1:

-South-East Gate-

"Ugghhh..." Usopp groaned. "These wounds are nothing... just point me in the direction of the battle... nothing can stop Usopp Brave Warrior of the Sea!"

Usopp was still in his full-body cast and had one of his heavily bandaged arms thrown over Mana's shoulders as the blonde carried/helped him along.

"Yay Usopp!" Ayako cheered as she rode side-saddle on the back of Chopper who was in his Walk Point form.

"I'll keep fighting even if my arm gets ripped off or my nose gets broken!" Usopp bragged.

"You probably shouldn't be talking much," Mana reprimanded him, "from the looks of you I'd hard pressed to find a bone that isn't broken."

"She's right," Chopper agreed then clarified, "about the talking, not the broken bones thing. If you keep talking so much you're gonna cause internal bleeding."

"I'll shut up then," Usopp decided.

"MIIIISSS MAAAAANAAAA! MIIIISSS GOOOLDEEEENWEEEEEK!" the four looked up ahead and saw Sanji dancing towards them with hearts in his eyes.

"Sanji!" the other four all cheered.

FWUMP! Usopp fell to the side as Sanji ran over and hugged Mana.

"Gaah! Usopp!" Chopper and Ayako shrieked as they scrambled to help the fallen sniper and maneuvered him into a position so he was sitting cross-legged on the ground.

"Kyahahaha," Mana giggled, "It's good to see you're okay."

"Of course I am, my dear," Sanji assured her, "I had to teach an annoying Okama a lesson but it was no trouble at all. I'm just glad to see that you're okay."

"Oh, so that means you managed to beat Mr. 2?" Usopp asked.

"Oh, so you guys are still alive too," Sanji commented seemingly just noticing his two Nakama. "Better believe I beat him." Sanji reached into his pocket and pulled out the goggles he'd gotten from Mr. 2 and tossed them to Usopp, "Here."

"My... my goggles!" Usopp exclaimed. "You got 'em back for me from that creep! Thank you Sanji! You're the best!" KREK! Usopp put the goggles back on his head only for one of the lenses to pop off and shatter. "HEY! THEY'RE BROKEN! IN THAT CASE I TAKE BACK EVERYTHING I SAID! THANKS FOR NOTHING YA JERK! They were the latest models too! I dueled one of the most famous bounty hunters in the East Blue to get these!"

"Really?" Chopper and Ayako asked.

"You bet!" Usopp replied, "Just ask Y/N and Nami, they were there too! It was Daddy 'the Father' a former Marine Ensign turned Bounty Hunter that was known for always wielding thirty pistols! Ya see, it all started when I spotted these goggles in a shop at Loguetown..."

Sanji tuned out Usopp's story and turned to Mana, "What are you ladies doing in the middle of a battle?" he inquired.

"We came to help," Mana answered. "Chopper and Usopp managed to beat Mr. 4 and Ms. Merry Christmas and Ayako and I took over for Y/N and beat my former partner. I sent Y/N onto the palace so I think he's with Princess Vivi now."

"Good to know he's good for something," Sanji commented, "he's can pick fights with Baroque Works Agents but he seems to have a problem finishing them."

"I can agree to that," Mana admitted, "He fought all four of us on Little Garden. But Luffy finished off Mr. 3, Zoro took down Mr. 5, Nami beat me, and Y/N had Tim knock out Ayako."

"But at least he'll be able to keep Miss. Vivi safe," Sanji reasoned. "Oooh, I hope Miss. Nami is alright! She just has that stupid moss ball to look after her!"

Mana looked passed Sanji and spotted a cloud of sand further away in the desert, "Hey? What's that?" she questioned causing the others to look in the same direction she was.

Sanji squinted and managed to make out a large number of men riding towards them on horse and camels, "That must be the reinforcement for the Rebel Army," Sanji realized.

"You mean there's more of them?" Chopper asked.

"Looks like it," Sanji observed. "I guess Vivi wasn't able to stop the fighting in time."

"Ugghh... this is just great," Usopp complained.

"I think she and Y/N are trying to stop the Royal Army now," Mana reasoned. "That's probably why she was heading for the palace."

"Let's hurry to the palace," Sanji decided. "Maybe there's still a way we can help Miss. Vivi."

"Right," Chopper agreed he shifted back into his Walk Point form and Ayako once again sat side-saddle on his back.

"Oooh Sanji," Mana called to the cook, "Usopp's awfully heavy. Do you think you could carry him for me?"

"OF COURSE!" Sanji agreed. He scooped the practically mummified sniper up off of the ground and threw his bandages arm over his shoulder then dashed off towards the gate with Chopper and Mana running behind him.

-West Block-

SLISH! "RAAH!" Zoro roared as he slashed his sword at Mr. 1 but the Agent used his Dice Dice Devil Fruit Powers to turn the bottom of his forearm into a long blade. KLANG! The steel blade on Mr. 1's forearm as enough to block the strike from Zoro's steel sword.

"HAAA!" Mr. 1 snarled as he made a blade on the front of the top of his leg and lashed his bladed knee out at Zoro. KLANK! Zoro blocked the steel blade on the man's knee with his sword. "RAAAAH!" Mr. 1 turned the front of the bottom portion of his leg into a blade and swung the rest of his leg out at Zoro for a vicious bladed-kick. SWISH! Zoro jumped back and avoided the attack. "Grrr..." Mr. 1 growled and turned the bottoms of his fingers into blades and swung his hand around at Zoro. SWISH! But again Zoro weaved back and dodged it.

"RAAAH!" Zoro charged back in and swung both of the swords he was wielding in his hands at Mr. 1. KA-KLANK! But Mr. 1 turned the front of his leg and the bottom of his forearm into blades and blocked both swords.

"UGGH!" Mr. 1 grunted, he held both of Zoro's swords at bay and at the same time turned the fingers of his free arm into blades and lashed out at Zoro. SWISH! Zoro jumped backwards and avoided his attacks then sheathed his two swords.

"Ya know, that face of yours... it sort of looks familiar," Zoro commented. "And if I'm not mistaken, you used to be one of the most infamous Bounty Hunters in the West Blue... didn't you? Not to mention an assassin as well? So what happened to you? You went from top of the heap to one of Crocodile's dogs. Did ya do it just so you could get some nice scraps by licking his hand like a good lap dog?"

"Shut up..." Mr. 1 growled, he remained silent through most of Zoro's goading but it was beginning to get to him.

Zoro pulled out his dark green bandana and tied it on the top of his head. "Here, let me show you the difference of pride between..." Zoro paused to draw Wado Ichimonji and put the handle in his mouth then drew his other two swords andgripped them in his hands, "...your swords and mine." Zoro crossed his arms in front of him and pointed his swords Yubashiri and Kitetsu III at Mr. 1. "Three Sword Style: BULL NEEDLES!"

Mr. 1 spread his legs apart in a wide stance then flexed his arms and punched his fists together. POW! "Spider... Defense..." Mr. 1 closed his eyes and waited for Zoro to charge him.

"RAAAH!" Zoro roared as he charged Mr. 1 with his two swords pointed towards him like the horns of a charging bull. KLANG! KLANG! KLANG! KLANG! KLANG! KLANG! Zoro jabbed the ends of his swords out at Mr. 1 with enough strength to pierce flesh. But Mr. 1's steel-like skin didn't yield to Zoro's blades. Zoro ended his attack by running passed Mr. 1 and slashing him with all three of his swords, KA-KLANK!

Zoro turned and looked back at Mr. 1 who still standing in place in his Spider Defense position without a single scratch on him.

"Hmph," Zoro grunted, "So basically your body is as hard as steel. Unless I can cut steel I can't defeat you."

"That would be correct," Mr.1 replied as he stood there with his back still turned on Zoro. "Smashing and cutting attacks won't work on me." The assassin finally turned around and found Zoro standing there with his arms folded.

"Well that bites, doesn't it?" the swordsman commented. "I'm not capable of cutting steel yet so I guess there's only one thing left to do."

"Hmph, and what's that, swordsman?" Mr. 1 asked.

"I'm gonna learn how to cut it here and now," Zoro announced. He grabbed his black and white tiger print desert cloak and threw it off leaving him in his white t-shirt, dark green pants, and his signature sash.

"Really?" Mr. 1 questioned.

"I've been waiting for a challenge just like this one," Zoro stated. "I've been telling myself for a while now that it's time to take my skills to the next level." Zoro grinned as he drew his two swords Yubashiri and Kitetsu III and got in a two-sword stance, "When I defeat you Mr. 1... I'll be the swordsman strong enough to cut through anything... including steel." Zoro crossed his swords in front of him and prepared for battle.

"Hehh," Mr. 1 scoffed, "When you defeat me? That's rich. I hate to shatter your delusions pirate but I feel it's only fair to warn you that ever since I gained Dice Dice Devil Fruit Powers I've never been scratched by those who call themselves swordsmen. You'll soon see. No enemy can defeat me."

"Oooh, I'm really scared," Zoro taunted. "Save those stories for your grandkids if you live that long, pal. Anyway, I don't know how many swordsman you've defeated but you've never fought me before. So you'd better watch what you say big guy cause you're about to eat those words."

"The only thing sharp about you is your tongue," Mr. 1 stated before he lashed his arms out to the side and charged at Zoro.

"Alright, fine," Zoro replied to his charging opponent, "I warned you..."

"RAAAAH!" Mr. 1 raised his leg high overheads and turned the bottom of it into a long blade. KLANG! Zoro leaned forward and blocked his leg with both of his swords.

"You won't last that long," Mr. 1 growled as the two stood in a deadlock. Despite only being on one leg the agent was managing to keep Zoro at bay.

"Look whose talking," Zoro retorted. "UUGGH!" SLISH! Zoro grunted and used his swords to wrench Mr. 1's leg to the side and throw him off balance. WOOOSH! But the agent recovered and spun around all in one fluid motion.

"SPAR CLAW!" once again the bottoms of Mr. 1's fingers became razor sharp claws as he swung his bladed hand at Zoro. KLANG! Skuuussshhh... Zoro went skidding backwards as he blocked Mr. 1's hand with one of his swords. The agent turned the fingers on his other hand into blades and lashed that one out at Zoro as well. KLANK! Zoro crossed his other sword with his first one and blocked Mr. 1's other hand. Skkuuussshhhh... Zoro was pushed back by the combined power from Mr. 1's two hands pressing into him but he quickly tilted his swords to the side and made Mr. 1's blades slide off then jumped back and put more space in between them.

WOOSH! Mr. 1 created a blade on the front of his leg and lashed it out at Zoro but the swordsman bent backwards and avoided it. Zoro did a quick backflip to put more distance in between them but Mr. 1 quickly lashed at him with a bladed hand. SKISH! Zoro didn't even pause after his flip and jumped backwards to dodge Mr. 1's hand. WOOOSH! Mr. 1 charged Zoro and lashed his bladed hands out at Zoro again only for the swordsman to block them. KA-KLANK!

KLANG! KLANG! KLANK! KLANG! KLANG! Zoro and Mr. 1 fought their way down the street exchanging strikes with their swords and bladed hands respectively. SWISH! Zoro dodge a swipe from Mr. 1's hand then lashed out his leg and kicked his opponent in the stomach. THWAK! Zoro quickly followed up and slashed his steel-bodied opponent with his sword. KLANK! Mr. 1 was sent skidding backwards but spread his legs and managed to stop.

Zoro finally drew Wado Ichimonji and put it in his mouth then launched himself at Mr. 1 for one of his signature attacks, "DEMON... SLICE!" KRANG! Mr. 1 was knocked off balance and started falling backwards as Zoro slashed him with his three swords. But Zoro wasn't done yet. SKISH! He launched himself up into the air and flew over his falling opponent and dove down at him, "TIGER... TRAP!" KA-KLANG! Zoro once again slashed the agent with all three of his sword and drove him down into the ground. KRASH!

TMP! Zoro landed in a crouch outside of the dust cloud Mr. 1's large body had made when it smashed into the ground. The swordsman sheathed his three swords and glanced over his shoulder for any signs of his opponent.

A large figured could be seen through the dust and when the cloud finally cleared Mr. 1 was revealed... COMPLETELY UNHARMED!

"I told you," Mr. 1 reminded Zoro. "No swordsman can defeat me."

"Well I've gotta admit," Zoro confessed, "I'm surprised you don't have even a single bruise. This is the first time this has ever happened. No opponent of mine was standing after an attack like that."

"As true as that may be," Mr. 1 replied, "You've never fought against me before. So who's eating their words now?"

"Heh heh," Zoro chuckled, "Well then, if I can't cut you with my steel... maybe I can do it with something else."

-x-

Cutting Steel:

-x-

"Something else?" Mr. 1 repeated.

SWIP! Mr. 1 lunged at Zoro with a blade on the top of his foot. The swordsman dodged to the side and ducked down looking to attach the agent while his guard was open. But the bottom of Mr. 1's leg turned into a blade and he lashed it down at Zoro, KLANG!

"Oh right," Zoro realized as he held Mr. 1's leg at bay with his sword. "This guy's entire body is a blade. So his blades don't have a front or a back!"

"Hmph," Mr. 1 grunted. "There's nothing you possess that will be strong enough to cut my steel."

Zoro grinned as he addressed his opponent, "Strong enough... maybe not. But I bet I've got something fast enough that is."

-Desert Training Flashback-

Y/N, Zoro, and Sanji stood together in the desert on their way to Rain Base attempting to get some training in.

"We've been wearing these weights since we got to this desert," Zoro stated as he held out one of his arms and displayed the one thousand kilogram band that was on it. "But we still haven't been able to cut the air when we take 'em off."

"The best we got was a strong gust when we fought those desert bandits," Sanji reminded them.

"I've been thinking about that," Y/N admitted. "I believe the reason it isn't working properly is because we're not moving fast enough."

"We're still not fast enough?" Zoro questioned as he held up his weighed arms. "Then why the heck are we wearing these things?"

"That wasn't what he said moss head," Sanji corrected him, "He said we weren't moving fast enough. Shut up and let him finish explaining."

Zoro glared at Sanji then looked over at Y/N, "Well?" he prompted.

"The first time I managed to create an air blade was when I was flying with Bob," Y/N explained. "I was already flying through the air at a fast speed when I slashed my sword. I think it was the added speed from how fast I was already moving that helped me create the air blade."

"So you're saying that we have to be at a high speed when we try the attack," Zoro realized.

"I think so," Y/N agreed then he turned to Sanji. "It's clear that we're not gonna be cutting the air with our feet any time soon. But since you've been wearing those weights on your ankles all this time I think I should at least be able to teach you my Speed Step technique. Just be warned that it may take a while to get used to."

"Don't worry about me," Sanji reassured him. "I can handle it."

"Okay," Y/N replied. "I'll get you started on moving at a high speed so that you can eventually use that momentum to cut the air with your feet. But one step at time for now." Y/N turned back to Zoro. "Once I've finished with him, you and I will try doing a flying slash attack and see if that works. If it does, we'll use that until we can swing our swords fast enough that we can cut the air without having to move at a high speed."

"I'll get started while you help him," Zoro decided. "Pervy cook needs all the help he can get."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sanji demanded. "You wanna start something moss ball?"

"Girls, girls, you're both pretty," Y/N cut in. "Can we please focus on the matter at hand?"

-End Training Flashback-

Zoro sheathed Yubashiri and Kitetsu III and drew Wado Ichimonji and held the sword out at his side while Mr. 1 calmly eyed him from down the street.

"Let's see if this works," Zoro resolved. He ran at Mr. 1 who stood there with his arms folded across his chest completely confident that Zoro couldn't hurt him. SLISH! While still running at a high speed Zoro slashed his sword and a thin blade of air flew off of the blade and slammed into Mr. 1's chest.

As the blade washed off of his chest, Mr. 1 took a step backwards but was left completely unharmed. His arms were still folded across his chest and he was staring at Zoro with annoyance.

"That's it?" Mr. 1 asked. "That was your big attack? I find myself... disappointed."

"Then I'll have to try something more powerful," Zoro decided.

"Haven't you realized yet that anything you do is pointless?" Mr. 1 asked. "You don't have the power to cut steel so you can't beat me."

"Sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, thought," Zoro recited, "these six roots ground us by way of good, evil, and peace."

"What're you talking about?" Mr. 1 questioned, clearly confused at the swordsman's sudden change of topic.

"And of course, each of these can either be pure or inpure," Zoro continued. "These are the thirty-six earthly desires." Zoro raised his sword and held it sideways above his head. "I have the barrel of a cannon aimed directly at your head. You're just a human blade. In both distance and power my weapon is superior."

"What cannon?" Mr. 1 asked as he charged at Zoro. "I just see your one sword."

"Then let me open your eyes!" Zoro exclaimed as he lunged toward his opponent. SKISH! While moving at a high-speed towards his opponent Zoro slashed his sword, "One Sword Style: THIRTY-SIX CALIBER PHOENIX!" Zoro swung his sword around in a circle and sent a circular blade of air spiraling at Mr. 1. SLASH! BOOOOM! The air slammed into Mr. 1 head-on and he was smashed through a column as if he'd been blasted by a cannon.

Zoro grinned when the dust settled and he saw the Mr. 1-shaped hole going through the column. "Heh heh," he chuckled, "Looks like I managed to figure that one out just fine."

"I'll admit, no one's ever done that to me before," Mr. 1's voice broke out as he stepped around the column and glared at Zoro. The large man was still unharmed. "You're skilled. But not skilled enough to beat me."

"Damn," Zoro cursed to himself. "Even that didn't work. Hmm... what if I put more power behind it? If one sword wasn't enough, I'll use two." Zoro sheathed Wado Ichimonji and drew his other two swords Kitetsu III and Yubashiri.

"Then let's try this," Zoro decided as he held his swords over his head and turned them sideways. "Two Sword Style:" Zoro lunged at Mr.1 and swung his swords around in a circle. "...SEVENTY-TWO CALIBER PHOENIX!" SLA-SLISH! The two circular air blades slammed into Mr. 1 and once again sent him flying backwards. KA-THOOM! This time the agent's hard body completely demolished the column and brought the arch that it was supporting crashing down in between them.

A dust cloud rose in between the two and temporarily hid them both from view but when it cleared Zoro saw Mr. 1 getting back up to his feet.

"Still pointless," Mr. 1 stated.

"Oh yeah?" Zoro countered, "Then what's that?" Mr. 1 looked down at where Zoro was point his sword and spotted a dark purple mark with the kanji tattoo on his chest. The purple mark was dented inward. "Looks like my cannon bruised you so much for not making a single scratch."

Mr. 1's eyes narrowed and he glared at Zoro, "YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!" he snarled. SWISH! He lunged at Zoro and lashed out at him with a bladed leg but Zoro dodged to the side. Whap! Mr. 1 flipped onto his hands and slashed his leg around at Zoro in a Sanji-like maneuver. WOOOSH! Zoro dove out of the way and went rolling over to the base of a building.

Mr. 1 turned the insides of his hands and fingers into blades and placed his hands together wrist-to-wrist then rushed at Zoro, "SPARKLING DAISY!" SKREKSREKK! Mr. 1 lashed out with both hands and sliced and slashed at the same time. KLANG! Zoro crossed his blades up over his head and blocked Mr. 1's blades from slicing him.

KRAK! Up above him the three story building split into pieces. The clean diagonal cuts that the blades on Mr. 1's hands had made the severed segments look like the petals of a daisy.

"This is crazy!" Zoro exclaimed to himself. The building began crumbling behind him while he struggled to keep Mr. 1's hands at bay.

"Goodbye!" Mr. 1 growled. WHAM! Mr. 1 shoved Zoro backwards and sent him crashing through the front of the crumbling building. THOOOM! All three stories came crashing down on Zoro while Mr. 1 was left standing in the street with only a single bruise on his chest to show for his efforts.

Mr. 1 surveyed the wreckage but all he saw of the swordsman was a bloody arm sticking out form in between two of the large chunks of what remained of the building.

"When it comes to training... I've done more than anyone else," Zoro thought to himself. "I've also been pushed to the brink in plenty of bad situations. But I always succeeded."

Zoro remembered his bold claim from earlier. "When I defeat you Mr. 1... I'll be the swordsman strong enough to cut through anything... including steel."

Mr. 1 had replied: "I've never been scratched by those who call themselves swordsmen."

Zoro had scratched him. But it hadn't been enough to cut steel or draw blood.

"But what is it... that I lack... to beat this guy?" Zoro wondered.

-Childhood Flashback-

"Sensei! Sensei!" Zoro called out when he was still training at the dojo with Kuina's father. This had happened shortly after Kuina's death and Zoro had her former sword Wado Ichimonji strapped to his back. "Is it true that there are swordsman in this world who can cut anything? Even steel? Well is it?"

"Yes, it certainly is," the black haired bespectacled man replied. He then brought Zoro outside for an important lesson.

"Now pay attention," Koshiro instructed as he held out a single sheet of paper, "I want you to watch this paper very carefully Zoro."

Koshiro tossed the paper up into the air and Zoro watched as it gracefully floated on the air.

"HAAA!" Koshiro shouted as he drew his sword and slashed it at the paper. WHAP! But the sharp blade didn't even cut the leaf of paper and only knocked it slightly off course.

Zoro sweat-dropped, "Sensei, you didn't even cut it."

Koshiro led Zoro back to the dojo and they both sat down outside of it. "Listen Zoro," Koshiro instructed, "This is an important lesson for you to learn. There are swordsmen out there who are capable of cutting nothing. However, these same swordsman can cut anything... that includes steel using the same sword."

"..." Zoro just stared at the man the man next to him not quite getting it.

"The strongest swordsmen in the world are able to protect that which they wish to protect but also cut that which they wish to cut," Koshiro explained, "swordplay that always harms whatever it touches... well Zoro... that isn't real swordsmanship. Do you understand?"

"..." Zoro was silent as he thought about what his sensei had just told him. He looked up at the man and eventually decided, "Sensei! I'm going to be a swordsman who can cut anything!"

"Zoro, were you listening at all to what I was saying?" Koshiro asked.

-End Flashback-

Krek... krek... Mr. 1's unibrow raised in mild surprise as rubble in front of him started moving and Zoro lifted a large chunk of the building off of him.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Mr. 1 taunted Zoro. "Hurry up and attack me again. You'll never win."

"Uggh..." Zoro grunted as he strained with the load he was holding. Blood was trickling down the side of his face and was running down his arms as he stood in front of Mr. 1. "Trust me pal. There's nothing I'd rather do more right now than that but my hands are a little full at the moment." Zoro hands were currently full holding up a diagonally sliced portion of the building that originally made up one-sixth of the three story stone building.

Despite his heavy load, Zoro grinned at Mr. 1, "And it wasn't a threat," he told him. "It was a promise. I'm gonna cut steel and you're gonna die."

"I highly doubt it," Mr. 1 replied.

"UGGGHH!" Zoro groaned, "Shame you won't be alive to see it!" Zoro chucked the chunk of building at Mr. 1. WHING!

Mr. 1 remained in place, uncaring that Zoro had just thrown one-sixth of a heavy stone building at him. "Large or small, I'll cut everything into pieces!" he announced. Mr. 1 crossed his arms and prepared to attack the oncoming chunk of building.

At the same time, Zoro gripped the handle of Wado Ichimonji and stared down at the sword. "A sword that cuts nothing... what did that mean?" Zoro wondered. "Think!"

-x-

Rhythm All Things Have:

-x-

"Swordplay that cuts nothing... cut nothing but cut steel..." Zoro thought to himself. "It doesn't make any sense at all! Thrust and thrust! That's the secret of powerful swordplay!"

"ATOMIC SPAR!" Mr. 1 turned his finger into blades slashed his crossed arms downwards. SLA-SLISH! The huge chunk of building was slide down into a bunch of much smaller man-sized squares.

"YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN CUT!" Zoro shouted. SKISH! He leapt out of the rubble and charged through the split building and slashed any stone that got in his way. SLISH! SLISH! TMP! Zoro landed on his feet and lashed out at Mr. 1 with all three of his swords.

KLANG! KLANG! KLANG! Mr. 1 made blades on the bottoms of his long arms and defended himself from Zoro's attack. KA-KLANG! Zoro broke through Mr. 1's guard and slashed his chest with two of his swords sending the agent flying backwards.

Skuusssshhh... Mr. 1 landed on his feet and skidded backwards but Zoro didn't waste a second and charged at him and slashed all three of his swords. Mr. 1 turned the front of his leg into a blade and swung it up to meet Zoro's three blades KA-KLANG! Zoro slid his swords up Mr. 1's sleek bladed leg and slashed his wide-opened torso, KLANK! Again, Mr. 1 was sent flying backwards but he flipped over and sprang off of the ground with one hand and landed safely on his feet. SKISH! TMP!

"Grrrr..." Mr. 1 growled but he suddenly found the sword in Zoro's mouth pointed at his neck, the right arm bent upwards with the sword up over Mr. 1's head while parellel with the first, and his left arm crossed over his other arm and bent downwards while the sword was level with his waist and was parallel with the first two. "CRAB... GRAB!" KA-LANK! Zoro slashed his three swords and Mr. 1 was sent flying up into the air.

"A one-sword cannon didn't do anything," Zoro thought to himself, "a two-sword cannon bruised him. Now I'll try three!"

Zoro held his two swords sideways up over his head and pointed the one in his mouth in the same direction, "THREE SWORD STYLE..." Zoro lunged towards his airborne opponent and slashed all three of his swords in a circular motion, "ONE HUNDRED EIGHT CALIBER PHOENIX!" Zoro sent three circular blades of air flying at Mr. 1. SLA-SLA-SLISH! The agent was blasted backwards and smashed through the front of the building. BOOOM! The high speed he was moving at and all the damage he did to it caused the building to come crashing down on top of him, KA-THOOOM!

"Huff... huff... huff..." Zoro panted and stood in the middle of the street with sweat and blood dripping down his face. "Did it work?"

"No." SLISH! A large chunk of rubble split in half and Mr. 1rose to his feet in the middle of it. The purple bruise on his chest had grown and so had the dent Zoro had made. But Mr. 1's steel remained solid and uncut. "You can blast me backwards all you like. But with my body being as hard as it is you'll never be able to land a decisive blow. The only way for you to beat me is to cut steel. But as you've hopefully finally realized, that's impossible."

"You're really starting to piss me off," Zoro growled.

"The feeling's mutual," Mr. 1 replied. "Perhaps we'd be evenly matched if I were a pathetic swordsman but I'm not. My weapons are far nastier that mere swords. Take this one for example..." SHINK! Four round blades that ran from the bottom of his elbow to the top of his wrist grew out of his arms. "SPIRAL HOLLOW!" VREEEEE! The ground blades started spinning around his arms while his fist remained unmoving. Mr. 1's spinning bladed arms now resembled a pair of long drills.

"What are you?" Zoro asked, "an excavator?" The drills on Mr. 1's arm looked like the ones excavators used.

"An assassin actually," Mr. 1 corrected him. FWASH! Zoro charged forward and his three swords collided with the spinning drills on Mr. 1's forearms. Sparks flew off as the high speed steel drills scraped against the steel of Zoro's swords.

"Sparks!" Zoro exclaimed as he looked up along the blade in his mouth and saw them coming off of their dueling blades. "Just how fast are those blades spinning?" VRREEEEEE! KLANG! Mr. 1 overpowered Zoro and threw his arms apart leaving the Straw Hat swordsman wide opened as Mr. 1 brought his arms back. "OH NO!"

"I could never be an excavator," Mr. 1 told him, "I make too much of a mess."

"Shit!" Zoro cursed.

SHLUK! Mr. 1 brought his arms together and the blades spinning around his arm drilled into the swordsman's opened chest. SPLURT! Blood squirted out as Zoro's shin was shredded and he was sent flying backwards.

SKUSSSSHHH! Zoro skidded backwards and dropped to one knee. The front of his shirt was stained red from his blood. Zoro looked up in time to see Mr. 1 come rushing at him for another attack.

VREEEEEEE! SHU-SLUK! Mr. 1 drove his drills into Zoro's already wounded chest and inflicted even more damage on the swordsman. Zoro's blood flew one way and he flew another.

"There's only one thing left for you after defeat," Mr. 1 stated. His drills retracted and he made blades out of his fingers, "Death! SPAR CLAW!" SLISH! Mr. 1 slashed his long arms at Zoro and raked his new blades across Zoro's chest spilling even more of the swordsman's blood.

Zoro's swords went flying and he smashed into the bottom of a column. WHAM! A red stain was left on the column as Zoro went crashing to the ground. THUD!

"..." Mr. 1 stared silently as Zoro laid face-down in a puddle of his own blood at the base of the column. The assassin casually licked some of Zoro's blood off of his hands then slowly approached his prone opponent.

"Uggghhhh..." Zoro groaned as he tilted his head to the side to keep from drowning in his own blood. 'Hawk Eye' Mihawk passed through his vision and that was enough to keep him from giving in to his extensive injuries.

"I'm surprised you're still alive," Mr. 1 admitted as he stood over Zoro.

"I will not... show my back to him..." Zoro vowed to himself as he forced his weary and wounded body up off of the ground. Scars on the back were a swordsman's shame. They showed cowardice and weakness.

"What are you going to fight with, your hands?" Mr. 1 asked as he watched Zoro slump back-first against the bottom of the column. Zoro's white shirt and green slash had been died red from all the blood.

"Uggh... Even if I tried to explain it to you..." Zoro groaned, "you wouldn't understand because you're not a swordsman."

"Hmph," Mr. 1 grunted, "Don't bother. I'm not that interested."

"Ugghh... uggghhh..." Zoro gasped.

Mr. 1 raised his arms and once again made his fingers into blades. "SPAR BREAK!" SHRAK! Mr. 1 swung his arms passed each other and slashed Zoro and the pillar he was leaning against with the blades on his fingers. SPULT! SLISH! Even more of Zoro's blood sprayed out while the base of the pillar he was leaning against was sliced into thin horizontal strips.

"UUGGGHHH!" Zoro groaned in pain as more wounds were added to his already large collection of injuries.

KREK-KREK-KREK! Due to the base of it being sliced to ribbons the rest of the pillar and the arch it was supporting started to crack. Mr. 1 turned away from his opponent and the cracking column and walked away.

"Die in peace," Mr. 1 called back to Zoro.

KRASH! The arch gave way and the column crumbled.

Zoro wearily stared up at the huge cylindrical segments of column that were falling towards him. "I've had... bad luck... with stones today..." the swordsman thought to himself. THOOOOM!

Mr. 1 walked away from another defeated opponent. The assassin idly cracked his neck and brushed his fingers against the large bruise Zoro had managed to make on his chest. That was a first, and for that Mr. 1 gave Zoro an ounce of his respect. But the swordsman couldn't cut steel and he couldn't cut him.

"YOU GUYS GO ON AHEAD!" Luffy called out to them as they raced away on the moving crab while he stayed behind to faceCrocodile. "DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME! MAKE SURE YOU DELIVER VIVI HOME SAFE AND SOUND!"

"Everyone remember the plan ... this is it!" Y/N called out to the rest of them as they raced towards Alubarna on the back of their spot-billed ducks. They were supposed to split up into three teams of two, lure two agents into the city after them, and defeat them. "See you when it's over!"

As Mr. 1 continued walking away, Zoro stood amongst the rubble from the fallen arch and pillar. "I wonder... if the rest of 'em... are okay..." the swordsman thought to himself.

Mr. 1 sensed that something was up and spared a glance over his shoulder only to see Zoro standing in the middle of the rubble. The swordsman was soaked in blood and was still bleeding but he was standing and was standing in the one place where the chunks of stone hadn't fallen.

Mr. 1 stared at Zoro in shock, "That's impossible!" the assassin gasped. "I cut him so many times! Did he dodge all those falling stones?"

"Is that what I did?" Zoro asked himself. "Dodge them? No. I was just able to... sense the place where no stones would fall." Zoro glanced at the rubble around him. "My swords..." Zoro spotted a large chunk of stone nearby. "One of them's underneath that stone. I feel it."

Mr. 1 was still in shock as he watched Zoro struggle to move a large chunk of stone. Normally it would be no problem for the super strong swordsman but his current state had taken a major toll on his strength. "What is he doing?"the assassin wondered.

BOOOM! Zoro tipped the stone over to the side and picked up Wado Ichimonji.

"I've experience this feeling before," Zoro thought to himself as he held his sword out in front of him. He thought back to his duel with Mihawk where he'd been stabbed in the chest with his knife then slashed with the World's Greatest Swordsman's legendary black blade."Everything goes quiet around me." He thought of the following duel with Hachi. His wounds from Mihawk were acting up and the octopus fishman was showing no mercy. But he saw Mihawk's face in his mind and didn't allow himself to lose. "So quiet... I can hear my heart beat so clearly. Is this... is this what it feels like when you're close to death?"

Zoro thought back to seconds ago and how he'd managed to escape getting crushed. "It was almost like... like those falling stones gave me a hint. As if they were living things. No. It wasn't a hint. It was much clearer than that. It was like... rhythm. Could it be? Trees have their own rhythm. So does soil. Is that what it is?"

"This is an important lesson for you to learn," Koshiro had told him. "There are swordsmen out there who are capable of cutting nothing..."

"Does cutting nothing mean hearing the rhythm around you?" Zoro wondered. "If so, is that how one can cut steel?"

"What the hell did you do?" Mr. 1 demanded. "After a vicious attack like that! And all the blood you've lost! There's no way you can still be alive!"

Zoro took a couple of labored breaths and looked over at his opponent, he didn't hear the words the assassin was saying but he did hear something else. "I hear it," Zoro realized. "His steel... it has a rhythm. Just like everything else around me."

Zoro raised his sword and slashed at a leafy branch of a palm tree that was next to him. SLISH! Zoro sword slipped passed the leaves without making a single mark. Zoro hadn't wanted to cut the tree and he hadn't.

Zoro turned and looked over at a large chunk of stone next to him. SLISH! He sliced the stone with his sword and it split in half with one clean cut. Zoro wanted to cut the stone and he had.

"The strongest swordsmen in the world are able to protect that which they wish to protect but also cut that which they wish to cut," Koshiro had explained.

"Hmmph, alright, fine," Mr. 1 resolved, "When I'm done you're gonna wish you stayed down."

"Only one question remains," Zoro decided. "Do I really have the ability to cut steel?" Zoro pointed his blade at Mr. 1. "Well, there's only one way to find out."

"You failed with three swords," Mr. 1 reminded him. "Can you defend yourself with only one?"

"I won't... defend," Zoro replied.

"So you're prepared..." Mr. 1 said, "TO DIE!" SHHIINK! Blades came out of the bottom of Mr. 1's feet and acted like a pair of ice skates as he rushed at Zoro and turned his fingers into blades. "ATOMIC SPURT!"

Zoro sheathed his sword and held it up in front of him, "One Sword Style... LION STRIKE!" Zoro drew his sword and lunged at his charging opponent.

SLISH!

Zoro stood behind Mr. 1 with his back to him. KLIK! Zoro sheathed his sword. SPLURT! Blood splashed out of a large wound on Mr. 1's chest.

"AAAHH!" Mr. 1 let out a strangled cry as he dropped to his knees.

"Thanks to you... I've finally reached the next level," Zoro addressed Mr. 1.

"I don't know how..." Mr. 1 thought to himself as he knelt in the street with blood streaming out of his mouth and the wound on his chest. "But he learned how to do it... just like he said he would."

"Ugghhh..." Zoro groaned as he dropped to his knees but fought to remain conscious.

"Now that you've cut steel," Mr. 1 called out to Zoro, "What's next for you? Diamonds?"

"No," Zoro replied, "That'd be a waste."

"Hah hah," Mr. 1 let out a weak chuckle causing blood to fly out of his mouth. "Good luck." FWUMP! The assassin collapsed to the ground and finally lost consciousness.

Zoro removed his bandana and bowed his head.

The battle on the West Block main street had concluded.

Winner: Zoro

-x-

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!!!