Moya "Convinces" Hawkeye

Aboard the Yanhuang, the Moya Adventure Group's reception room

"The Weakest Sea is only considered weak by ordinary people. I didn't expect Senior Hawkeye to be so short-sighted, too." Moya asked, adopting the same casual tone.

Hawkeye frowned, and his imposing aura immediately swept over them. Everyone felt a wave of pressure bearing down on them.

"Are you going to lose your temper now, Senior Hawkeye?"

Moya asked with a playful look on his face, though he was terribly nervous inside, afraid Hawkeye might cut him down with a single slash.

"Then tell me. Why isn't the East Blue the Weakest Sea? Is it because of Pirate King Roger?"

Hawkeye's expression remained blank, his voice utterly calm.

"Fine. Today, I'll tell you all about the East Blue. Let's drink and discuss it, and see whether the East Blue really is the Weakest Sea!"

"As everyone knows, Pirate King Roger came from the East Blue. Was he weak?" Moya asked the group.

"The captain was the strongest!" Buggy shouted. No one objected.

"So, the pirate world's highest honor, Pirate King Roger, came from the East Blue."

"Next, there's the strongest Marine, 'Hero of the Marines' Iron Fist Garp. He came from the East Blue, too. Was he weak?"

"He was the face of the Marines. The Hero of the Marines came from the East Blue!"

Moya looked fired up and impassioned. Anyone who didn't know better would have thought Garp was his idol.

Hawkeye didn't disagree. He remained silent.

"It was because of Pirate King Roger that the East Blue became a region the Marines paid special attention to. They've always maintained the heaviest presence there,

and the Hero of the Marines often returned to the East Blue, so pirates didn't dare run wild and the people could live in peace.

Does that really mean the East Blue deserves to be called the Weakest Sea?!"

"Senior Hawkeye, Garp alone is enough to scare off countless pirates. That includes you, doesn't it?" Moya asked.

Hawkeye still had the same expressionless face and remained silent.

"Lastly, there's one more great figure who gives both the World Government and the Marines a headache. He's also someone you wouldn't dare provoke lightly, Senior Hawkeye!"

Moya looked straight into Hawkeye's eyes.

"Hmm? I know Pirate King Roger and the Hero of the Marines, Garp. I'm nowhere near their level. But who else? Tell me!"

Hawkeye spoke indifferently, though his tone had already softened.

"The leader of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon, also came from the East Blue. You know who he is, don't you, Senior Hawkeye?"

Moya's lips curled into a smug grin.

Hawkeye's gaze changed, and the atmosphere grew oppressive once more.

"You seem to know quite a lot. Don't you know I'm one of the Shichibukai? Just knowing about the Revolutionary Army is enough for me to cut you down right now!"

Moya's heart gave a jolt. He'd gone too far with his posturing. He kept his face calm, though, and hurriedly changed the subject.

"Heh, I know Senior Hawkeye isn't the sort to meddle in other people's business. Let's not talk about that. Let's discuss the swordsmanship of the sages."

The others still hadn't recovered from the revelations. They'd learned about some major figures, and that alone had broadened their horizons.

Zoro, too, was stunned to learn that the East Blue had produced such remarkable people. But as soon as he heard the words "swordsmanship," he snapped back to attention.

"Senior Hawkeye, what I'm going to share is the swordsmanship theory of a Sword Saint from my homeland.

"If anything sounds wrong, please don't take offense. Everyone understands the sword in their own way!"

Moya gave them a little disclaimer first. He was also somewhat worried that the theories of Dugu Bubai, penned by the great Jin Yong, might not fit the laws of this world.

Hawkeye seemed a little puzzled by the title "Sword Saint," but he nodded lightly to show Moya to continue.

"That Sword Saint divided his swordsmanship into four stages:

"First: a sword in hand, but no sword in the heart. Second: a sword in hand, and a sword in the heart. Third: no sword in hand, but a sword in the heart. Fourth: no sword in hand, nor a sword in the heart."

Moya spoke slowly.

Hawkeye furrowed his brows. It seemed he was on the verge of grasping an idea, yet somehow couldn't quite seize it.

Zoro and Golass seemed to understand something, but at the same time, they seemed to understand nothing at all. Those who weren't swordsmen were even more baffled, their faces blank!

Hawkeye had never felt so confused, yet he also seemed to sense a direction for his own swordsmanship. For the first time, he asked Moya earnestly, "Could you explain it in more detail?"

"What about the Haki..." Moya said, feigning hesitation.

"If that Sword Saint's swordsmanship can help me even a little, I'll let you experience Haki—and might even teach you more," Hawkeye replied, a little haughtily.

"Then thank you, Senior!" Moya said excitedly.

Even Zoro and Golass envied Moya. They didn't know what Haki was, but even a little swordsmanship instruction from Hawkeye could benefit them immensely!

Hawkeye nodded for Moya to continue.

"Then I'll start by telling you some of that Sword Saint's legendary tales!"

"Now, this Sword Saint was called Dugu Bubai. He took the name 'Bubai' because he had never been defeated in his life."

"What an arrogant man!" Buggy and Zoro shouted, unconvinced.

"What an amazing man!" Rika, Kaya, and Nami exclaimed excitedly.

Hawkeye and Zoro frowned. Never defeated? They had their doubts about Moya's story.

In a world of pirates filled with powerful people, who would dare claim to be undefeated, let alone invincible?

"When Dugu Bubai was young, he obtained a sharp sword and defeated the swordsmanship masters of more than a dozen nearby countries.

"Later, he realized he had taken too many lives, so he abandoned that fierce, unyielding, unstoppable blade, the Supreme Grade Blade—the Green Light Sharp Sword."

"After that, he switched to a purple soft sword called the Crape Myrtle Soft Sword. It looked harmless, but was actually unpredictable. His swordsmanship reached a new level with it.

"During one duel, he accidentally killed a famous Marine who stood for justice. Filled with remorse, he cast the Crape Myrtle Soft Sword into the depths of the sea."

"Later, he acquired a treasure sword made from a meteorite, a weapon that was more like a sword than a sword. It was a heavy sword with no edge.

"With that heavy sword, his swordsmanship reached yet another level. He comprehended the peerless way of the sword: 'A heavy sword has no edge; great skill seems clumsy.'

"Using the heavy sword, he defeated every swordsman of his era."

"After becoming invincible in his time, he took the name 'Undefeated,' abandoned his heavy sword, and retired to the mountains.

"In his later years, he finally comprehended the highest realm: 'No sword in hand, nor a sword in the heart.' They say he broke through the boundaries of the world and became a god."

After finishing, Moya picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Brother Moya, did that Sword Saint really become a god?" Rika asked first.

"I don't know, either. That's a legend from my homeland. I know plenty of myths and legends that are half true and half false. I'll tell you more sometime!" Moya said warmly, looking at Rika.

Seeing that Hawkeye and Zoro still looked puzzled,

Moya continued, "The first stage: a sword in hand, but no sword in the heart. This corresponds to Dugu Bubai's time wielding a sharp sword. He relied purely on the blade in his hand, using an external weapon along with his strength, talent, and youthful vigor to defeat his opponents.

"The second stage: a sword in hand, and a sword in the heart. This corresponds to Dugu Bubai's time wielding the Crape Myrtle Soft Sword. He acted from the heart, using sword techniques and the way of the sword to overcome strength with softness and defeat his opponents.

"The third stage: no sword in hand, but a sword in the heart. This corresponds to Dugu Bubai's time wielding a heavy sword without an edge. It didn't matter whether it was even a sword anymore. He drew sword intent from his heart and his understanding of the sword, cutting down all before him and defeating his opponents.

"The fourth stage: no sword in hand, nor a sword in the heart. This corresponds to Dugu Bubai after abandoning all his swords. He reached the realm where everything could be a sword, and any casual movement could become a sword technique or embody the way of the sword.

"He could turn a leaf into a sword, turn a wave of his hand into a sword—anything could be a sword. He could unleash sword intent that shook the heavens. He himself had become a sharp sword."

After hearing Moya's explanation, Hawkeye immediately gained some insight.

Am I only at the first or second stage right now? When I was young, I pursued Yoru, one of the Twelve Supreme Grade Blades.

Even now, I haven't reached the point of abandoning my sword. If I were without one, my combat strength would drop by at least a fraction.

"What are you, then, if you abandon your sword?" Zoro asked.

"The sword is in your heart!" Moya said, putting on a serious air.

"Right now, you're relying on the Great Grade Sword Wado Ichimonji and your other swords. Once you learn the Breath of All Things and can cut steel, then reach the point where you can abandon your swords and still fight at one hundred and twenty percent strength, you'll have succeeded."

"I think I've found the way forward. I've held the title of the World's Greatest Swordsman for too long.

"I thought there was no room left to improve. I never imagined my swordsmanship still had so far to go. Moya, I owe you for this."

Hawkeye spoke with genuine sincerity for the first time in a long while.

"Show me to a room. I need to meditate and think this over. Come find me tonight, and I'll teach you Haki!" Hawkeye said.

"Then let me congratulate you in advance, Senior Hawkeye, on taking your swordsmanship to a new level!"

Moya didn't forget to flatter him.

Hawkeye gave Moya a sidelong glance, then went straight into a room to contemplate the sword.

"All right, let's go check on Luffy and Krieg."

Moya turned and addressed everyone.

The others immediately followed him out to see how things were going.