Chapter Text
Sanji’s vision slowed and the world fell away as the crowd suddenly went wild around him. The loud cheers were dampened as they passed through his ears, and he stood up, his mouth open wide with shock.
No. This couldn’t be happening. Zoro had made a promise.
Sanji looked to his right, his eyes landing on Luffy’s serious expression, resting on it for only a moment before tearing his line of sight back to the finished duel.
“Roronoa Zoro has fallen! The winner- Hiro Leland!” Overjoyed shouts came from the loud speaker, and the brunette standing in the middle of the dueling ground leaned over Zoro with a smirk before throwing his arm up in the air victoriously. The crowd went wild again, and he gave the Straw Hats a wide smile before sheathing his swords - both of them- and turning around to strut towards the exit.
“Wait.” Zoro’s voice came out gruffly, and he pushed himself from the ground where he’d been previously lying. Leland stopped, and from Sanji’s side on the stands, Nami gasped upon seeing the blood seeping into Zoro’s shirt as he stood to full height. Robin clutched around the reindeer harder as she held Chopper back, the other Straw Hats also standing with a mixture of surprise and concern as the match came to an unexpected close.
“What are you doing, Zoro?” Usopp hissed under his breath. “The duel is finished! Zoro was no match for the guy.” The sharpshooter clutched his bag tighter, and the Straw Hats held their breath as Zoro slowly assumed an offensive position with his swords, the other man not even caring to draw his swords again.
Zoro lunged forwards hastily- a reckless move that surprised Sanji more than Leland’s sword-free parry, the man meeting Zoro’s blade easily with his arm. He grinned, his fingers closing around the katana before he pulled the sword towards himself with enough force to free the entire weapon from Zoro’s grip.
In a theatrical motion, Wadou flipped in a wide arc in the air as Leland tossed it up hilt-first, catching it easily by the handle when it came down. He used the momentum to slash diagonally down Zoro’s chest, the motion as fluid as water. It made an X with the scar that was previously there, taking Zoro completely down with it.
As Zoro crashed to the floor, the Straw Hats finally moved, jumping down to the dueling grounds and flocking around the unconscious swordsman. Sanji watched Leland’s back as he leisurely walked away, his mouth curving into a deep frown as he heard his Nakama bustle worriedly around their First Mate.
“I expected a little more from a pirate. ” Leland threw out behind him, and anger simmered in Sanji’s chest as he watched Leland’s confident retreat.
How could this have happened?