The rising of the Shield Hero X One piece

The Rising of the Sword Hero part 25

"Look! It's sensei's turn!"

He's not going to lose!" Rifana cheered enthusiastically.

"Really now?" Wyndia raised an eyebrow. "He's powerful, yes, but it's not like he's invincible, right?

Sensei... do your best!

Right as the announcement came, Fohl launched himself forward like a storm. He began the fight with a powerful kick to the side of the swordsman. An attack like this would be able to knock out a normal person instantly, or at least break a few bones in his body if it hits. Feeling the immense power of the kick, Zoro took a step back to avoid it, and the attack only hit the air in front of him harmlessly.

Growling, the boy pushed forward, and this time, he threw a punch at the Sword Hero's gut. To his frustration, his opponent still didn't attempt to strike back; he just stepped aside and let his attack slip by, as if he didn't think he was anything dangerous. The boy let out a snarl of anger and leaped into the air. His right fist came down on Zoro head like a hammer, and just like before, the swordsman just took a step back to avoid the punch. His fist slammed on the surface with a "boom", shaking the entire ground and leaving a massive web of cracks.

Again, and again, and again, the hakuko boy threw attack after attack at the man named Roronoa Zoro but no matter what kind of attack he threw at him, his opponent did nothing but weave around, dodging them like a dancer. That frustrated him to no end. No matter how strong you are, you cannot defeat an opponent if your attacks don't hit.

The reaction of the crowd in the stands didn't help. At the beginning of the battle, they still cheered for him, but after a while, the cheers and encouragements were gone, replaced by complaints and insults.

"What the hell is this?"

"I didn't pay my hard-earned money to watch this!"

"Kill him already, you idiot!"

"That's what they called a rising star? More like a frauding star!"

Fohl's blood boiled upon hearing those words.

"Damn you!" he snarled. "Just stay still and let me hit you, bastard!"

And for some reason, the swordsman movement slowed down after he said those words. Fohl was excited; this was a golden opportunity, and he was not going to waste this. He flew at the swordsman at a breakneck speed. His right fist was brimming with all the energy he had in his body, and with a roar worthy of a tiger descendant, he launched it forward, ready to deliver a devastating punch.

And at that very same moment, the green hair eyes flashed eerily.

Zoro eyes narrowed when he nimbly sidestepped another punch coming from Fohl.

This boy was obviously anything but weak, but from how he had been performing so far, it was just like what Larsazusa talked about him; the boy was just too inexperienced. If the finalists of the other tournaments were just like those in this one, it was really unlikely that he could win against so many opponents in such a long streak. And yet the fact was still here, staring at him, that he won so many tournaments during the last year, if what Larsazusa said was true...

Unless...

So that was the reason why he was threatened by that midget the other night. It was just like what he was afraid of; Fohl was pretty strong and promising, but at his current level, it was impossible to ensure that he would always be the winner. The boy might be able to handle the garden-level fighters that flocked to the various tournaments here easily, but against the more skilled ones, there's no guarantee he would defeat them.

And there were people who needed him to win no matter what.

The boy had been fighting for a long time, and the more he fought, the more he got used to the life of a colosseum gladiator. Could it be that the bloodthirst that comes with it was seeping into his mind? It's obvious from what he was seeing in him; those arrogant words were the clearest proof.