Swordsmanship of the New Era
On the Deserted Island, a fierce wind swept pebbles across the rocky ground.
Mihawk gripped the Black Blade, Night.
"Ready?"
Ron hoisted Zhenyuan onto his shoulder and grinned.
"I let you win once, but this time it won't be so easy."
Mihawk did not respond.
Whoosh--!
The dark green slashing plow, tens of meters wide, cut through the rocky ground and headed straight for Ron!
Ron swung his sword at her!
Boom!
Two beams of sword light exploded in the center of the island, sending debris flying hundreds of meters into the air, and in the distance, an entire rock wall collapsed with a deafening roar!
Before the dust had even settled, Mihawk was already upon them, sword in hand!
"Good timing!"
Ron stomped his foot, and the two figures collided instantly!
Clang!
The Black Blade clashed fiercely with Zhenyuan!
The ground beneath their feet exploded with a deafening roar, sending rubble flying in all directions!
Mihawk twisted his wrist, and the Black Blade slid down along the blade of Zhenyuan's sword, aiming straight for Ron's chest.
Click!
Suddenly, an Air Door opened in front of Mihawk's blade, and the Black Blade plunged into it!
Almost simultaneously, a crack appeared in the door on Ron's right side!
He grasped Zhenyuan and handed it forward.
Swish!
The black tip of the sword pierced through Mihawk's side!
Clang!
Mihawk instantly drew his sword, blocking the attack head-on!
But the rocks beneath his feet were shattered inch by inch by the sudden pressure of the sword.
"Hide the sword in a spatial dimension, then thrust it out from somewhere else?"
Mihawk's gaze sharpened slightly.
"That's not all."
Ron flipped his left hand.
Dimension Slash: Chaos!
Click--!
Around Mihawk, a dozen or so dark cracks appeared simultaneously.
Ron wielded the Zhenyuan, its blade piercing through Spatial Door, striking Mihawk from above, beside, and behind!
Ding ding--!
Mihawk swung his blade to block several swords in quick succession; the Black Blade was so fast that it left only a blur.
Laugh!
Mihawk's cuffs were cut off.
He glanced down.
"Good."
Before the words were even finished, the Black Blade suddenly reversed direction!
Boom!
A slash erupted from beneath Mihawk's feet, blasting away large sections of surrounding rock!
The door Ron had set up was obscured by rubble and dust.
Mihawk, however, didn't look at the exits; his golden eyes were fixed on Ron's sword-wielding hand!
No matter how many doors there are, it's still you who wields the sword.
Swish!
Mihawk took a step forward, and his Black Blade slashed upwards!
Ron was about to open the Spatial Door.
The next instant, Mihawk's blade suddenly changed direction midway!
Laugh!
Ron suffered a bloody gash on his left shoulder and staggered back several steps.
"Hiss!"
He glanced down.
"Are your eyes equipped with Observation Haki radar?"
"When you open the door, you always look at the exit first."
Mihawk flicked the blood off his knife.
"Again."
Boom!
The Black Blade slashed down, unleashing an even larger sword aura than before!
Ron stepped forward, and his entire body passed through a door, instantly appearing high in the sky.
Boom!
Black and red Inazuma coiled around Zhenyuan, Ron gripped his sword with both hands, slashing down fiercely!
"Rift-Cleaver!"
Boom--!
A jet-black sword light streaks across the Deserted Island!
The oncoming dark green slash was torn apart by this force, and the terrifying sword pressure continued forward!
A deep trench hundreds of meters long was cleaved out from top to bottom along the rocky ridge in the center of the Deserted Island!
Boom!
Mihawk did not retreat, gripping the Black Blade tightly with both hands, and black and red Inazuma also erupted!
"Drink!"
The Black Blade struck from below!
Boom!
The two sword lights collided in mid-air, causing a large area of rock to collapse instantly, and black Inazuma and sword energy scattered and exploded!
Even the distant sea was ripped open by the aftershocks, creating a huge trench!
The smoke and dust cleared.
Mihawk stood before the cracked rock face, a thin line of blood appearing below his collarbone.
Ron landed back on the ground and shook his numb right hand.
Mihawk glanced at the wound on his chest.
"This sword strike was much heavier than the last one."
"Otherwise what?"
Ron lifted Zhenyuan and grinned.
"I lost the first game to you, I should at least save face, right?"
"Again."
Mihawk took a step forward, and his Black Blade slashed down!
Clang!
Ron parried with his sword, and just as he was about to push back, the blade had already slid close to Zhenyuan's side!
He suddenly released his left hand, but did not retreat.
Click!
A dark crack suddenly appeared at the waist!
Laugh--!
The Black Blade swept across, but no blood was shed!
Ron's waist and abdomen were missing a section, leaving only a thin, dark door frame between his upper and lower body!
The sword energy pierced through the gap, cleaving the rock wall behind it in half!
"Emptiness, Illusion!"
Click!
The door frame closed, and Ron's waist and abdomen reappeared.
Mihawk's gaze sharpened.
"Hide a part of your body in another dimension?"
"You guessed half right."
Ron suddenly raised his left hand.
Click!
A doorway split open in his shoulder, and his entire left arm vanished into thin air!
Mihawk was about to step forward when he heard a slight opening of the door behind him, and he turned his head sharply!
A hand suddenly emerged from the air behind them!
"How about it?"
Ron's smile was rather irritating.
"Should we turn around and take a look?"
Mihawk didn't answer, but instead swung his knife!
Click!
The Spatial Door closed, and the arm had already retracted.
Mihawk glanced at Ron's left shoulder, which had returned to normal.
"Interesting."
"What, not going to keep cutting?"
Mihawk gripped the Black Blade tightly.
"Just about to try it."
Swish!
The Black Blade was already at Ron's chest!
Click!
A doorway split open in Ron's chest, and the blade pierced through it.
Mihawk slid his wrist down and swung his right leg in a swift motion!
Click!
A section of his right leg also vanished into thin air!
"It's useless!"
Ron just laughed out loud when Mihawk's third slash suddenly changed direction!
Laugh!
Ron's left shoulder bled again, and he staggered back several steps.
"Holy crap, they figured it out so quickly?"
Mihawk stepped forward, knife in hand.
No matter how fast the door opens, it can't outrun the moment you make your decision.
Ron glanced at him.
"Fine, I'm not playing hide-and-seek with you anymore."
Click!
The Spatial Door on his body closed completely, and Zhenyuan gripped them tightly again.
Buzz--!
A terrifying burst of Conqueror's Haki erupted from Ron's body, black and red Inazuma exploded one after another on the sword, and the rocks beneath his feet shattered!
Dimension Slash - Rain!
Click--!
Numerous Spatial Door opened one after another, and jet-black sword light crashed down from above and to the left and right of Mihawk!
Ding ding--!
Mihawk swung his blade against the rain of swords, and with each strike he blocked, a section of the rock platform beneath his feet shattered!
Ron seized the opportunity to step forward, unleashing a powerful strike with his Conqueror's Haki Zhenyuan!
Mihawk gripped the knife with both hands!
Boom!
The clash between the Black Blade and Zhenyuan shattered the entire rock platform beneath their feet!
Dozens of tons of rubble flew into the air, but neither of them retreated!
Mihawk lowered his wrist and exerted force, pressing the Black Blade diagonally downwards along Zhenyuan.
Ron smoothly drew his sword back with his right hand, but suddenly released the hilt with his left.
Click!
On his left shoulder, a dark crack in the door suddenly opened!
Mihawk's eyes darkened.
Another illusory body!
This time, he was well-prepared!
The Black Blade instantly turned towards Ron's right chest, where the door hadn't been opened!
Swish!
The blade came thrusting straight at them!
Ron suddenly laughed.
"That's exactly what I've been waiting for!"
Click!
The door on Mihawk's left shoulder wasn't closed; instead, an arm emerged from behind him!
Mihawk immediately retaliated!
But the hand didn't attack at all; instead, it made a light slash.
Click!
A narrow door suddenly swung open!
Almost simultaneously, a crack appeared in front of Ron, and Zhenyuan thrust into it!
Swish!
A dark sword suddenly shot out from Mihawk's side, and Mihawk hurriedly parried with his own sword!
Clang!
It's blocked!
He pushed Zhenyuan aside with the momentum, then turned his blade and thrust it straight at Ron's chest!
Ron had already taken half a step forward.
Click!
An Air Door suddenly opened in his chest, and the Black Blade pierced through it.
Mihawk immediately pulled his wrist back, trying to withdraw the knife.
Ron seized the moment, and Zhenyuan slashed upwards from Mihawk's ribs!
Swish!
The cold tip of the sword stopped steadily half an inch in front of Mihawk's throat!
Both of them stopped fighting at the same time.
A fierce wind swept across the Deserted Island, and the distant cliffs, severed from the cliff face, finally gave way.
Rumble--!
Large rocks plunged into the sea, and giant waves surged skyward.
Only then did Ron slowly begin to speak.
"Shall we continue?"
Mihawk glanced down at the Black Blade trapped in the Spatial Door, then at Zhenyuan was only half an inch from his throat.
A moment of silence.
"I lost this match."
Ron smiled and moved the sword tip away from Mihawk's throat.
Mihawk drew his Black Blade, and the Air Door on Ron's chest closed accordingly.
"I misjudged that final strike."
"Oh?"
"I'm wary of you attacking from behind."
Mihawk looked at Zhenyuan.
"I never imagined that hand was merely clearing the way for your sword."
Ron shook the Zhenyuan he was still holding in his right hand.
"Who told you to keep staring at my hands?"
"The sword is still here."
Mihawk pondered for a moment.
"Using fruit to change the position of the sword's edge, is that considered swordsmanship?"
"Why not?"
Ron smiled.
"I wielded the sword, and I opened the door."
He reached out and gestured to the side.
Click.
An Air Door opened out of thin air.
"This is my new era swordsmanship."
Mihawk stared at the door, then at the Black Blade in his hand.
"Swordsmanship of the new era, huh...?"
A moment later, he raised his head.
"Next time, I'll cut down your entire gate."
"Okay."
Ron waved his hand.
"But could you at least say hello before we meet next time?"
"Um?"
"Don't stab me from across half a sea! Warships are expensive to repair!"
Mihawk's lips curled into a slight smile.
"Good."