Chapter 187: Mihawk: Sooner or Later, I Will Cut the Poneglyph!

At the Isshin Dojo, Roronoa Zoro was training harder than anyone else. His dedication and effort surpassed all the other apprentices combined. Recently, he'd been pushing himself so hard that every day he practiced until he could no longer move and had to be carried back to his room.

Now, he lay in his room, his body aching and immobile, staring at the ceiling as though lost in thought.

The door suddenly opened, and Koshiro entered.

"Master!" Zoro called out upon seeing him, struggling to get up.

"There's no need to get up. Just lie down, Zoro," Koshiro said kindly, smiling as he gently pressed Zoro's shoulders back down to the bed.

"You've done this to yourself again. Haven't I told you? Even during training, you need to know when to relax. If you push too hard, you'll harm your body," Koshiro said softly.

Zoro nodded but said with determination, "I can handle it, Master. Every day I feel myself getting just a little bit stronger."

Koshiro nodded but didn't press further. Instead, he asked, "Why are you so desperate to push yourself this hard?"

"Isn't it obvious? I need to surpass Kuina," Zoro said without hesitation.

Koshiro smiled faintly and replied, "Kuina is gone now. There's no one left in the dojo who can challenge you."

"She didn't leave," Zoro said stubbornly. "She just followed those people to the sea. Sooner or later, I'll go to the sea and find her. She defeated me 1,250 times and then just left? How could I accept that? I'll make sure I beat her, fair and square!"

Indeed, Claudius and his group had left Shimotsuki Village some time ago, and Kuina had been persuaded to leave with them. This had left Zoro behind, frustrated and alone, with a burning determination to one day surpass his rival.

It wasn't that Claudius had dismissed Zoro's potential, on the contrary, he'd briefly considered taking the boy along as well. But Koshiro had already been hesitant about letting Kuina go, and Claudius felt it would be unfair to take away both of Koshiro's most talented apprentices.

Even I have my limits, Claudius had thought at the time, deciding to leave Zoro behind. Besides, Kuina needs guidance to avoid a tragic fate, but Zoro? That kid is tougher than steel. He'll be fine on his own.

---

Meanwhile, somewhere in the waters of East Blue, Claudius's ship, Prometheus, drifted leisurely. With both of his primary goals accomplished—recruiting Mihawk into the Seven Warlords of the Sea and securing Kuina—Claudius had no immediate plans.

The operations of CP-X were running smoothly, the World Government was advancing its agenda, and the seas were momentarily calm.

Crocodile and Doflamingo had already joined the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and Bartholomew Kuma would soon follow. With Mihawk on board, that made four Warlords, leaving just three spots to fill. Once the lineup was finalized, the announcement would undoubtedly cause waves across the seas.

For now, though, there was little else for Claudius to do. He decided to linger in East Blue for a while, taking in the beauty of the so-called "Sea of Peace."

---

Holding a Den Den Mushi in one hand, Claudius was speaking in a calm tone, giving orders.

"Is everything confirmed?" Claudius asked.

"Yes, Your Highness," Spandine reported. "As you suspected, East Blue's Marine presence has decayed significantly. The long period of peace here has led to complacency, and as a result, corruption has taken root among the ranks."

Although Spandine wasn't physically present in East Blue, CP-X had agents stationed throughout the region. At Claudius's casual suggestion, Spandine had already investigated the situation and confirmed the state of decay.

"As I thought," Claudius muttered. "Inform the Marines that they'll be conducting a joint operation with us. We're going to clean house in East Blue. I want every corrupt official and unfit Marine rooted out. We cannot allow the people of East Blue to suffer at the hands of pirates and Marines. If word gets out about this kind of negligence, it'll be the World Government's reputation that suffers."

"Understood, Your Highness. Your compassion for the people is truly inspiring. If the citizens of East Blue knew of your efforts, they would sing your praises," Spandane said with a sycophantic tone.

Claudius chuckled. "Perhaps."

Hearing this, Spandine resolved to carry out the operation to the best of his ability. Ensuring Claudius's name became synonymous with justice in East Blue could only benefit his career.

Fortunately, East Blue wasn't plagued by many powerful pirates. The Buggy Pirates and the Black Cat Pirates were the most notable threats, and even they were minor compared to crews in the Grand Line. Shanks's Red Hair Pirates occasionally passed through, but they never caused trouble, treating the region more like a vacation spot.

As for Arlong, he hadn't yet made his way to East Blue, and it seemed likely he never would. Like Fisher Tiger, Arlong was now working as forced labor in the Calm Belt mines, courtesy of the Marines and Claudius's initiative.

With most of East Blue's threats neutralized, the region was peaceful, but the real problem lay with the Marines stationed there. From the corrupt Captain Nezumi to the delusional Axe-Hand Morgan, the damage caused by these so-called protectors far outweighed any harm inflicted by the pirates.

---

After finishing the call, Claudius grabbed an orange from the table, peeling and eating it. Smiling, he muttered, "Sweet. East Blue oranges... I've cleared the path for you, so just grow them in peace, Bell-mère and Nami."

Claudius had recently visited Cocoyasi Village, where he'd met the young Nami, her sister Nojiko, and their adoptive mother Bell-mère, a former Marine.

At the moment, the three were living happily in their quiet village. However, Captain Nezumi occasionally harassed them, though nothing serious had happened—yet.

Remembering this, Claudius decided to take action, which was why he'd instructed Spandine to clean up East Blue's Marines. While it was partly out of sympathy for the villagers, it was also out of respect for Bell-mère, a strong woman who had fought for her family.

By doing so, Claudius hoped to alter Cocoyasi Village's future. Perhaps this would prevent Nami from becoming a pirate, allowing her to stay in the village and focus on growing oranges.

Of course, Claudius had overlooked one key detail: Nami's dream was far bigger than her village. She wanted to map the entire world. Even if she didn't become a pirate, she would undoubtedly find her way to the sea.

---

"Your Highness!" Robin's voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts. The young girl came running from the deck, looking alarmed.

"What's wrong?" Claudius asked, surprised by her panic.

"It's Mihawk!" Robin said, her tone urgent. "He's in the library, trying to slash the Poneglyph!"

Claudius froze for a moment, then narrowed his eyes. "That bastard…"

Before Claudius could even move, Mihawk came strolling down the stairs, his usual stoic expression intact.

"What the hell were you doing?" Claudius demanded angrily.

"Nothing," Mihawk replied calmly. "I went to explore your library, and the girl told me the stone tablet couldn't be destroyed. I was curious, so I tested it. Don't worry, I didn't damage anything."

"And?" Claudius asked, his tone still sharp.

"It's true. I couldn't cut it. Not with my current strength," Mihawk admitted. Then, with a serious expression, he added, "But one day, I will. Sooner or later, I'll cut through that stone."

"You're delusional!" Claudius snapped. "That's part of my collection, and you think I'll let you destroy it?"