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

CHAPTER 23

The Bet between Two

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Some 20 years ago...

Tragic stories are so cliché.

There were times Katana wondered why tragic stories are important. To support the cliché, 'No pain, no gain'? Can't a character be considered good even without all those cliché 'sad backstory'?

Unfortunately, as much as she wished she was an exception to that rule, there were just some things in this world you don't have a say in.

Because for as long as Katana could remember, there was a constant, gnawing fear that followed her everywhere she went.

She started becoming aware about her surroundings at the age of four, whenever she'd hear her parents talk about running away again because heavens forbid they stay in one place for too long. At the age of five, she was forced to leave her father behind as their pursuers caught up to them. And then at age six, she had to watch her mother get crucified. That was not the kind of childhood memory you'd want to share with your grandkids unless you want to leave a permanent mental scar in them for the rest of their lives.

Those months she'd spent running and surviving after being orphaned were nothing short of hell. The region of Ringo was the only one that provided her any ounce of shelter, since because of its cold climate, none of her pursuers would think she'd choose such a place to hide. And even then, the thought of sleeping more than two hours tops was horrifying—Katana's perceptive senses and survival instincts were too overstimulated for her to calm down. Trust no one, had been her mantra; everyone was out to get her, she believed.

So now, she carried a lot of questions.

Shimotsuki was a powerhouse name in the land of Wano. The current heads were at the top of the hierarchy—Ushimaru, the daimyo of Ringo, and Miho, the general of the Joshitai. They were at the very top—of course they were busy with their own duties and whatever jobs that came with their position. They shouldn't have any time for a wandering brat like her.

Especially a kid with a dirty background.

And yet, here was Katana, recuperating in Moonflower Cho's household, the yakuza boss in-charge of Ringo. The only thing she understood was that as she fell from that steep cliff yesterday, Shimotsuki Miho had jumped with her, taking the brunt of the fall. According to what she heard, the trees at the bottom of the cliff helped cushion their fall, but it was still a heavy fall nonetheless, and Miho fell into unconsciousness, unsurprisingly. Seems that no matter how monstrous a warrior was, no one could escape a 50-ish feet fall completely unscathed.

Luckily, Ushimaru and a number of his people arrived at the scene (something about how they were looking for illegal trespassers but turned out Miho had already taken care of them already) and since Miho had needed immediate care, they took her to the closest household—Cho's home.

As Katana processed all of these, she could hear the hushed voices of the household servants outside the room she'd been staying in. Their silhouettes passed by the sliding door, footsteps shuffling and voices whispering.

"Is Lady Miho awake yet?"

"No.. the doctor said the damage may affect her lifestyle and possibly her fighting.."

"No way!"

"He only said it was a small possibility. Lady Miho is strong, so there's plenty of hope for a perfect recovery."