One Piece: The True Codex

Koushirou and Pattinson were doing their best to cautiously entertain William.

"I know you've been busy with state affairs recently and didn't want to trouble you. That's why I didn't inform you immediately after what happened to Kuina. I didn't expect you to come anyway," Koushirou said calmly.

William, hearing this, fixed his gaze on Koushirou and asked, "Is Kuina really dead?"

Koushirou's hand stilled for a brief moment before he resumed his calm demeanor and replied, "Of course."

"But judging by your expression," William said, scanning Koushirou from head to toe, "you don't seem the least bit sorrowful."

Koushirou gave a bitter smile. "I'm the master of this dojo and the teacher of my students. I can't afford to appear defeated."

William didn't comment on this, instead questioning further, "I heard Kuina fell from the attic and succumbed to her injuries. Is that true?"

"Oh, I forgot," Koushirou chuckled faintly, "you have informants in Frost Moon Village. Yes, that's how it happened."

"With Kuina's skills, would she really die from a fall like that?" William's voice rose slightly. "Where is her body?"

"Already buried," Koushirou answered.

"So hastily?" William sneered.

"Enough!" Pattinson suddenly interrupted, his voice sharp and commanding. He stood up and strode over to William, his tone filled with disdain. "You're no longer a student of this dojo. Even if you were, you'd still just be a student. What right do you have to question your teacher?"

Still kneeling on the tatami mat, William raised his head slightly, casting a cold glance at Pattinson before turning back to Koushirou. "I've heard about what you've done over the years, and I can guess your motives. That's your business, and I have neither the desire nor the right to interfere. But Kuina was your daughter, just a child. When you dragged her into this, did you ever consider her feelings?"

"I was merely respecting Kuina's own wishes," Koushirou replied in a deep voice. "I don't want to impose my will on others or involve them in my affairs."

William pressed his lips together, then said, "If that's the case, I have nothing more to say."

He turned his head to look at Pattinson, who had been standing to the side. "You think I have no right to ask questions? I am the First Minister of the Navia Kingdom. And you? What right do you have to question me?"

Pattinson, undeterred, retorted, "This is the Isshin Dojo!"

William glanced at Koushirou, who remained expressionless, and suddenly chuckled. He turned back to Pattinson. "Did you know that Edmond has always wanted to settle old scores with you? I stopped him. With his current status, seeking revenge over past grievances would make him seem petty. But now, I think I shouldn't have stopped him. Maybe then you'd realize where you truly stand."

"Do you still think I'm the same boy who first entered this dojo, someone you could order around?"

As soon as William finished speaking, his leg sprang upward like a coiled spring, launching him off the tatami mat. His right hand shot out, aiming for Pattinson's collar.

Pattinson reacted quickly. Though caught off guard by William's sudden move, he instinctively stepped back and raised his left hand to block William's grasp.

For a long time, Pattinson had harbored resentment toward William. Whether it was the last time William swaggered into the dojo with his officers or this time, arriving with ships full of pirates to surround the dojo, Pattinson saw these actions as arrogant displays of power. To him, they reeked of someone flaunting their newfound authority.

So when William made the first move, Pattinson didn't just defend himself. After blocking William's hand with his left arm, he countered with his right hand, clawing toward William's throat.

Neither of them drew their swords, clearly not intending to fight to the death. But the sudden clash was enough to show that the cordial facade had been torn apart.

William, possessing the Lightning Reflexes feat, moved with unparalleled speed. Pattinson's actions were crystal clear in his eyes. With a cold smile, William didn't change his move, his hand still reaching for Pattinson's collar.

Having mastered Life Return and developed the Steam Power technique, William could now lock steam pressure within his body and channel it to enhance his strength exponentially. The heat generated by this technique further augmented his capabilities.

When William's hand collided with Pattinson's left arm, Pattinson's face contorted in pain. At the point of contact, his skin reddened and swelled visibly. The immense strength in William's grip forced Pattinson's arm aside with ease, and William's hand clenched onto his collar.

Before Pattinson could react, he felt the world spin around him. With sheer brute force, William hurled him toward the dojo's entrance.

At the same time, William's left hand formed a knife-hand and slashed through the air. The steam pressure locked within his body found an outlet, surging out as he swung his hand. The combination of steam pressure and the force of his hand created a scorching wind that blasted into Pattinson.

Boom!

Pattinson's bulky frame crashed through the thin wooden sliding door, tumbling onto the ground outside. Rain poured down on him, causing steam to rise from his body. He looked as though he'd been boiled alive, his skin red and swollen. Even the decorative elements on his clothing, unable to withstand the heat, had curled and shriveled.

"Devil Fruit..." Pattinson gasped for air, struggling to get up. His right eye was swollen shut from the pain, leaving him to glare at William with his left eye.

Humiliated, Pattinson's already flushed face turned an even deeper shade of red, as if blood might drip from it. His hand instinctively reached for the hilt of his sword.

Finally, Koushirou, who had been sitting silently on the tatami mat, stood up. As Pattinson's hand gripped his sword, William, now in his Steam Power high-pressure state, surged forward like an arrow. His body bent low, his stance taut like a drawn bow, every muscle coiled with tension.

In the rain, William's figure became a blur. The water vapor rising from his body left behind a trail of afterimages, making it hard to discern his true position.

Pattinson's left eye tracked the vapor trails, his right hand pulling his sword halfway out of its sheath. But before he could react, William was already upon him, his blade drawn.

"William!" Koushirou's voice rang out.

Swish!

William's blade veered slightly, slicing just above Pattinson's head.

A scorching wind, so intense it felt suffocating, swept past Pattinson's face, making his cheeks ripple comically. His topknot was severed, leaving his hair disheveled.

Behind him, the rainwater on the ground instantly evaporated into a thin mist, and the once-soaked earth briefly dried. But the relentless drizzle soon restored the scene to its original state.

William glanced at the motionless Pattinson, then sheathed his blade. Moments later, the rock garden and a section of the surrounding wall, touched by the force of his blade, collapsed with a resounding crash.

Pattinson slumped to the ground, his body limp. In that moment when William's blade had descended, enveloped in the killing intent of a man who had taken countless lives, Pattinson had truly believed he was going to die.

William had held back at the last moment, sparing Pattinson's life. Even without Koushirou's intervention, William wouldn't have delivered a killing blow out of respect for his former teacher.

Koushirou stepped forward, surveying the aftermath. After a moment of silence, he remarked, "Your skills have improved again. But relying on the power of a Devil Fruit—can that still be called swordsmanship?"

"Swordsmanship is wielded by people," William replied coldly. "You once taught me that the person comes first. Swordsmanship and the power of a Devil Fruit are both part of me. If I combine them to better harness my sword, why wouldn't that count as swordsmanship?"

Koushirou stared at his former student, now speaking with a tone of defiance.

William was twenty-one years old now. After all he had experienced since setting out to sea, his appearance and demeanor bore no resemblance to the naive sixteen-year-old who had first entered the dojo.

After a long pause, Koushirou sighed with a tinge of sorrow. "You've developed your own understanding of swordsmanship. It seems I have nothing left to teach you."

William remained silent. After a moment, he cast a final glance at Pattinson, who sat dazed on the ground. "If that's the case, I suppose I no longer need to return to this dojo."

As William turned to leave, Koushirou called out, "Aren't you going to visit Kuina's grave?"

"A fake grave isn't worth my time," William replied without looking back.

In the front courtyard, the aftermath of William's strike was evident. The entire section of the dojo's wall had collapsed. Edmond and Aramis, who had been hesitating about whether to check on the situation in the rear courtyard, stood up when they saw William enter the main hall.

"Let's go," William said, glancing at the group of students peeking nervously from a distance. When his gaze fell on them, the young students quickly ducked out of sight. Turning to Edmond and Aramis, he added, "We're done here."

Aramis said nothing, but Edmond couldn't help asking, "What happened?"

"Nothing," William replied, casting a final look toward the rear courtyard where Koushirou was. "The teacher doesn't want to involve us."

"And Kuina...?" Edmond hesitated.

"She's fine," William said with a shake of his head. "Let's go."

Edmond lowered his head and followed William down the path toward the gate.

As they walked, William spoke softly, "This may be the last time we return to the dojo. The teacher doesn't want to be entangled with us, and I shouldn't be selfish either, dragging the dojo and the teacher into our affairs."

Aramis and Edmond remained silent, their pace slowing slightly.

For Edmond, who had grown up in the dojo, this moment was particularly poignant. Unlike Aramis and William, who had joined later, Edmond had spent his childhood here. As he walked through the familiar grounds, he seemed to "hear" and "see" things he hadn't noticed before.

The three of them slowly made their way to the dojo's gate. Aramis signaled to their men, who had been standing silently in the rain. Without a word, the burly men fell in line behind them as they headed toward the harbor.

Back in the dojo, Zoro watched as William's group grew smaller in the distance. Gritting his teeth, he suddenly dashed into the rain. His friends, caught off guard, failed to stop him. Just as they were about to shout in surprise, they saw him turn back, running to his usual resting spot to grab Kuina's sword, the Wado Ichimonji, along with two other blades.

"Zoro, what are you doing?" one of his friends exclaimed, rushing to stop him.

"I'm going to defeat him," Zoro said through clenched teeth, glancing at the Wado Ichimonji in his hands. "And help Kuina fulfill her wish."

His friends were horrified. "You can't be serious! You couldn't even beat Kuina!"

Another chimed in, "Don't do this, Zoro! You hated Kuina, didn't you?"

"You don't understand!" Zoro shouted. Watching William and his group move further away, he broke free from his friends' grasp and ran after them.

Two thousand defeats. Others might have resented Kuina, cursed her, or even felt relieved at her death. But Zoro only felt regret and sympathy.

He regretted that he would never have the chance to redeem himself. He sympathized with Kuina's untimely death.

For Zoro, it was simply the loss of a rival. But for Kuina, it was the loss of the chance to challenge anyone ever again.

That's why Zoro had returned to retrieve the Wado Ichimonji. Out of pure respect and compassion, he wanted to help Kuina, his most admirable yet infuriating rival, achieve her greatest wish—

To defeat William.

"Stop!"

A voice, still tinged with youthful inexperience, rang out from behind the group.

William stopped in his tracks, turning to look back. His men instinctively stepped aside, creating a clear path that revealed Zoro standing there, panting heavily.

Zoro, catching his breath, glanced nervously at William's furrowed brow and the imposing figures around him. Swallowing hard, he steadied his nerves.

"Morgan William! I am Roronoa Zoro!" Tightening his grip on the Wado Ichimonji, Zoro mustered all his courage and shouted, "Fight me!"

The scene fell silent. Only the sound of Zoro's labored breathing and the rain hitting the ground could be heard.

There was no immediate response. William continued to frown at him, while the men in black suits exchanged various expressions but remained silent.

The sudden stillness made Zoro feel awkward. Seeing William's lack of reaction, he gritted his teeth, drew the Wado Ichimonji, and clenched it between his teeth. He then unsheathed his other two swords, letting their scabbards fall to the ground.

"I'm coming!"

With the Wado Ichimonji gripped firmly in his mouth, Zoro's voice was muffled but resolute. He charged at William with all his might.

William still didn't move. Watching Zoro rush forward, his gaze lingered briefly on the Wado Ichimonji in Zoro's mouth and the discarded scabbards on the ground. Not only did he refrain from defending himself, but his eyelids also drooped slightly.

As Zoro dashed through the rain, he closed the distance to William in an instant. Leaping high into the air, he twisted his body, bringing all three swords down toward William in a powerful strike.

Why isn't he moving? Zoro wondered.

~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~

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