"Help me? Hahahahaha—"
The Third Kazekage laughed so hard in midair that he doubled over. "With swordsmanship so pathetic it isn't even fit to fan me?"
"You'll soon learn what true swordsmanship is!"
Mihawk gripped the Bone Greatsword with both hands and took a light breath. The flame-like markings climbing his cheeks remained hidden beneath his broad black hat.
Surging power coiled around the blade. As his arms swung, a sword aura stretching dozens of meters shot forth, whistling through the air as it flew toward the Third Kazekage overhead.
This was not an energy sword aura formed from chakra, but a true Flying Slash, created purely by compressing the air before him with strength and skill!
"Cheap trick!"
The Third Kazekage snorted disdainfully and raised both hands. The Iron Sand on the ground immediately rose at his command, condensing into a massive solid black cylinder that swung toward Mihawk.
"Magnet Style: Iron Sand Hammer!"
Boom!
After a brief flight, the Flying Slash collided head-on with the Iron Sand Hammer.
The hammerhead of the solid cylinder suddenly caved in, outlining the tangible shape of the originally invisible Flying Slash.
Bang!
The sharp slash cleaved the Iron Sand Hammer in two, shattering its form and sending it raining down in black droplets.
"Look! Someone outside is fighting the Kazekage! And he's a swordsman!"
The commotion Mihawk caused was quickly spread among the watching samurai until everyone knew.
Even Okisuke, who had been wallowing in despair, caught wind of it.
Yet he had no intention of getting up to watch.
"Just another pointless sacrifice. Swordsmanship can't defeat Magnet Style, nor can it save the Land of Iron..."
His voice was filled with dejection, as though he had completely lost faith in the art of swordsmanship he had painstakingly studied for decades.
"But