The World's Greatest Swordsman, Hawkeye!

On the sea, a small, pitch-black boat, as dark as a coffin, slowly drifted closer with the waves.

"Rear Admiral Ron!"

The lookout, holding up his binoculars, suddenly exclaimed in a schizophrenic voice, "That's Hawk-Eyes! Jora Mihawk!"

Someone on deck made a creaking sound as they gripped their scabbard.

An old soldier dropped his cigarette onto his boot, but didn't pick it up.

Ron, on the contrary, perked up and took two steps forward.

"Wow, the World's Greatest Swordsman?"

As soon as he reached the ship's railing, he met a pair of cold, sharp golden eyes.

Mihawk, who had been sitting in the center of the coffin boat, slowly stood up after glancing at Zhenyuan behind Ron.

Without uttering a single wasted word, he drew his Black Blade, Night.

Swish!

A solid, dark green slash hurtled across the sea!

The wave was cleaved in two, and the sword energy rushed straight at Ron, who was standing on the ship's side!

"Rear Admiral! Watch out!"

Ron's lips twitched.

"Such a generous greeting gift?"

Clang!

Zhenyuan was instantly drawn!

Ron gripped his sword with both hands, his dark Armament Haki spreading across the blade as he slashed down to meet the incoming attack head-on.

Boom!!

The two sharp edges collided violently between the two ships.

The sea surface suddenly exploded, and a wall of water tens of meters high shot into the sky.

The waves crashed against the warship, causing the Marine on deck to stumble and fall, clinging tightly to the railings to avoid being thrown overboard.

The sailor at the helm cursed as he hugged the rudder.

The people around were dumbfounded. How could the two of them have blasted the sea into such a state with just one swing of their swords?

Ron twisted his wrist, dispersing the aftershocks that were hurtling toward the deck.

The coffin boat rocked slightly on the crest of a wave, but Mihawk stood perfectly still, not even the hem of his clothes was ruffled.

Ron.

"You recognize me, yet you still try to attack a naval ship?"

I just want to test your sword.

"Couldn't you have called out first?"

Mihawk glanced at the churning sea and said calmly, "You can handle it."

"Nonsense. I'm not taking it; I'd have to pay for the ships back to the Sengoku if I went back."

Mihawk's lips twitched very slightly, as if he had smiled.

"You came all this way just to see me?"

"I've been looking for someone to duel with lately."

Mihawk answered readily, "I've heard Shanks you; now that I've run into you, of course I have to give it a try."

"That guy must have been bragging a lot, right?"

He said you're very strong.

Mihawk's gaze fell on Zhenyuan: "You also said you were in Elegia, and that you and he slew a monster together."

Ron slung his sword over his shoulder and chuckled.

"You were fighting the Demon King with me one minute, and the next minute a sea monster from the East Blue bit off your hand. Can you believe it?"

Mihawk remained silent for a few seconds.

"I don't understand it either."

He raised his hand and stroked the blade of the Black Blade, a hint of regret in his voice.

"I've fought Shanks many times."

"He's missing his dominant hand; any future matches he plays will never be the same."

He looked up at Ron, his golden eyes gleaming with growing fighting spirit.

But since I've met you...

"OK."

Ron pointed to the Deserted Island on his right.

"But not here. See that Deserted Island on the right?"

Mihawk glanced at it. "I saw it."

"Let's fight on the island. If we sink another warship here, Sengoku will be the first to chop me up."

Ron turned and instructed his adjutant, "Sail the ship further away, and no one is allowed to approach the island."

"Rear Admiral, you really want to fight Hawk-Eyes?!"

"Otherwise what? That guy almost overturned our lunch with one sword strike."

Having said that, Ron pointed a finger toward the side of the ship.

Click.

An Air Door slowly opened in mid-air.

Mihawk, who was about to set sail for the island, suddenly stopped when he saw the door.

His gaze finally shifted from Zhenyuan to the door.

"Door-Door Fruit?"

Want to give it a try?

"Is there a direct route to the island from here?"

"You'll see once you jump over here."

Mihawk lightly touched the bow with his toes, crossed the sea between the two ships, and landed steadily in front of the door.

Ron stepped aside, making half a step.

The two stepped into the room at the same time.

The next moment, they were on the hard rocky ground of Deserted Island.

Mihawk glanced back at the still-open door, where the warships and Marines were clearly visible.

"Interesting."

Ron closed the door behind him. "It'll be even more interesting later."

The two walked to an open area in the center of the island.

Mihawk raised his Black Blade, the blade reflecting the sunlight.

Ron raised Zhenyuan, the sword's edge pointing diagonally at the ground.

"Without using Devil Fruit abilities, let's just fight with swords."

"Good."

Before he could finish speaking, the Black Blade was already slashing down at him!

Clang!!

Ron parried with his sword, and two fissures appeared in the rocky ground beneath his feet, extending outwards from the soles of his shoes.

He exerted his strength suddenly, and Zhenyuan pressed upwards along the blade, trying to tear through the defense with a diagonal slash.

Mihawk, however, only turned the blade half an inch.

Ron felt a sudden stiffness in his wrist, and his originally straightforward sword strike was forced to change course midway, forcing him to withdraw it abruptly.

"Tsk."

He took a half step back and swept his hand towards Mihawk's side.

The Black Blade was held upright, striking precisely the spine of the sword.

Ding ding--

Footsteps clashed and sped on the rocky ground, sparks flew from the clashing blades, and the clanging of metal against metal was as dense as raindrops.

Ron's strength was greater, and his Observation Haki was more accurate.

Having anticipated Mihawk's landing spot several times, Zhenyuan used a powerful force to forcefully push the Black Blade back half a foot.

He suddenly moved closer, his shoulder sinking as Zhenyuan lifted him up sharply from below.

Mihawk stepped aside, the blade almost grazing Ron's hand, creating a gust of wind.

Neither of them retreated, and in the blink of an eye, they exchanged three more sword strikes.

The final sword whizzed past Mihawk's side.

Mihawk had just dodged the sword's edge when a corner of his long coat was sliced off.

He glanced down, and his grip on the knife tightened even more.

"Again."

Ron smiled too, "That's exactly what I was thinking."

A dozen more sword strikes followed.

Mihawk never tried to outmuscle him, but always changed direction just as Zhenyuan was about to unleash his power, keeping the blade close to the spine of the sword, forcing Ron to repeatedly pull back his strength and change his angle.

Ron felt increasingly awkward as the fight progressed.

Normally, if he wanted to change the angle, he could just open the door; the sword could come out from anywhere.

Now that he's forbidden from using his powers, his body still draws his sword according to old habits.

Some moves that should have been delivered from the side are now being forced to go around in circles, making us a step slower for no reason.

"You have a habit of letting the sword appear where it shouldn't."

Mihawk suddenly spoke, simultaneously blocking an attack with his sword and then sliding up along the spine of Zhenyuan's sword.

Ron hurriedly pulled his elbow back to defend, but he was still a beat too slow.

The tip of the Black Blade came to a steady stop an inch from Ron's neck.

Although Zhenyuan's sword was already approaching Mihawk's waist, it was still half a foot short.

Ron glanced down.

Tsk.

Still a beat too late.

Let's stop here.

Mihawk sheathed his sword.

Ron shook his numb wrist.

"I concede this round. You're really good at finding openings with your knife."

"Your sword is very strong."

Mihawk looked at him, his tone serious. "But there are some moves where you clearly can't reach the position with your sword, so why do you still attack?"

"Who says I have to walk there with a sword?"

Mihawk looked up at him, a hint of doubt flashing across his face.

Ron simply slung his sword over his shoulder and smiled without saying a word.

Meanwhile, in the East Blue, at Mount Colubo.

"When we go to sea in the future, we'll get a big ship first!"

Luffy raised his hand and shouted, then stretched out his arm and almost slapped Ace across the face.

"Take your damn hands back!"

Ace slapped it away.

Sabo squatted to one side, drawing a flight path map, laughing so hard he couldn't stand up straight.

Footsteps suddenly came from the woods.

"Sabo."

A well-dressed man, accompanied by several pirates armed with knives, blocked the intersection.

Sabo's expression changed. "Father...?"

Outlook III said coldly, "Had enough fun? Come home with me."

"I won't go back!"

Sabo turned and ran, but was blocked by the Bluejam Pirates.

His father bent down and whispered in his ear, "If you don't go back, I can't guarantee what will happen to those two wild brats."

Sabo suddenly looked up.

Ace grabbed a wooden stick and charged forward. "What do you want?!"

Luffy clenched his fist. "Let go of Sabo!"

"Don't come any closer!"

Sabo shouted.

The two were stunned.

Sabo gritted his teeth and slowly lowered his head.

I'll go with you.

The father turned around with satisfaction.

Ace was still cursing behind them, Luffy was crying and calling his name.

Sabo never looked back.

He clutched the newly drawn flight path map tightly in his hand, crumpling the edges of the paper little by little.

The shouts behind them grew fainter and fainter, but the knives remained pointed in the direction of Ace and Luffy.

He could only move forward; he couldn't stop for even a moment.

On the Deserted Island, Ron stretched.

Mihawk's gaze remained fixed on the spot where the Air Door had disappeared.

"That door from just now."

"How?"

"You use it like that when you fight?"

"Or should we use it to open a shop for someone to do business?"

Mihawk didn't take his joke seriously.

"In that last fight, you didn't use your usual swordsmanship at all."

"It's just a sword fight, isn't it?"

Mihawk gripped the hilt of the Black Blade once more.

This time, his gaze was even more intense than before, as if he had finally found a truly worthy opponent.

"There are no more restrictions now."

"Use all your skills and fight me."

Ron was taken aback, then grinned, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.

"You said it yourself."

He raised his left hand, and the air in front of his fingertips began to distort slightly.

Mihawk gripped the hilt of his sword, the black blade reflected in his golden eyes, and a faint smile played at the corners of his lips.

"Come."