Mihawk and Diamante held their swords, their expressions grim. Their eyes were locked on each other, the chaos of the world around them seemingly fading into irrelevance.
The other Warlords watched the duel with curiosity. They, too, wanted to gauge the power gap between them. No one was content to fall behind another; even among pirates, the competition was fierce.
Mihawk held his Black Blade, Yoru, with both hands, waiting for Diamante to attack.
"Come," Mihawk said, his eyes fixed on Diamante, giving him the signal to begin.
An astonishing fighting spirit and sword intent erupted from Diamante's eyes. He gripped his rapier, now coated in Armament Haki, and charged toward Mihawk.
"Let the curtain fall! A burial under the moonlit night... Lunar Requiem!"
Mihawk was completely unfazed by Diamante's aura. His eyes remained as sharp and cold as ever, showing no trace of fear. A dangerous smile played on his lips; it seemed he was quite satisfied with Diamante's spirit.
Mihawk moved. He didn't retreat, nor did he wait. He accelerated, rushing to meet Diamante head-on.
The two men collided like two raging torrents, creating a cataclysmic impact.
BOOM!
The shockwave from their clash sent dust and debris flying in all directions. Their first exchange ended in a stalemate, and they immediately prepared for the next.
Within the swirling dust, they engaged in a perilous exchange of blows. But the situation was not looking good for Diamante. He had already used his strongest move, and Mihawk had blocked it with ease. He had no other choice but to grit his teeth and persevere.
Mihawk had effortlessly parried Diamante's Lunar Requiem with a casual swing of Yoru. The Black Blade let out a soft hum, as if pleased by the attack. Mihawk, too, was satisfied. In that case, he would do his opponent the honor of sending him off with the world's strongest black blade.
Having made his decision, Mihawk's movements grew sharper, putting immense pressure on Diamante. A single, ordinary-looking swing carried with it an intense sword aura that made the other Warlords watching from afar jump in their skins.
They hadn't expected Mihawk to be this powerful. It was true that a great reputation was not built on empty talk, but on real, hard-fought battles. It wasn't about luck; in this world, strength was everything.
So strong... but I won't give up so easily. How can I bring shame to Doffy?
Under Mihawk's fierce assault, Diamante began to show signs of fatigue, struggling to keep up. But he continued to hold on. He knew that if he survived this, he would grow immensely.
Moreover, as a member of the Donquixote Pirates, he absolutely could not let the enemy look down on them. He could die, but the honor of the Donquixote family would not be trampled upon. For the sake of his convictions, Diamante could not retreat.
CLANG!
A casual but earnest strike from Mihawk met a desperate, full-power blow from Diamante. The two clashed again, the clear ring of their blades asserting their presence on the war-torn island and drawing the attention of many.
"Ooooh, how terrifying! The attacks of two master swordsmen," Kizaru remarked, his attention drawn to the duel. His companion, Aokiji, didn't believe a word of it. He knew that Kizaru himself was a master swordsman.
He's probably just saying that because his own hands are getting itchy, Aokiji thought to himself.
But that wasn't what Kizaru was thinking at all. He was genuinely marveling at their strength. As for his hands being itchy? That was completely out of the question. Why would he want to fight when he could just lie back and relax? It was too much effort.
Who understands me? Does anyone? No, not a single person! Kizaru sighed internally. He just wanted to slack off, to be a lazy bum.
Passion, zeal... those things had nothing to do with him.
The commotion from Mihawk and Diamante's fight also drew the attention of the other Donquixote family members. They watched Diamante with worry, for they could already see from his attacks that he was outmatched.
The enemy is strong, the thought surfaced in each of their minds. This is a tough fight.
But they were ready to die. They were fearless.
"Again, Mihawk!"
Diamante was once again knocked back by Mihawk's slash. The web of his hand was split open and bleeding, and his body had been grazed by Mihawk's sword aura, leaving a trail of blood at the corner of his mouth.
He paid no mind to his injuries, showed no fear, and charged at Mihawk with the reckless abandon of a man who had accepted death.
A true warrior charges forward without hesitation.
Mihawk watched Diamante with satisfaction. His enemy's will had moved him slightly, but that was no reason to go easy on him. For a swordsman like this, holding back would be the greatest insult. He couldn't do it; his pride wouldn't allow it.
The two clashed again. Mihawk's attacks were simple, with no flashy moves. Every strike was a basic swing, but every swing was a finishing blow. A single mistake, and Diamante would be cut down.
Diamante's eyes were bloodshot, his hair disheveled, but his mind was remarkably calm. The sword in his hand moved with increasing speed.
"Very good," Mihawk noted internally, pleased by his opponent's change. He was glad to see that his opponent was capable of breaking through his limits.
"As expected, you're strong, Mihawk!" Diamante used the force of Mihawk's slash to retreat, finding a relatively safe spot to land. He held his sword and calmly faced his opponent, his words filled with genuine praise.
Mihawk didn't let Diamante's words stop his attack. He hefted his Black Blade and flew toward Diamante once more.
It's clear that in pure swordsmanship, I'm still far behind. I've lost this duel of swords. But this battle... I cannot lose.
Diamante watched the approaching Mihawk, the fighting spirit in his eyes blazing. This was their chance to announce the existence of the Donquixote Pirates to the world. He couldn't let his failure affect everyone's morale.
"Army Banner: Thousand Slashes!"
Diamante decisively activated his Devil Fruit ability. The ground around him became as light and pliable as cloth, and he sent it slashing toward Mihawk.
"The Float-Float Fruit? No, that's not it."
The Marines watching the battle were startled by Diamante's ability. They saw the very ground obey his command, much like the Golden Lion Shiki's Lion's Threat. The power was immense.
Aokiji and Kizaru, who had witnessed the power of the older generation of pirates, were very familiar with the Golden Lion's techniques. He had been a terrifying opponent, and they certainly didn't want a god-tier fruit like the Float-Float Fruit to fall into enemy hands.
Although Diamante's technique lacked the overbearing and sharp edge of the Golden Lion's, he had completely abandoned his previous opportunistic use of the Flutter-Flutter Fruit. He no longer carried around random weapons to use with his ability as he had in the source material.
He had taken Doflamingo's advice to heart and was now walking the path of the great Golden Lion, bringing glory to the old generation.
Rip!
Mihawk's sword was still merciless. Diamante's attack looked fierce, but it wasn't enough. If this was all his opponent had, he would be sorely disappointed.
"It's not over yet, Mihawk! Army Banner: Crescent Mausoleum!"
Diamante swung his sword, and the land under his control was instantly coated in Armament Haki, increasing its hardness. It once again closed in on Mihawk.
Mihawk was perfectly calm, his hawk-like eyes cold and indifferent.
'A single, serious slash.'
Mihawk swung his Black Blade in a wide circle. A powerful slash, like a raging flood, spread out and completely annihilated Diamante's attack.
Taking advantage of the moment Mihawk was shattering the terrain, Diamante didn't remain idle. He flew forward, his own longsword moving in a strange, unpredictable way. It became soft and pliable, yet it remained completely undamaged by Mihawk's slash.
Having activated his fruit, Diamante was now at full power. Although his attack power hadn't increased, his methods had become much more varied. The Devil Fruit had given him a more flexible and unpredictable sword style.
If Mihawk was a disciple of the school that believed in "one sword to break all techniques," then Diamante was a disciple of the school of flexible and ever-changing swordplay.
Both had their own beliefs. No one could say whose path was wrong. Only the one who reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship would be proven right.
"Serpent's Strike!"
Diamante's sword moved like a slick, unpredictable snake. The blade wrapped around Mihawk's Black Blade, while the tip, never idle, thrust toward Mihawk himself.
Yoru was Mihawk's partner; he had no intention of abandoning it. Even though it was entangled and he himself was in a precarious situation, he didn't panic. With one hand still gripping Yoru, he quickly coated his free hand in Armament Haki and blocked the thrust of Diamante's blade. At the same time, he kicked out, trying to force Diamante back.
His attack thwarted, Diamante had no choice but to meet Mihawk's kick with his own and quickly retreat.
Their battle was intense. Enel and Doflamingo, who were rushing back to Puerco, had been watching from the sky for some time. Seeing Diamante's growth, they were both very pleased.
The great Donquixote Pirates couldn't just have the two of them as their top fighters. It was time for new people to step up.
They were in no hurry to reveal themselves. With their exceptional Observation Haki, they remained hidden high in the sky, undetected by the enemy. They watched the battle of the Donquixote family with great interest, wanting to see how much power they could unleash without their two strongest members present.
Back on the battlefield, the fight between Mihawk and Diamante had reached a stalemate. Although Diamante was no match for Mihawk, with the help of his Devil Fruit, he was able to hold him off for a while. For the moment, Mihawk had no easy way to defeat him.
While they were fighting, Vice Admiral Doberman, having received permission from the two admirals, marched up to the Warlords and began to issue orders.
"Bartholomew Kuma, Crocodile, Boa Hancock, Gecko Moria! This is not a place for you to watch a show! If you don't act now, are you trying to defy the orders of the World Government?" Vice Admiral Doberman was brave, completely ignoring the Warlords' attitudes.
"Desert Spada!"
Crocodile had no intention of humoring the Marines. With his high opinion of himself, he wasn't in the habit of taking orders from others. A mere Vice Admiral? He didn't give a damn. He wouldn't be ordered around.
"Crocodile, you—" Vice Admiral Doberman quickly drew his sword and blocked Crocodile's attack, his face livid with anger.
"I have no interest in your lectures. What I do is none of your business," Crocodile said, not giving Doberman an inch of courtesy.
"Kishishishi, is this the Navy?" Gecko Moria jeered.
"What a bunch of filthy creatures. The Marines and these pirates alike," the Empress said, showing no regard for either side's feelings, her words dripping with contempt for both parties.
As the most beautiful woman in the world and the user of the Love-Love Fruit, Hancock had the confidence to say whatever she wanted. Her beauty and her fruit's power were so great that anyone without an iron will could easily fall under her influence.
Kuma also had his pride. An admiral was one thing, but a mere Vice Admiral? Forget it. Though he didn't act, his inaction was a gesture of respect to the Marines.
"Damn pirates! A dog can't change its ways!" the Marines roared, furious at the display.
"Well, well. Are they about to start fighting amongst themselves?" Enel quipped from his position beside Doflamingo.
"Maybe. Who knows?"