Bahr's figure darted swiftly through the gaps in the battlefield. The ripples of Space Warp had barely dissipated when a sharp whistling sound tore through the air behind him.
Without turning his head, he swung his sword backward. Autumn Water screeched against the air as it precisely cleaved the relentless Flying Slash pursuing him.
"Clang—"
Sparks erupted from the blade, sending a numbing shock through his grip. Using the recoil, Bahr vaulted over a pile of broken timber and cursed under his breath upon landing, "This lunatic!"
No sooner had he dodged the slash from the Marine Rear Admiral than a silver arc of light flashed toward him from the side.
Twisting his body, he spun and slashed, splitting the attack in two. The resulting Airwave sent nearby brawling soldiers flying. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the black-hatted figure standing atop a roof not far away. Those hawk-like eyes remained locked onto him, like a solitary eagle fixated on its sole prey in the hunting grounds.
"Enough already!" Bahr's temper flared. He abruptly turned and raised his sword, spinning Autumn Water in his palm. The blade trembled with a dragon-like hum. "You're pushing your luck!"
Gathering his strength, he swung fiercely. A pitch-black slash tore through the smoke, carrying enough force to split a warship as it hurtled toward Mihawk.
Mihawk's eyes narrowed slightly. With a slight lift of his hand gripping the hilt of Black Sword Night, the massive black blade—taller than a man—merely tilted its back at an angle, yet it struck the center of the dark slash with perfect precision.
"Hummm—"
Black Sword Night emitted a deep, resonant hum, the blade bending into a dangerous curve. The tiles beneath Mihawk's feet shattered inch by inch. Suddenly, he sank his stance and exerted force, abruptly raising the black blade. With sheer strength, he deflected the powerful slash, sending it crashing into a distant cliff wall, where it exploded into a cloud of dust.
"Now that's more like it." Mihawk gripped the vibrating black blade, his hawk-like eyes gleaming brighter. "This is the level you should be at."
"Are you out of your damn mind?" Bahr's face darkened as if it could drip with fury. "There are so many strong fighters on this battlefield—why the hell are you fixated on me?"
"Strong fighters?" Mihawk glanced around at the chaotic melee, his eyes filled with undisguised disdain. "Those are nothing more than sword-wielding minnows."
He raised his hand, pointing at Bahr with the cold glint of Black Sword Night's tip. "Anyone who can withstand three of my slashes should carry the dignity of a swordsman."
"Dignity my ass!" Bahr spat, tapping the scabbard against his lower back. "I learned the sword because it looked cool—never had any intention of being some damn swordsman!"
The dignity of a swordsman? Could it put food on the table? Could it make beautiful women throw themselves at him? He had no patience for outdated notions like "a swordsman's shame lies in scars on his back." If anything, he saw the marks on his back as badges of honor—proof of his manhood.
Mihawk's brow furrowed deeper, amber pupils burning with anger. "Disrespecting the sword is disrespecting yourself."
Before the words had fully left his mouth, he had already blurred into an afterimage, charging forward. Black Sword Night descended with a force capable of splitting heaven and earth. "Today, I'll make you understand the weight of a sword!"
"The weight of a sword? Screw that!"
The words stoked Bahr's rage to a boiling point. A surge of pitch-black Haki erupted from his palm, spreading along Autumn Water's edge. The originally silver blade instantly took on a dark purple sheen, the very air trembling under its oppressive aura.
He no longer dodged. With a forceful stomp that shattered the stone beneath his feet, his figure shot forward like an arrow loosed from its bow, charging straight at Mihawk. The Black Sword Autumn Water carved a vicious arc overhead, cleaving through the air with a force that seemed capable of tearing everything asunder as it descended upon Black Sword Night.
"CLANG—!"
The collision of the two legendary blades produced a deafening roar, generating a visible Impact Wave that sent surrounding debris and dust scattering in all directions.
Bahr felt an immense force transmit through his blade, instantly numbing half his arm. His feet were pushed back half a foot across the stone, yet he gritted his teeth and refused to retreat even a single step.
This was the weight of the world's greatest swordsman.
A flicker of surprise crossed Mihawk's eyes as his grip on Black Sword Night sank slightly. The power condensed within his opponent's blade was unexpectedly refined—that overwhelming force was nothing like what a half-baked swordsman who "only cared about looking cool" could muster.
He promptly increased the pressure. Black Sword Night emitted a deeper, more resonant hum as the blade pressed lower, as though intending to snap Autumn Water in half.
"Now we're talking." Mihawk's voice carried a trace of barely perceptible approval, his amber pupils burning with heightened battle intent. "Show me everything you've got. No more dodging like a coward!"
Bahr laughed in fury, his other hand slamming onto the hilt as his dark purple Haki surged violently once more. Sparks erupted where the blades ground against each other. "I've had enough of your shit! Today, I'll show you—piss me off, and even the world's greatest swordsman will eat dirt!"
Before the words had fully left his mouth, Bahr twisted his body, channeling his strength. Autumn Water coiled around Black Sword Night like a viper before abruptly pressing downward with the force of his rotation, the edges screeching against each other.
This was the precise, skillful application of strength he'd learned from Golden Lion—concentrating his entire body's power into the blade's edge. Though the motion appeared light, it concealed the force of a thousand jun.
Mihawk's gaze sharpened. With a flick of his wrist, Black Sword Night lifted along the momentum, its edge firmly intercepting Autumn Water as he stepped half a pace forward, standing as steady as a rooted boulder.
In the blink of an eye, Bahr altered his stance. Autumn Water suddenly twisted, skimming along the curve of Black Sword Night in a diagonal slash aimed straight for Mihawk's throat.
"Well struck!" Mihawk barked. Black Sword Night shot back like a meteor, its blade clashing against Autumn Water with a resounding "CLANG!" The opposing forces detonated, the resulting Airwave flinging the surrounding dust into the air.
Instead of retreating, Mihawk advanced. Black Sword Night carved a full-moon arc, its gleaming silver edge splitting the air with a piercing shriek, unstoppable as a tidal wave.
Bahr countered move for move. Autumn Water slashed horizontally one moment, then thrust straight forward the next—each strike carried a desperate ferocity, leaving himself no room for retreat.
Their figures weaved through the smoke, blades interlacing into a dense net of light. The clashing sounds resembled a torrential downpour upon tiles, vibrating to the point of making eardrums tremble.
The longer they fought, the more Mihawk's surprise grew. This man's swordsmanship appeared to lack formal structure, yet his method of exerting force was remarkably ingenious. That power—controlled yet unleashed at will—made him feel as though he'd finally encountered a worthy opponent. A spark of excitement kindled in his chest.
With a sudden upward flick, Mihawk sent Black Sword Night cleaving through the air with enough force to seemingly rend the heavens. Where the blade passed, even the scattered sparks were split in two.
Bahr crossed his blade before his chest. The moment the edges collided, his feet plowed deep furrows into the stone, yet he didn't yield an inch. Teeth clenched, he used the momentum to spin and leap, Autumn Water carving a pitch-black arc of light as it crashed once more into Mihawk's onslaught.
"CLANG—!"
After the deafening clash, both men retreated three steps. Bahr's arm still tingled with numbness, yet he straightened his back proudly. Mihawk's hat tilted askew, his amber eyes burning with fierce intensity.
"Now this is swordsmanship!" His voice carried a trace of excitement as Black Sword Night trembled slightly in his grip. "Continue! Let me see how far you can go!"
Bahr grinned, spinning Autumn Water deftly in his palm, its blade wind still razor-sharp. "You think I'm afraid? Today I'll show you the true extent of my skills!"
Before the words faded, their figures clashed again.
Blade glints and sword shadows churned up chaotic airwaves at the battlefield's center. Soldiers in the distance froze under the overwhelming sword pressure, instinctively halting their movements to stare blankly at the smoke torn asunder by flashing steel.
"Clang—!"
The crisp ring of colliding blades exploded over the battlefield as Bahr and Mihawk were forced back several paces. The shattered stones beneath their feet scattered wildly, carving shallow, chaotic marks across the ground.
Bahr leaned on his knees, panting heavily. A long gash split the sleeve of his left arm, blood droplets trailing down his forearm...