Can Yue's Thoughts, A Battle of the Strong Begins

On the deck, Zoro sheathed Wado Ichimonji and his two broken swords.

Then he turned, spread his arms wide, and faced Hawk Eyes directly. "Come on!"

"What do you mean?"

Zoro smiled with relief. "Scars on the back are a swordsman's shame!"

After a moment of silence, Hawk Eyes' eyes lit up slightly, a look of admiration on his face.

"Impressive! Then I shall grant you a swordsman's dignity."

Immediately, Hawk Eyes stood about 3 meters away from Zoro, raised Black Blade - Night, and prepared to strike.

Everyone present felt their hearts leap into their throats, and Luffy had already started to spring forward.

In an instant, Hawk Eyes' slash of sword energy surged towards Zoro.

Just as Luffy was about to launch his attack.

Another wave of sword energy shot forward from beside Luffy at an even faster speed. Luffy jolted and stopped his attack.

"Can Yue? You..."

Finally, the two waves of sword energy collided in front of Zoro, and the shockwave sent the ready-to-die Zoro flying backward.

Can Yue instantly moved forward, appearing beside Zoro at incredible speed.

Seeing this, Luffy relaxed.

"Good thing Can Yue was here, or Zoro would be gone."

Johnny and Joseph also let out long sighs of relief, grateful that their big brother was still alive.

The tension in everyone else's hearts finally subsided.

Only Sanji wore a worried expression. He lit a cigarette and said to everyone, "Are swordsmen allowed to have their duels interrupted by outsiders?"

Sanji was a proponent of chivalry; at least, duels between knights could not be interrupted.

Usopp covered his forehead with both hands, his face contorted in thought, and replied, "According to the books I've read, no, they cannot be interrupted."

Nami, standing nearby, asked with confusion, "What happens if it's interrupted?"

Usopp threw his hands up. "Who knows? The fairy tales didn't say."

He immediately received a gentle blow from Nami.

Sanji, however, frowned, clicked his tongue, then blew out a smoke ring and guessed, "If it's interrupted, both duelists might chase after the interrupter?"

Nami's heaving chest gradually calmed, and she let out a breath. "Then it's fine, Zoro wouldn't do that to Can Yue."

Usopp remained worried. "What about Hawk Eyes?"

Everyone suddenly gasped.

"Oh heavens, if Hawk Eyes gets angry, can Can Yue handle him?"

Even the usually carefree Luffy frowned, his face full of worry, upon hearing this.

On the deck.

Zoro slowly got up from the ground, looking resentfully at Can Yue.

"Can Yue, your actions are tarnishing my dignity as a swordsman!"

Can Yue sighed and instantly appeared beside Zoro.

Zoro was about to speak when he suddenly felt a fair, slender hand reach out from behind him.

Before Zoro could react, he clearly felt the sensation of a heavy object striking the back of his head.

"I..."

Before he could finish, Zoro lost consciousness.

With a hint of anger in his expression, Can Yue grabbed Zoro by the belt with one hand and forcefully threw him, tossing him next to Luffy.

"Those who seek death do not deserve dignity, at least not with your actions right now!"

In Can Yue's view, Zoro's challenge to Hawk Eyes for the sake of his dream, knowing the vast difference in their strength, represented a powerful and unwavering belief.

In this regard, Can Yue greatly admired Zoro.

However, his final act of spreading his arms to welcome death seemed more like an escape after his belief had crumbled, devoid of any value or meaning.

Dignity is for those who can live to fight on future battlefields.

To give up one's life at the slightest provocation, and you still talk about... a swordsman's dignity!

If Can Yue had been in that situation, even if Hawk Eyes wanted to kill him, he would have fought back with all his might, trying to hold onto the chance to pursue his future.

Dying like that, how could he fulfill his promise to his close friend, how could he realize his ambitions?

Therefore, Can Yue knocked Zoro out, making him calm down properly.

"Zephyr, move the ship further away," Can Yue's voice reached above the Baratie from a distance.

Zephyr immediately ordered Paddy and the others to sail the Baratie away towards the distance.

Luffy and the others now understood the meaning of what Can Yue had said before.

The meaning of the phrase, 'If you don't move the ship further away, you will definitely be affected.'

Can Yue had intended to make a move on Hawk Eyes after Zoro attacked from the very beginning.

At this moment, although the ship was moving away, everyone's gaze remained fixed in the direction of Can Yue and Hawk Eyes.

On the deck, Can Yue's eyes suddenly turned sharp, staring directly at Hawk Eyes across from him.

Seeing this, Hawk Eyes' interest was immediately piqued.

"You interrupted a duel without permission. I haven't even dealt with you, and you want to challenge me?"

Can Yue snorted coldly.

"No one is worth my proactive challenge; this is simply venting my anger."

With that, the battle intent Can Yue had accumulated surged towards the heavens. Even his waist-length silver-white hair seemed to sense this surging power, fluttering in the wind.

Hawk Eyes clearly felt the powerful aura emanating from Can Yue, and his entire being began to grow excited.

"It seems you are Zoro's teacher. This East Blue truly offers unexpected gains."

Can Yue shook his head and denied it. "I only taught him temporarily."

"Whether that's true or not is irrelevant. Let me confirm one last time, do you really want to fight me? With the aura you're displaying, I won't hold back, nor can I." Hawk Eyes issued a warning.

"No matter, let's begin!" Can Yue grabbed Demon God Slayer, his sword pointing directly at Hawk Eyes.

"Good! Come on, young powerhouse." Hawk Eyes no longer hesitated, a smile of eager anticipation spreading across his face. He then gripped Black Blade - Night tightly, his hawk-like pupils fixed on Can Yue.

The sword intent raised by the two first collided. Even before they had begun to fight, cracks began to appear on the deck one after another.

Some members of the Krieg Pirates, who hadn't had time to get away from the two, were accidentally injured by the aftershocks of the colliding sword intent, becoming casualties.

The Baratie gradually sailed further away. After 5 minutes.

Everyone was now a full kilometer away from the location where Can Yue and Hawk Eyes stood.

"Old man, stop," Sanji said.

After witnessing these few battles, his heart could not remain calm. Why would these guys from the Straw Hat Pirates do such desperate things for the sake of their so-called dreams or comrades?

His mind was in turmoil. He just wanted to see, to witness the outcome of this battle.

Luffy also frowned and made a request. "Stop, Grandpa Zephyr."

"Alright."

And so, on the Baratie, everyone, including Luffy, stared intently at the sea a kilometer away.

At this moment, a scene was reflected in their pupils.

Two massive sword beams fiercely collided.

The shockwave generated by the impact made the sea itself restless, driving huge waves towards them.

Sanji's eyes widened, and the cigarette at the corner of his mouth fell to the ground.

"This!!! Is this something achievable by human strength?"

Even Zephyr, who had spent a year navigating the Grand Line and witnessed all sorts of powerful individuals, was mentally shaken by this scene.

"Is this the strength of the legendary Shichibukai?"

Nami also couldn't hide her shock.

"Can Yue seems even stronger than when he fought Buggy."

Luffy's expression remained serious.

"Can Yue, please don't get hurt."