Time was frozen in this area. No matter how fiercely the two fought, they could not harm a single blade of grass. What Loa wanted Zoro to see was the distant sea, where time had not stopped!
Once, the waters around Shimotsuki Village had been so peaceful. A gentle breeze carried the faint saltiness of the sea and the fragrance of grass. The sun overhead was not harsh; its warmth fell lazily across their skin.
But now, that sea had changed beyond recognition!
Broad gashes hung across the water. Powerful Sword Energy had parted the waves, and the gaps refused to close. Waves surged outward in layer upon layer, but before they could travel far, the aftermath of another slash tore through them! Ten meters, a hundred meters, hundreds of meters—it made no difference!
Just as Zoro looked up, another blue-green blade of light streaked past, gouged a chunk out of the sea, then vanished into the distance.
Zoro knew that was Mihawk's Sword Energy!
But it was Mihawk's alone!
With the simplest of moves, his Master Koshiro had not only broken through Mihawk's slashes—he had not let a single stray wisp of his own Sword Energy escape!
As a Swordsman himself, Zoro knew that kind of spillover was not something a Swordsman could simply control! In a clash between opponents of equal caliber, even if you did not release it willingly, your opponent's Sword Energy would force the edge out of your blade!
It was a sword's instinct!
It had nothing to do with the Swordsman!
Yet now, Mihawk could not force even a trace of Sword Energy out of Koshiro! He was being utterly overwhelmed!
Loa could only marvel. Mihawk followed a path focused on powerful slashes, a style with plenty of openings. But paired with those Hawkeye