Unexpected Visitor

Waters near Water 7.

A lonely coffin drifted across the vast ocean, carrying a man with short black hair. He wore a long black coat over a wine-red patterned shirt.

What caught the eye most was the huge cross-like greatsword on his back—the supreme grade 12 swords blade, Black Blade Yoru.

His identity was self-evident: the world's greatest swordsman and Shichibukai, Hawkeye Mihawk, full name Dracule Mihawk.

At that moment, he was sitting with his legs crossed, leisurely sipping red wine from a goblet when suddenly, the man frowned.

"A flying slash?"

Several golden flying slashes suddenly soared forward, heading straight for him, but Mihawk did not react at all because the flying slashes dissipated into nothingness before they even got close.

"A swordsman who can use flying slashes, interesting. It must have flown from over there, hmm~"

"Water 7..."

A sharp gleam flashed through Mihawk's hawk-like eyes, and he immediately turned the ship's bow, heading toward Water 7 not far away.

To be precise, he headed in the direction the flying slashes had come from.

As the world's greatest swordsman, although holding the throne of the strongest, Mihawk never refused challenges from challengers and would even seek people out to challenge them himself.

Clearly, the sword qi Carl released out of boredom had caught his attention.

Scrap Island.

The marines were cleaning the battlefield under the command of Lieutenant Nelson. The dead pirates were thrown into the sea one by one, and after being looted clean, the pirate ships were dragged to hidden places and abandoned.

After this routine operation, Scrap Island looked exactly as it had before the White Wolf Pirates landed, quietly awaiting the arrival of the Flame Pirates.

However, an uninvited guest broke the peace here.

"Lieutenant Nelson, look! There's a small boat heading toward us over there!"

Lieutenant Nelson frowned, quickly raising his binoculars to look. After recognizing the newcomer, his pupils shrank to the size of a pinprick.

"What! It's actually a Shichibukai! Hawkeye Mihawk!"

"Lieutenant Nelson, do you mean that world's greatest swordsman?"

"That's right, it's him! I'd recognize those terrifying eyes anywhere."

The marine soldiers instantly grew somewhat nervous and panicked. Nelson took a deep breath and pulled out a Den Den Mushi.

Inside the cafe.

Carl was flirting with a beauty she had just struck up a conversation with, and bursts of soft laughter sounded from their table from time to time.

"Buru buru~"

The ringing of the Den Den Mushi interrupted their conversation. Carl flashed a polite smile and answered the phone.

"What is it this time?"

"Report, Colonel, Mihawk is here!" "What hawk?"

"The world's greatest swordsman, Shichibukai, Hawkeye Mihawk!" Nelson's voice sounded somewhat anxious.

Hearing this, Carl's smile gradually faded. Why did he have to show up!

Great! Another big shot she couldn't afford to provoke!

Although Hawkeye was a Shichibukai, he wouldn't necessarily be polite to the marines. At least from the perspective of the marines, Mihawk was definitely an uninhibited guy who acted purely on his own whims.

The other Shichibukai weren't much better; Kuma, who seemed so loyal, was actually an undercover agent for the Revolutionary Army.

Anyway, Carl had no good impression of this group of Shichibukai—they were just a bunch of unreliable mercenaries.

Ding~ Detected Mihawk's fighting intent toward the host, triggering the series quest [No Friendly Fire 1/7].

Shichibukai exclusive quest: As allies, you should love one another, coexist peacefully, and avoid fighting and killing to prevent hurting harmony and thus wasting precious slacking-off time.

Quest requirement: Avoid getting into a battle with Hawkeye Mihawk, one of the Shichibukai.

*Rewards: Black Blade Forging Method, Armament Haki Enhancement Card 5.

Carl's breath hitched, a flash of pleasant surprise appearing in her eyes. The rewards were generous! And crucially, it was a series quest, and there were a full 7 Shichibukai!

"Sorry, I'm on official business. May we meet again by fate!"

"Eh? Are you in such a hurry?" The wine-red-haired beauty's gaze held a hint of resentment.

Without saying a word, Carl walked straight out of the cafe.

On Scrap Island.

Mihawk leaped up from the coffin lid, landing gracefully on the island. He swept his gaze around, only to find a group of ordinary marine soldiers.

"Who is in charge here?"

Faced with this question, the marine soldiers unanimously looked at Nelson, and Mihawk's gaze shifted to him as well.

"You're the boss? What happened here just now?"

Although somewhat afraid of Mihawk, Nelson still spoke with a stiff backbone. "Lord Mihawk, although you are a Shichibukai, you seem to have no right to question internal marine affairs, do you?"

The next second, a black blade was resting horizontally in front of Nelson. Mihawk's sharp eyes looked calmly at Nelson. "I'll ask again, what happened here just now?"

"Just killed a few pirates, such a trivial matter shouldn't require drawing a sword, Lord Mihawk!"

Mihawk raised his head and saw a handsome marine standing not far away, with a black bird perched on his shoulder.

"Who are you?" Mihawk's tone remained calm.

"Marine Headquarters Colonel, Carl."

Mihawk slowly hung Black Blade Yoru on his back, his sharp hawk-like eyes fixed on Carl as he spoke, "The flying slash just now, you released it, right?"

Although Carl did not possess the sharp, exposed aura of a swordsman, he sensed the presence of a strong fighter in Carl.

"I must say, what a sharp power of observation!"

Carl felt a slight sense of emotion. Was this the insight of the world's greatest swordsman? Clearly, she wasn't even carrying a blade.

Raven: Caw caw caw?

"It seems it was you."

As the words fell, Mihawk gripped the black blade and slashed toward Carl. A fierce crescent-shaped flying slash flew toward Carl like a shooting star.

Ding~ Quest [No Friendly Fire 1/7] failed.

Carl: ???

Wait, the quest failed just like that?

Looking at the rapidly approaching flying slash, Carl cursed loudly, "Damn it!"

Raven instantly transformed into weapon form, followed by a triple slash. Three flying slashes met Hawkeye's attack, barely managing to neutralize it.

Carl stood in place, breathing slightly, her stomach filled with towering resentment.

Damn you, Mihawk! You really deserve to die, damn it! This is more agonizing than killing me, wuwuwu!

"Not bad, your sword is very interesting."

Mihawk looked at Raven in Carl's hand. He had seen very clearly just then that Carl's sword had transformed from the bird on her shoulder—this was his first time seeing such a thing.

Yet it somehow felt familiar, somewhat resembling Shodai Kitetsu, but only in the blade and the patterns on it; below the tsuba, it was completely different.

Carl held Raven and took a few steps forward, speaking as she walked, "Is this a provocation against the marines, Lord Mihawk? Don't forget, you are a Shichibukai!"

"No, I merely found a swordsman with potential with great difficulty, and I'm seized by the hunter's joy."

"Draw your sword! Add a trace of joy to my dull life."

Ever since that guy Shanks lost an arm, he hadn't experienced a truly hearty and official sword duel.

To sum it up in a sentence, his big blade had long been thirsty for action.

Hearing this, Carl felt somewhat speechless inside. The guy looked all scholarly and refined, so why was his head so stubborn?

Jianghu wasn't just about fighting and killing; Jianghu was about human relations and worldly sophistication, understand?

Sigh~ There was no help for it. Since the quest had already failed, backing down further made no sense and would only make her look weak.

Thinking of this, Carl slowly raised Raven in her hand, gently brushing her left hand across the blade as she spoke coldly.

"This sword is named Raven. The blade is four feet seven inches long, with a net weight of ten catties and five taels. It cuts through nails and iron like mud, and takes lives without a trace."

Hawkeye: ???