Chapter 411: Leo vs Zoro

Chapter 411: Leo vs Zoro

Leo and Zoro choose to spar at Clown Base's training ground. The others come to watch the sparring because it will be interesting.

"Who do you think will win?" asks Usopp to Luffy.

"Don't know, but I believe in Zoro," says Luffy.

"BIG BRO ZORO WILL SURELY WIN!" shouts Yosaku & Johnny.

"Heh, don't underestimate Leo. He might look meek, but he becomes a beast when he fights," says Nami while smirking.

Bellemere doesn't say anything and just grins from the side while smoking as she watches the 2 get ready. Leo & Zoro are standing quite far from each other. They prepare their swords and get into their battle stances. It's time to start the sparring.

Without any sign, the 2 of them rush at each other and send their attacks. Zoro makes a cross slash while Leo makes horizontal slashes with his 2 cutlasses. They stop each other's attack in the first clash and they keep staring daggers at each other.

Both of them start to make more attacks and do more clashes. They swing their swords while moving around to find their opponent's open spots that can be struck. But none of them manage to hit the other even after a while, meaning that they are rather equal.

However, Zoro then realizes that Leo doesn't use his devil fruit at all. There is no flame coming out of his body or swords. He just fights using his swords, which means he doesn't go all out, and it pisses Zoro.

"WHY AREN'T YOU USING YOUR POWER? ARE YOU LOOKING DOWN ON ME?" shouts Zoro pissedly.

"I never looked down on my opponent. This is a way for me to show respect to you instead. This is a battle of swordsmen, so any other kind of power shouldn't be used here. That's what my dad always taught me, to only use my swords when having a swordsman battle," says Leo seriously.

Zoro widens his eyes a little and grins, "Heh, fine, but don't blame me if you lose."

"I have felt defeats many times," says Leo with a stoic face.

Both of them rush at each other again and start clashing. Zoro's attacks become more aggressive, faster, and stronger. Leo starts to lose his ground, but he still tries to catch up. However, after holding on for some minutes, Leo finally loses after his swords fell because of Zoro's attack.

Leo sighs and admits defeat while Zoro's swords are placed on his neck. He is still weaker than Zoro in swordsmanship and physical power. His techniques are great though, but his physique can't keep up, and he isn't a pure swordsman anyway, so it's normal for his swordsmanship to be lacking because he didn't focus on it.

This defeat is similar to Buggy's defeat in his first fight against Mihawk. Even now, Buggy still can't surpass Mihawk's swordsmanship. He still won their battles a few times though, but Mihawk has more victory than him. Mihawk won't stand a chance if Buggy goes all out though.

"Damn man, you must've trained your arms excessively," says Leo while rubbing his wrists.

"But it wasn't enough. I am still very weak," says Zoro while touching his wounds.

"Well, you still have a long way to go to be the Strongest Swordsman. My dad could defeat me easily using a steak knife, and he said his swordsmanship is still weaker than the Strongest Swordsman," says Leo.

"Have your dad fought against him?" asks Zoro in surprise.

As for Sanji, Buggy only told her that he was a cook in Baratie. She knows that restaurant quite well because her farming business becomes their supplier. She went there a few times in the past, so now she remembers that she has seen Sanji when he was a kid.

After receiving the information from Buggy, Bellemere is finally sure she can let Nami joins them. Buggy also promised her to keep observing their movements and make sure Nami is safe. As a mother, Bellemere will always be worried about her children, so she does whatever she thinks can make sure her children are safe.

A week after The Straw Hats visited Cocoyashi Village, Bellemere finally starts their final test. She needs to see if they have grown in the last week because she won't allow Nami to join them if they don't. They will need to keep growing stronger from now on, so they need to have the ability to learn in a week.

They fight in turn to see everyone's progress and Bellemere is quite shocked. The Straw Hats learn quite fast and they have grown quite a lot in one week. Even the cowardly Usopp is giving a fight and so is Nami who never liked fights.

"Good, with this, I can give you permission to bring Nami as your navigator," says Bellemere after beating them up.

The Straw Hats want to cheer, but they get beaten up really badly. They still don't have any chance against her even though they've gotten stronger.

"But, if I heard you make my baby girl cry even once, I will chase you and beat you into pulps. My husband will even chop you up and feed you to fish. So protect her well, you understand?" asks Bellemere with an intimidating grin.

They all nod furiously and realize that Bellemere beat them up very bad now as a warning. She is showing that she can kill them anytime, so they shouldn't break their promises. After that, Nako comes and treats them. They will sail the next day after they heal.

But their metabolisms are monstrous and they heal at night. They ask Bellemere to hold a party and she agrees because she is about to let her daughter go on a long journey. So they hold a party that night and The Straw Hats are getting shocked once more.

Leo is playing some music for the party using some instruments. They don't know he can play music because he has never done it in the last week. His musical skill has grown a lot in the last few years and he won't lose to great musicians all over the world.

Luffy approaches him happily while Leo plays Bink's Sake using a piano and asks, "Hey, Leo, you really should join my crew?"

Leo keeps playing without stopping and says, "Sure. I've thought about it and there's no way I can let my sister goes with a bunch of idiots. At least my mother will be less worried if I go with her."

The Straw Hats smile happily and the party gets even merrier. Bellemere already knew about Leo's plan, so she isn't surprised. He is correct, after all, she will be less worried with him by Nami's side. Buggy is quite excited when he hears about it because this change will make things more interesting.

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