The Swordsman's Cat ( Zoro X Reader)

Chapter 19 : Ritual

Chapter 19 : Ritual

The candles flickered, casting dancing shadows across the room as Mihawk prepared for the ritual. The air seemed to hold a mixture of anticipation and solemnity.

Zoro watched him with a mixture of curiosity and concern, trying to comprehend the intricacies of the situation. He instructed Zoro to carefully carry your body into the warm, magical hot spring.

Prior preparations had involved changing you into a stunning goddess-style dress, adorned with a simple silver accessory that added an elegant touch, one that held a deeper significance.

Zoro couldn't help but be perplexed by the change of outfit, but Mihawk assured him that it had belonged to your mother and was a vital component of the ritual,though the specifics remained unclear to him, himself.

Zoro could tell that the dress held an air of elegance and history. With gentle hands, Zoro lifted your lifeless body, now dressed in the chosen clothing, and laid you into the warm embrace of the hot spring.

The warm, healing energy enveloped you as you lay there, your eyes closed, appearing almost ethereal in your new attire, the faint steam rising around your still form.

Mihawk, his demeanor as composed as ever, directed Zoro to lie down on the altar beside you, facing upwards and Zoro followed suit.

Mihawk reached for the crucifix necklace around his neck, his fingers unclasping it to reveal a hidden knife within. Zoro couldn't help but chuckle softly, his laughter laced with irony as he recalled their first encounter and the near-fatal blow that Mihawk had delivered.

The moment was met with a shared understanding, and Mihawk's own laughter mingled with Zoro's. The tension in the room seemed to momentarily lighten.

Mihawk, too, understood the gravity of the situation, and he joined Zoro in a slight, knowing laugh. Before beginning the ritual, he sought Zoro's confirmation once more, his voice carrying a solemn weight.

"Are you certain, Roronoa?" Mihawk inquired, his eyes locked onto Zoro's. "Because if your heart is not fully in it, and you hesitate even the slightest bit, your entire soul could be lost forever. I wouldn't be able to bring you back, either."

Zoro's gaze remained unwavering as he responded with determination, "Yes."

Mihawk offered a final piece of advice, his voice unwavering, " Remember, no matter how much pain you endure when you come back, I will need your assistance in restraining Y/N in the hot spring. When her soul returns, she will experience an excruciating amount of pain but if she doesn't fully heal, she will bleed out again, and because your connection to her will be mended, you will share in that pain."

He locked eyes with Zoro once more, a solemnity in his gaze, "Are you ready to face death, Roronoa?"

Zoro's response was resolute, his words firm and unwavering, "Just get on with it."

Mihawk took a deep breath, his own commitment evident. With a firm nod, he began the ritual, the tip of the knife poised above his chest, ready to make the fateful incision that would set this intricate process in motion.

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"Well, what do I do now?" You laid on the white floor trying to come up with a way to get back to your body.

The transition was disorienting, to say the least. One moment, you were in the ethereal white void, contemplating your return to the living world, and the next, everything changed.