Moving onto episode 119, where they skipped the opening, recap, and title to see Mr. 1 planning to take down Zoro a notch. Ever since he gotten the Supa Supa no Mi, he've never been scratched by a swordsman.
"Well, that ends today." Tokoyami smirked.
Well, he could store all those old tales away in an album. Zoro doesn't know how many swordsmen he've fought in the past, but they've never met before.
Mr. 1 can see that at least his tongue is sharp.
He sprinted forward until the two clashed blades, wanting to see how long they'll last.
For a moment, it seemed like Zoro flung back the swordsman. Mr. 1 nearly kicked him with a bladed leg, but Zoro managed to flip and somersaulted over him.
"Come on, you said you won't lose again." Katsuki murmured as the students themselves were worrying over the blows and clashes the two kept trading.
There seemed to be some sign of hope once Zoro kicked Mr. 1 in the gut, and then thrusted his blade forward, pushing the agent back. Using the distance between them, Zoro put the blade in his mouth, sprinting forward.
"Oni... Giri!"
Then he jumped up high. "Tora... Gari!" He slashed at Mr. 1, using the impact to land back on the ground.
"Did it work?" Denki asked, but they soon see Mr. 1's silhouette from the dust.
"Of course not!" Jiro shouted in frustration.
Zoro was a little shock to see him without a single bruise. Honestly, this is also the first time his opponent is still standing, but of course, they've never met before.
"I hate him for being a villain, but he's kind of cool..." Kirishima admitted.
Mr. 1 nearly was able to kick him with a bladed leg. Zoro managed to dodge that, and blocked another kick, reminding himself that his entire body is a blade, so his blades didn't have a front or back.
When Zoro rolled away from another sharp kick, Mr. 1 placed his hands wrist-to-wrist, lunging them out at the swordsman. "Sparkling Daisy!"
Students snickered at the name, as Zoro blocked til, til they saw it was able to slice the buildings into several clean pieces.
"Holy shit."
"I guess it was... sparkly." Aoyama let out a nervous laugh.
"Can I do that?" Kirishima wondered, looking at his hands.
Mr. 1 pushed Zoro back into the collapsing building, crumbling it even more than before. He waited as a heartbeat can be heard.
Zoro have done more training than anyone else, as well as being in difficult situations where he was on the brink.
The audience took in a deep breath, seeing Zoro's bloodied arm hang from in between the crumbled buildings. Aizawa harshly gripped onto his arm as Hizashi grew silent at the sight.
Still, what does he lack?
A memory of his youth at Kuina's dojo came to him; one where he asked his teacher if there are really men in this world who can cut anything, even steel, which his teacher claimed to be true.
He told Zoro to watch a piece of paper carefully. Throwing it in the air, he was unsuccessfully unable to cut it with his sword.
The students snickered at him for acting so ridiculously.
His teacher told him that there are swordsmen out there who are capable of cutting nothing, but they can also cut anything, even steel... using the same sword.
"But how?" Tokoyami asked.
"And can anyone do it?" Kirishima added on.
"The strongest swordsmen are able to protect that which they want to protect and cut that which they want to cut. Swordplay that harms whatever it touches... I don't consider it real swordsmanship." He asked if he understood.
After a long pause, Zoro just said that he wanted to be a swordsman who can cut anything, meaning he didn't really understood it.
"So... if you want to protect something, then you can do anything?" Kirishima guessed.
In the present day, Zoro was able to lift his way out of the rubble.
Mr. 1 told him to hurry up and try cutting him; he've been just defending, but Zoro admitted that he can show him his valiant figure cutting steel...
The audience s[uttered and gasped at the reveal of Zoro lifting half of a house.
...because when he cut steel, that's when he dies.
"...You're looking a bit scary there, Zoro." Mina nervously said.
Zoro threw the building half at him, and after the eyecatches, Mr. 1 thought it was pointless as he could cut everything into piece, but the swordsman thought back to his teacher's words which he didn't understood before.
"Atomic Spar!" The building piece in front of him was diced in an instant.
"Did he even touch it!?" Jiro exclaimed.
Zoro ran through the falling pieces, surprising Mr. 1 into another clash of blades. Then Zoro pushed him back and would had sliced him if Mr. 1's bladed kick haven't stopped him at first. With another attack, Mr. 1 skidded across the road, distracted enough for the swordsman to hold up a sword to his neck.
"Gazumi... Dori!" An image of a crab appeared behind the swordsman as all three blades clamped down on Mr. 1 in the middle.
The agent was sent flying, Zoro heavily panting, but the agent still managed to stand.
"Still nothing." Sero gritted his teeth.
Mr. 1 made sure to tell him to not consider him a swordsman, he has many weapons to tear him up with.
Circular blades appeared along his forearms, then spun them as if they were drills. "Spiral Hollow!"
Zoro thought he was an excavator.
While students definitely feared for Zoro's life at the new, painful-looking ability, there were some others who snickered at the fact that Zoro called him an 'excavator.'
Zoro's blades clashed with Mr. 1, and the swordsman was shock to see that Mr. 1's blade spun fast enough to create sparks... that were rebelling!
He was bounced back, giving the agent the ability to dig into him.
"Zoro!" The amount of blood flying out of him was frightening, especially the second time Mr. 1 stabbed through him.
Now that he's close, Mr. 1 sliced into him with his bladed hand, throwing Zoro into a pillar.
As Zoro bled on the ground, Mihawk appeared in his thoughts.
As Mr. 1 could see he's still breathing, Zoro trembled as he stood up, refusing to show his back to him.
"You can't fall against his power." Tokoyami whispered.
Mr. 1 asked if he's going to use his bare hands now as Zoro slumped against the pillar, saying that he wouldn't understand since he's not a swordsman.
"Spar... Break!"
Students gasped, seeing the silhouetted image of them as the white turned red. Crocodile impaling Luffy came to mind.
Blood flied as the pillar behind him was sliced into pieces. Without its support, it collapsed.
Mr. 1 walked away, telling him to rest in peace.
"No!" "Zoro!" They screamed and gasped once the stone pieces has fallen down.
Memories of earlier came to him.
Are they... all okay...?
Sharp intakes of breath came in at Zoro's reveal, seeing that she's still standing despite all that damage.
Will he continue to stand? Tokoyami thought.
Mr. 1 stopped and turned, shock to see Zoro still standing after all of that. He wondered if he dodged all those falling stones, and in all honesty, Zoro thought the same til he realized that he could tell the place where no stones would be falling.
"W-What?" Izuku gaped, confused. Students exchanged looks, wondering what that meant.
Somehow, he could tell that there's a sword underneath one of the stones. Mr. 1 was confused when he saw Zoro lift up the very stone to reveal the Wado Ichimonji.
The swordsman had experienced this before, back when he battled with Mihawk; a moment where it was awfully quiet around him... that he could hear his heartbeat very clearly.
He wondered if this is precisely what it feels like when close to death?
"I mean, there were several times where he was close to death." Jiro reasoned.
"I would appreciate it if he stops dying though." Toru said.
Zoro sensed a hint from the falling stones as if they're living things... No, it was clearer than that... It was more like rhythm... That everything has its own rhythm from the trees to the soil.
"Like... the vibrations?" Jiro wondered, but she knew that it doesn't make sense either. Zoro wasn't touching the stones, he somehow felt them though.
He remembered his teacher's words, wondering if 'cutting nothing' means... know the rhythm. That must be the ability to cut even steel.
Mr. 1 was confuse on how Zoro could even be alive, but as Zoro held his gaze on him, he couldn't hear his voice, but... the rhythm of his steel.
He could feel his will flowing into his sword, lifting it to a branch's leaves and swiped at it, leaving no cuts behind. Though, when he pointed his sword at one of the rocks, it was sliced cleanly.
"He's got it." Hizashi grinned as the students were in awe.
Mr. 1 decided to just finish him off, though Zoro questioned himself if he could cut steel. Still, he won't defend anymore.
He sheathed his sword, turning it upright. "Ittoryu Iai... Shishi Sonson!"
Mr. 1 approached him with bladed feet, like skates, swinging his bladed hand at the swordsman. "Atomic Spurt!"
Zoro was seen unsheathing his sword. A peaceful moment passed by til Zoro and Mr. 1. Once he've re-sheathed his sword, the agent fell down, blood coming out of him.
"I give you my thanks... I can become stronger still!"
A cheer came from the class, staring in absolute awe at the win.
Mr. 1 could tell he gotten stronger during the battle, asking him if he's going to cut diamonds next, but to Zoro, that would be a waste.
Finally, Mr. 1 was knocked out as Zoro ripped off his bandanna.
"Alabasta - North Block: Battle in front of the Mehdi Assembly Hall. Winner: Zoro."
"To Be Continued."
"That was amazing!" Denki shouted.
"That was manly!" Kirishima corrected him.
"Now all we need is to have Luffy beat Crocodile." Toru said.
"And stop the bomb." Momo quickly added.
"Hearing their 'rhythm.'" Izuku murmured to himself, wondering what does that mean.
Moving onto episode 120, they skipped the opening, recap, and title as usual to see the guard attacking Robin's disembodied hands, allowing them to enter.
"Yes!" Kirishima cheered.
Crocodile don't know who they ate, but Vivi could tell that they're the Kicking Claw Force; Alabasta Kingdom Elite Guard Unit.
"Are we really going to let a bunch of extras save the day?" Katsuki skeptically asked.
Cobra warned them to stay away from Crocodile, but the force were happy to die for him no matter what.
Seeing that they're popular, Crocodile would had spared them, but they refused, muscles bulging. Chaka could see that they drank the water that shortens their lives to boost their powers temporarily, so they only have a few minutes left to live. There's no way to save them.
"Goddamn it, people. Stop using life threatening upgrades!" Jiro shouted.
I feel like I'm being called out here. Izuku thought.
Honestly, Crocodile wan't too shock by this. As the force apologized to Chaka for doing this, they wanted to make Crocodile realize the pain he had caused.
Still, Crocodile was easily able to dodge their attacks, reappearing from above. He claimed that they should really value their lives, but that's too late for that. He doesn't even need to fight them if they're just going to die.
"You dumbasses..." Katsuki gritted his teeth.
Soon, the force started to collapse. Fueled with anger, Chaka turned onto a jackal from his Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Jackal, and ran for Crocodile, despite Cobra's warning.
"Narikiba!" He jumped up and tried to swipe Crocodile with his sword, but of course, that has no affect on him.
"If only you knew..." Izuku murmured, hoping they would last.
With Zoro, he could tell that he bled too much, but he's lucky his wounds aren't deep.
"How?! He drilled into your chest!" Mineta exclaimed.
Still, it does hit him hard. He collapsed, wondering how the others are.
He remembered how it went; before the crew went out on their plan, Usopp complained about being paired with Eyelashes since he's so weak.
"Well, now you've survived a 4 ton baseball bat." Aizawa said.
"Most of us wouldn't be able to do that head on." Hizashi tried to compliment.
Sanji told him to give up already since he was just unlucky in the raffle.
Usopp asked if anyone is in a piece, he'll save them, but Sanji only saves the ladies.
"Don't sound like the camel now." Jiro cracked a smile.
Back in the present day, Chopper, Eyelashes, Usopp, and Sanji were running when Usopp started to cry. He remembered how that mole hag said Luffy's dead, and Chopper wondered if it's true, though Sanji doesn't believe it... and so do the others too.
Anyway, they need to go to the palace ASAP.
"Someone tell them about the bomb." Mina hoped.
"But keep believing Luffy's not dead." Kirishima called out.
Zoro could also remember Vivi thanking them with Nami saying she can thank them with some goods. He hoped she's okay as well.
Nami was surprised that the coo-coo birds was the all powerful attack Usopp mentioned. Hearing the wave of rebels around the corner, she went for the palace.
"Zoro, you big softie." Ochako smiled, seeing how he's worried for her despite the fact that he has a debt to Nami.
Zoro remembered Sanji telling Vivi that Luffy eats tons of food. He hoped she's okay...
...But Vivi screamed in horror for Chaka's downfall. She was in tears til she heard someone call to her.
"Koza?" Tsuyu hoped.
"Palace Square: 25 minutes to the explosion time."
"Okay, guys, we really need to make this quick!" Denki panicked at the reminder.
After the eyecatches, Koza appeared as Cobra realized that he came through the shortcut he used to use as a kid.
Koza couldn't believe what he's seeing. He thought he's persuade the Royal Army, but he could see the king's about to be killed by the country's hero.
"Well, he was never a hero!" Katsuki bitterly shouted, much to everyone else's agreement.
Crocodile laughed, finding this more interesting now that both sides' leaders are now here. Robin told Koza to imagine the worst possible scenario, and he realized what she meant.
He asked Vivi who took the rain away from this country. Vivi didn't even finished her answer when Crocodile admitted outright that it's him, that this was a trap made by this company, and they've fallen for it for two years.
The students gritted their teeth at the look on Crocodile's face, seeing how proud he was of just admitting all he has done.
Cobra shouted for Koza to not listen to him; there's still things he can do. Chaka warned him of the Palace Square blowing up in half an hour.
Seeing that he was still alive, Crocodile took him out as Chaka told him to hurry.
"No!" Students gasped at the sight.
Koza ran away, but Vivi stopped him, much to Cobra's shock. Vivi refused to turn the square into a battlefield, but she could see that Koza's still panicking, asking him what will happen if they realize that the Square'll be blown up. It'll be chaos with the war no longer able to stop; no one will be saved!
"She's right." Hizashi somberly said, which doesn't ease his students' minds.
As the rebellion head for the palace, Vivi knows what to do, and Koza has to do it! He grabbed her hand and sat up, though Crocodile wouldn't just sit there and watch.
The audience held their breath as Crocodile was going to attack them, but Chaka managed to block his attack, declaring himself to be the Jackal, Alabasta's guardian deity; the one who destroys the enemies of they royal family.
"Chaka, you're still alive!" Toru cried out.
Chaka told them to run away as he can only hold him back for a few more minutes. Koza could remember as a little kid, being trained by him, but still, he has to run away.
"Ah... That has to hurt." Denki winced.
The buildings of Alabarna can be seen as destroyed and on fire as the rebel army is currently passing through the Central Plaza and heading to the North Block to reach the palace.
Vivi ordered the royal army to surrender right now, much to their shock, but they soon saw Koza, who told them that they no longer desire victory as this battle was pointless. In order not to shed anymore pointless blood, they'll wave the white flag.
The rebel army ran towards the clock tower for the palace, but stopped once they saw the white flags. Koza ordered them to stop fighting.
There was a sense of relief at this, but at the same time...
This seems a little too easy. Toshinori nervously thought.
One of the rebel army members couldn't believe it, but Koza reassured him that the battle is now-
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Terrified screams and sharp gasps came out when Koza was shot three times. Anger flared once they saw the Baroque Works jolly roger tattoo on one of the royal army soldiers, but a sense of heartbreak was made when Vivi called out Koza's name.
"To be Continued."
"Goddamn it!" "No!" "Koza!"
"Why can't anything good happen to them?!" Jiro complained.
Quickly moving onto episode 121, they skipped the opening, recap, and title to see Koza was shot off his pedestal, remembering his dream to make the kingdom a better place. Even as he fall, he begged the rebel army not to fight, but his voice wasn't heard.
Fueled by anger, the rebel army want the battle to continue as Vivi could see the Baroque Works agent who did the shot, much to the irate of the royal army. Before Koza could say anymore, a sandstorm suddenly appeared.
A bullet hit one of the rebel army soldiers, convincing them to continue on the war.
"Goddamn it!" Mina cursed, especially when it was seen that the rebel army was infiltrated by Baroque Works too.
They were in disbelief when they saw that the rebel army believed that the white flag was used to launch a surprise attack, souring their views further.
"He truly thought of everything." Aoyama frowned.
Vivi screamed and begged for everyone to stop, but no one could hear her or Koza's voice over the sounds of war.
As Robin said, she fought well, but her voice will no longer reach them.
"Shut up!" Momo snapped at her, giving everyone a surprise. "S-She will be heard. Someone will."
But soon, she wilted, seeing Chaka collapse.
Still, Vivi refused to run by her father's warning. Instead, she faced Crocodile, demanding if he's the one who created the dest devil. She's sure if she stops the attack in 15 minutes, she'll reduce the number of casualties.
Grabbing onto her neck and lifting her up high, Crocodile told her to wake up, finding her idealistic theory to be annoying. He believes that she's not qualified to do so.
Still, even when she's hung over the edge, Vivi refused to give up on her ideals, as she's the princess of this country, and she refuses to give in to someone like him. Crocodile simply commented that she has no charm.
The students gritted their teeth, seeing how dire the situation is, but they don't want to give in to Crocodile's sorrow filled words.
Crocodile was certain that she could had saved many more lives if she did warn the Royal Army, seeming to mock her, telling her that he optimistic ideas have resulted in the deaths of all the citizens she love so much. Honestly, from start to finish, everyone in this country amused him.
"What?! Do you think that this whole thing was just a game to you?!" Iida can't stop himself from shouting, frustrated by this man.
Crying, Vivi could still remember Igaram's death as Crocodile complimented her on spying on his company for two years. She could remember meeting Toto after so long as Crocodile twisted the knife by telling her that her ideals has only created more unnecessary victims; she can't save this country.
"No!" "Vivi!" Students screamed once Crocodile dropped the princess to her doom.
It can't end like this. It shouldn't end like this. Toshinori tried to calm himself, even as he listen to Crocodile's cackling.
...Then he stopped. He saw a silhouette against the sun.
"Pell?" Tokoyami said, a small surge of hope swells in him.
"If Pell's here, then..." Izuku trailed off as the scene continued on.
A loud eruption of cheers cam through the moment Luffy appeared onscreen and screamed out Crocodile's name, and after the eyecatches, Luffy and Pell swooped in and saved Vivi from the war below.
"Yes, finally, Luffy's here!" Kirishima cheered over the other boom voices.
As they fly over the city, Vivi clung onto him, telling him that there isn't much time left before the Square is blown up, that everyone is down... that her voice no longer reaches anyone...
"Don't worry. Your voice is heard by us."
A soft smile spread over to some of the audience members; a sense of relief came over by Luffy's words aline.
"You better beat that Croc." Toru hoped.
Meanwhile, Zoro was carrying Nami, despite the fact that he's more injured than her, but Nami reasoned that her leg is injured, so she can't stand.
"And he was drilled into!" Mineta added on.
At the bottom of the palace stairs, Lufffy was rolling his arm. Pell told him to be careful, but Luffy ate a lot of meat, so he's got a lot of blood.
"That barrel on your back better be filled with water." Katsuki said.
"...Water?" Denki seemed to be puzzled.
"To defeat that Croc!"
Luffy is sure he won't be defeated again as Crocodile is confuse on how he was able to get out of the quicksand with those injuries.
"Well, apparently, not all your agents are not as loyal to you as you think." Hizashi teased.
"Though I'm still confused on the whole 'D' stuff she said." Sero said.
"All of use are." Mina sighed.
Before Luffy could launch himself, Usopp and Chopper discovered he's alive as Sanji was worried for Vivi's sake. Nami soon came in, hitting Usopp with the takt, as Zoro came along. Vivi was brought to tears from seeing that they're all safe.
"The gang's all here!" Toru cheerfully shouted.
Before Nami could beat Usopp for making her a party prop, she asked Vivi about what's going on.
As the war continued on, Luffy apologized to his crew for losing to Crocodile once, so he promised to not lose again, leaving the rest to them. As his crew cheered him on, Vivi's glad to still have friends.
Soon, Luffy launched himself over to Crocodile, but the Shichibukai is certain that he'll be skewered once again.
"Oh, but he'll definitely land a punch." Mineta smirked.
Luffy's muscles bulged, getting closer to him. There was a smile on Crocodile's face til he landed a hit in his face, knocking him off his pedestial.
"Wait." "What?" "Whoa!" "YES!"
"So, he've noticed." Aizawa mused.
Luffy landed on the ground as Cobra was shocked by who Luffy is.
"Gomu Gomu no..." Luffy stretched out his arms to grab Crocodile, and wind himself up like a blow gun, as Crocodile couldn't believe his eyes. "...Marunoko!" He launched himself to him, delivering a powerful headbutt.
"YES!" "He was able to hit Crocodile?"
Cobra was shocked while Robin seemed more amused about all of this.
"Seriously, what's your deal?" Katsuki wondered.
Luffy told Crocodile to get up. He remembered how water got on Crocodile's hand, which taught him that Crocodile can't turn into sand once he touched water. That's why he took the rain away.
"Oh! That's why!" Denki exclaimed.
And now their fight starts here.
"To Be Continued."
"...in the next episode." Ochako ad-libed, sighing.
AN: I remember someone once saying to me (not naming any names here) that they felt like One Piece would be more important to the class if it's actually another world and not a fictional one since they would just brush certain things as 'fiction.' In all honesty, there are reasons why I didn't do that, but I feel like I have to point out that just because it's fictional doesn't make it less meaningful. I mean, I know all of One Piece is fiction, and Ace's death still makes me cry like a baby no matter how many times I've rewatched the Marineford Arc. One Piece is fictional, but it still made an impact on me, and I bet on others too.
By the way, Happy New Year, everyone!
