When Swords Clash (A One Piece Fanfic: Roronoa Zoro)

CHAPTER 10

Osora Gets into Trouble Again (Real)

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At the bathhouse in the Flower capital...

Sora was leisurely spending her time in her well-earned spa treatment.

How did she get here, you ask?

After her brief sparring session against X-Drake and the Raiju which involved a lot of lightning, screaming, cursing, and nearly getting electrocuted to death, she realized didn't know where Law and the others had retired for the night. So like a normal person with entirely innocent intentions, she sneaked into a random attic of a random house and called it a day. To her luck, nobody caught her. She thought the heavens were finally on her side for a change. She thought she deserved it.

Until now.

"Have you heard? Rebels conspiring against the Shogun have been caught!"

With a frown, Sora plucked one of the cucumber slices off her eye and lifted her head towards the group of men who were exchanging hushes of whispers at the far corner. It was a mixed bath, and she was at the upper floor where they were serving tea together with the spa treatment. She'd bought the one that went with the massage too, because according to her logic, she needed that extra boost of treatment before the war against the Beast pirates.

Steam curled throughout the room and the installed heater underneath the floorboards poured its warmth beneath their feet. Men and women wore towels as they sat around the sauna, some on the chairs designated for massages, Sora being one of them.

Rebels? Psh. It can't be us. We distributed those papers carefully, she thought to herself and placed the cucumber slice back on her eye. She gestured for the masseuse to continue.

Not one bit did she think it was because their plan got leaked. They distributed those papers like their lives depended on it.

Correction: her crew did. She might have slacked off a bit, but don't tell Law about that.

Probably just a bunch of random samurai—

"Yeah, I heard. They say it was the work of pirates."

Sora abruptly sat up, surprising the masseuse. The cucumber slices slid off her face.

"The fu—"

Someone suddenly arrived from the stairs that led to the lower floor. He was panting heavily as he addressed the entire room.

"The Beast pirates are downstairs! They said everyone needs to come out and show them their ankles!"

"—ck," Sora continued, staring at the man wide-eyed. "The fuck did you just say?!"

Everyone in the room turned to her after her sudden outburst.

Then, timidly, Sora added, "De-gozaru."

The man who'd arrived to deliver the news stared at her in confusion before he shook his head, realizing he had more important matters to tend to than deal with a foul-mouthed woman in a towel.

"Some officers from the Beast pirates ordered everyone to come down."

Sora's jaw unhinged. No fucking way. This can't be real.

But apparently, and unfortunately, it was.

The fact that they asked to look at their ankles meant they knew about the reversed crescent moon—the symbol of the rebellion.