Chapter 5

"Pirate King and Master Swordsman" is the name of the fifth chapter of the One Piece manga.

Morgan and his soldiers go to kill Zoro and Coby, while Luffy retrieves Zoro's swords. Zoro, thinking about how he can't die at a place like that, remembers the promise he made to his childhood friend Kuina. Just before Zoro and Coby are shot, hoever, Luffy gets in the way, protecting the pair from all the bullets. Zoro realizes that, if he wants to live, he has no choice, and tells Luffy he'll join him.

Information
Viz Title: The King of the Pirates and the Master Swordsman Japanese Title: 海賊王と大剣豪 Romanized Title: Kaizokuō to Daikengō Year Released: 1997 Pages: 19 Volume: 1 Pg.: 125

Summary
Luffy is busy dragging Helmeppo through the base, trying to find Zoro's swords. After Helmeppo cannot take it anymore, he tells Luffy they are in his room. Luffy decides to use Helmeppo as a human shield, leaving some presuing Marines in a position where they can do nothing.

Coby meanwhile releases he has been shot and is bleeding. Zoro tells Coby to run, but Coby will not go until Zoro is untide. He tells Zoro Helmeppo plans to go back on his word and Zoro cannot believe what he is hearing, Coby tells Zoro how Luffy had punched Helmeppo because of what they overheard him say. Coby becons Zoro to join up with Luffy. Suddenly some Marines approach Zor and Coby and declare them as traitors to Morgan.

Elsewhere, Luffy has found Zoro's swords. Luffy suddenly spots what is going down on the ground outside the window of the Marine base. Zoro and Coby are in trouble and Morgan wants them dead. Zoro is in trouble and aware he may just die, he flashbacks to his days as a youth and his reason for becoming who he is.

Zoro is in a training dojo on the ground after a defeat against Kuina. Kuina is mocking him for failing to win against him (again). Zoro's friend stick up for him when he is called weak, as Kuina states even though he can stand up to the adults, what good is it if he still can't beat her. The others accuse her for showing off because she is the dojo master's daughter. As the sensei enters the room, the other trainee swordsmen (save Zoro himself) accuse him of giving her special training because she is able to beat Zoro. The sensei just states that Kuina is older.

Later that night, a frustrated Zoro challenges Kunia to fight him - with REAL Katana. Kunia accepts Zoro's challenge. With one strike Zoro looses and Kuina claims her 2001st victory against him. But after the deul is over, Kunia breaks down in tears. She tells Zoro her woe about being a girl; as she gets older, she will fall behind him due to the fact girls do not aquire the strength guys do. Kuina clutches her chest, Zoro then tells her to stop as his ambition is to beat her after working hard to achieve it, not because she got weaker. The two then make an agreement; one of them will become the greatest swordsman in the world.

Diaster hits the next day as Zoro is informed of the worst. Kuina has fallen down the stairs; she is dead. Upset, Zoro calls to her body laying lifeless, its face covered with a cloth. Zoro asks the sensei to give Zoro her sword; he will become the world's greatest swordsman on her behalf.

Back in the future, Zoro faces death. As the Marines fire, Luffy shoots in front of him and the bullets hit him instead. The bullets bounce right back off Luffy to the disbelief of everywhere watching. Zoro accepts Luffy's offer to jin his crew because he'd rather become a criminal then die.

Characters Introduced

 * Kuina
 * Koshiro (unnamed)

Returning Characters

 * Luffy
 * Helmeppo
 * Zoro
 * Morgan

Quotes

 * Kuina: "You're lucky, Zoro, you're a boy. I want to be the best... But my chest's already starting to get bigger... If only I'd been born as a boy, then..."
 * Zoro: "You just beat me, stop saying things like that! That's just unfair, you're my goal!"
 * Kuina: "Zoro..."
 * Zoro: "It doesn't matter if you're a boy or a girl! When I finally beat you, are you still gonna say things like that?! I've worked so hard to be able to beat you, stop making fun of me! Just stop saying those things!"
 * Zoro: "Let's make a promise! One day, either me or you are gonna be the best swordsman in the world! Whoever does it is the stronger one!"
 * Kuina: "Idiot... you're such a weakling..."
 * Both: "It's a promise."


 * Zoro: "I'll get stronger for her too! I'll be the best swordsman in the world, so my name'll reach all the way up to heaven!"