## One Piece Chapter 97, pages 13-15: Sandai Kitetsu - Chapter: 97 - Pages: 13-15 - Characters: Roronoa Zoro, Tashigi, Ipponmatsu, Ipponmatsu's wife ### Summary Page 13: Ipponmatsu looks terrified, with a monstrous, skull-like aura depicted behind him to emphasize his fear. "MANY FAMOUS SWORDSMEN OF THE PAST HAVE SUFFERED TRAGIC DEATHS AFTER CARRYING AROUND THE KITETSU SWORDS. THAT'S WHY YOU WON'T FIND ANY SWORDSMEN WHO'D DARE TO USE A KITETSU THESE DAYS. EVEN IF A PERSON WAS UNAWARE OF THE CURSE BEHIND THESE SWORDS, THEY'D STILL END UP DEAD AFTER WIELDING ONE." He continues, sweating, "I WISH I COULD GET RID OF THAT DAMN SWORD, BUT I'M AFRAID OF BEING CURSED TOO..." Tashigi bows deeply in apology, saying, "F... FORGIVE ME! I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS SUCH A TERRIFYING SWORD, AND ENDED UP SAYING SOMETHING SO FOOLISH..." Ipponmatsu scolds her, "HMPH! THIS IS WHY AMATEURS LIKE YOU, SHOULDN'T ACT LIKE THEY'RE EXPERTS ABOUT SWORDS!" Zoro, however, smiles confidently as he holds the cursed blade. "I LIKE IT! SO MUCH SO THAT I'LL TAKE IT!" Ipponmatsu yells in panic, "Y-YOU IDIOT, I SAID IT'S NOT FOR SALE! IF I DID SELL IT TO YOU AND YOU ENDED UP DEAD, IT'D BE ALMOST AS IF I WERE THE ONE WHO KILLED YOU!" Page 14: Zoro grins fiercely. "THEN HOW ABOUT THIS? WHY DON'T WE TEST WHAT'S STRONGER? MY LUCK... OR ITS CURSE...?" Ipponmatsu's wife hits him and yells, "DON'T BE STUPID! JUST SELL THE DAMN THING ALREADY!" Ipponmatsu protests, "AGH! BUT HONEY!" Zoro tosses the Sandai Kitetsu high into the air, sending it spinning rapidly. He holds his left arm out straight, directly in the path of the falling blade. Tashigi and Ipponmatsu watch in absolute shock. Zoro says, "...IF I LOSE, THEN THAT JUST MEANS I WAS NEVER A MAN WHO'D AMOUNT TO ANYTHING SPECIAL..." The sword plummets towards his outstretched arm. Ipponmatsu screams in terror, "STOP! YOU'LL LOSE YOUR ARM! THAT SWORD'S SHARPNESS IS UNPARALLELED!" Tashigi gasps, "AHHH...!" Page 15: The Sandai Kitetsu falls rapidly, spinning end over end. In a tense moment, the blade slices through the air, passing mere millimeters from Zoro's outstretched arm, leaving him completely unharmed. The sword plunges deeply into the wooden floorboards. Zoro smiles confidently, his arm still extended. "I'LL TAKE IT!" Ipponmatsu collapses backward onto the floor, utterly stunned by what he just witnessed. Zoro casually tells him, "HEY, YOU. PICK ONE MORE SWORD OUT FOR ME."