"See that, Rui Meng Meng? In the simple clashing of swords, you can see the culmination of their lifelong combat skills. Every move is worth studying and analyzing. This is basically what 'greatness in simplicity' means."
"Is... is that so?" Rui Meng Meng felt something was off; she couldn't see what was so impressive.
"Of course. Look, we're standing this close and yet haven't been affected at all. That's because both of them have mastered control over their power. Every ounce of strength is used precisely against the opponent."
"Oh." Seeing Zhang Da Ye speak with such certainty, Rui Meng Meng tried hard to appreciate just how strong these two were.
Tom yawned, feeling like his master was exaggerating but had no proof.
"Even as top-tier swordsmen, in the heat of battle, they won't accidentally harm even a blade of grass, because that would be a waste of power..."
Buzz~sshh...
A slash came flying, and Zhang Da Ye stepped back two paces in surprise. The strike landed just short of where he had been standing, unable to hurt him even if he hadn't moved. It cut through countless blades of grass instead.
"Are you okay, boss?" Rui Meng Meng rushed over to ask.
"I'm fine, just startled me a bit." It seemed accidental, but Zhang Da Ye felt like the Hawk was targeting him.
Rui Meng Meng nodded. "Oh, that's good. But boss, didn't you just say he wouldn't hurt even a blade of grass?"
"Forget I said that." Zhang Da Ye looked up at the sky, embarrassed that his boast had been exposed. Better to quietly watch the show.
That slash seemed like a signal. Mihawk's black sword glowed with sharp energy as he slashed down fiercely.
Artoria's sword flickered with golden light, meeting the strike without backing down.
With this blow, the ground beneath them sank slightly, and a shockwave radiated from the point of collision.
Zhang Da Ye finally experienced the special effect he had been waiting for and pulled Rui Meng Meng and Tom back a bit.
It turned out that until now, the two were merely testing moves and hadn't used their true power.
Now the real duel began. Golden flashes and flying sword energies appeared, and the ground beneath them started to be destroyed.
Cuts, gouges, craters—the innocent earth was ravaged by the clash of magic and power.
Zhang Da Ye and the others kept retreating until they reached the ruins of the destroyed house.
From the debris, ten people emerged, heads bleeding, likely struck when the house collapsed.
They cursed, "Damn it, who attacked us while we were napping?!"
"Hey kid, was this your doing?"
Zhang Da Ye looked innocent. "Not me. The one destroying the house is the guy in the black top hat over there."
"Damn it! I want to see who has the guts for this!"
The group quickly drew pistols and aimed at Mihawk, pulling the triggers.
"Hey, aim properly before shooting..." Zhang Da Ye expected them to panic at the sight of Hawk, but they were stubborn, so he pulled Tom and Rui Meng Meng back to avoid being hit.
Before he could finish speaking, ten bullets flew out.
If their home was destroyed and they didn't fight back, how could they survive in this lawless place? Forget who started first!
Mihawk noticed the commotion, glanced at them, and with a swing of his black sword, the ten bullets returned along the same path, even faster.
Artoria went for a thrust at Mihawk's chest, but stopped in time, noticing the ambush.
The unlucky group saw Mihawk's eyes and the black sword clearly, and each of them was too stunned to speak, "Hawk Hawk Hawk Hawk Hawk..."
All ten collapsed, unable to finish saying his full name before dying.
"Didn't expect these unrelated people to ruin the fun in the end," Mihawk said with a hint of disappointment.
"Is it going to end like this?" Artoria usually fought with Tom, but his combat style was hard to define.
Meeting such a strong and normal opponent was rare, so she felt a little regret at ending quickly.
Mihawk likely thought the same. "Then let's finish it with one last move."
"Alright." Artoria gripped her sword, her skirt armor fluttering without wind, her blade glowing gold.
Mihawk held his sword with both hands, chopping down. A massive slash visible to the naked eye flew from his sword, cutting a several-meter-deep trench into the ground.
"Haah~" Artoria swung her sword downward, golden light gathering into a radiant column around her blade, like a massive golden blade dozens of meters long.
This was not a Noble Phantasm release, just pure magic. With enough magic, it could produce a laser-cannon-like effect.
The two attacks collided, the massive slashes gradually dissipating. The golden column split in two. Just before reaching Artoria's sword tip, the slash vanished completely, leaving two V-shaped trenches in the ground from her strike.
Mihawk slung his black sword back onto his back and looked at Artoria with appreciation. "You're strong, especially with a power that isn't from a Devil Fruit or Haki. I didn't expect such power to exist in this world."
Artoria's skirt armor disappeared. "That's magic. It enhances my combat abilities fully. I'm also very interested in the Haki you mentioned."
Mihawk was surprised; he had suspected, but didn't expect Artoria to truly not understand Haki.
"This is the first time I've seen a strong warrior completely unfamiliar with Haki. Go out to sea. The ocean is vast. Staying in a small tavern will only dull your sword."
"It will happen one day." Artoria glanced at Zhang Da Ye, who had promised to take her around the world to eat. Seeing strong opponents along the way would be fun too.
"I look forward to meeting you at sea one day. I hope you can defeat me with your swordsmanship then." Mihawk prepared to leave, feeling good about having a new opponent.
"Wait." Zhang Da Ye called after him. "Didn't you say you were free earlier?"
"I've enjoyed today enough."
"Well, there's still tomorrow. I want to introduce you to an interesting person." Zhang Da Ye spoke quickly, worried he wouldn't listen. "Daz Bonis, a Paramecia Devil Fruit user. His entire body can transform into blades. He's said to be a nemesis for all swordsmen. Right now, he's in a criminal organization in Alabasta under the codename Mr. 1. You can go meet him if you want.
Don't look at me like that. I do have a grudge against his organization. If you can cut him down, I'd thank you."
Hawk wasn't the type to be used casually as a sword, but if someone interested him, he didn't mind striking.
Just like during the Marineford War, he attacked Whitebeard out of interest, and even struck Luffy a few times.
When Red-Haired Shanks arrived, the navy couldn't stop him. He was someone who acted entirely on his own will.
So Zhang Da Ye told him about Mr.1, hoping it might pique his interest and maybe give Crocodile a bit of trouble.
Mihawk didn't respond but turned to leave, yet didn't get far.
A cat in swordsman attire blocked him.
Swordsman Tom, ready for battle!
[Please give powerstones if you're enjoying the story.
500 stones = 1 extra chapter
patreon.com/GuessMyName33]