A city north of Shimotsuki Village.
Nagoza.
The moon hung cold in the night sky, pouring silver light across the earth and giving everything a hazy glow.
After leaving Shimotsuki Village, Dawn raced through the sky on the strength of his formidable physique and a special technique. Mountains and vast forests stretched beneath him.
As he passed over a seemingly desolate forest, a powerful and utterly unfamiliar presence suddenly entered his keen senses, like a beacon in the dark.
Its strength put Dawn on alert at once.
From what he could sense, it rivaled Kuzan, whom he had met once many years ago!
Eager to test his current strength, Dawn immediately changed course and dove toward the source of the presence.
He wanted to know how far he had come since the days when that Admiral candidate had seemed beyond his reach.
Meanwhile, deep within the sprawling forest below.
A tall man stood in a clearing.
He wore a black hat trimmed with white feathers, a burgundy patterned shirt, and a black coat. Even at night, he was impossible to miss.
Most striking of all was the enormous cross-shaped sword on his back.
The man seemed to notice something. He raised his head, revealing sharp yellow eyes like a hawk's, and gazed into the cloud-streaked night sky.
His piercing gaze seemed to pass through every obstruction, fixing precisely on a powerful figure approaching rapidly from above.
Dawn broke through the thin clouds and stopped above the forest. Moonlight outlined his tall, upright figure. His gaze locked on the man in the clearing below, and when he recognized that distinctive face and enormous Black Blade, his pupils narrowed despite himself.
"Dracule Mihawk..."
The future world's greatest swordsman.
The moment Dawn confirmed his identity, the fighting spirit dormant within him roared to