Zoro turned the door knob on the guest's cabin door, and found Kuina reading a book on swordsmanship, her spectacles pulled down to the bridge of her nose.
"Ah, Zoro. Have you reconsidered your option about joining me?" Kuina asked, still not looking up from her book.
"She really does look like Tashigi." Zoro thought, his eyes closed.
"Yes, you're right. I have indeed reconsidered my options and put aside my opinions of the Shimotsuki." Zoro agreed.
"So? What are you going to do? Akainu and Sengoku are going to have my back if I don't give an answer to them." Kuina put stress on every syllable she said.
"..." Zoro struggled to find his voice for what he was about to say.
"Fine! I'll do it. But let's make one thing clear. I am not doing this for you, or the World Government, or my father. I am doing this for my mother and my youngest brother, so don't go getting any ideas! I'm doing a lot just going there, where I probably won't be welcomed in the first place! This whole mission is stupid!" Zoro slammed his hands on the table in front of Tashigi and then screamed in her face.
"If that's so, Zoro, how do you propose we leave without attracting any attention? Your crew will probably not take the news lightly, and you don't want them interfering with the mission. If we include a Yonko and his crew in the mission, the World Government will pillage the village in no matter. They won't even mind if they have to destroy the whole damn island of Shimotsuki if they have to. That includes Joben. They'll do whatever it takes to kill Luffy and his crew, including you, if not for this mission." Kuina quickly.
Zoro stayed silent. He did have an idea, but he didn't have the guts to tell Kuina. It was blasphemy.
"Well, Zoro?" Kuina finally looked up at Zoro, closing her book and then putting her spectacles inside of a box adorned with jewels and gems.
"If this suggestion you're keeping locked up inside your mouth has relation to escaping this ship, I suggest that you say it now, before it's too late." Kuina began to walk away to her ship posturised on the other side of the island.
"Wait. I'll come at midnight. Be on the other side of the island at that time. I'll be there." Zoro came up with an ultimatum. Kuina hummed to him, as if she said yes, and walked away.
Zoro heard her say goodbye to everyone on the ship as she departed. Nami walked into the guest cabin where Zoro was still standing.
"Hey, Zoro! Are you coming to say goodbye?" Nami questioned.
"No, I already have. I need to do something important." Zoro turned her down.
"Hey, you stupid baka! She was so kind! She even gave us MONEY!" Nami went to slap Zoro, but Zoro had enough of Nami's slaps.
He caught her hand.
He was pissed, he had a negative, foul aura radiating off of him. Nami backed off from him. She felt scared of Zoro for the first time in her life, he never caught her punches and slaps before, so what was wrong now?!
"Are-are you okay?" Nami inquired.
"I said I needed to do something important, woman." Zoro seethed with anger.
"Zoro, if something's wrong, the you can always-" Nami was interrupted by Zoro exclaiming again.
"I SAID THAT I HAVE SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO DO, WOMAN!!" And with that, Zoro simply walked out of the cabin and into the men's room, but not before adding an inaudible. He collected his swords and his bandana, and walked up to the top deck, where he began to train. He took his shirt off to stop him from overheating. It was quite early in the morning as well, so Zoro wasn't in the mood for screaming as well; he felt a tinge of uncertainty if he should have apologised to Nami for taking it to far.
Should he?
"Should I? Nah, it'll be fine."
"ZORO!" He heard the captain's loud voice come from his right. He saw that Luffy was standing at the entrance of the top deck, looking pretty cross at him.
"Why is Nami crying? She tried to tell me something, but all I heard was Zoro."
"She's crying? Wow. I don't think I screamed that hard." Zoro though back on Nami.
"Well?" Luffy persisted.
"MARIMOOOOOOOOOOO!" The unmistakable voice of Sanji rang out.
"WHY IS NAMI-CHAN CRYING, YOU MOSSHEAD?!" Sanji screamed as he also reached the top deck.
Zoro glared at the two, sweat starting to drip down his forehead. He noticed Sanji was absolutely pissed at him, from the expression on his face. Luffy was wearing the same coat he wore when he and the Worst Generation took down Kaido and Big Mom.
He eyed Luffy.
"I haven't a clue why Nami is crying." Zoro answered simply.
"What do you mean, Mosshead?! Nami would never lie!" Sanji stood up for Nami. Zoro didn't answer again. This infuriated Sanji who charged at Zoro and activated his Ifrit Jambe he had activated from Wano.
At this point, Zoro was expecting at least this much from Sanji. Sanji did anything for women. If Nami was hurt or insulted, he would respond heavily. Sanji took off, his foot aimed towards Zoro's face.
Zoro simply sighed and activated his Conquerors Haki.
Sanji fell to the floor with a thud. It was heard that other bodies fell to the floor, as Luffy looked down from the top deck to see Nami, Robin, Chopper, Franky, Brook, Usopp, all their bodies out cold, sprawled on the floor.
"What was that, Zoro?" Luffy questioned with an intense tone.
"The cook annoyed me, so I tried to put him to sleep, but I didn't control my Haki amazingly perfect.
"No, I mean how did you do that? Since when did you have Conqueror's Haki?" Luffy asked, still quite cross.
"I apparently first awakened it when I scarred Kaido when you were-"
"YOU SCARRED KAIDO?!!!" Luffy screamed.
"I scarred him when you were knocked out and when Kid and Killer tried to finish Big Mom off. Then I got knocked out, then Chopper healed me, then I killed King, Kaido's right hand, and that's when I used Advanced Conquerors for the first time, as I imbued it into my blades." Zoro explained.
"Hmmm, I see. But back on topic, why was Nami crying?"
"Nami was crying simply because I shouted at her quite loudly. I had something important to do, but Nami kept bugging me to tell her. So I shouted at her, and now she's crying. I didn't think that she would cry, though." Zoro backtracked.
"Oh. That's it? I thought you hurt her or something." Luffy gave.
"No, I wouldn't do anything like that." Zoro explained.
"Really, Marimo?" Sanji weakly stated as he pulled himself up. Zoro turned around to see the yellow haired cook gasping for breath.
"Yes, cook, I wouldn't hurt her."
"Okay, okay, how'd you do that?" Sanji asked quickly.
"What?"
"Conqueror's Haki! Where'd you learn to do that?" Sanji was exasperated.
"When I scarred Kaido."
"When you scarred-"
"I'll tell you later. For now, I must train."
"Why? Why does that mosshead have it but I can't have it?" He complained to Luffy as he walked over to him.
"Sanji, Zoro did it when he was on the rooftop battling the Yonko's with me, Tra-guy, Kid, and Killer. Kaido was about to kill me but Zoro stepped in the way, defended me and scarred Kaido. You are either born with Conqueror's, or you aren't. Me and Zoro were. And who knows? Maybe your Conqueror's will awaken sometime." Luffy whispered to Sanji.
-
The night sky howled with bats and owls prowling for food.
Zoro quietly swam around the island, using his bandana to tie the swords to his head.
It was now or never. Once he had done this, there was no going back.
He found Kuina's fleet at the end of the island, as he climbed on board, the ship slowly drifting away as the anchor was raised.
"I'm sorry guys. One day...we'll meet again." Zoro whispered to himself, as a tear fell down his eyes, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists.
Yep. There was no going back now.