Mihawk's Challenge (4/5) / The Paramount War Begins (5/5)

Clang—boom!!

Chapter 85: Mihawk's Challenge (4/5)

(There's one more chapter. I don't know if I can get it out before midnight. If not, I'll post it after midnight.)

Clang—boom!

Metal clashed, and a sonic boom rang through the air of the lavish room.

An incredibly powerful pressure erupted from Arthur and Mihawk, stirring up wave after wave of air. Their coat hems fluttered, and the clothes of the Shichibukai beside them billowed wildly. Hancock's long black hair, styled in a hime cut, was blown back.

"Fufufufu~~ What an astonishing sword aura. As expected of the man who defeated [Crocodile] as soon as he debuted. Even in the New World, he'd be an exceptionally outstanding swordsman," Doflamingo remarked with a wicked grin, flexing all ten fingers.

Sword aura referred to the imposing presence swordsmen displayed when exchanging blows.

Its strength revealed the extent of a person's swordsmanship.

Arthur could cross swords with Mihawk without falling behind. Even if they were only testing each other, the sword aura he gave off was enough for the powerful figures present to glimpse part of his strength.

Without a doubt, he was a swordsman.

And an extremely powerful one at that, not one of those fakes who could unleash sword pressure and had grasped the realm of cutting iron.

Arthur had reached this level of strength at such a young age.

Even Hancock, who looked down on men, could not help being momentarily dazed.

Looking at Arthur holding his sword in one hand without the slightest effort, they seemed to see a younger Mihawk.

In other words, unless he died young, this man could reach Mihawk's level.

A powerful man like that working as a bounty hunter was hardly good news for them.

Who was Mihawk?

As his title of World's Greatest Swordsman suggested, splitting mountains and seas was as easy for him as drinking water.

A great swordsman wielding a Supreme Grade Blade was like a tiger with wings.

Mihawk was unquestionably the strongest of the Shichibukai, bar none.

The King's Sword was one of the Twelve Supreme Grade Blades.

The Shichibukai who witnessed it all no longer had any doubts.

The "Knight of Knights" before them was already very close to being a top-class swordsman.

"Damn it, he's a huge threat!" Moria said, gritting his teeth slightly. Having been defeated by the Straw Hat boy, he had been highly hostile toward Arthur from the start.

The Straw Hat boy who defeated him was a rookie, and the man before him was the strongest rookie of this generation.

A cold glint also flashed through the eyes of Teach, who was eating cherry pie nearby.

But he quickly concealed it and continued eating his cherry pie, looking utterly harmless.

As long as he completed his plan successfully, a man like this would no longer be a threat.

Crack—

The clash of sword auras continued, growing fiercer and fiercer.

Before long, a crack appeared in the table beside Doflamingo.

The air throughout the room became distorted, as if it were inside a gravity field.

An ordinary person would have long since been unable to withstand the pressure.

But everyone present was a powerful figure of the seas and could ignore it. Even so, they were amazed by Arthur's strength.

"This is getting a little excessive," Doflamingo suddenly said, his smile faltering slightly.

Teach laughed, then his expression grew serious. "It certainly is!"

"This brat..." Moria ground his teeth, his eyes bloodshot.

"Although he's a disgusting man, I acknowledge his strength," Hancock said seriously, brushing her hair back.

Even Bartholomew Kuma, who had been silent all along and was holding a book, could not help glancing at Arthur.

For no other reason than that this "Knight of Knights" truly possessed strength that drew attention.

There was no need for words. The smile on Mihawk's face was enough to say it all.

And if that was not enough—

Outside the window, the sky over the Holy Land Mary Geoise had turned pitch-black. Dark clouds gathered across the blue sky, and a chasm like a great divide spread through them, permeated with an oppressive aura.

The change in the sky had already caused a stir in the Holy Land Mary Geoise.

"Hmph! What a bunch of unruly pirates, causing trouble in the Holy Land."

"That bounty hunter needs watching."

"Ah... His sword is filled with the aura of a king. It must have been a king's personal sword in life. Regardless of his potential, the man who wields it is certainly not one to stay out of trouble."

"He can cross swords with Mihawk. Tell Sengoku to pay him more attention..."

These words echoed through a lavish hall.

The speakers were none other than the Five Elders, the world's highest authority.

Their words showed concern, but their tone was indifferent.

Ultimately, only the Revolutionary Army on the seas warranted the Five Elders' concern. Even the Four Emperors merely needed to be taken seriously.

The Shichibukai were nothing more than tools they used to maintain balance on the seas.

They knew the backgrounds of both their factions and the individuals themselves very well. The Shichibukai could not make any real waves!

In the lavish room, the waves of air stirred up by the sword auras gradually subsided.

"Impressive. You're a swordsman worthy of recognition." Mihawk was the first to withdraw, returning the Black Blade to the sheath on his back. He looked at Arthur with undisguised appreciation, the corners of his bearded mouth curling up slightly. "Let's find time for a match after the war."

"If we have a chance to meet in the New World, I'll certainly challenge you." Excalibur vanished from Arthur's hand in a shower of light.

"Your ability?" Mihawk suddenly asked, having witnessed Arthur's seemingly magical trick.

"It's the ability of the scabbard. Avalon, the ideal land isolated from the world," Arthur said meaningfully, telling a small lie.

"I look forward to that day." Mihawk did not dwell on it and spoke with a light chuckle.

With that, Mihawk returned to his original seat.

Arthur also walked over to an empty seat and sat down. As it happened, he was right next to the "Empress," Boa Hancock.

The "Empress" Boa Hancock was a woman who utterly loathed men. That was no secret among the Shichibukai, and Doflamingo and the others had no intention of provoking the willful woman, so the seats on either side of her were empty.

Perhaps, though, Arthur's appearance met her standards, his bearing suited her tastes, and he had shown the strength to cross swords with Mihawk.

When Arthur sat down beside her, Hancock merely showed a trace of distaste and did not berate him.

Chapter 86: The Paramount War Begins (5/5)

Because of the impending war, Arthur and the Shichibukai had been given permission to stay in the Holy Land for a day.

On the day before the war, Sengoku had come to discuss strategy with the Five Elders.

At the same time, he had placed Arthur among the Shichibukai to test his mettle and show him considerable regard.

If Arthur had been frightened out of his wits, then his strength was nothing special.

If he had not been exposed, it would prove that hiring Arthur for a Devil Fruit was well worth it.

When the day of the war arrived, Arthur would appear alongside the Shichibukai.

After all, the Shichibukai were a band of unruly rogues.

They would not acknowledge that Arthur was qualified to sit alongside them simply because Sengoku had sent him.

Clearly, Arthur had qualified.

His achievement in defeating Crocodile, his brief exchange with Mihawk, and the strength and potential he had displayed had earned him the unanimous recognition and regard of the Shichibukai.

Time flew, and before long, the next day arrived.

A heavy atmosphere had hung over Marine Headquarters on Marineford Island for several days.

By now, the Marines' families had all evacuated Marineford Island, leaving the entire island as a battlefield.

Marineford's harbor was a crescent-shaped bay, and its shore was packed with Marine elites.

A hundred thousand elite troops had arrived at headquarters from all over the world, while dozens of warships surrounded Crescent Bay and Marineford Island.

The Three Admirals, sixteen Vice Admirals of Marine Headquarters, officers from the various branches, the giant unit, and a hundred thousand elite troops—the forces of justice spread across the world had all gathered on this island.

Together with the allied Shichibukai, the Marines had assembled this enormous force, fully prepared to commit everything to the battle.

A simultaneous broadcast had begun across the world, and countless people gathered before the screens of Image Den Den Mushi. Merely looking at this lineup left people around the world feeling suffocated.

They could not help feeling a sense of awe toward the Marines and even the World Government.

The war had not yet begun, but many who had wanted to become pirates and find the One Piece were so intimidated by this display that they abandoned the idea.

The fact that they had backed down before it even began showed why Sengoku was so eager to win this war.

If the Marines won an overwhelming victory and succeeded in bringing down the pirate crew of the World's Strongest Man, it would deal a highly effective blow to this increasingly turbulent age of pirates.

The Shichibukai stood atop a tall wall behind the hundred thousand elite troops. Behind them were the Three Admirals, Garp the Hero, and, on the Execution Platform, Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the spark that had ignited this war: "Fire Fist" Portgas D. Ace.

Less than three hours remained until the execution.

"Before the execution, there is something I must tell you all."

"Something of great importance concerning the death of this man, Portgas D. Ace, here today."

Though a hundred thousand elite troops had gathered at Marineford, the atmosphere was utterly silent, and the world itself seemed to fall silent with it.

Sengoku's voice rang out through the broadcast Den Den Mushi, echoing across Crescent Bay and spreading throughout the world.

Hearing Sengoku's words, countless people, including the Marines below, could not help showing a trace of confusion.

Then, in just a few minutes, Sengoku revealed Ace's origins, and his words shook the entire world like a depth charge.

The Paramount War had yet to begin, but the people of the world following the event were stunned.

They had never imagined—or rather, could not believe—that the Pirate King had left his bloodline in the world, and that his son had grown to this point.

Portgas D. Ace—no, he should have been called Gol D. Ace.

Portgas D. Ace—no, he should have been called Gol D. Ace.

The Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates was actually the flesh and blood of Whitebeard's rival, the Pirate King.

It was simply unbelievable!!

"Fufufufu~~ Now that's some extraordinary news." The people of the world were not the only ones left stunned. The fighting spirit of the hundred thousand Marine elites was ignited, while even the Shichibukai were deeply surprised.

Most of the Shichibukai present had witnessed the death of the man who had ushered in an era.

It was only natural to be surprised that the man's bloodline still survived.

"Hee hee hee hee... The Pirate King's son, and Whitebeard, the Pirate King's rival, is coming to save him. What an amusing sight," Moria laughed, baring his claws.

As for the others, Bartholomew Kuma remained expressionless, Mihawk's gaze grew a little sharper, and Hancock lightly bit one slender finger.

Arthur, however, looked indifferent. What was surprising about information he had long since known?

As for Marshall D. Teach, he had already begun his plan and had probably left Marineford by now.

By revealing Ace's origins and announcing the significance of executing him, Sengoku had ignited the Marines' fighting spirit and shown the world why the Marines had decided to execute Ace even at the cost of going to war with the Whitebeard Pirates.

Time ticked by, and the sea had been calm for over ten minutes.