Back on the raft, the island drew closer, its lush cliffs and towering trees sharpening under the rising sun. Mihawk stood at the bow, his golden eyes fixed unblinkingly on the horizon, while Korran and Perona rowed, their laborious efforts pushing the craft at a snail's pace. Perona groaned loudly, smacking the water with her oar in pure frustration. "Heehee! I can't take this anymore!" she cried. "My arms are gonna fall off, and it's YOUR fault, Mihawk! Why can't we have a real ship like normal people?!"
Korran, despite the sweat beading on his forehead, flashed a grin. "We're almost there, princess," he said, his hoarse voice soothing despite his own exhaustion. "Hang in there, and you can complain on land." He gave an extra pull on his oar, his tense muscles protesting under the strain.
Before Perona could snap back, an amplified voice tore through the air, booming from the island. "Halt!" it thundered, broadcast by a Den Den Mushi perched on a nearby cliff. "You're entering Amazon Lily territory! Identify yourselves or prepare to be annihilated!" The tone was commanding, laced with a clear threat, and the raft stilled a few meters from the shore.
Mihawk looked up at the cliff, where a majestic figure stood surrounded by warriors. Boa Hancock, clad in her revealing red dress, dominated the scene, her long black hair flowing in the faint breeze. Flanking her were her two sisters—Sandersonia and Marigold—weapons at the ready, their hostile gazes locked on the raft. Five other Amazons, bows drawn and spears in hand, formed a semicircle behind them, their faces taut with suspicion.
Mihawk tilted his head in a nonchalant greeting. "Boa Hancock," he said, his low voice carrying cold courtesy. "Always a pleasure."
Boa sized him up, her narrowed eyes assessing him with icy sharpness. "Men are forbidden on this island, Mihawk," she replied, her voice cutting like a blade. "What are you doing here? If you've come to disturb Amazon Lily's peace, you'll leave in pieces."
Perona, seizing the moment, floated hastily toward the shore, her eyes gleaming with theatrical tears. "Heehee! Please, take me with you!" she wailed, her ghosts swirling around her to amplify her drama. "I'm being mistreated by these brutes! They're making me row like a slave, and I deserve better! Save me, lovely ladies!" She batted her lashes, playing the victim with stage-worthy exaggeration.
Korran grunted, shooting Perona an exasperated look. "Traitor," he muttered, his hoarse voice tinged with irony. "So you're the one ditching us the first chance you get."
Mihawk, ignoring the exchange, responded to Boa with a smile. "Funny you say that," he said, his low voice humming with a hint of amusement. "Considering there are already two men on this island."
The Amazons exchanged shocked glances, a murmur rippling through their ranks. Boa frowned, her expression hardening. "Two men?" she repeated, her voice trembling with barely contained anger. "If you've come to fight, say it plainly, Mihawk."
Without another word, Mihawk leaped from the raft, landing on the shore with feline grace that made the warriors step back instinctively. He straightened, his black coat billowing behind him. "Why so little company, Hancock?" he asked, his tone almost teasing. "Are you underestimating me?"
Boa clenched her fists, her cheeks flushing slightly—not from embarrassment, but from frustration. "Numbers mean nothing against you," she snapped, her gaze unwavering. "I'm not sending my warriors to certain death. If you're here to cause trouble, I'll deal with you myself." She assumed a stance.
Mihawk nodded, a glint of appreciation crossing his golden eyes. Then, his tone grew serious, and he pointed a finger toward the shadowed trees behind Boa. "I'm here for him," he said, his low voice ringing like a guillotine.
The Amazons turned their heads, and a tense silence fell as Silvers Rayleigh emerged from the shadows, his casual stride contrasting with the charged atmosphere. His glasses glinted in the sunlight, and an amused smile played on his lips. "Dracule Mihawk," he said, his deep voice tinged with mild curiosity. "Now that's a surprise…"
Boa blinked, thrown off, while Perona and Korran, still on the raft, watched the scene with a mix of confusion and anticipation.
Léo, in Mihawk's mind, was ecstatic.
Silvers Rayleigh!
Mihawk tilted his head toward Rayleigh, his golden gaze meeting the veteran's. "Silvers Rayleigh… I would've liked to face you in your prime." His voice, sharp as a blade, carried a rare note of respect.
Rayleigh let out a warm laugh, adjusting his glasses with a casual gesture. "An honor that the world's greatest swordsman takes an interest in these rusty old bones." His eyes twinkled behind his lenses. "I heard your declaration at Marineford… 'The Pirate King's throne.' Pretty bold for a man who shunned the spotlight."
A faint smile brushed Mihawk's lips.
"A man without a dream is a dead man, Rayleigh," he declared aloud. "And what greater dream for a swordsman like me than to claim the One Piece."
Boa Hancock stepped forward, her heels clicking with authority. "Enough chatter!" Her hair danced in a sudden breeze. "You barge onto my island, threaten its laws, summon a legendary pirate like he's yours to call… Leave, or I'll make you leave."
Behind her, Marigold tightened her grip on her spear. Sandersonia widened her stance, ready. The five Amazons drew their bows in unison.
Perona swallowed hard on the raft. Korran narrowed his eyes.
"No." In a motion too fast to follow, Yoru flashed from its sheath. The blade's gust swept the beach, carving a deep gash into the cliffs behind the Amazons. Stone blocks crumbled in a cloud of dust, and the warriors staggered back, paling.
Only Boa and her sisters held their ground, though Sandersonia and Marigold instinctively clutched their weapons. Rayleigh, unmoved, had a harder glint in his eyes behind his glasses.
"Two choices, Hancock," Mihawk announced, Yoru pointed skyward like a vow of destruction. "Either your island becomes a shipyard… or I reduce it to splinters."
A deathly silence fell. Perona held her breath, Korran gripped the oars like weapons. The Amazons trembled, their wavering arrows still aimed at Mihawk, but none dared fire.
Boa Hancock took a deep breath, her nails drawing blood from her palms. "You… dare…" she whispered, her Conqueror's Haki simmering.
Boa Hancock gritted her teeth.
"You raise your weapon here?"
Mihawk tilted his head, slowly.
"What's your choice, Empress?"
Silence.
The wind lifted Boa Hancock's hair, her fists trembling. She didn't move. Not an inch.
Rayleigh stepped forward, slowly.
"Dracule… I thought you weren't one for senseless violence."
Mihawk's eyes met his.
"I've never raised my sword without purpose."
Rayleigh paused.
"You're raising it today for a dream."
Mihawk fixed him with a stare.
"Exactly."
Then Rayleigh burst into laughter.
All eyes turned to him, baffled. The veteran rubbed his beard, amusement replacing the tension on his face. He glanced at Boa. "Hancock, my dear… I suggest you agree."
The Pirate Empress whirled on him, outraged. "Rayleigh! You—"
"He's not bluffing," he cut in calmly. "And even if you manage to beat him, how many of your sisters will fall?" His gaze grew solemn. "Sometimes, yielding prevents a pointless bloodbath."
TO BE CONTINUED...
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