Chapter 32 The Weighing of HawkeyeLuffy was about to say something more when his words abruptly stopped.
Without warning, without a sound.
On the eastern sea, above the fleeing remnants of Krieg's forces, the atmosphere suddenly froze.
Luffy's entire attention was focused on the eastern sea.
There, a small, black, coffin-like boat was gliding silently across the water at an abnormal speed, entering this sea area that had just witnessed a bloody battle.
A tall figure on the boat, with his back to the others, wearing a black top hat with white velvet trim and a burgundy shirt, sat casually at the bow, as if merely passing by.
An exaggeratedly long black cross-shaped sword rested quietly against the gunwale.
The world's greatest swordsman, Dracule Mihawk.
Mhawk didn't release any Haki, didn't deliberately flaunt his presence, but simply sitting there made the weight of this sea seem to increase several times over.
Luffy's casual expression vanished instantly. He pulled the three women behind him and growled, "Into the cabin! Now!"
"Coming...coming..." On Krieg's flagship, Krieg slumped on the wrecked deck, his lips trembling.
Krieg struggled, trying to grab the gas bomb switch lying nearby—his last resort, a means of mutual destruction.
Hawkeye seemed oblivious to Krieg.
Just as the small boat was about to pass by Krieg's flagship, Hawkeye turned his head, his golden pupils sweeping over the dilapidated flagship and the so-called admiral aboard, looking like a lump of mud.
Then Hawkeye extended his right hand and grasped the hilt of the black sword, Yoru, leaning against the side of the ship.
Without any preparation, he casually held the massive black sword in one hand and lightly swung it horizontally towards Krieg's flagship.
The movement was as casual as brushing dust off a sleeve.
*Swoosh—!*
A condensed, exquisitely fine emerald-green line extended from the tip of the blade, silently slicing through the air, the flagship's mainmast, and the sea behind it.
Where the line passed, everything was smoothly severed, the cut as smooth as a mirror, without even a loud sound.
Until Hawkeye sheathed his black sword and turned his gaze back forward, as if nothing had happened.
One second, two seconds.
Boom—!!!
The flagship's superstructure, grazed by the emerald-green line, slowly tilted and slid down along the smooth cut, crashing onto the lower deck!
A casual swing, a ship-slicing feat!
This was power far beyond the comprehension of the East Blue!
It was the perfect fusion of skill and strength, a display of effortless mastery!
Zoro's pupils shrank to pinpoints, his blood seemed to rush to his head, then instantly turned cold.
He stared intently at the smooth, mirror-like cut, at the indifferent figure on the small boat, his teeth almost grinding to powder.
The gap… this was the pinnacle he had pursued his entire life!
This was the weight of the world's number one!
Before this strike, his previous obsession and pride seemed so laughable and insignificant!
But it was precisely this despairing gap that ignited an even more stubborn flame deep within Zoro's heart!
Zeff slowly exhaled a breath of rusty air, whispering, "This is… the swordsman standing at the pinnacle of the world…"
Sanji's throat was dry, unable to utter a single word.
Just as everyone, including Zoro and Zeff, was still reeling from the shocking sword strike, the black boat carrying Hawkeye seemed to shift its course by a tiny angle.
Hawkeye could have simply passed it and continued on to wherever he wanted.
But now, the small boat was slowly approaching the Baratie, or more precisely, the Going Merry, anchored not far from it, bearing the striking ram's head.
The boat's speed remained slow, but with each passing minute, the invisible pressure intensified.
Those still standing on the Baratie felt breathless, their hearts pounding.
Finally, the black boat stopped about a hundred meters from the Going Merry.
Hawkeye slowly stood up and turned towards the Going Merry.
He finally faced everyone directly, his gaze instantly traversing the hundred-meter distance to land precisely on the black-haired boy wearing a straw hat at the bow of the Going Merry.
Their eyes met.
Luffy's expression was calm, devoid of fear, provocation, or feigned respect.
It was a calm born of heightened vigilance, like a hunter caught in the jaws of a tiger in the jungle—knowing he was outmatched, yet unwilling to surrender.
Hawkeye's gaze lingered on the slightly worn straw hat for a few seconds.
"Straw hat, Shanks' straw hat."
Hawkeye wasn't asking, but confirming.
Luffy didn't answer, but merely adjusted his stance slightly, his muscles tense, his Observation Haki fully activated, locking onto Hawkeye's figure a hundred meters away.
"Interesting." Hawkeye observed Luffy's fully alert posture and slowly gripped the hilt of his black sword again.
This simple action sent Zeff, Sanji, and Zoro's hearts leaping into their throats!
Hawkeye is going to make a move? Against that Straw Hat kid?
Hawkeye's voice remained calm: "The one Shanks chose, let me see what you're made of."
The instant his words fell, he moved.
Hawkeye held his black sword, Night, level, and thrust it straight towards the bow of the Going Merry.
There was no flashing blade energy, no special effects.
But the instant he thrust, Luffy's Observation Haki flashed a warning!
Luffy sensed a concentrated thrust that had already crossed a hundred meters and locked onto his brow!
A flying slash! Its penetrating power was enough to pierce steel!
Unavoidable!
Luffy's pupils contracted sharply, and in the nick of time, he reacted instinctively.
He crossed his arms and swiftly blocked in front of him, his forearms instantly covered in dense, solid black Armament Haki, while his chest muscles tensed, and Armament Haki spread inward for defense!
Almost the instant he completed his defensive stance—
Clang—!!!
A deafening, ear-piercing clang of metal clashing exploded!
Luffy felt as if his arms had been struck head-on by an invisible battering sledge!
An unimaginable force, accompanied by an indestructible sharpness, pierced through his body!
He grunted, his feet carving two deep furrows in the deck as he was thrown backward, his back slamming heavily against the Going Merry's sturdy mainmast with a dull thud, causing the mast to tremble violently!
Luffy crossed his arms in defense, and a clear white dot appeared on the solid Armament Haki covering them.
At the center of the white dot, the fabric of the arm guards was torn by an invisible sharp force, and a burning pain shot through the skin beneath; a small gash had been opened, and blood was seeping out!
Just a horizontal thrust from a hundred meters away! It had knocked Luffy, covered in Armament Haki, back and left him with a minor injury!!