But I also think a swordsman who can say his techniques properly is good…"

"Roronoa can say them! You idiots are the ones who's jaws are too weak to be able to say it!"

"Is the sho? But you're the only one who's been getting angry. Could you possibly think it's Zoro?" Glasses said.

"That's not what I said… exactly."

"Fafaha, Hoohohohafuhi…"**

"Exactly, Senpai! I don't get it, saying it that way!" Glasses vulgarly laughed.

"That's why you shouldn't get mad," Scruff said, trying to patch things up. "Let's have fun and drink, yeah? Tonight is our treat."

"Yeah, yeah! Dresrossa's been freed too, so let's be happy, happy."

Glasses happily slapped the hooded man's shoulder, however: "Hmm?" he said as his foolish expression changed. "… what's this? You're secretly buff?"

"Huh? He's actually a macho salesman?" Slender said with a laugh.

"Oi─" the hooded man said, removing Glasses's hand from his shoulder. "…Are you guys really paying for everything today?"

His voice was low and dangerous. But even with the change in his tone, the drunkards didn't notice.

"Like I saaaiiiid, it's fine! Drink whatever you'd like," said Scruff.

"Got it. Then…. Thanks for the drinks," the hooded man said immediately afterwards.

A wind swept through the inside of the store. That wind ruffled the drunk Marine's hair. But those three were still wondering what happened─ no, no one in the shop knew what happened.

A few moments earlier─

An accident occurred with the sake barrels lining the inside wall, cracks appearing in their lids one after another, the wreckage bounced along. Ban, bakin, bakan─ to the sound of the wooden lids flashily breaking, the staff and customers roaring voices bounced around inside the shop.

In this suddenly occurring and strange phenomenon, the three Marines were shocked, returning their gazes to the hooded man, getting frustrated.

The hooded man─ held a sword in his mouth.

With that sword in his mouth, the man announced to the inside of the shop in a loud, reverberating voice:

"Listen up! Everyone with a drink in this shop! Let's reflect the celebration of Dresrossa's freedom now! Drink as much as you'd like! There's nothing to worry about! All of it's the treat of these here Marines!"

The sword was in his mouth, yet the man's pronunciation was actually clear and easy to understand.

While everyone in the shop let out a cheer, the three Marines stared openly aa the man took the sword out of his mouth.

"…It's your treat, that's what you said, right?" the hooded man reminded them.

The three Marines answered at the same time, "…yes."

With that reply, he gave them a smirk and with his performance done, the hooded man returned the sword that had been in his mouth to its sheath. With that action, at the edge of his hood they could see it for a moment─ short green hair.

"Ahhh, you don't think…"

"I'd like to think it's impossible, but…"

"You, you're the real…?"

"Ah, what kind of idiotic question is that?" the hooded man said with a thin laugh. "I'm a macho swords salesman─ like you said. Out for a drink tonight."

But the three Marines were pale and unmoving. Their mugs not in hand.

"Hmm? What's wrong, the drinks put you to sleep? That's not good."

The man took a sip from his mug and returned it empty to the table with a thud.

"It was a swordsman's night here. But after that… I'll just drink good sake."

Translation Notes

Santouryuu vs Two-sword Style

So I left Zoro's three-sword style as "Santouryuu" because it is the name of his particular sword style while Vista gets two-sword style because "nitouryuu" is not the name of his sword style but a comment/observation of how many swords he wields at once (probably).

The * point

"Ikemen" is the Japanese term for the perfect guy, pretty much. An ikemen is popular, handsome, kind, and always cool. Basically, there isn't an English word equivalent I felt does that term justice, so I let it be.

The ** point

This was some really weird laughter, written as I transcribed above. Think of it as laughing so hard you become unintelligible/can't breathe.