The banquet ended, and the ship continued sailing. Badak busily helped clean up. He had already found out that the person Shanks was meeting this time was Hawkeye Jorackle Mihawk, one of the greatest swordsmen on the sea. At the moment, he might not yet be the world's greatest swordsman, but just imagining the clash between the two of them made Badak's blood boil.
"Hey, Badak, come on! I'll show you where you'll be staying." Lucky Roux waved cheerfully, signaling for Badak to follow him.
"Here, I think you'll need this." At the cabin door, Lucky Roux handed him a bundle.
Badak took it and found it was a set of new clothes—surprisingly well-fitted, too. He had no idea where Lucky Roux had gotten them.
"Thanks, Lucky Roux. I finally don't have to look like a wild man anymore."
"Haha, get some rest. Let's exchange some barbecue tips when you're free."
"Of course! Honestly, all I know is how to grill meat—I'd love to learn a few tricks from you."
…
Two days passed in the blink of an eye. During that time, Badak got acquainted with everyone on the ship—including an actual monkey. Aside from the characters he already knew from the comics, he also met some new faces. The most interesting was Shanks' adopted daughter, the future superstar—Uta.
Despite her young age, Uta was already the musician of the Red-Haired Pirates, always wearing headphones. It seemed she had already eaten the Sing-Sing Fruit. Her singing was truly mesmerizing, capable of drawing people in without them realizing it.
Once, Badak got so lost in her song that he blurted out without thinking, "Uta, let's make monkeys together."
Swear to heaven, it was just a meme—but Shanks wasn't having it.
"You bastard, Uta's not making monkeys with you!" The overprotective father instantly channeled Nami's spirit—duang, duang, duang—leaving three lumps on Badak's head.
"Shanks, what's making monkeys?"
Uta's innocent question only poured fuel on the fire, earning Badak another duang, duang, duang.
The crew roared with laughter at the sight of the bumps on Badak's head.
Badak rubbed his head, impressed by Shanks' strength—he hadn't even been able to react before getting hit.
"Shanks, how strong am I compared to the rest of the sea?"
This was something Badak had wanted to know for a while. Without a clear answer, he wouldn't have a solid grasp of his next steps."Kid, strength isn't just about comparing numbers. Come on, punch my palm with all your might," Shanks said, raising his hand.
Badak didn't hold back, transforming into his Great Ape Form—this state maximized his power, defense, and attack potential. He threw a full-force punch, the strike carrying immense momentum, yet the effect was underwhelming. Shanks' palm didn't even budge an inch.
Having mentally prepared himself, Badak wasn't surprised. He was still far too green.
"Your current attack power is comparable to a pirate captain I once fought with a 35 million berry bounty, though your defense far surpasses his. But bounties are just references. Hmm, for your age, you're already quite impressive."
"35 million? I wonder if that's on par with Luffy's strength when he first set sail. But I can still grow larger—my combat power can increase further," Badak thought. "I really need actual combat experience. I haven't fought anyone properly yet."
...
At noon that day, the Red Hair Pirates finally crossed paths with Hawkeye Mihawk on a desolate island about half a day's sail from Sabaody Archipelago. The island was so barren and small—barely the size of a football field—no wonder they chose it for their duel. No one would mind if it got wrecked.
Mihawk's appearance closely matched Badak's knowledge of him from over a decade later, except he lacked the beard—a younger, fresher version.
"Mihawk, long time no see. Fancy a banquet?" Shanks was always like this, finding any excuse to throw a feast.
"Shanks, banquets can wait. Let's settle this first—it's been too long since I've had a proper fight."
Mihawk's tone remained calm, but his entire being radiated excitement. There were too few on the seas who could match him in swordsmanship.
As he spoke, the legendary sword Yoru, resembling a cross on his back, was already in his hand. Mihawk's entire presence sharpened like a blade.
Noticing Yoru wasn't yet a black blade, Badak guessed Mihawk hadn't yet reached the pinnacle as the world's strongest swordsman.
Seeing this, Shanks also grew serious, drawing Gryphon and readying himself.
The crew, well-prepared, swiftly sailed away with Mihawk's small boat to distance themselves from the battlefield. Their practiced movements suggested this wasn't their first time.
Badak transformed into his Great Ape Form and activated his Fiery Eyes and Golden Gaze. He intended to watch every second of this duel—their movements would become his template for future sword training.
His transmigration had greatly enhanced his memory. With his Fiery Eyes and Golden Gaze at full power, he should be able to clearly perceive their movements. Not learning from this would be an insult to whoever sent him across worlds.
Mihawk and Shanks simultaneously launched Flying Slashes at each other. The two massive slashes collided mid-air, grinding against each other before dissipating simultaneously.
When Emperors clashed, their Conqueror's Haki would split the heavens. When master swordsmen dueled, Flying Slashes served as their opening gambit.
Then, the two charged at each other for close combat.
Mihawk's attacks were heavy and profound, deceptively simple yet striking where it hurt most. Shanks fought differently—a left-handed swordsman, his strikes were lightning-fast, unpredictable in angle, yet no less powerful. They were perfectly matched, like two masters finding their equal.
As their battle raged on, the shockwaves grew increasingly violent. Occasionally, a few Flying Slashes would cleave through the sea, soaring far into the distance.Suddenly, Badak was startled—a slash attack came flying straight toward the pirate ship they were on. Before he could even cry out in alarm, a figure leaped up and shattered the slash with a single strike. Only when the figure landed back on the deck did Badak recognize him as Benn Beckman, the vice-captain of the Red-Haired Pirates.
"These two are really reckless… Move the ship farther away," Beckman calmly instructed the crew. The crew responded in unison, showing no panic or disorder—truly befitting a future Emperor's crew.
The duel had lasted from noon until sunset. Now, Mihawk and Shanks stood facing each other, neither in a hurry to make the next move.
"Mihawk, it's getting dark. Let's settle this with one final strike. The next move is incredibly powerful, and I don't have full control over it yet. Be careful."
"Looking forward to it, Shanks."
"Divine Departure!"
"…"
A deafening roar echoed between heaven and earth. From a distance, Badak could clearly see that their swords hadn't even clashed—instead, the air between them violently trembled, producing the thunderous sound. This was the effect of Conqueror's Haki infusion combined with Armament Haki projection, a technique mastered by only a select few on the high seas.
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