C14 Frost Moon Village Zoro's Determination

Walking back to the dojo, Zoro and Guina flanked Lin Mo, each carrying a wine jug. Zoro couldn't resist asking, "Lin Mo, that move was incredibly fast. I barely caught it. What technique did you use to take down the bandit leader?"

"Just a simple Blade Flowing in Unity," Lin Mo replied nonchalantly.

"That's an awesome name!" Zoro's eyes sparkled with admiration.

After a brief silence, Guina chimed in, "And how did you manage to knock out all those bandits?"

"Haki."

"Haki?" echoed both Zoro and Guina in surprise.

"What's Haki?" Zoro inquired, puzzled.

Lin Mo remained silent. He wasn't one to answer every question; he spoke when he felt like it, guided by his moods.

Realizing Lin Mo wasn't in the mood to elaborate, Zoro didn't press further.

The trio walked on quietly until they neared Isshin Dojo. It was then that Zoro made a resolute decision: "After that close call with the bandits, I've decided. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to train in the Three Blade Style!"

Zoro was destined to become a formidable Three Blade Swordsman in the future, so Lin Mo wasn't surprised by his declaration.

Guina, however, was skeptical. "You can barely handle two swords, and now you want a third? Are you out of your mind? How do you plan to hold the third one?"

"With my mouth!" Zoro declared confidently. "I refuse to be caught off guard again. Even if the odds are against me, I'll fight with my blades, not stand around waiting to be rescued."

Zoro had been strengthening his bite over the past year but hadn't fully committed to mastering the Three Blade Style until now.

Guina observed him, her silence lingering before she spoke. "You're such a fool. Aren't you worried about shattering your teeth?... The strain of wielding three swords is much more than two. If you're set on this path, you'll need to ramp up your training to endure the demands of three swords."

"I'm aware," Zoro replied with a grin. "I'm mentally prepared to push myself to the limit every day, to train as if my life depends on it."

Lin Mo remained silent.

There was nothing that needed to be said.

As the trio walked past the well-lit teahouse corridor in the dojo's backyard, Koshiro greeted them with a warm smile. "You've put in a good day's work, Lin Mo."

"Mm-hmm." Lin Mo responded nonchalantly, not breaking stride as he continued on his way.

Once Zoro and Guina had delivered the wine to Lin Mo's room, they quickly made their way back to Koshiro's teahouse, their faces alight with eager anticipation.

"What is it? Is there something you want to ask me?" Koshiro inquired, his smile inviting.

"Father, what exactly is Haki?" Guina asked earnestly.

"Haki? How did you come to learn about it?" Koshiro pondered briefly before adding, "Did Lin Mo use Haki to take care of those bandits?"

"Yes!" Zoro confirmed with a nod. "Master, you weren't there, but Lin Mo was incredible! With just one move, he took down the leader of the bandits."

"Is that so? That's quite impressive," Koshiro remarked, taking a leisurely sip of tea.

"Absolutely, it was super impressive!" Zoro exclaimed with admiration. "What was that technique called? 'One Saber Flowing in the House,' right? Such a cool name!"

"Hmm?" Koshiro paused, reflecting, "Indeed, a prodigious talent to have mastered that technique."

Zoro's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "Teacher, can you do it too? Teach me; I want to learn!"

Koshiro offered a gentle smile. "I can teach you, but not just yet. First, you need to get the fundamentals down."

"But Father, you still haven't explained Haki to us!" Guina interjected, a hint of dissatisfaction in her voice.

Continuing with a smile, Koshiro elaborated, "Haki is categorized into Kenbunshoku Haki, Busoshoku Haki, and Haoshoku Haki. It's a latent power that resides within all of us..."

Over the next while, Koshiro gave Zoro and Guina a primer on Haki, their excitement growing with each new detail they learned.

In the days that followed, Lin Mo carried on with his routine: hunting, drinking at the tavern, and returning to the Isshin Dojo for more drinks.

Before he knew it, he had been in Frost Moon Village for almost twenty days.

He had sampled every type of wine the tavern offered and had hunted nearly every beast in the surrounding valleys.

It was time to tackle the final 20% of his mission and move on.

Back in Windmill Village, he had completed two missions with the help of Red Hair Shanks.

Here in Frost Moon Village, he had accomplished another two, thanks to a dragon.

But the pivotal Koshiro and Zoro had only contributed to one each.

It was clear that the last mission would likely involve either Koshiro or Zoro.

Maybe a spar with Koshiro would check off the last task.

With that thought in mind...

Lin Mo, having finished his hunting training for the day, decided to head back to the dojo to seek out Koshiro.

He hadn't gone far when...

A figure with three real swords strapped to his waist came running toward him.

It was Zoro.

Since their victory over Higuma and his bandits, Zoro and Guina had left him in peace.

Life had been quite pleasant for Lin Mo lately.

But now, with them seeking him out...

What was Zoro up to?

Lin Mo walked on, his face a mask of indifference.

"Lin Mo, spar with me!" Zoro approached, brimming with enthusiasm.

As always...

Lin Mo simply sidestepped him, showing no intention of engaging.

Seeing this...

Zoro hurried after him, saying, "I'm not who I used to be. Honestly, I've been training hard every day. Now, I can hold my own against Guina using the three-sword style."

Lin Mo responded nonchalantly, "Oh."

Zoro pressed on, "And I've realized something. I won't ambush you anymore. I want to challenge you openly and honorably."

Lin Mo remained silent.

Zoro sprinted ahead, stopping fifty meters from Lin Mo, then turned to face him. He bit down on one sword while gripping the other two, poised for battle.

As Lin Mo closed in to less than ten meters, Zoro crossed his arms, positioning the two swords parallel in front of the one clenched in his teeth.

"Lin Mo, accept my challenge!" Zoro's voice was muffled by the sword in his mouth.

A subtle sword presence emanated from him.

That stance...

That energy...

Lin Mo's gaze sharpened.

Could this be the Hellish Slash?

He recalled that Zoro wasn't supposed to learn this technique until ten years later, during the two years he and Luffy were apart.

Though it was still rudimentary, and Zoro's stance was far from perfect.

Lin Mo hadn't anticipated such progress from him in merely a handful of days.

To think he'd even begun to grasp the essence of the sword's aura.

Truly, he was destined to be a Great Swordsman.

Lin Mo always had respect for the diligent.

"I've been looking forward to a real match with you, Lin Mo. Please, grant me this challenge!"

Zoro's gaze was intense and earnest.

Lin Mo halted, meeting his stare with a quiet intensity.

Then, a slight smile played at his lips. Drawing the Wado Ichimonji from its sheath, Lin Mo responded, "Alright, I'll grant your wish before I depart."