Mihawk was a man of his word. Without a moment's hesitation, he lifted his feet from the small tub of water. He'd given the man a full day to prepare, and now it was time to see if he was truly worthy of the blade he carried.
The Hero of the Marines and the so-called "Overlord of the East Blue" showed little interest in the affair, just offering Mihawk a lazy wave as he left.
Mock had absolute faith in his captain, if Dante had made his decision, then he was ready.
As for Garp, he was on vacation and couldn't be bothered. He was planning to head back to the Goa Kingdom in a few days anyway, so for now, he was just going to enjoy himself.
"Hah! I told Sengoku he should've come with me, but he never listens," Garp said with a relaxed sigh. "What's the point in burying yourself in all that paperwork? He should learn to be more like me."
"Sengoku? You talk about him alot, he is lucky to have you as his friend looking out for him Boss Garp!" Mock overheard, letting out a cheerful laugh. "Well, if he ever comes this way, tell him the drinks are on me!"
"Bwahaha, you mean it?"
"Of course! I'm not just the most tight-lipped man on the seas, I keep my word, too!"
"Then it's a deal, Mock my boy! Don't you go running off when the time comes!"
And just like that, without a clue as to the weight behind the name "Sengoku," Mock made a promise aboard the Romance Dawn to treat Garp's old friend the next time he visited.
--**--**
Meanwhile, Mihawk had boarded a passing ship and made his way back to the Marine 16th Branch. He was briefly surprised by how lively the island was for a remote East Blue base, but he paid it little mind.
'If it doesn't involve swordsmanship,' he thought, 'it's not worth my time.'
When he arrived at the docks for the 16th Branch, a Marine was already there, waiting as if he had been expected. Before Mihawk could speak, the soldier explained that his captain had ordered him to wait and then gestured for him to follow.
Mihawk's frowned slightly, but he followed the soldier to a cleared-out training ground without a word.
And there he was, the Marine captain. He'd clearly been waiting for some time, standing firm with the black blade Shusui in hand. For a moment, he actually looked the part of a true swordsman.
But then Mihawk saw the banner strung up behind him: [Thank you for your personal guidance, World's Strongest Swordsman!]
And surrounding the training ground was a dense crowd of onlookers.
Mihawk fell silent.
'This is what he spent a full night preparing?'
The flicker of respect he had felt died instantly. Any hint of a swordsman's spirit was buried under what was clearly just a cheap spectacle.
"You have disappointed me," Mihawk sighed, drawing his small dagger. "I was actually looking forward to this. A corrupt Marine captain... Very well. Let's just get this over with."
But before he could move, the man across from him held up a hand.
"Wait!" the captain said, his expression completely serious. "It hasn't started yet!"
Mihawk paused, the dagger frozen in his hand. Remembering the anticipation he'd felt last night, he fixed the man with a flat stare.
"What now?" he asked, a scowl forming. "Don't tell me you have yet another tedious delay to present."
"No! First, let's be clear. Are you challenging me?"
"I have already lost interest."
"Then that settles it," the captain said smoothly. "If you're not interested, we won't fight. And you can't attack me, either. Imagine what all these people would think, Dracule Mihawk, if they saw you attacking a swordsman who refuses to fight back at such a formal event."
Mihawk's eye twitched as he suppressed his irritation. 'This bastard.' He glanced at Shusui, then remembered Garp's promise of a surprise. Taking a slow, deep breath, he ground out, "Yes. I am challenging you."
"In that case, I understand. But I don't accept just anyone's challenge."
'Just get to the damn point!' Before the red-faced Mihawk could speak, the Marine captain continued, his expression grave. "If the challenger loses, he must accept a punishment."
Mihawk was taken aback for a moment but replied calmly, "As you wish." At least that sounded somewhat proper. "Can we begin now?"
"You'll have to wait a moment longer."
He was stopped again.
He was stopped again. Before Mihawk's eyelid could even begin to twitch again, he saw the man wave his hand. A woman stepped forward with a smile and handed him a document.
"While I trust your character," Dante said with great solemnity, "in a sacred duel such as this, we must protect the rights of both parties. I hope you will sign this."
Mihawk took a deep breath and lowered his head to look at the paper. It said little more than what the man had just stated: if the challenger loses, they must accept a punishment. It did not specify what that punishment was, but Mihawk didn't care. With a slight twitch of his eyelid, he signed his name.
'Me lose to this corrupt marine captain from East Blue? Impossible.'
"Can we start now?"
"Just a moment, let me have a look first."
The Marine captain had already stepped forward, given the document a once-over, and nodded in satisfaction before having it solemnly put away. Then, he once again struck a resolute pose, holding the black blade Shusui.
This time, however, the sight stirred no anticipation in Mihawk.
His voice was cold as ice. "Are you finished?" All he wanted was to cut down this man who possessed not a single shred of a swordsman's dignity.
And this time, Dante finally nodded, looking at him seriously. "Yes. We can begin." He, too, was looking forward to crossing swords with the world's strongest.
But now it was Mihawk who stopped him. "Wait."
As Dante wondered what could possibly be next, a faint, cold smile touched Mihawk's lips. "Allow me to switch swords." He put away his dagger and drew the massive black greatsword from his back.
He hoped this wasn't the "surprise" the Hero of the Marines had mentioned. It was certainly unexpected, so much so that it was making him genuinely want to kill this man.
Seeing Mihawk draw his greatsword, the corner of Dante's mouth twitched. He'd planned to throw his opponent off balance, but he hadn't expected the man to escalate so quickly, as if he couldn't wait to cut him down.
Seeing Mihawk not only get serious but also switch to his greatsword, Dante got serious. He had been planning to pull a fast one, but he hadn't expected his opponent to become so eager to cut him down.
Before Dante could say another word, Mihawk let out a cold laugh, giving him no more time for tricks. His entire demeanor shifted. He was no longer a bored spectator but an unsheathed blade, his hawk-like eyes flaring with a piercing, cold light. "I hope," he said, his voice low and dangerous, "you are worthy of this sword, Marine."
With a single motion, he slashed.
Under the wide-eyed gazes of the invited swordsmanship apprentices, the air itself seemed to tear apart. A vast, crescent-shaped wave of pressure shot forward, whistling as it threatened to rip the makeshift stage to splinters. A murmur of awe rippled through the crowd. He truly was the World's Strongest Swordsman, just as their captain had said.
However, the attack never landed.
*Clang!*
With a slash of his own, Dante met the wave of force and neutralized it completely.
Mihawk, who had expected to end the farce in a single blow, stared in genuine surprise. The irritation vanished from his hawk-like eyes, replaced by a sharp, focused intensity. He locked his gaze on the Marine. "It seems," he said, a different kind of smile forming, "you haven't disappointed me after all, Captain Dante."
Mihawk started getting excited,'Now I don't have to deal with mess of killing Marine Captain right under Garp's nose.'
===============
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