[the unexpected change in appearance was nothing compared to the way that aura of power pressed against Zoro's haki, it almost knocked him back by itself. He'd stood near Luffy and felt the burst of his Conqueror's Haki like a gentle breeze brushing his senses - this was like a hundred Conquerors all at once. In the half-second before Vegeta came at him, Zoro tensed and flicked the swords back up, instinct driving him to defend himself at least a little bit. He agreed to fight to the end, after all, not to take a step backwards.
Never take a step backwards. Always forward, even into death.
Only the shred of Armament haki coating his swords kept them from breaking under the hailstorm of blows, and even then, his block was completely ineffective. Vegeta was fast, he could tell that if he genuinely attempted to block every hit, he'd be exhausted in no time. Head down, eye focused, he held his ground as long as he could, though the pummeling was clearly taking its toll, forcing him back, his heels sinking into the grass and then the dirt, his knees bending from the strain of holding him up. He couldn't even find an opening through which to counter if he had wanted to. All he could do was stand with arms crossed, maintaining that pointless block, while the never-ending parade of hits found their mark across his shoulders, arms, flanks, and legs. And yet, he grinned savagely around the hilt in his mouth. Looks like I still have a way to go, he reminded himself while he was still conscious.
There wasn't anything dignified and noble about the way he finally went down, he just took the wrong kick right in the gut and went flying through the trees, smashing through at least three before finally skidding to a stop in the dirt and shrubbery. It might have looked like the kind of hit he had gotten up from countless times before, but it wasn't. There was too much strength behind it, Zoro was down for real. Battered and dirty, his shirt shredded, and only clinging to consciousness by a thread.]
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Never take a step backwards. Always forward, even into death.
Only the shred of Armament haki coating his swords kept them from breaking under the hailstorm of blows, and even then, his block was completely ineffective. Vegeta was fast, he could tell that if he genuinely attempted to block every hit, he'd be exhausted in no time. Head down, eye focused, he held his ground as long as he could, though the pummeling was clearly taking its toll, forcing him back, his heels sinking into the grass and then the dirt, his knees bending from the strain of holding him up. He couldn't even find an opening through which to counter if he had wanted to. All he could do was stand with arms crossed, maintaining that pointless block, while the never-ending parade of hits found their mark across his shoulders, arms, flanks, and legs. And yet, he grinned savagely around the hilt in his mouth. Looks like I still have a way to go, he reminded himself while he was still conscious.
There wasn't anything dignified and noble about the way he finally went down, he just took the wrong kick right in the gut and went flying through the trees, smashing through at least three before finally skidding to a stop in the dirt and shrubbery. It might have looked like the kind of hit he had gotten up from countless times before, but it wasn't. There was too much strength behind it, Zoro was down for real. Battered and dirty, his shirt shredded, and only clinging to consciousness by a thread.]