Shimotsuki Kozaburo! Punching a Kid

The two children couldn't wait to challenge Hawk Eyes.

Hawk Eyes's eyes narrowed slightly as he swept them over the two children's faces. Then, as if nothing had happened, he raised his eyes, expressionless and silent.

"Hey! Hawk Eyes!"

Seeing that he didn't respond at all, Zoro became anxious. He was really anxious, and he even gripped the real sword that Kuina had taken from the dojo's storeroom, pointing it at Hawk Eyes. "Come and duel with me!"

"No, it's about to have a showdown with me!"

Kuina stepped forward and declared loudly.

She wants to prove that even women can be the strongest!

However, Hawk Eyes now has no interest in even glancing at them.

Shimotsuki Koshiro finally snapped out of it and rushed forward to hug the two kids. "Stop fooling around, Zoro and Kuina! Now is not the time for you to act silly!"

"But Dad!"

Kuina was still struggling desperately, crying out, "That's Hawk Eyes!"

"Yes, teacher!"

Zoro shouted in extreme frustration, "The world's greatest swordsman is right in front of us! How can we pretend we didn't see him?!"

You all know that's Hawk Eyes, the world's greatest swordsman!

He's not an opponent you can even touch right now!

Koshiro took a few steps back with the two children in his arms, handed them over to the other disciples, and then turned back.

Hawk Eyes simply spoke calmly, "Shimotsuki Kozaburo, is that the swordsmith you mentioned?"

This was clearly said to Ian.

Ian smirked and chuckled, "Didn't you hear what the kids were saying, Mihawk? They said they want to duel you. How about fulfilling their expectations?"

"I'm not like those so-called kind seniors."

Hawk Eyes simply said, "I have no interest in playing with brats. What I need are real, formidable opponents."

"Oh."

Ian chuckled, "How cold-blooded."

However, he understood.

Although Mihawk is a close friend of Red-Haired, he is not as easygoing as Red-Haired.

He was arrogant and aloof, one could say he was extremely haughty, and there were very few people in the world who could be respected by him.

It's really asking too much of a guy like that to play with children.

"In that case,"

Ian stepped forward. "I'll be blunt, where is Shimotsuki Kozaburo?"

"We left Wano Country long ago and have no connection with that country. Your Beasts Pirates have no need to exterminate us!"

Koshiro gripped the hilt of his sword tightly and said seriously.

Ultimately, he never even returned to Wano Country, and he had no sense of belonging to that country. Was he really going to die for that reason?

It might even implicate his disciples and daughter?

This is utterly ridiculous! Koshiro absolutely cannot accept this.

The sharp blade is about to be drawn in the next instant.

However, that next moment never came.

Ian gripped Koshiro's wrist, pressing his sword firmly into its sheath.

What?

Koshiro's eyes suddenly widened, his pupils trembling.

How could such a thing happen!

I didn't even have time to react!

Forget about breaking free, my wrist feels like it's about to be crushed!

This is Ian of the Scorched Sky!!

What kind of monster is it?

"Dad!!"

Behind them, Kuina couldn't help but scream.

Zoro looked completely bewildered. "What just happened?"

How did that guy appear in front of the teacher in an instant?

"To exterminate them all?"

Ian said calmly, "Really, don't be so arrogant."

Koshiro is actually quite strong, even stronger Jack, and should be considered overwhelmingly powerful in this part of the East Blue.

However, this level of skill was so poor that Ian wouldn't even give it a second glance.

They're utterly insignificant. Do you really expect someone of this caliber to launch a counterattack on Wano Country and crush the Beasts Pirates?

Koshiro was taken aback.

Then he gave a wry smile.

Is he arrogant?

He claimed he would wipe them all out, but it turns out he was just being arrogant?

What an arrogant man!

But.

He certainly has the right to be arrogant.

He couldn't even draw his sword in front of him.

And this is just the tip of the Iceburg of his strength.

Even more surprisingly, this man had a Hawk Eyes by his side!

A top-notch swordsman can judge the opponent's strength just by meeting them once.

Koshiro knew better than anyone that Hawk Eyes truly deserved the title of the World's Greatest Swordsman, and that Hawkeye was a force that Koushirou could not possibly resist.

Their combination, along with the officers on the Golden Flying Dragon, made them a formidable force.

If you can't win, the only outcome of the battle will be destruction.

"Don't make me ask a fourth time, where is Shimotsuki Kozaburo?"

Releasing his grip, Ian pointed at Mihawk. "This guy needs his knife fixed."

Repairing a knife?

Hawk Eyes?

Having finally escaped, Koshiro, upon hearing this, almost instinctively looked at Hawk Eyes. His swordsman's instincts made him exclaim in surprise, "A swordsman like you can't even protect his own sword?"

Unbelievable! It actually managed to damage the knife in Hawk Eyes's hand!

What kind of person could possibly do something like this?

Koshiro was deeply shocked.

Hawk Eyes is the world's greatest swordsman. Even if someone is stronger than him, it would be very difficult to damage the sword in his hand.

Hawk Eyes's lips twitched.

Why bring up something you shouldn't talk about?

"If that's all there is to it--"

Koshiro let out a slow sigh of relief and nodded gently. "Please follow me."

It seems they really weren't there to wipe them out.

Otherwise, given their strength, why would they need to waste so much time talking to me?

However, even if they do have malicious intentions, just delaying them a little would be enough.

So, Koshiro led Ian and his group to find his father.

It was outside a small house on the coast outside the village that Ian and the others met a man named Shimotsuki Kozaburo.

He was dressed in a loose kimono, looked very old, and was fishing with a pipe in one hand and a fishing rod in the other, with a knife at his waist.

"Um?"

The old man with the strange, continuous eyebrow turned around in surprise, looking at the group of people following behind his son.

Koshiro walked over and quietly explained the situation to him.

Shimotsuki Kozaburo looked up at Ian, but didn't say anything. He simply stood up, walked up to Hawk Eyes, and stared at him without speaking.

Hawk Eyes frowned slightly as he was being stared at.

"The world's greatest swordsman truly lives up to his reputation."

It's unclear what the old man saw in Hawk Eyes, but he started by praising him.

Hawk Eyes ignored it, probably because he was used to this level of verbal praise.

Then.

"How could a man like you have his knife damaged?"

The old man was somewhat curious.

Hawk Eyes's eye twitched.

Is this never going to end?

"Anyway, let me see it first."

The old man reached out his hand to Hawk Eyes.

Hawk Eyes didn't hesitate much, drew his beloved knife from his back, and handed it to the old man.

He didn't think Ian would deceive him.

Moreover, the old man in front of me does seem to have some skill.

"Oh!"

Shimotsuki Kozaburo's eyes lit up. "Soft yet resilient, the Great Grade Sword Yoru? What a treasure!"

Then, he noticed the nick on the blade, and his expression immediately changed. "How is this possible! How could there be such a nick!"

It's incredibly smooth; there's absolutely no sign of damage!

If the notch hadn't been so unsightly and large enough to affect the use of the entire knife, he would have thought it was always there!

What kind of attack would be needed to create such a breach?

Just how powerful must someone be to be able to destroy the knife held in this man's hand like this?

"Interesting! Interesting!!"

Shimotsuki Kozaburo seemed to have been touched on a strange spot, looking at Mihawk with excitement, "You actually managed to destroy this precious sword like this! Will you still fight that enemy later?"

Hawk Eyes glanced at Ian. "Of course."

"..."

Koshiro noticed Hawk Eyes's gaze and already had a guess in his mind.

Is that Ian?

Could it be the legendary flames of destruction?

"Great! Great! Excellent!!"

The old man was already excitedly shouting, "Then let this old man fix it!"

"Besides repairing it, I will do everything I can to make it even stronger!"

"Then, use it to fight that enemy!"

The old man practically danced with excitement, "Hahaha! Such an opponent makes even this old man's blood boil!"

Is that so?

Hawk Eyes's lips curled into a smile. "Then I'll have to trouble you."

Ian chuckled softly.

It's not that I doubt Shimotsuki Kozaburo's skills; Ian is well aware that this old man is one of the world's top swordsmiths, having crafted Enma and Wado Ichimonji.

It's meaningless.

Only Haki can stop his Destruction Flame.

Other things, no matter how sturdy, are only different in how quickly they break down.

Shimotsuki Kozaburo excitedly returned to his hut, which also served as his workshop, with his sword in hand, where he would begin the night's restoration work.

He said it would take a week.

"A week?"

Outside the cabin, Hawk Eyes said to Ian in a serious tone, "It seems I'll be staying here for a while longer. You guys can go now."

However, Ian, being very loyal, said, "What's a mere week? We can't find Senior Golden Lion anytime soon anyway, so we'll stay and keep you company."

"By the way,"

A wide smile crept across his face. "The training isn't over yet."

Hawk Eyes pursed his lips, "It's precisely because I don't want to continue this bullshit training with you anymore that I want you all to get lost."

In any case, the Golden Flying Dragon temporarily came to a stop at the port of Shimotsuki Village.

Its presence made all the residents of this small island dare not even take a step closer.

Ian didn't seem to care much about it; the island was pitifully small, with only two villages and a small hill, and there was practically nothing to see.

He spent all his free time sparring with Hawk Eyes.

The two engage in passionate encounters every day on the shore of Shimotsuki Village, with Ian being the one who gets beaten up.

After enduring a period of hardship and beatings, Ian has indeed made progress, gaining a deeper understanding of the Conqueror's Haki Infusion.

It shouldn't be long, right?

This is how Ian described himself.

I aim to master Conqueror's Haki Infusion before my sixteenth birthday.

Three days later.

Afternoon.

After a passionate afternoon, Ian and Mihawk sat on the shore to rest.

At this point, Ian had already entered his Beastman Mode in Ball Form.

Even he, after being beaten by Conqueror's Coating's fists all afternoon, had accumulated quite a few injuries and needed to recover properly.

Hawk Eyes also seemed a bit tired.

After all, Ian only needs to take the beating, but he has a lot more to consider.

Using the Conqueror's Haki Infusion is quite physically demanding.

"Those two brats have come to see us for three days in a row."

Ian glanced back at a patch of grass not far from the shore. "Or, should we give them a chance?"

"Snort."

Hawk Eyes merely snorted, showing no interest whatsoever in replying.

That's really something. I was afraid you wouldn't believe me when I told you, Mihawk. That little Moss Head brat is the man who will surpass you in the future.

However, Mihawk's strength has not yet reached its peak, so he probably isn't thinking about waiting for someone to surpass him.

Ian stood up, turned around, and said, "Stop staring, kids, come here."

Hawk Eyes frowned slightly. "What do you want to do?"

"Fulfill the children's simple wishes."

Ian said calmly, "That's all."

The grass over there trembled slightly.

Then.

"Hey! Kuina!"

Accompanied by the somewhat suppressed voice of a young boy, a blue-haired girl strode out and approached with a resolute expression.

Then, the green-haired boy gritted his teeth and followed.

Oh, so Kuina is the more reckless one? Zoro is actually acting as the brake between the two.

"Hawk Eyes!"

Kuina, carrying the Wado Ichimonji, strode up to Hawk Eyes and declared, "Come and duel me!!"

Hawk Eyes acted as if he hadn't heard anything, silently gazing at the distant horizon.

"Hey! You bastard!"

Seeing his childhood friend being ignored, Zoro couldn't help but get angry. "Isn't this just too disrespectful?"

Despise?

No, no, no.

They didn't even glance at it.

Hawk Eyes didn't even glance at the two of them, and simply rested on his own.

Kuina, somewhat unwilling to give up, placed her right hand on her chest and loudly introduced herself, "I know you look down on us country swordsmen! But the adults in the dojo are no match for us! Our swordsmanship is far superior to what you imagine."

Amazing!

Ian thought to himself.

However, this was said to Mihawk.

He was almost laughing out loud at the little girl's words, but Mihawk, that bastard, kept a cold face as if he hadn't heard a thing.

That ability to maintain composure is something I can't match.

"Let's get started!!"

Zoro could no longer contain himself and drew his sword, charging towards Hawk Eyes.

But.

Ian casually reached out and grabbed his wrist, chuckling, "Don't get too excited, kid. Mihawk's already pretty annoyed."

If you really piss him off, he might actually beat those two brats up. Mihawk isn't exactly a man who respects the elderly and cares for the young.

"Let go of Zoro!!"

Kuina instantly drew her sword and aimed it at Ian.

She didn't know much about Ian, only that he was a very powerful pirate.

However, during the three days I came to spy on him, I kept seeing this man being brutally Hawk Eyes, which means that he is definitely far inferior to Hawk Eyes!

Since we've already decided to challenge Hawk Eyes, how could we possibly be afraid of someone who's inferior to Hawk Eyes!

A perfectly logical chain.

Ian's lips curled into a smile as he lightly tossed the Moss Head back into the air. "Since Mihawk isn't willing to duel with you, then I'll play with you instead."

Hawk Eyes gave a soft snort.

This guy is so incredibly boring.

"What?"

Kuina was taken aback.

Zoro, staggering to his feet, spoke with a hint of disdain, "Who wants to fight Hawk Eyes's defeated opponent? We're going to become the World's Greatest Swordsman!"

"A defeated opponent?"

Ian tilted his head. "Mihawk, they say I'm your defeated foe. What do you say?"

"Don't get too cocky, Ian."

Hawk Eyes finally spoke, "When I forge the Black Blade, that will be the moment I surpass you."

That's true.

The Black Blade was forged from Haki, and its strength might be exaggerated; even destructive flames might not be able to destroy it directly.

"Beyond?"

Kuina froze, staring blankly at Ian.

Hawk Eyes said he wanted to surpass him, doesn't that mean he's not as good as him yet?

Is this man even stronger than the strongest swordsman?

"No matter what, as long as I defeat you, I can challenge Hawk Eyes, right!"

Zoro didn't quite understand what was being said, but he was still very excited.

"No, no, no,"

Ian shook his head slightly. "If you can defeat me, then it will be Mihawk's turn to challenge you."

"Then let's lose!!"

Zoro rushed forward immediately.

At this point, he hadn't even started using Two-Sword Style yet; he gripped the swords with both hands, his movements agile.

Then.

Ian casually flicked his finger, sending the Moss Head brat flying backward like a cannonball.

"Zoro??"

Kuina looked back in disbelief.

One finger?

"How?"

Ian chuckled and said, "Aren't you going to attack?"

Kuina gritted her teeth.

"Ha!"

With a roar, she gripped the knife with both hands, raised the blade high, and charged at Ian in the most standard upper stance, ready to deliver a brutal New Year's greeting swordsmanship to Ian.

Ian simply extended a single finger, and the tip easily blocked Kuina's blade.

"How is that possible?!"

The genius kendo girl's face contorted in shock.

Wado Ichimonji is a Famous Sword Great Grade Sword!

With his own slash added to the attack, how could it possibly be blocked by a single finger?

Are his fingers made of iron?

Tekkai!

Girl, I used Tekkai.

Ian champions gender equality, and since he already defeated Zoro, he can't show favoritism to this girl.

Before Kuina could react, the finger that had blocked her sword was already touching her forehead.

Then, she flew away too.

"Snort,"

Hawk Eyes sneered, "Utterly boring."

"Are you bored?"

Ian just chuckled. "I find it quite amusing."