thefictionvixens Chapter 8 The Strongest Swordsman vs. The World's Strongest
Chapter 8 The Strongest Swordsman vs. The World's Strongest
Om-!
The massive black sword "Night" on Mihawk's back hummed uncontrollably.
The blade trembled slightly, as if a sleeping beast had caught the scent of prey of equal caliber.
"Jorakoll Mihawk..." Dilt met those sharp eagle eyes.
A pleasant smile slowly curved his lips.
"Long time no see, you've become the world's greatest swordsman! Your sword seems quite excited?"
His voice wasn't loud, but everyone could hear every word clearly.
Zoro's eyes widened. Talking to Mihawk like that? Could he really be him?!
Mihawk stepped onto the deck of the Barradi with steady steps.
Every step he took was on the edge of everyone's nerves.
His voice was deep and magnetic, carrying a sense of indifference as if he looked down upon the world.
"Arbitrator Dilt...it's been many years since we last met."
His gaze swept over Themis at Dilt's waist, finally settling back into Dilt's azure eyes.
"Is your sword old?"
"Old?" Dilt chuckled softly, the sound particularly clear on the dead sea, carrying a hint of... lazy mockery?
"There's no need to mock me like that; I will fight with all my might."
"You probably also know that this is an incredibly boring sea."
"It's such a rare thing to find an opponent that makes even the blade leap with joy."
"You've experienced the loneliness of being at the top for a while, haven't you?"
Hawkeye remained silent, which was taken as tacit agreement.
The conversation between the two was calm and uneventful, yet it made everyone present feel suffocated.
Zoro's muscles were taut, and his teeth were clenched so tightly they were grinding together.
"Are these two going to fight?!"
Anticipation and joy struck his heart like a heavy hammer!
He stared intently at Mihawk, and also at the blond man who excited Mihawk.
An unprecedented sense of dread and longing surged through his blood.
This is the peak he wants to challenge, this is the mountain he must cross!
"Interesting." Dilt's smile widened.
He said something to Luffy.
"We can talk about our business later. How about we come see a show?"
He casually took a step forward, the movement light and unassuming.
However, just as his toes touched the ground...
boom!
Centered on him, the sea surface within a radius of 100 meters suddenly sank, forming a huge bowl-shaped depression!
The violent, dark red arcs of electricity leaped and exploded around him as if they were alive.
The purest and most extreme Conqueror's Haki, mixed with divine majesty, transformed into tangible wind pressure, instantly sweeping across the entire area!
A battle between strong individuals doesn't need many words; it can begin in the blink of an eye.
thump! thump!
Jeanne d'Arc and Luffy were protected by an invisible aura and were unaffected.
The others were different; Zoro and Sanji barely managed to stay upright and not kneel down.
"What kind of aura is this?!" Zoro and Sanji exclaimed in surprise, their eyes almost popping out of their sockets!
This completely overturned their understanding of the strong; what terrifying power this was!
The cook, Arkin, Usopp, Johnny, Joseph, and even Creek, who had just struggled to his feet.
His eyes rolled back, foam came out of his mouth, and he fainted all at once, like wheat being harvested!
Jeanne's face showed surprise; she knew that her Master was a top-tier powerhouse in this world.
But I didn't expect it to be this strong; it's almost on par with a Grand Servant.
Luffy patted his straw hat down: "This is... the one who's going to challenge the Pirate King..."
Mihawk's eyes narrowed, and the black sword Night was slowly drawn, unleashing a terrifying aura that was as solid as a tangible substance!
That wasn't Conqueror's Haki, but a pure and ultimate slash.
The invisible sword energy sliced through the air, emitting a high-frequency hissing sound.
He forcefully carved out a territory of his own amidst Dilt's overwhelming Conqueror's Haki storm!
The air between the two was violently distorted, the light dimmed, and the space itself seemed to groan!
"Wow? Not bad." A flash of admiration crossed Dilt's eyes.
"Looks like I'll be able to relieve some boredom today."
"Equally so. To be able to unleash 'Night' without even drawing your sword, you truly deserve to be called the strongest in the world." Mihawk's voice was firm.
"The strongest in the world? It's just an empty title." Dilt chuckled and reached for Themis at his waist.
"I won't use my Devil Fruit ability in this battle. Otherwise, you'll have absolutely no chance of winning, and that would be too boring."
Hawkeye got into position and focused intently.
"I don't think there's anything arrogant about you saying that... Come on!"
With a slight twist of his wrist, Dilt unsheathed the blade, drawing a perfect arc and accompanied by a sharp whistling sound.
A holy light seemed to appear in the air, which made Joan of Arc put her hands together in prayer.
"It's just for fun, don't take it too seriously, Mihawk."
Mihawk's eyes gleamed, and he said nothing more.
The black sword "Night" vanished suddenly!
next moment.
A pitch-black slash that seemed capable of cleaving through space appeared silently in front of Dilt!
Quick! It surpasses the limits of visual capture!
That was a strike that embodied the essence of the "world's number one" swordsmanship!
Dilt smiled, and without dodging or avoiding, he precisely met the attack with Themis in his hand!
clang--!!!
There was nothing earth-shattering as expected!
There was only one crisp, clear sound, yet it seemed to resonate through the very soul—a metallic clang!
The clash between the white blade and the black knife produced a dazzling flash of light.
Then, something terrifying happened!
Centered on the point where the two blades collided, the space instantly became like fragile glass, covered with a spiderweb.
The violent shockwave spread out silently.
Wherever it passed, it was sliced smoothly, like a hot knife cutting through butter.
Below, a deep, dry crater, tens of meters in diameter, formed on the sea surface. It remained there for several seconds before being filled by the surging, backflowing seawater!
Rumble!!!
The deafening roar finally came, a sound that echoed through the air and crashing against the waves.
Zoro gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.
His body swayed violently in the aftershocks, and he almost lost his balance.
His eyes were filled with extreme shock, fervor, and a hint of bewilderment.
This... is the battle at the pinnacle of the world?!
There are no fancy moves, just the most basic clash of swords.
This alone caused the terrifying scene of space breaking apart and the sea sinking!
This was completely beyond his imagination of "strength".
His prized three-sword style was like child's play in front of these two...
"Did you see that, Zoro?" Luffy pressed down on his straw hat, but his eyes shone with an astonishing light.
He shouted excitedly, "This is a true powerhouse! Super—amazing!"
Zoro yelled in disbelief, "Hey Luffy! What's that blond guy's name?!"
Luffy chuckled, "It's Dilt! Arbitrator Dilt! He seems to be here to see me."
Zoro felt a weight lifted from his heart: "It really was that person, the Arbitrator."
Few people know that the name "arbitration" actually comes from the "sword of arbitration."
The center was filled with smoke, dust, and water vapor.
Dieter held the knife in the same position, seemingly unperturbed.
Mihawk also stood there, sword in hand, the black blade "Night" still dark and deep.
But his eyes burned with intense excitement, the kind of excitement that comes from meeting a worthy opponent!
"Warm-up complete?" Dilt raised an eyebrow, swinging his sword with his right hand to create a strong gust of wind.
"Looks like you're worth me taking a little more seriously."
Mihawk took a deep breath.
He held the black blade horizontally in front of him, his aura rising once more, the sharp sword intent almost piercing the sky.
"I couldn't ask for more!"
Just as the two were about to start fighting again, Sanji shouted!
"Feed you two! If you keep fighting, this floating restaurant will sink!"
As soon as they finished speaking, the two of them slowly sheathed their swords.
"It seems like there won't be a winner today."
"It's alright."
Dieter laughed and said, "How about we grab a drink?"
Just as Hawkeye was about to reply, Zoro gripped his twin swords tightly.
"Jolakl Mihawk!"
This roar completely awakened the body that had just been trembling from the Conqueror's Haki.
"I challenge you!"