Just as Hawkeye sheathed his blade and prepared to leave, a golden Flying Slash tore across the sea from afar and shot straight toward him.
"Hm?" Surprise appeared on Mihawk's face. This Flying Slash was not crescent-shaped, but cylindrical like a meteor. More precisely, it should have been called a flying thrust—or perhaps sword qi.
What surprised him even more was that the attack had come from at least several kilometers away, beyond even the range of his Observation Haki, yet it still retained a certain amount of power. It was clear just how superb his opponent's swordsmanship was.
An ordinary swordsman's Flying Slash did not retain its power beyond a few hundred meters. Even for a Great Swordsman, at a distance of one or two kilometers, the slash's power would weaken until it was little more than a breeze brushing one's face.
Excitement gleamed in Mihawk's golden hawk eyes. His long blade left its sheath and effortlessly blocked the probing strike.
Amid a shriek through the air, a slender figure descended before Mihawk, shielding the injured Gion.
"How are your injuries, Rear Admiral Gion?" Doflamingo, who had descended from the sky, asked.
"I'm fine." Gion gritted her teeth, unwillingness written across her face. "Mihawk held back."
Doflamingo raised an eyebrow. He had not expected Hawkeye to show mercy.
Of course, it was nothing unusual. Top swordsmen often shared that sense of mutual appreciation. Doflamingo had seen plenty of people who wanted their opponents to grow to their peak before facing them.
"Don't misunderstand." Mihawk chuckled. "She isn't qualified to be my opponent. I merely spared her out of consideration for the Marines."
His words were not only provocative, but also rather vague and ambiguous.
Couldn't he see Gion's face had gone pale with anger? What did he mean, she