First Contact with Hawkeye / The Battle Begins

Almost every man has heard that saying!

It's not that Dongze Liu Xiahui was a saint; he enjoyed ordinary pastimes too. But the drug was really too cruel. Plus, the aftereffects of the Iron Crotch Skill were terrifying. Robin alone couldn't withstand it, and in the end, he would be the one suffering. So he really hated that drug.

This time, Dongze learned his lesson. He watched Robin eat first, and after a while, when she didn't react, he ate by himself.

Seeing Dongze's reaction, Robin couldn't help but chuckle.

"The medicine's gone, Dongze San!"

Hearing this seemingly flirtatious remark, Dongze curled his lip, "Don't think I'm being mean, but if it happens again, you won't be able to get out of bed!"

"You~~"

Robin probably didn't expect Dongze to respond like that, and for a moment she blushed.

However, the mention of this reminded him of what happened yesterday. And sure enough, in the end, he really didn't remember anything, just like he had blacked out from drinking.

But now she has achieved her goal; she's become one of us.

Unlike before, when she arrived on this ship, she didn't know her own identity. After all, she wasn't invited onto the ship by Dongze; she had simply stayed on his ship.

After spending these days together, she also came to understand Dongze's character. He was very possessive; once something was his, he wouldn't let go of it.

The incident with Enel had probably triggered her, which led to this whole situation where the cook drugged and sexually assaulted the captain.

"We should reach our destination after passing two more islands!"

After a moment of silence, Robin spoke softly.

Dongze nodded. This stop for Hawkeye was the last stop of the first half of his Grand Line.

Once this battle is over, I'll have to embark on my journey to the New World.

Although his current Haki cultivation level may still be quite different from that of the monsters in the New World, his Sword Intent and techniques are enough to make up for that gap.

In other words, if you go to the New World and don't immediately try to take on four opponents at once or do anything reckless, the chance of you getting caught off guard and losing your life is practically nonexistent.

However, he was also curious about Hawkeye. There were many different opinions about his strength in the real world. Some said he was comparable to the Four Emperors, some said he was weaker than Admiral, and some said he was a one-man army.

He was actually quite looking forward to this competition.

"Dongze Sama~ I want to~~"

"Uh (~_~;) You don't want to~"

"Why??"

"The landlord has run out of grain!"

Chapter 89 First Contact with Hawkeye

The wine goes down, a slight buzz sets in, the sails billow, and the fish follow.

Seeing the small island appear not far away, Dongze's eyes sharpened, and he activated the Sword Intent within his body.

The sword strikes swept outwards like a raging storm.

The space around them trembled. Mihawk, who was chopping vegetables in the kitchen, felt a jolt and turned around to look in the direction where Dongze and Robin had come by boat.

It's that person!

That being buried deep in his memory, that opponent he had been waiting for so long—after waiting for so long, he had originally thought that the other party looked down on the title of the World's Greatest Swordsman and would not come looking for him!

He had been waiting for that person for a very long time, and hadn't even gone to the invitation from his best friend Shanks.

"Wow, you mighty one! Let me witness just how magnificent this ocean truly is!"

Then Mihawk put on his clothes, donned the Western-style hat, slung the Black Blade Night over his shoulder, and stepped out of the gate he hadn't crossed in a long time.

Hawkeye's movements startled the baboons outside. As one of the few animals on the island, they had spent a long time with Hawkeye Dracule Mihawk and were familiar with his temperament.

I never imagined that he would step out of this castle today.

Hawkeye paid no heed to the baboons scattering like birds. This moment, this clash with a powerful opponent, this collision of Swordsmanship, he couldn't wait any longer. He had to see just who this powerful figure who was putting so much pressure on him was!

In the Sabaody Archipelago, the CP0 team, having obtained intelligence from someone unknown, engaged in a heated discussion in a secluded hut.

"That person is the newly appointed Shichibukai of the World Government. Without concrete evidence, taking action against him is undoubtedly a slap in the face to the World Government!"

"But don't all these speculations point to that person?!"

"Thunder God — Enel— was his subordinate. Many people saw them together back in the Sabaody Archipelago!"

"Enel was present when the tragedy occurred at Saint Watz, and he had a heated verbal altercation with Saint Watz! Enel even activated his Devil Fruit power, and the situation nearly spiraled out of control!"

"But wasn't he stopped by someone back then?"

"We already know what happened next: a Swordmaster accidentally killed Saint Watz by dropping his longsword."

Hehe~~

"Do you think the Five Elders really believe this claim?"

"As far as I know, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit allows one to control metal using the power of lightning, and isn't that long sword also made of metal?"

"This is just your guess. Besides, the real culprit is dead. What do you expect us to use to confront him? Do you really think you can make a Shichibukai surrender based on a mere guess?"

"That's someone Aokiji and Garp pushed up together!"

"Others may not know how terrifying Garp is, but don't you? If you really anger that old guy, he might not kill you, but I think he's capable of crippling you! That old madman!"

"We're the Celestial Dragons' guns, what evidence do we need to arrest people! This matter involves the Celestial Dragons, even if Garp is unreliable, he shouldn't be interfering, right?"

"Are they here?"

Standing at the bow of the ship, Dongze sensed a fluctuation of energy in front of him and muttered to himself.

As the world's most famous Great Swordsman, his aura is extremely unique, just like that Black Blade —Night. Beneath its magnificent appearance lies a deadly killing intent and a swordsmanship honed through countless trials.

"Let's say hello first then~"

Dongze lightly tapped the Peerless Sword Case, and a serrated Flying Sword flew out with a wisp of sparks.

It was the Flying Sword that Dongze named Heng.

This sword is shaped like Shark Tooth, but the design of the hilt is slightly different from the Shark Tooth in my Second Uncle's hand. The blade is smoother and easier to store.

Then, an attack imbued with Sword Intent suddenly erupted.

Eight Sword Aura burst forth from the sky, like tigers unleashed from their cages, unstoppable in their momentum.

The air in front of the sailboat roared and shrieked, seemingly unable to withstand such a thunderous blow.

The originally invisible Sword Aura, enhanced by the Sword Intent of the Horizontal Sword, revealed a crimson hue.

To attack with Horizontal Sword, focusing on technique to gain advantage, is called "bai" (捭).

The strategy of "Crossing the Eight Directions Horizontal Sword" uses skillful attacks to seek advantage and to open up new possibilities, thus giving it a more domineering feel.

Unlike the Hundred-Pace Flying Sword, which emphasizes a single, Finishing Move, this Crossing the Eight Directions, is more dazzling, yet within this dazzling beauty lies a deadly intent.

Sensing the approaching whooshing sounds, Hawkeye's eyes lit up, and his body began to tremble with excitement.

According to his Observation Haki, there were only eight Sword Aura flying towards him, but they felt as if the heavens and earth were working together.

Sword Intent is formed from the rules of heaven and earth, so it's understandable that he felt this way.

His long-awaited opponent certainly did not disappoint him.

He swiftly drew the Black Blade —Night—and gripped the hilt with both hands, raising Black Blade above his head before lowering it behind him in a charging motion.

With eyes like an eagle's, he stared intently at the space before him, then activated his Observation Haki, his gaze stretching outwards continuously.

Until they locked onto the eight rapidly approaching Sword Aura.

"Isn't it Slashing?"

Upon seeing the eight Sword Aura, Hawkeye was slightly taken aback, somewhat curious. He had sensed the incredibly fierce and domineering attack earlier and assumed it would be an exceptional Slashing, since as Swordmaster, Slashing was the most common method he used against enemies.

Especially after being covered with Armament Haki, its power is enough to split a mountain in two or cleave a river in two with a single sword strike; the power of pure Sword Aura is far from sufficient.

The Sword Aura suddenly surged into his Observation Haki with lightning speed, and he realized that the attack was quite different from what he had guessed.

"However, I won't hold back!!"

As soon as he finished speaking, eight incredibly powerful Slashing out from the Black Blade - Night, the resulting shockwaves shattering the ground beneath his feet.

As soon as the attack was launched, Dongze's heart skipped a beat. This single strike was in no way inferior to Rayleigh's ordinary Slashing without using "Divine Departure".

The clash between Sword Aura and Slashing should have been a foregone conclusion.

However, Dongze's attack was not a simple Sword Aura. His Sword Intent broke through the upper limit of the Sword Aura's power, and its power even exceeded that of Slashing mixed with Armament Haki.

The next moment, Hawkeye narrowed his eyes. With his Observation Haki, he clearly saw the result of his Slashing colliding with the Sword Aura.

His own Slashing was like a blank sheet of paper, easily severed by the Sword Aura, making his heart skip a beat.

"Get the card!!"

"What on earth is going on?"

Hawkeye was stunned when he first encountered Sword Intent.

"Divine Strike!"

After a moment of silence, a crimson and black Slashing into the sky.

"This is~"

Chapter Ninety: The Beginning of the Battle

On the outskirts of Kihobil Island, Dongze, standing at the bow of the ship, almost exclaimed in surprise. Mihawk's slash had actually unleashed Conqueror's Haki, and a high-level Conqueror's Haki Coating at that.

This person is not among the known possessors of Conqueror's Haki, and this particular Conqueror's Haki exceeded Dongze's expectations.

Seeing the power of that Slashing and the stalemate that Crossing the Eight Directions, Dongze was also full of surprise.

Its power is even comparable to Rayleigh's "Divine Departure".

Suddenly, a thought crept into Dongze's mind: this guy's reputation as the World's Greatest Swordsman was well-deserved.

He does indeed possess the strength of the World's Greatest Swordsman.

Thinking about it this way, recalling when Hawkeye entered Red-Hair's territory and discovered that Shanks had lost his right arm, he said that he wouldn't bully a cripple, which seems to have been true.

However, he did not expect that Red-Haired Shanks Haki increase by leaps and bounds after losing his right arm, and his true combat power was in no way inferior to when he had both arms intact.

In a sense, its combat power has even reached a new level.

However, considering the words he uttered back then, upon closer examination, this guy must have possessed Conqueror's Haki. Otherwise, how could he possibly defeat Shanks, Conqueror's Haki Coating?

He would never become a match for the future World's Greatest Swordsman, the Moss Head.

Given the current situation, it would be quite unreasonable for Zoro, as the first mate of the Pirate King, not to possess Conqueror's Haki.

Based on this, if Hawkeye Dracule, Mihawk's final opponent in Zoro quest to become the World's Greatest Swordsman, didn't possess Conqueror's Haki, then this final battle would be a foregone conclusion.

As he gradually came to this realization, Dongze's initial surprise subsided.

However, this attack differed from Roger's Divine Departure, as it pursued ultimate destructive power. In terms of pure slashing, its power was superior. Once this blade was unleashed, its power was enough to sever six combined Sword Aura and break through the blockade that Crossing the Eight Directions.

This Dongze utterly astonished. While Conqueror's Haki was relatively rare, it was quite common Doflamingo pirates in the New World. Heavenly Yaksha, Carl, Big Mom, Kaido, Red-Hair, Whitebeard, and countless others lurking in the seas all possessed it. As the pirates who Vertical and Horizontal the New World said, "Conqueror's Haki is as common as carp crossing a river in the New World, it's countless."

However, there are only a handful of people who can utilize Conqueror's Haki to this extent.

These people are all among those who stand at the pinnacle of the ocean; Roger's "Divine Departure" almost knocked Kozuki Oden senseless.

Then, in his encounter with Whitebeard Edward, the Newgate didn't even touch, yet a terrifying aftershock of destruction swept through the world.

This further demonstrates the terrifying enhancement provided by Conqueror's Haki coating, which is far superior to ordinary Armament Haki. Even a casual strike from it is beyond the reach of ordinary Haki masters.

In the presence of these truly powerful individuals, ordinary people are simply no match for them.

Hawkeye's attack has finally piqued Dongze's interest.

It's kind of funny, actually. At first, we were afraid of their overwhelming strength and didn't dare to come. Now that we're strong enough, we're afraid they're weak and haven't improved.

Ultimately, times have changed. Dongze's improved strength has given him the confidence to face stronger opponents. If he had approached Hawkeye from the start, his strength would have increased rapidly, but it would have been fraught with risks, and he could have easily lost his life.