Visiting the World's Greatest Swordsman

In the forest, Urouge charged at the Human Imitators, swinging his enormous pencil down at the leading baboon.

Boom!

When the dust settled, a pit several meters deep had appeared in the ground.

Mad Monk Urouge stared in shock. How was that possible? That baboon—an animal—had actually dodged his attack?

Then, one baboon after another, each wielding a hammer, suddenly descended from the sky. Mimicking Urouge's attack, they brought their hammers crashing down toward his head!

Urouge hurriedly held his pencil weapon horizontally across his chest to block the baboons' heavy blows.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Sparks flew in every direction.

Massive iron hammers struck Urouge's pencil weapon, producing a ringing metallic hum.

The tremendous force spread through him, driving Urouge's feet into the ground as cracks spread beneath them.

Urouge looked astonished. Were these baboons really this strong?

He was a Supernova who had fought his way through the first half of the Grand Line. He might not have been qualified to face the monsters of the New World, but why was fighting a few baboons this difficult?

The wound Akainu Sakazuki had left him suddenly tore open under the immense force. The searing pain made Urouge's hands tremble uncontrollably.

"Woo woo hoo!"

The surrounding baboons bounced around, cheering in delight.

The baboons that had not yet attacked also raised their weapons and charged Urouge while shouting.

Urouge was still struggling to withstand the Hammer Baboons' suppression. With so many more baboons rushing in, he simply had no free hand to deal with them!

A Supernova like him could not even handle a group of baboons. Urouge was beginning to question his life!

Just as the surrounding baboons were about to strike Urouge, an invisible force appeared.

"I told you, Urouge. You are not their match yet, so stop forcing yourself," Ye Yu said calmly.

At once, the baboons froze. The weapons in their paws slipped from their grasp, and every one of them wore a terrified expression, as though they had seen their natural predator.

Woo woo woo... Woo woo woo...

The baboons cried out in terror, their voices mournful.

"I'll spare you lot for now. Don't disturb me again," Ye Yu said. Seeing that the baboons were genuinely terrified, he withdrew the Conqueror's Haki he had just released.

These baboons seemed capable of understanding Ye Yu's words.

Once Ye Yu withdrew his Conqueror's Haki, the baboons cried out in fear, threw down their weapons, and fled as fast as they could.

Urouge, who had watched from the side, looked utterly embarrassed.

He had finally gotten a chance to show off in front of his captain, only to be humiliated by a bunch of animals!

Urouge's face burned. He had volunteered to drive away the baboons, yet a Supernova like him could not even defeat a group of them.

No one would believe it if he told them!

In the end... he still had to rely on Captain Ye Yu to act personally!

Seeing Urouge's awkward expression, Ye Yu found it amusing.

"Let's go, Urouge. Train properly on my ship from now on. You're still far too inexperienced to gain a foothold in the New World," Ye Yu said in the tone of an elder lecturing a junior.

Urouge lowered his head like a child who had made a mistake, looking completely mismatched with his huge frame.

"Understood, Captain Ye Yu. I definitely won't be so reckless next time." Urouge silently swore that he would strengthen himself in the future.

Otherwise, he would be too much of an embarrassment to Captain Ye Yu!

They continued onward. Before they reached Ghost Castle, a man appeared ahead of them, his eagle-sharp gaze fixed intently on Urouge and Ye Yu.

Those piercing eyes were unmistakable. There was no mistake—he was Hawkeye Mihawk, known as the world's greatest swordsman!

Hawkeye Mihawk wore a black top hat and a black beard, dressed in white trousers with the enormous Black Blade Night gleaming across his back.

That black blade was known as the strongest black blade, the disorderly-patterned, cross-guarded Black Blade Night!

"I don't believe entering someone else's territory without permission counts as polite behavior."

Hawkeye Mihawk narrowed his eyes as he spoke, faint fighting intent radiating from his body.

Mad Monk Urouge was deeply shaken.

Was this the fighting intent of the world's greatest swordsman? Even without Conqueror's Haki, that chilling battle intent still made his heart tremble!

What kind of monsters were all these people in the New World?!

After being taught a lesson by the baboons, Urouge felt defeated once again.

He turned to look at Ye Yu beside him. Ye Yu remained as calm and composed as ever, in stark contrast to himself.

Urouge sighed inwardly. Comparing oneself to others really was enough to drive a person mad!

He was already forty-seven and had only barely become a Supernova! He had thought that once he reached the New World, he could finally begin the peak of his life.

But ever since arriving at the Sabaody Archipelago, he had truly understood that there was always someone stronger, always a greater height beyond the sky!

Captain Ye Yu, Akainu Sakazuki, Tyrant Bear, Dark King Rayleigh, Hawkeye Mihawk! Which one of them could not crush him with ease?

Even a mere group of baboons dared to bully him! What a miserable life this was!

Yet look at Captain Ye Yu—less than twenty years old, yet he had wiped out the Blackbeard Pirates! Beheaded Jack the Drought! Ended Admiral Akainu! Slaughtered Celestial Dragons!

Which of those achievements was not a height he could never reach in his entire life?

Ye Yu scratched his head. A sword fanatic like Hawkeye Mihawk would not be easy to deal with!

Ye Yu smiled. "Mihawk, excuse the intrusion. I came specifically to see you about something. I didn't bring you a gift, so please forgive me."

Mihawk narrowed his eyes.

"You are the one who killed Admiral Akainu, aren't you? If you are here to ask me to join your Whitebeard Pirates, then I refuse!"

Hawkeye Mihawk spoke without the slightest politeness.

"To me, Mihawk, justice and evil mean nothing. What I seek... is a battle against the world's strongest man!"

"Only that can temper my swordsmanship!" Hawkeye Mihawk said coldly.

Ye Yu was not offended in the slightest. Instead, the corners of his lips curved faintly upward.

"Mihawk, sparring with Whitebeard will not do much to improve your swordsmanship," Ye Yu said with a smile.

"Hm?" Hawkeye Mihawk looked at Ye Yu suspiciously.

Ye Yu smiled again.

"If you want to improve your swordsmanship, I can teach you. Not just swordsmanship—I can teach you what the Way of the Sword truly is!"

"Arrogant brat!" Hawkeye Mihawk did not believe that Ye Yu, who looked so carefree and did not even carry a weapon, understood the Way of the Sword.

Just as Hawkeye Mihawk was about to send him away, a powerful force appeared above Ye Yu's head.

Hawkeye Mihawk looked up and saw an eerie white blade suspended above Ye Yu, its tip pointed directly at him!

Hawkeye Mihawk's eyes widened. He swallowed hard, his face filled with shock and excitement.

"This... could this be... the legendary Sword Intent?!"

"You... actually understand the legendary Sword Intent, where no sword surpasses a sword?"

"Using intent to command the sword! Enough to defeat every swordsman beneath heaven!"

Hawkeye Mihawk said excitedly, licking his lips.

Ever since he had ascended to the throne of the world's greatest swordsman, he had discovered that his swordsmanship had reached its limit. He could not advance another inch!

As a swordsman utterly devoted to swordsmanship, the empty title of world's greatest swordsman meant nothing to him.

His swordsmanship being unable to advance was more painful to him than death!

He had believed that he stood at the pinnacle of all swordsmen in the world, but... the man before him had displayed a realm of Sword Intent that he had never set foot in!

The legendary realm of Sword Intent truly existed. His swordsmanship could still improve!

"Mihawk, if I defeat you in a swordsman's duel, will you aid my Whitebeard Pirates in the Marineford War?" Ye Yu asked with a smile. For someone like Hawkeye Mihawk, whose heart sought only swordsmanship, this was the most effective way to recruit him!

"Of course! Please enlighten me!!" Filled with excitement and anticipation, Hawkeye Mihawk slowly drew Black Blade Night from his back, his eyes blazing with incomparable fighting intent!

Challenging this young man was far more interesting than challenging Whitebeard!