"So fast!!"
Mihawk's pupils shrank into fine points, trembling uncontrollably.
He had heard a lot about the terrifying swordsmanship of Rogers Daren, the "King of the North Blue," before setting off on this challenge...
But only now, facing it head-on, did he truly feel the suffocating pressure!
There was no sign, no preparatory swing—just a sword splitting the air without warning!
No chance to react. No time to dodge.
Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, but the tip of Oto had already closed in, so close that Mihawk could clearly see its sharp edge reflected in his eyes—the same blade that once bathed in the blood of countless strong men alongside Shiki the Golden Lion!
At that moment, Mihawk finally moved!
A strange red gleam flashed deep within his eyes. The once-blurred path of Oto's charge became clear!
With a single-handed draw, he slashed upward with ferocious force!
Clang!!
A sharp, deafening crash exploded through the air, accompanied by a shower of sparks.
He blocked it!
A flash of pride crossed Mihawk's eyes—but the next second, his expression shifted.
An unimaginable, terrifying force erupted from Oto's blade, rumbling like a deep explosion.
Boom!!
The roaring hurricane finally broke loose, sweeping up a massive wall of dust that swallowed Mihawk whole.
He was blasted twenty meters backward, gouging two deep trenches into the ground before managing to steady himself.
Dust filled the air but was quickly blown away by the sea breeze, revealing Mihawk's figure once more.
He was breathing heavily, his face slightly pale, blood vessels spidering across his eyes as he stared warily at the Meito he had just barely blocked.
At this range, the cherry blossom patterns on Oto's blade shimmered with an eerie beauty—a vision of death and decay.
As the dust fully cleared, Mihawk finally lifted his gaze.
What he saw made his eyelids twitch violently.
A deep, gaping fissure stretched across nearly half the island, starting from the Marine Vice Admiral's feet and running all the way to Mihawk's position.
It was a horrifying sight.
"This..."
Gecko Moria gawked at the unbelievable scene, unable to believe his eyes, his jaw nearly hitting the ground.
One slash. Just one effortless slash...
And half the Marine base was torn apart.
He hadn't even seen the slash's trajectory.
A chill ran down Moria's spine, his scalp tingling as a deep fear crept into his eyes while staring at Daren.
If that Vice Admiral had used that slash on him...
He would have absolutely, positively been killed!
"He actually blocked it... Looks like this kid Mihawk really has some skill."
Momonga found a stone to sit on, stroking the stubble on his chin as he watched the battle with keen interest.
Even after the battle with Shiki, he wasn't exactly sure how strong Daren had become.
But one thing he did know: even if he unleashed his strongest attack, he doubted it could break Daren's defense.
As for how he knew?
Well, that was a secret he'd rather not talk about.
Anyway, what can you even say about a monster who can bathe in a hundred million volts of electric plasma?
"I thought this would be a one-sided slaughter, but now... things are getting interesting."
Momonga lit a cigar, muttering deliberately loud enough for Moria to hear:
"...I just wonder if that kid Mihawk can block Daren's next sword."
"Next... next sword?"
Gecko Moria shivered, turning his head in disbelief to stare at Momonga.
"You're saying... that slash just now wasn't even full power?!"
Momonga chuckled silently but rolled his eyes on the surface like it was obvious.
"Of course not. Didn't you notice? Daren didn't even use Haki."
"H-Haki?"
Moria felt his teeth start to chatter.
He glanced again at the monstrous crack in the ground, his whole body shrinking inward.
If Daren could cause that kind of destruction without even using Haki...
He didn't dare imagine what would happen if he did.
'Thank goodness I didn't challenge him to a sword fight... Otherwise, losing an arm would've been the least of my worries...'
At that moment, Moria felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
"Mihawk, that was the first sword. Can you keep going?"
Daren spoke with a smile.
He beckoned, and Oto responded instantly, flying back to hover quietly behind him.
That had only been the first sword...
Mihawk worked to steady his breathing, his hand instinctively tightening around Yoru.
A bead of cold sweat trickled down his forehead and splashed onto the ground.
He understood Daren's meaning better than anyone.
The first sword was just a warm-up.
The second and third strikes... would be when the real power was unleashed.
He took a deep breath, lifted his head, and locked his gaze on Daren, a flash of anger flickering in his eyes as he said in a cold, hoarse voice,
"Why didn't you use Haki?"
It was an unmistakable tone of accusation.
Daren blinked, then let out a low laugh.
"Interesting."
Not using Haki should have been an advantage for Mihawk—yet he saw it as an insult.
What an arrogant little brat...
"I thought you wouldn't be able to block that slash. Sorry about that. Looks like I underestimated you."
Daren shrugged helplessly.
Faced with Daren's casual, almost dismissive "apology," Mihawk grew even more furious. He gritted his teeth and growled,
"I staked everything to challenge you. I came here to see your swordsmanship!"
"Even if I couldn't block it and died here..."
His eyes blazed with unyielding fighting spirit, his expression steady and firm, as he declared,
"...then it would only prove that I am a man of no greater worth."
As the words fell, both Momonga and Gecko Moria were visibly shaken.
In that moment, they felt that the slender young swordsman standing before them seemed to grow taller, more imposing.
Meanwhile, a few black lines formed on Daren's forehead, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
Oi oi oi... this line sounds way too familiar...
Don't tell me... Zoro's famous line was copied from you?
No wonder Mihawk had such a soft spot for Zoro in the original timeline... he probably saw his younger self.
"Fine, I get it."
Daren let out a long breath, then curled a finger.
A simple-looking long sword floated up from behind him, hovering in front of him with its tip aimed at Mihawk.
"Then don't blame me for being ruthless."
He spoke softly, taking a step forward, his right hand lightly grasping the sword's hilt.
The hilt was rough, fashioned from ancient, withered wood, and the blade itself was a dull metallic color, as if long covered in dust.
"Like dead wood withering away, the blade dulled with age... the sword's name is Kogarashi."
Daren smiled.
From his palm, a sinister blackness, thick and solemn like spreading ink, began to pour out, slowly engulfing the entire blade.
Under the coating of Armament Haki, the seemingly decayed Meito now burst with dazzling sharpness, cold and lethal.
Daren grinned wider.
"Second sword... Shoot him."
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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