Chapter Text
“Be brave, Zoro. For nothing can stand in the way of a brave heart.”
He remembers the smile his father had when they were facing the threat of a bear. He remembered the admiration he had for his brave old man as he charged confidently at the beast.
For a long time, Zoro held his father’s words dear to his heart. Tending his still easily scared heart, Zoro learned to be brave in the face of things that were bigger than him: a giant spider, a sea king attack, a big-ass boulder. By the time he was seven, Zoro was already brave enough to scare the rude customers away in his mother's tavern—when his father was away for work. He was his father's brave little man—he wore that compliment proudly like a badge. Until he wasn't. He was 8 years old when he learned the bitter truth of bravery.
A brave heart would shatter in front of sheer power, reduced to a fool. Roronoa Arashi—as brave as he was—was weak. A weak person couldn't protect anything, leaving only a trail of broken hearts and families.
“A man protects those he loves, Zoro.” His late father used to say. They protect with all of their might—strong as steel, a concrete shield, barren of any visible weakness. That’s why a man shouldn't cry. To cry was to be weak–he never saw his father cry–and back then, little Zoro was inspired to be like him–the cool old man who was always ready to shield his family. Back then, Arashi was the strongest person Zoro had ever known. Until he died rescuing his mom from a stinky pirates' nest. Ferocious and strong, his father proudly fought those endless scum like a demon. When they finally reached a safe place, his dying father finally shed tears in his wife's arms. He had succeeded in saving those he loved, but would soon fail to protect his family from future harm.
Liar. His father was a liar. Arashi was reduced from a man he admired to a man he despised.
Father was brave. But he was weak. Therefore, he could no longer protect his mom and Zoro. His mother was still loving as usual, but she couldn't lose the longing, the broken heart, and the hardship a single mother felt upon their partner's departure. Faced with such circumstances, little Zoro decided to strive for power. Taking up his father’s way of the swords, he enrolled in a dojo near the mountain. He didn't cry in front of his father's grave. He despised the man for being so weak. His father had broken every word he had ever said to him. More than anything, Zoro hated people who went back on their words.
Besides, a man does not cry. Even if they are as small as little Zoro. He did his best not to cry and found that in the wake of strength, tears were nothing. So he hardened himself and his body through many tribulations. He didn't cry over a bruised knee, or the aching pain of vigorous training, nor did he cry upon the bitter taste of defeat at Kuina’s hand.
However, even though he trained hard, Zoro was still so little. No more than ten years old. Although he could beat up many of the dojo's adult trainers, his heart was still young and pure—and so he cried in front of Kuina’s tombstone. He cried because he realised he was still weak. Crying was equal to weakness. It was then that Kuina’s death shredded any future prejudice he might have had against people. Be it a woman, a geezer, or a kid, he would never underestimate them.
At home, his mother, the kind-hearted Terra, held him close until late that night, feeding him his favourite onigiri. “You’re still a child. You’ve got a long way to go to train. Be patient, Zoro. Strength is earned, and time is an integral part of earning it. Do not worry, my child. Great things are earned by those who trust themselves.”
Terra died of the plague seven years after Kuina’s death. No tears were shed as he buried his mother in the cemetery. His mother was strong; she held out her broken heart for so long, protecting little Zoro from the world. But now, the man Zoro has become set out to the seas. He has a goal to strive for, a power to seek, and a promise to keep—for Kuina and for his mother, who never stopped believing in him. Roronoa Zoro would be the strongest swordsman out there. He doesn't care how long it will take. He doesn't care about people mocking his dreams; he believes in himself.
Great things come to those who believe in themselves , Zoro repeated his mother's words one night. He had met himself a handful of captain. A strange one, but he found himself admiring his foolish dedication to protect his friends. The captain had a knack for attracting chaos, thus inviting enemies for Zoro to fight—targets for honing his skills. He had big dreams and a determined heart—for a while, he thought of Luffy as a means to an end.
The rubber man reminded him of his father. He’s an idiot, but he packs quite a punch—unlike his old man. Despite the bitterness he still felt years after Arashi's death, Zoro started to look out for Luffy, just like he idolised his father at one point in his life. And one by one, the fire Zoro recognized in his eyes started to attract various kinds of people to him.
Thus, Roronoa Zoro fought against Dracule Mihawk. He was young but brave, he was ferocious but kind, he was strong but patient—a man who was done with his inner self. A man of his own principle. A man that would earn the title of Strongest Swordsman. Zoro was only nineteen years old when he challenged his title. A pity.
But Mihawk saw himself in the young Roronoa’s soul. The desire to win, the patience he could feel from his honed moves, his monstrous determination—Roronoa proved himself to be worthy of drawing his Yoru.
“A mark on the back is a swordsman's shame.”
“Admirable.”
Mihawk knew at the impact of his blade, the young swordsman would take defeat as a life lesson. That was the kind of man he knew Roronoa was. He knew, because that’s the kind of man Mihawk is. How naive. Roronoa truly had the potential to earn his title, but he was still naive. Upon glancing at the strange rubber man and people surrounding Roronoa, he snickers. He still had a long way to go, to understand the true meaning of strength.
“It is still too early for you to die. Learn about yourself! Learn about the world and be strong, Roronoa! I will hold my seat for you no matter how long it takes. So come again and surpass this sword, Roronoa!”
At the sight of his own blood and the concerned captain, Roronoa Zoro finally cried for the first time in ten years. He didn’t bother to hide it. What for? They’d already seen him weak enough to be utterly defeated by a fucking knife. If tears equaled weakness then so be it.
Mihawk was damn strong. At his current level, Zoro couldn’t win against him. Zoro wasn't as stupid people thought him to be. He still needs more power. It’s not there, yet. Ain’t no way he could challenge Mihawk like this.
“Luffy, you need a strong swordsman in your crew, right? I won’t be defeated again. Until I can take his title, I will never lose again! Are you okay with that, King of Pirates?”
Zoro had sailed out to sea for the promise he made with Kuina, but that day, he lived for a promise he made with himself.
//
Zoro forgot the last time he had felt fear.
To him, fear was a weakness.
From a young age, he trained exceptionally hard to not show any weakness; to prevent his enemies from manipulating him. He thought he had successfully rid himself of fear. How could one have fears in their heart when setting out to the sea alone, challenging a swordsman considered the best in the four seas and the Grand Line? But the moment Mihawk defeated him without breaking a sweat, Zoro knew the path he needed to take would be bloody. However, he was brave and had no fear of his opponent.
And so, Zoro entered the Grand Line bringing with him his dream of becoming the world's strongest swordsman. He trained tirelessly, pushing himself to his limits and beyond. He faced countless challenges and battles, always striving to become stronger. Nami had yelled at him several times, scolding him for his recklessness. He was always ready to take on the enemy, even if they numbered a hundred Baroque Works agents. Zoro had no fear. He was brave and strong, unlike his father. And so, he continued to win, time and time again.
Together with his captain and the lousy cook, Zoro quickly rose to be a formidable opponent. Taking up Luffy’s offer back then proved to be the right choice after all. His captain was goofy, yet strong and had a mysterious charm that won people over. Whatever doubt that had remained on his part burned following the events of Alabasta. He proved his strength by defeating the Warlords of the Sea. Unbeknownst to him, his confidence in Luffy might as well have become a double-edged sword. In Skypiea, his arrogance was destroyed the moment Nico Robin’s electrocuted body began to fall. . He remembers the shiver that ran down his spine at the abrupt attack. She's going to die! , he screamed internally as his body moved subconsciously to break her fall.
Robin was unconscious, burnt, and probably on the brink of death. As he held her fragile body, Zoro's heart clenched. He could feel the exact moment when fear finally crept into his heart, seeping into his system. This woman could die, right beside him, and he was still so frozen in fear he couldn’t get her out of the way. It wasn't just her; he paled at Nami’s typical shriek, watching her roommate burn to death.
“She’s just a woman!”
Zoro might have lashed out at Enel, but those furious words were meant for himself. Robin was just a woman. She wasn’t exactly a nakama yet. If not Enel, she could be the one to annihilate the crew. Then why did he become so angry? Why did he let his emotions get in the way? Zoro spent so much time battling his own fears, knowing full well that showing weakness was a one-way ticket to losing a fight. And he did lose. Defeated, burned at the hand of the freakish God. Simply because he let his fears take control and charged carelessly at his enemy.
Thankfully, it took a lot more than lightning to kill him. Thankfully, his captain kept his word and protected his nakama from dying. With that, Luffy earned more respect from him for doing something he couldn’t do. He spent a considerable amount questioning and beating himself out for his stupid reactions. Even after the Shandia bells rang beautifully across the sky, something in Zoro’s heart was still troubled.
In their victorious banquet, Robin was also fine. She had burn marks here and there and seemingly couldn't walk in a straight line—but overall she was good. The other crew also lived through the terror, despite being beaten up here and there. He himself suffered plenty of damage but acquired new strength from cutting Giant Jack. He tried to reason with himself. At that time, his crew could die at the hand of the freakish God if he didn't fight and win. They were ridiculously outmatched, and he had one crazy woman who manipulated the totally wrong person, a scaredy-cat sea witch, and a totally naive kid doctor. It was only natural for Zoro to worry about their safety as out of the four of them—he was the only one who had the possibility of winning against a lightning man.
And yet Zoro still had fears in his heart long after their business in the sky island. He couldn't shake the uneasiness he felt every time he glanced in Robin's direction. Several "what if" scenarios flooded his head, feeding into his growing fears.
It was in front of Aokiji's terrifying power that Zoro's fear physically materialised. The admiral was far out of his league,or Luffy's for that matter. Not to mention the cold feeling in his heart at the sight of Robin's frozen body. Had he failed? Now that Luffy was also a frozen statue, Zoro couldn't keep his emotions at bay. Facing away from curly brow as they defrosted their frostbite, the green-haired man fought back his tears. Perfect, his body was almost paralyzed by fear, and now he fucking wanted to cry. What a pathetic excuse for a man who swore to never show his weakness.
A man shouldn't cry. Tears equal weakness. He couldn't afford to show his weakness—not now. Not when the life of his captain was at stake and the remaining crew was losing their entire fighting spirit. Save for the troublesome cook who seemed to be doing his best to act normal.
Fortunately, Chopper managed to defrost their crewmates safely without any critical complications. And both were healthy enough to engage in their daily antics. All is well , he repeated internally.
He convinced himself that he hadn't failed. That even if there was no crew behind him, his dreams shouldn't stop. If there's no captain—Zoro could sail by himself—needing no crewmates to help. Mihawk was a lone sailor, after all. He could surpass him on his own. After all, he first sailed to his dreams with no intention of having a crew. Initially, he thought a crew would be a hindrance for his quest. It would take years if he took the bounty hunting way. But Mihawk had promised to wait for him, so Zoro could take his time and be patient as he earned his strength. He had no problem with that, as he was in no rush.
That was the plan, at least if the entire crew were defeated. Of course, Luffy had a determined heart when it came to protecting his friends, and he had proven himself to never let his friends down. That was his strength, but it could also be his downfall, just like the incident with Aokiji or his father.
But for now, everything was fine. Luffy hadn't failed, and neither had Zoro, who had managed to protect Robin from the sharp ice shards just in time, giving the cook and the captain enough time to react from their shock. Zoro hadn't failed, and even if he did, he shouldn't be bothered too much. That woman was suspicious anyway, and if her presence destroyed the place he finally called home, he wouldn't hesitate to kill her.
As their ship problems became evident, with a heavy heart, Zoro followed the crew and sailed to Water Seven, where tragedies awaited them.
//
“I want to live!”
Zoro remembers the agony he felt as Nico Robin shouted out her feelings from the top of the Tower of Justice. While Zoro contemplated running, leaving his crew behind out of his own fears if the situation called for it, that woman outright mocked his pride in the most brazen ways.
Sacrificing herself, huh?
What an idiot. A fool.
She survived for twenty years! Nobody survives being a wanted person for twenty years and still lives to tell the tale. Even Roger surrendered to his death a year after being crowned as Pirate King at the hands of the World Government. For someone to survive 20 years, she ought to be hellishly strong. Though she's not exceptionally strong on sheer power, her strength lies in her brain instead. He’s sure she could find a way out from the business with CP9.
And yet she threw her dreams away. Her twenty years of effort, threatened the world just by her existence alone—and all for what? A bunch of idiots. She surrendered herself, knowing she had no chance of winning against the World Government—to save them.
To save him.
“Now that it has come to this, in the name of justice, you'll have to die like that woman!"
Deep within his heart, rage exploded at Kaku's words. Fiery colours of red and purple turned every belief he had into ashes. What kind of justice hunted a fucking child for knowing some ancient language? What kind of justice justified the genocide of an entire island? What kind of justice forced a woman to sacrifice herself for a bunch of idiots?
Nico Robin was going to die a slow death as the puppet of a fucking organization that has no qualms killing millions of innocent civilians.
And that very thought was the last straw of his patience. Roronoa Zoro released the fiery rage he built up, his agony at the fate of Alabasta, the frustration he felt ever since Skypiea, A demon named Ashura. Trampled everything on his path. The damned giraffe stood no chance against it.
A man protects those he loves, Zoro.
Shoving his father's memory aside, Zoro fights and fights. He only needs to believe in Luffy. He needs to focus and believe in Luffy. Luffy is his captain, one who has earned respect from him. All of his body aches and screams from extreme exhaustion, but Zoro can’t stop. If he fails, the entire crew could be in danger. They could lose their lives and their dreams. More than anything, he thought, as he glanced at the recently rescued woman, Robin would die horribly.
He can't afford that.
Zoro has come to realise the joy of loving this crew that Luffy gave him. They are nakama. While Zoro never intended to die for them, forsaking his own dreams, he loves them as much as he loves his mother. But Zoro has long since forgotten his father's words. He will fight for Luffy, help him to become the king of the pirates, enjoy the jolly atmosphere of Going Merry, but if the situation calls, if his own dream was at stake, if Luffy's confidence ever wavers, just like the last time with Usopp, then Zoro has no reason to stay.
Until the enigma that is Nico Robin. The others may come to Enies Lobby out of nakamaship for the damned woman, but the only reason Zoro comes, fully aware of the threat of the Marine powerhouse, is that he couldn't accept anyone dying for his sake ever again.
Now that they are reunited, safe in the heart of Water Seven, after miraculously surviving the whole buster call, Zoro finally has time to think for himself. He hated his father for leaving him and his mother behind, for breaking his words to Zoro. But his old man died proudly, trying to protect his mother's dignity at the hands of pirates. Just like Nico Robin spared no time to take any available measures to ensure her crewmate lives, even at the cost of her own life.
A man protects those he loves, huh? What does it mean? What's the point of dying to protect? Leaving behind your own dreams? There are various ways of protecting someone, and he didn't think dying for them was necessary. It only leaves behind a broken heart in its trail. Just like his poor mom. Just like Luffy and the rest of his nakama would feel if they failed to retrieve Robin from the gate of Justice in time.
"Why did you do that?" he demanded one night. Their other crewmates were either in a food or booze coma, scattered everywhere in the humid night of Water Seven. Zoro himself had been feigning sleep until the archeologist decided to call it a night and walked back to their lodgings. In his frustration, Zoro pushed Robin behind the walls, near the icy patch Aokiji left behind.
"Huh?"
"You've been on the run for twenty years! I ain't no fool, surviving on the seas alone must be hella difficult, especially for a kid. And yet, you clung to your dream and lived through the suffering." Irritated, Zoro almost completely pushed Robin to the wall. Meanwhile the woman takes her sweet time to lay those elusive gaze of hers into his eyes.
"You could have found a way to escape from this city. Why would you forsake your dreams for us? Why do you need to die for others? Leaving your dreams behind?!" In spite of anger, Zoro punched the wall behind her, shattering it completely. He must have looked beyond frustrated.
"Precisely because I had suffered for twenty years, it made me realise something." The woman smiled genuinely, her piercing blue eyes turning soft and gentle. She carefully takes Zoro's hand, one that is covered with dust and pierced stone. "That the pain of losing your loved ones is greater than any shit I've been through."
He remembered feeling lost at her words. The memories of his father and his broken family rushed into his head, igniting a long forgotten pain. The way his mother had mended his broken little heart by reminding him that there was so much he could thrive for. His dream saved him from certain doom. Just like Robin’s dream was the one who kept her going–why would she abandon it? "So, you're willing to die before your dream comes true?"
"Discovering the void century is my way of atoning for the sin of being alive.” Robin flashed him another smile, this time it was sad, but her eyes gleamed with kindness.”You see, before the buster call, all I ever wanted was to be with my mother. I became an archeologist so that I could be with her.”
Too stunned to speak, Zoro was completely frozen in shock. The truth behind her dreams shot him an arrow of pain. Oh, to live your dreams out of survivor's guilt……
Her dainty hands found themselves into his chest, feeling his heartbeat. She was still smiling, totally unfazed by her choice of vulnerability. “I figured if I had to die, the best way possible was to save people I’ve loved from certain doom. One way or another, Luffy would be the one who reached Laughtale and honor my people’s legacy.”
It then dawned on him the reason why he wanted to be strong, why he despised his father for leaving him and his mother behind. Why did he seek strength even before he made a promise with Kuina? Why does Zoro, despite finding the uncanny resemblance to his old man silly, still find respect for Luffy?
When he was only a little child, he wanted to be strong enough to protect those he loved, just like his father bravely fought the bear alone so that little Zoro could run. Just like his father, slaughtered those stinky pirates because they stole his mother away. Just like his mother, the ever-kind Terra, fought back her illness and kept working despite her deteriorating health because she didn't want to leave Zoro behind. Just like Kuina protected her dreams of becoming the strongest swordsman by not letting Zoro win against her until her last breath.
“A man protects those he loves with everything that he's got , Zoro.” His father used to say. No matter how much he wanted to despise his old man, it seems like his words had been carved way too deeply into his little heart.
"You're truly one of a kind, Nico Robin," he said.
He wanted to thank her for reminding him of the purpose of his power, of the principle his late parents left behind. The people in his life sought strength because they had something to protect, because bravery and moral values weren't enough in front of sheer power. The young and naive Zoro back then understood that he needed to be strong so that he could fight for his mom. It was the origin of his goal before Kuina added fuel to the fire with their promise.
The tip of Nico Robin's lips moved, creating an extremely pretty smile. Her eyes were no longer sad as they mirrored her smile with such grace, hiding her striking blue orbs under thin eyelids, leaving him in awe.
In that exact moment, Zoro finally solved what troubled him the most in Skypiea. Back then, even without the knowledge of her true loyalty, Zoro wanted to keep seeing the smile that always left him dumbfounded. Like the one she gracefully showed prior to her joining the crew. Although compared to the one she showed him right now, that calculating-yet-still-annoyingly-beautiful smile paled in comparison.
Zoro might have lost his mother in a fight he couldn't have fought, but Monkey D. Luffy gave him a chance to become the person he once aspired to be, a man just like his cool old man, who was brave, loyal, and every bit as strong, for he only shed tears at death's doors. A man who would protect those he loved with everything he got.
And so Zoro truly assumed the role of Luffy’s right hand, watching over and protecting the crew he adored, the smile he came to love, and the place he called home. Like a ferocious beast who knows no fear, he stood up without hesitation in the face of Bartholomew Kuma's terrifying power. It was worth it. Zoro knew he was bound to no good, but one glance at his scattered crewmates—lingering a bit longer on the black-haired archaeologist for her words are his own wake up call—severed any remaining doubt in his heart. They were worth it.
The pain of losing a loved one was greater than any shit he would go through.
Trembling, he remembered fighting his body, trying to keep himself alive. He couldn't die now. He still had a dream to live. He still wanted to taste the shitty cook's masterpieces. Damn it, he still wanted to see his crew laugh and smile.
"Oi, marimo! What's with all this blood? What happened here?"
The pain of losing a loved one is greater than anything...
Fuck, Zoro wouldn't be the one to cause her pain, or anyone in the crew for that matter. He is stronger than this. He would survive this hell.
"Nothing happened."
//
"Stupid swordsman, getting lost and beaten up again and again. I won't patch you up next time."
It was supposed to be a calm evening but the grumbling queen never stopped her complaints as usual. Despite doing the complete opposite of grumbling every time. Therefore, Zoro had learned to keep his mouth shut and let her tend to his wounds from fighting the Humandrill. Meanwhile, his archenemies casually drank his wine, read his newspaper without a care for their shenanigans.
He lost, again.
It’s been two months and he hasn't gotten any closer to fighting the chief Humandrill, let alone Mihawk. He couldn't keep losing like this. Damn it, he needed to be strong enough so that the tragedy of Sabaody would never ever happen again.
"Why are you so obsessed with being strong anyway? Your past wounds aren’t even healed completely but you keep adding to them."
"Do me a favour and shut up," he groaned, impeccably annoyed at the pink-haired brat. His mind then repeated the tragedy of Sabaody. Every single one of them was utterly outclassed by Kizaru and Kuma.
So this is the power of the World Government. It wasn't only the admirals and the warlord—but even the big bob-haired man Luffy fought was also in a class of her own.
"But, well, if you want to be reunited with your crew, you need to be much stronger than this." Perona, who never listened to anyone but herself, casually shrugged off his warning. "With Nico Robin in your ranks, the World Government would never stop pursuing you. Hell, even Moria-sama once wanted to capture that woman—"
"One more word and I swear I'll make you a real ghost."
Fortunately, the princess shut her mouth as she worked on his wounds. She was smart enough to differentiate a threat and a joke. Besides, it’s hard to not notice the way the air nervously moved around them.
Damn Perona and her big mouth. It was hard enough to be focused on his training, while wondering the whereabouts of his crew. Specifically, Robin. Back then, he thought it was normal for him to worry the most about her well-being. Afterall, the crew went through literal hell to rescue her in Enies Lobby. All of their efforts would be in vain if not even a month later they’re losing her again at the hand of another government pawn.
What if Kuma didn't send her to an unknown area just like he is and probably the rest of his crew? What if Kuma sends her to a Government facility instead? Wouldn't it be, hypothetically too late for them if they waited two years to rescue her? However, if the World Government had their hand on Robin, why wouldn’t they broadcast their success in capturing The Devil Child just like they did with Ace? After the event of Sabaody and Marineford, they must have known that the Straw Hat Pirates were disbanded.
As Zoro was lost in his own thoughts, Dracule Mihawk smirked behind his newspaper. Roronoa Zoro never ceased to amuse him. The green haired man seemingly oblivious to the change he made to their surroundings. The air was tensed as if burdened by the weight of Roronoa’s turn of thought, the way his aura changed steadily mimics an apex predator–all were the tell-tale sign of Conqueror Haki’s awakening.
“I’ve heard some interesting news from the Marines lately.” Mihawk carefully tested his hypothesis. His words received zero response as Zoro was lost in thought. “Rumour has it that they’ve seen the Devil Child boarding a vessel.”
As expected, his attention swiftly focused on Mihawk despite no change in his outer appearance, “It was said the vessel has is in suspicion of having affiliations with the Revolutionaries.” With his Observation Haki, Mihawk knew Zoro was throwing him a side-glance. The tensed air moves in response to his unspoken demand. Another subtle sign of a conqueror, he noted.
“The Revolutionary Army? Are you serious?” it was Perona's high-pitched voice, responding to his news with disbelief.
“I must say, it was clever of Miss Nico or rather Kuma-san, to hide under the protection of Monkey D. Dragon himself. The World Government won't be able to act carelessly as long as she is with them,” he said, locking eyes with his protégé and carefully examining his facial expression, which now showed great relief.
“It doesn’t change the fact that as long as she is alive, the Devil Child will always be hunted wherever she goes.”
“That’s why I need to be stronger,” Zoro finally concluded. Gone was the dark chaos he had been feeling as his most troubled thoughts disappeared. It was as if all this time, Zoro had wanted to take everything as fast as possible, leading him to be careless. A bundle of anxiety as he pondered the safety of a certain crewmate.
Mihawk has proven himself again as the true equal of Red-Hair Shanks as he has picked up subtlest hints on his protege behaviour. It was truly a magnificent observation on his part against the teen's impressive emotional control. Despite his seemingly ignorant behaviour, the black haired swordsman was quick to notice the disturbance on his moves even long after his captain made the infamous front page news. Zoro should have known his crew was safe after Mihawk kindly slipped in his own suspicion of Kuma’s loyalty.
“It would also save me trouble if you stopped woundingyourself over and over again, idiot!”
“So, you've finally found a means to use your strength,” he fondly thought to himself as the two idiots resumed their bickering. His hawk gaze fell upon Yoru across the room. Closing his eyes, Mihawk hid his pain at the memories of a smiling blonde and a cheerful laugh. How ironic that the younger man has grown to be more and more like him by the day.
“Surpass me, Roronoa. For now, you have something to lose, and the day where you are able to fight me evenly is approaching,” he monologued, throwing another glance at Zoro and his extremely relaxed posture. The green-haired man didn't seem to realise it—or maybe he was already aware of it. But it wasn't the first time he looked visibly agitated at the slightest mention of Nico Robin. Or the way his eyes were troubled whenever a flock of black-birds hung around his vicinity.
Sooner, when Zoro finally defeated all of his humandrills, Mihawk would give him advice—some that comes from his own story. He would tell him that love, indeed, will dull the blade, but without love, no amount of blood would satisfy his blade.
Standing up from his seat, Mihawk happily walked to his prized sword. He would start polishing Yoru now that Roronoa Zoro was finally graduating from his cocoon.
//
It was a year after the revolution, a year after standing at the top of the world with his nakama, a year after they crowned their captain King of the Pirates. Their bond was tighter than ever after causing a catastrophic chain of events that led to the Holy War against Marie Jois. Even after a year of travelling as the strongest crew on the seas–save for the other individual powerhouse remains of the war–Zoro never thought of leaving his crew behind. It's Luffy and his thirst for adventure that keeps him on the ship. Although they have already finished every Grand Line route possible, the seas remain vast and unexplored. Therefore, it was a complete surprise to him when Luffy himself brought up the topic.
The unpredictable captain decided he wanted to take a break from pirating, wishing to spend his days with poor Garp and reconnecting with his blood family. Luffy told his crew that they were free to do whatever they wanted to do. This news came as a surprise to the unprepared crew, including Zoro, for they had never thought their energetic captain would suggest a disbandment on his own.
"We've all reached our dreams now. While I really wanted to spend every single day exploring the world, some of you might think differently," Luffy flashed them his trademark grin. His gaze fell towards the elder residents of Thousand Sunny. "It's completely fine. I became the Pirate King because I wanted to be the freest man in the sea and I suppose my crew deserves as much."
“Luffy-san?”
“What I mean is, our collective dreams were fulfilled the moment we reached Laughtale. Now, all of you are free to choose how to spend your life apart from travelling with me. Of course, if you wished to continue our journey, we could meet up in the future!”
"Luffy! You moron, since when did you become so honourable!" Sanji sighed and threw a fiery kick at his captain.
Turns out, Luffy had noticed that some of his crew were swayed in life dilemmas, namely finding another purpose to live for. It's quite funny for a bunch of idiots who believe in a moronic captain to have thoughts like that. But if Zoro had to guess, it all came down to how the first four years of their adventures were taking a toll on their hearts. Learning the truth of the world and seeing the worst of humanity was a traumatic experience. In short, even Zoro agreed that their crew needed a change, a refreshment for their weary hearts, so that they could reconnect with themselves.
"That’s called growing up," Robin said one night when Zoro voiced his concern, long before Luffy voiced his suggestion. The woman lounged relaxedly on the library couch when Zoro had woken up from his usual nap. Being as observant as he is, Zoro was quick to notice the slight disturbance in his crew dynamics. On days like these, the man usually found the crew’s literal brain to talk. "It's a pretty normal phase for everyone, actually. Most of you were quite young at that time. But now each one of you have faced enough shit to finally be called an adult."
"I suppose. It's just that I notice some of the crew lack their usual…spirit every time they engage with Luffy on his whim."
"Well, that’s not a surprise, actually. We followed our captain because we believed in his dreams—just like we believed that by following him, our own dreams would come true."
"Yeah, now that we've reached our respective goals, they've become lazy," he growled in irritation. The man had matured enough to know about the ins and outs of a pirate crew. If you start doubting yourself, you’ll bring the whole crew down with you. The shitty cook event on Whole Cake Island was a prime example of this.
"Just because you've already found another purpose in life, doesn't mean the others have too, Zoro," the woman smiled prettily while crossing her arms to pick up another book with her phantom limbs.
"Fair point, I guess," he shrugged nonchalantly. The green-haired man decided to focus his gaze on their archaeologist. His eyes glinted in suspicion at his crewmate. "How did you know I've already found another purpose to live?"
She chuckled, a pleasant sound most men in the crew had come to love—including him. "A calculative guess. After all, I'm always, err, watching you—forgive the pun. All of you."
Well, she wasn't wrong, per se. Robin has always taken the role of a keen observer in their ship. Not to mention the amusement she gets by shocking some of them with her sudden phantom eyes or ears. But because of that, Robin has become a reliable big sister to all of them. Like coming to them in the right time of distress or pushing the exact button to calm them down. Robin valued knowledge and enjoyed learning about her crew. She was a reliable crewmate, with stunning eyes that seemed to read your soul. At least that's what he felt. "Would it kill you if you didn't scare us shitless with your brainpower for a day?"
"Uh-huh. My brain would definitely rot away with fleas out of boredom."
"What a weird woman." he mused with no real annoyance at his jab. Robin was like that. Weird, but he found her cool as fuck. Not to mention, too pretty to be a mirage. He hopes Robin never finds out about his silent adoration for her smile. That would be a total embarrassment to his ego.
He would rather have her find out about his current goal. It wasn't a big deal, anyway. Quite simple, actually. Not exactly different from what he has been doing all this time.
Zoro wanted to keep protecting the crew, the people he loved. These bunch of idiots were his pride and family and he would never stop protecting them from harm. Sure, being the pinnacle of strength on the seas, their name alone was enough to deter any possible attackers. But Luffy liked to piss people off as much as he liked meat. Adding in marines and a whole bunch of rookie pirates who wished to take their glory, a fight always ensued, many times for their kingly title.
He figured his goal out many years ago, even before they reached Laughtale. And it was all thanks to this woman in front of him, this maddening, beautiful maiden who had the biggest heart out of all of them.
But now, Luffy, in all his glory, wished for his crew to find something else to fight for. Accepting that people might not have the same idiocy like him was truly a magnificent feat. Surprisingly, Luffy could be quite perceptive if he wanted to, or maybe because he loved his crew, he was willing to act on something out of his usual nature.
It certainly wasn’t a bad idea. They could do their own thing for years and maybe resume their journey. There were still so many things they could do together, but maybe, by having their very own adventures, his crew would appreciate their time together more and find the advantage of travelling as a crew rather than doing their business alone. They could be reunited, say, three years later with more matured hearts. It sucked, but he knew it would work out somehow, just like Kuma purposely sending them away to an exact training ground for them. Back then,, they had needed to get stronger because the New World was on completely different seas than the Grand Line.
What about him? He had already set his new goal not long after assuming The Strongest Swordsman title. But the crew didn't exactly need his protection anymore. Even if they did need his protection, how could he protect his crew if they were scattered all around the world? Given his challenged directional skills, it would certainly be impossible to protect them one by one. Not to mention, throughout their journey, their strength has grown exponentially. Surely, they could all hold their own. Besides, he believes his crew was above doing something that would invite the threat of the world in this peaceful era, save for Luffy, but that glutton is out of the question.
Musing his next path of action over an afternoon nap in the library, Zoro seriously contemplated his life purpose. Was his goal after becoming the strongest solely protecting the crew? Ever since he was a kid, Zoro had only wanted to become strong, strong enough to protect his mother, then strong enough to become the Strongest Swordsman in the world. He had achieved his goal, now what? Back then, Robin had reminded him of the true purpose of gaining strength–to protect those he loved. He was sitting at the top of the world with his crew still with him, therefore, Zoro never pondered much about it. Even if they were the strongest on the sea, Zoro would continue to look after them. He is pretty much content with the life he has had this past year. Frankly, the swordsman never thought that one day, Luffy would come out with the idea of disbandment. Because, well, they were The Strawhat Pirates.
But now that the captain has spilled the milk, everyone needed to give out their plans as Luffy insisted on knowing each of his crew's future whereabouts. Despite not reaching a general consensus to the question itself, Zoro knew some of his friends already had something in mind. Now, what is he going to do until their reunion? The green-haired man loves booze and sword fighting, but doing that without a clear goal in mind would be downright boring. Booze tastes insanely good when you know you deserve such a thing–for example, participating in a good fight.
Since he’s the strongest now, any sword fight would be boring. Considering that Mihawk stated that no one other than him for many years had challenged him, it means that it would be years until Zoro found someone worthy of drawing all of his three swords.
Uhh, this sucks. He had no family left nor friends to hang out with other than his crew. Well, he could always go home to his mother's old tavern in Shimotsuki Village, but he figures he would be bored to death. Or maybe he could stay in Wano and help the new shogun rebuild their country? Surely, the land of samurai could certainly offer interesting forms of entertainment for him to pass the time. If he’s not mistaken, there was also that talk with Okiku about finding the remaining Supreme Grade Swords. Turns out, many great swords were forged in Wano. He could also learn about swordsmithing. How cool is that if he’s able to create his dream sword that specifically only answers to his soul?
Yeah, it would be fine. Luffy would be beyond glad to know his best friend will be staying in the country of Ace’s wishes. There are many things he could do in Wano. Anything would be fun if he surrounds himself with the people he likes and tries out new things.
He sighed in satisfaction, finally able to enjoy his nap when the library door opened up, bringing the smell of pouring rain. From its footsteps, Zoro knew it was Robin without opening his eyes.
Weird, he thought. Robin felt more solemn than usual. You see, Zoro had trained all of his senses even before he understood the concept of Observation Haki. Now that the tide of his Haki engulfed Robin, it seems like the woman was currently in deep thought, visibly distracted. On instinct, Zoro strode to his nakama. Robin had helped him many times and she also didn't shy away from voicing her concern to him night after night. He supposed he could lend an ear, or a shoulder, or a coffee. Whatever she needs, if it's in his power, he would give it to her.
“Robin?”
The woman didn't immediately answer his calls, but when she did, Zoro could pinpoint the pain she tried to hide in her menacing eyes.
He frowned, “A berry for your thoughts?”
“Oh, it's nothing.” she brushed him off casually. But being crewmates for years made Zoro know it certainly wasn't nothing. The woman finally gave in from his persistent glare. She smiled weakly, “Nami said something about a big library on the next island and now that it is nearly summer–I can’t help but remember my island's destruction. Just usual nightmares, you know.”
He knew about her usual nightmare. Most of their crew has adapted to their archeologist's sleeping pattern. They were always happy to welcome her in the crow's nest whenever she comes late at night, knowing that she still suffered from the terror of her childhood in her sleep.
Come to think of it...
“Robin, what are you going to do following Luffy’s suggestion?”
How come he had forgotten about her? Initially, Zoro assumed Robin would continue travelling with the Revolutionary army as she had formed a bond with them. She’s the light of the revolution after all. Her knowledge crowned their captain and spread the truth across the world. It would be no surprise if she takes a part in building a new world with the army. Zoro’s assumption was solidified at the remembrance of Monkey D. Dragon’s insane strength. If he was able to ensure Robin’s safety when the world was in chaos, surely he could assure her safety now that there’s less threats to her existence. That’s what he thought.
And it appears his assumptions were correct, “Hmm, I’m not so sure. But since I’ve got no island to go back to, I would like to stay with Dragon-san. He once talked about recovering the…….”
Zoro listened to her explanation half-heartedly as his mind conjured up another possible option to spend his boring-after-disbandment days. Surprisingly, he found himself completely satisfied with his new ideal to the point he found his earlier decision was utterly stupid. This way, his initial goal did not disappear completely. Yes, he became the strongest swordsman. But Zoro knew he still yearned to fight. To protect his crew.
Besides, it works out exactly like Dracule Mihawk said on his dying breath. The true essence of strength lies in protecting what you love.