hope you enjoy this chapter's read :}
Three Months Earlier
Days of rest amongst the Strawhat crew are slim, so when one comes around every blue moon, Zoro makes sure to get the most of it by napping. A lot. On the deck, under the late afternoon beams of sunlight, where he can ruminate in relative peace; as much peace as one can amongst his rather uninhibited, raucous friends. Though he can hardly admit to it, these types of days are ones he craves often. This uneventful day in particular, however, is cold, and so he is forced to spend his day of rest under a tremendous blanket of gray clouds threatening to unleash their hail on him any second.
Zoro lies against the foremast of the Sunny, a pathetic excuse of a blanket draped lazily across his shoulders. His warm breath dances in soft spirals of mist as it escapes his lips, and watching them, he finds himself lost in thought. Aside from Chopper, who heartily enjoys the cold weather, and is thus spending his time watching the clouds from the tip top of the crow's nest, the rest of his crew members are bundled in the galley, where Sanji is making them spiked hot ciders. Zoro shifts slightly, pulling the thin blanket tighter around his shoulders. The wind is biting, and despite his usual indifference to discomfort, even he has to admit it's far from an ideal day for napping on the deck. He briefly considers joining the others in the galley, but the thought of the noise, the warmth, and the chatter makes him stay rooted in place. This is his quiet corner, and he'll endure the cold for it.
The creak of the deck beneath a set of footsteps pulls him from his half-dreaming state. He opens one eye, peeking out from under his blanket to see who's intruding on his peace.
Robin approaches, her movements graceful even in the heavy coat she's bundled into. She offers him a small, knowing smile, holding two steaming cups in her hands.
"You look miserable," she remarks lightly, her breath mingling with the cold air.
Zoro grunts in response, shifting under his blanket as if to deny the obvious.
"I'm fine," he mutters, but his eyes betray him as they flicker toward the cup in her hand. He reaches for the cup she brought him, cradling it in his hands. The heat seeps through his cold fingers, and he can't help the quiet sigh that escapes him.
"Thanks," he finally says.
Robin merely nods, her gaze following his out toward the sea. They sit in silence for a while, the silence between them comfortable. The sounds of their crew faintly drift up from the galley below, punctuated by the soft clinks of the ship shifting on the waves.
"You've been avoiding everyone," she says softly, not as an accusation but as an observation.
"Not avoiding. Thinking."
She raises an eyebrow, a small, knowing smile curving her lips. "Thinking? You?"
He snorts, the corner of his mouth twitching despite himself. "Don't push it."
Zoro risks a glance at her. Unlike the weather, she looks cloudless, her face illuminated by the muted light filtering through the dark sky. It's then that he notices the delicate tremor of her hand as it rests on her lap. Silence settles over them again, but this time, it's different. It's laden with the weight of unspoken words, of things neither of them is quite ready to confront. Robin shifts closer, her shoulder just barely brushing against his. It's a subtle touch, easily missed, but for Zoro, it sends a ripple through his carefully maintained composure.
They sit like this for a while.
"I'll do it."
Sanji stands up the minute Zoro and Nami are done revealing the ritual to their crewmates the next morning, "I'll be the one to do it."
Every single one of them simultaneously protests and offers themselves up in exchange in an overwhelming display of fearlessness; even Usopp, the one most unwittingly afraid of death knocking at his door. Zoro, not expecting this from his meek crewmate, quietly tucks away this moment in the back of his mind.
Luffy finally speaks above them all. "Stop."
The room falls into an uneasy silence, Luffy's voice cutting through their fervent offers like a knife. His gaze sweeps over his crew, each of them bristling with a readiness to sacrifice, to be the one who bears the cost.
"As your captain, I won't allow any of you to do this. I'm the only one who can–"
"No," Zoro's gruff voice cuts through Luffy's declaration. "It will be me."
Luffy looks up at his first-man's face. "Over my dead body."
"You're not hearing me," he presses. "I'm already doing it."
The room erupts into chaos again—shouts of confusion, disbelief, and anger fill the air as the crew takes in Zoro's words.
Nami steps forward, eyes wide with betrayal. "Zoro, what do you mean you're already doing it?"
Zoro opens his eyes, the exhaustion evident in their depths. He lets out a slow breath, feeling the burn of the magic already gnawing at his strength.
"I started the ritual last night," he admits, his voice heavy with finality. "It's already in motion. We can't undo it."
Nami stares at him, mouth slightly open, horror dawning on her face.
"You… you bastard," she whispers. Her hands tremble as she grasps the edge of the table for support. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"Because you would've tried to stop me."
Luffy takes a shaky step toward Zoro, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles are white.
"Why you?" he demands, his voice breaking. "This is a crew. We are comrades, which means these decisions aren't to be made without the voice of every single person on this ship."
Zoro's gaze hardens, his jaw clenching as he stares at his captain. "This isn't up for debate, Luffy. There's no going back."
"Damn it, Zoro!" Luffy roars, his voice echoing off the cabin walls. "You think you're the only one who cares about her? We all do! You can't just decide to shoulder this burden on your own!"
His eyes blaze with fury, but beneath the anger, there's a glimmer of fear. "I refuse to let you throw your life away without a fight."
Zoro steps forward, his presence like a storm gathering strength.
"Then fight me, Captain," he growls. "But it won't change anything."
He glances at the others, at their horrified faces.
"This isn't just about me wanting to protect her. It's about what needs to be done. We're running out of time, and if I can give her a chance to live, then I will."
Silence falls over the room as Zoro's words hang heavily in the air. The crew stands frozen, caught between the anger of losing control and the sinking realization that their swordsman had gone ahead without them. The betrayal burns, but so does the devotion behind his reckless decision.
Chopper, who has been trembling at the back of the room, steps forward, his small form shivering with barely contained panic.
"Z-Zoro… This magic," he stammers, "it'll drain you until there's nothing left. It'll take your strength, your very life force… You won't be the same!"
Zoro gives a curt nod. "I know what it means. I'm not stupid."
His gaze moves to each of them, one by one. "But I'll still be here. And if losing my strength is what it takes to bring her back, then so be it. I'll build my way back brick by brick if I have to."
Sanji's teeth grind together, the anger bubbling just beneath the surface. "You think we're going to just sit back and watch you waste away? You think we'll stand by and let you kill yourself slowly for our sakes?"
Zoro turns his gaze to Sanji, the fire in his eyes burning with unspoken words.
"Yes," he says simply, his voice unwavering. "Because that's my choice. And you're going to respect it."
Nami steps back, her eyes welling with tears she refuses to shed.
"Then you better make damn sure it works," she whispers, the anger in her voice barely concealing the worry beneath. "Because if you die for nothing, I'll never forgive you."
The Straw Hats gather on the deck of the Thousand Sunny, tension crackling in the air as they circle around Zoro. He sits at the center of an intricate symbol carved into the wood. It's not an arcane circle of magic but rather an ancient sigil, etched with his own hand using his sword. The mark is from the old seafaring legends—the kind of forbidden rituals known only to those who dare to challenge the sea itself: the Sea Demon's Bargain.
Nami stands just outside the carved lines, her hands trembling as she clutches a tattered parchment. She reads it again, the symbols etched into the page depicting compass roses, sea serpents, and skulls crossed with ancient swords.
"This ritual," she mutters, voice shaky, "is going to tie you to her, Zoro. It's not just healing—it's binding. You'll take on her pain, her past."
Zoro holds out his arm over the center of the sigil. "Then let's get on with it."
Luffy steps forward first, holding Zoro's blade. With a quick motion, he slices across Zoro's palm, and crimson blood flows freely. Zoro doesn't even flinch, his eyes narrowing in determination as he holds his hand over the center of the circle. Blood drips steadily onto the symbols, soaking into the markings. Nami turns to Chopper, who gently takes Robin's lifeless hand. He pierces the tip of her finger with a small needle, causing a thin trickle of blood to escape. Guiding her hand over the circle, he lets a few drops fall, mingling with Zoro's. The moment the two bloods connect, a faint red glow begins to emanate from the markings, spiraling outward.
Nami resumes the chant, her voice steady despite the dread curling in her stomach. Zoro closes his eyes, his breath quickening as the power begins to take hold. It claws at him, probing at his life force, seeking an anchor. The sensation is cold and searing all at once, like ice freezing his veins from the inside.
The glow from the circle swirls upward, forming dark, smoky tendrils that wrap around Zoro's body. He gasps, doubling over as the force strikes him. It's as if every muscle in his body is being pulled apart, his strength draining out of him and feeding into the ritual. Then comes the real trial. Zoro's eyes fly open, glowing faintly red as the magic latches onto his consciousness and yanks him backward. His surroundings blur, and suddenly, he's somewhere else..
He staggers, gasping for air, as he finds himself on an island ravaged by war. Buildings crumble around him, and the sound of screaming fills the air. Ohara. The word surfaces in his mind, and he knows without needing to be told that he's living through one of Robin's most painful memories. Zoro's knees buckle as he's thrust into her childhood, forced to witness her fear and desperation as she runs, hides, and survives. Every betrayal, every loss, every moment of solitude etches itself into his consciousness like a knife carving into stone. The anguish is raw and unfiltered, a torrent of emotions that threatens to tear his mind apart.
Back on the Sunny, Zoro's body writhes violently within the circle, sweat soaking his clothes. The crew watches in horror as he grunts and gasps, his strength visibly draining away. Nami's chant grows louder, more insistent, as she struggles to keep the ritual under control.
Inside the realm of memories, Zoro pushes himself forward, feeling every ounce of Robin's pain as if it were his own. The magic is relentless, forcing him deeper into her past. He feels her loneliness, the constant sense of being hunted, the fear of never being accepted or loved. It's agony. And yet, he keeps pushing, clawing his way through, refusing to let the magic break him.
In the physical world, the circle flares brightly as Zoro's body stiffens. The ritual is reaching its climax, the blood exchange at its peak. His vitality continues to flow into the power that seeks to reignite Robin's life force. Then, a flicker. Robin's chest rises, just barely. It's so slight that Chopper almost misses it. But it happens again, a small, shallow breath, and then another.
"She's… she's breathing!" Chopper cries out, his voice trembling. He, Usopp and Sanji gather and move her still unconscious body out of the cold and back into the clinic.
Zoro's eyes snap open, the red glow fading. He collapses forward, barely catching himself with one hand as his body screams in protest. The swirling energy dissipates, leaving behind a faint, pulsing glow around the blood-soaked markings.
"Zoro!" Nami shouts, rushing forward as his body goes limp. She catches him, cradling his head in her arms. The ritual is complete, but the consequences have only just begun.
