Flower Capital, on the outskirts of the city.
Clang!
The crisp sound resonated with flowing flames, burning the surrounding flowers, grass, and trees in the wildlands to ash, turning the land somewhat blackened.
Amidst the land and roaming flames, a huge figure, entirely shrouded in black attire, possessing a pair of wings and fire igniting behind the head, swung the great tachi, erupting flames and slashing toward the Green Algae Head below.
Green Algae Head held swords in both hands, and another was clenched in his mouth. Facing the incoming flame blade, he set up his stance, and the three swords emitted a green flame, intercrossing to block this powerful strike, with veins bulging on his arms. With a deep shout, he deflected the attack.
At the moment of deflection, he swiftly advanced, holding the most powerful blade in his right hand in a reverse grip, and slashed at the waist and abdomen of the man in black attire. Using this force, he quickly withdrew and spun in the air, slashing forward with the remaining two swords, unleashing two slash waves.
Clang clang!
The slashes were shattered by the blazing great tachi, and the remnant slashes into the abdomen dissipated at this moment, leaving even the clothes unscathed.
"Is the defense this astonishing..."
Zoro took a few breaths, gazing at the person now standing on a high rock and remarked with a smile, "Is it because of the dinosaur's tough skin?"
"Just a special physique."
King raised his long sword, "Being able to fight with me for so long, you're quite remarkable, but this is the end, you're not my match."
"Hmph, you never know until the end."
Zoro raised his twin swords, with a sinister smile spreading across his mouth, "Being in the throne for so long, it's about time you stepped down."
"Oh? Planning to dethrone Mr. Kaido? It's impossible, Mr. Kaido is the man who will become the Pirate King."
King said, "I won't allow anyone to challenge Mr. Kaido's authority."
"Is that so... then as long as I defeat you, that so-called authority will naturally disappear!"
Zoro crossed his arms, setting the sword blades vertically, bent into a stance, intense Haki surged through him, enveloping all three sword blades, "Yama's Three-Sword Style..."
Like a green flame shooting to the sky, Zoro rose from the ground. Without even getting close, he swung the two swords along with the one held in his mouth, Wado Ichimonji.
Boom!
The high rock where King stood, along with the surrounding ground, was finely shredded and scattered into different-sized square stone blocks.
King spread his wings and moved, instantly transforming, his wings turned into blade-like edges, gliding fast like an afterimage, dodging the fierce slashing, his body rotating like a disc, with the fire behind his head looking like a UFO. The edges of his wings ignited with high-temperature flames, like searing branding irons, rotating as he cut towards Zoro.
Clang clang clang!
Zoro held his swords to block, the sword blades grinding out a shower of sparks amidst the blocking and rotation, propelling his body backward. The spinning disc reformed into King's body, withdrawing from the pterodactyl form, wings alternated back to wings, and the fire behind his head vanished in an instant, making his speed so fast it was unseen.
"Now!"
Landing, Zoro assumed his stance again, charging forward, aiming ahead, ready to strike anew.
Crackle!
Just as his sword wreathed in green flames approached the descending flame blade of King, a bolt of lightning shot abruptly from a distance, reaching between the two in a blink.
Zoro's pupils constricted, almost instinctively raising the sword blade, placing it against his neck.
Clang!
Sparks scattered, and the continuity of its swift power sent him plunging down swiftly, landing heavily with his feet creating two depressions in the ground.
Swoosh!
King also retreated under this lightning, the fire behind his head flaring again, but it was too late, upon landing, his head-covering mask split open at the center, revealing the bridge of his nose.
The gap widened, progressively unveiling his mouth and eyes, along with his brown skin...
That skin color...
"Gin?" Zoro said impulsively.
"That's not right at all!"
King tore off the mask, revealing brown skin like Gin's, with a tattoo resembling a flower ring surrounding his left eye, yet his face was noticeably more handsome than Gin's.
Aside from the different face shape, in other respects, he resembled Gin in steadiness and solemnity.
"Oh? Quite similar to Gin, except with wings, and flames..." Zoro remarked, "Seems like a peculiar race."
After all, as fame grew, Gin became increasingly familiar to them.
King didn't respond to his comment, instead glancing sideways.
The bolt of lightning dissipated faster than he extinguished the flame...
What on earth is going on?
"Lunaria Tribe."
A cold voice emerged from nearby.
Zoro also looked to the side, with just one glance, his pupils contracted as he instinctively gripped his sword hilt, revealing a look of astonishment.
In that direction, atop a high rock, appeared a graceful figure, though shrouded under dark clouds, the silhouette inexplicably emitted a gleam, akin to the sharp cold glint of a blade.
The woman had wavy blonde hair, her exquisite features expressionless, donned in a white battle armor skirt that shimmered lightly, overlooking the two below.
"Just by providing intelligence on this race, you don't need to capture anyone, the World Government offers a bounty of one hundred million Belly, it is a very rare race."
"Sword Princess!"
King narrowed his eyes slightly, "It's actually you, if you're here, then the disaster..."
He glanced up at the hovering Ghost Island, revealing a hint of concern.
He had no worry about Straw Hat, but the disaster that inflicted permanent injury on Mr. Kaido, leaving almost explosive wounds on his chest, he had to handle with caution.
"That's Sage's battle, whether victory or loss, no one can interfere."
Lily said coldly, "And my battle is to eliminate everyone attempting to sabotage the plan."
"Hey! Bienta Lily!"
Zoro suddenly shouted, "Last time in Dressrosa, thanks for your 'attention', just right, I want to challenge you too!"
Lily glanced at the two swords in Zoro's hands, "Are the new swords giving you confidence?"
In Dressrosa, she shattered this Green Algae Head's sword and seized Shusui.
That symbol of Wano Country now gathers dust in Sage's Treasure Vault.
Not seen for a while, and now he gained two new swords.
"Enma! Kitetsu II!"
Zoro raised his twin swords, grinning fiercely, "This time, I won't let you damage my 'Famed Swords'!"
Traveling from Dressrosa to Wano Country, by both chance and coincidence, acquired Enma—once wielded by Oden—from Hiyori, and Kitetsu II, procured from somewhere by Luffy. Just missing one, he took it up.
Kitetsu II is a better blade than Kitetsu III.
And Enma, as a demon sword, has even better attributes!
"Famed swords, famed swords..."
Lily shook her head, "Swords aren't that important, it's the will that's crucial, you're using Three-Sword Style, not a sword rack... possessing good swords doesn't mean you're my match."
She directed her white lightning downward, "With everyone gathered here, let's resolve it all at once."