"Mihawk's making a move?"
"That solitary swordsman is actually stepping in himself… His strength is terrifying."
Kizaru stood up, his expression one of shock as he looked toward the battlefield.
On the ice, Mihawk's gaze was razor sharp.
Brilliant green sword light illuminated the faces of everyone nearby.
Vincent glanced at the spot where he had been standing just moments ago.
The ice had shattered, a torrent of emerald light erupting upward like a volcanic explosion.
Recalling the chilling warning from his danger sense, cold sweat ran down Vincent's back.
If that strike had landed, he would have been injured for sure.
"Quick reaction."
Seeing Vincent dodge at the last instant, Dracule Mihawk's voice was cold.
He knew that strike had been a sneak attack,
yet this pirate had reacted beforehand, emerging completely unscathed.
"Observation Haki?"
The same question that had crossed the minds of Vincent's other opponents flashed through Mihawk's thoughts.
"Then let's see if you can move faster than my blade."
Mihawk's gaze turned colder as he gripped the Black Blade Yoru with both hands and swung with force.
Shing!
A blade of cyan light shot forth, radiating killing intent.
The very air split under its force. Even the clouds above seemed on the verge of being cleaved in two as the slash hurtled toward Vincent.
"What a vicious attack!"
Vincent's eyes narrowed, but he had already moved before the strike could reach him.
In a burst of movement, he avoided the attack once again.
"Again!"
With a low growl, Mihawk sent another slash ripping through the air.
"This is too passive… I can't keep this up." Vincent murmured as he dodged. "I need to turn defense into offense."
With that thought, he suddenly lunged directly into the path of the incoming slash.
"Hmph, looking to die?"
Mihawk assumed the man had lost his mind.
He was the world's greatest swordsman. His weapon one of the twelve Supreme Grade swords, the Black Blade Yoru was unmatched in power.
No one could meet his strike head-on.
Seeing Vincent charge straight into it, Mihawk's golden eyes narrowed with scorn.
But in the next instant, his posture shifted.
The image of Vincent being cleaved in two never came.
Instead, Vincent twisted his body at the last moment, stepping sideways in a razor-thin movement that slipped past the slash entirely.
"Such precise body control…" Mihawk's gaze grew heavier.
That speed, followed by such a narrow dodge most couldn't pull off such a maneuver. But Vincent had done it.
Mihawk sighed inwardly. He would have to reevaluate this opponent.
With both hands on his sword, he locked eyes on Vincent.
"Whitebeard Pirates."
Mihawk liked to name his opponents before a fight, but…
This man had never told him his name, so he had no choice but to use the crew's name instead.
"Dracule Mihawk."
Vincent narrowed his eyes, meeting Mihawk's stare.
Those hawk-like eyes carried a crushing presence.
It was his unique ability Hawk's Vision the essence of how Mihawk could stand against any opponent in the world.
Now within striking distance, Vincent didn't waste time on pleasantries. He went straight for the attack.
"Serious Punch!"
With a single step forward, Vincent's fist rocketed toward Mihawk with devastating force.
Mihawk's golden eyes contracted, his blade sweeping into a defensive guard.
Clang!
Yoru shuddered violently from the impact.
Using the momentum of Vincent's punch, Mihawk tried to push away and widen the gap.
"Not so fast."
Vincent's grin was sharp as he surged forward, refusing to let the distance open.
Mihawk read the movement and shifted tactics.
Gripping his sword tightly, he swung hard choosing offense as the best defense.
Shing!
Vincent rolled aside once more, the slash tearing into the ice behind him, sending shards flying.
"Such destructive power… No wonder they call you the strongest Warlord."
Still, despite Mihawk's relentless attacks, none had found their mark.
Vincent closed in again, forcing Mihawk to swing in a simple, unadorned cut no grand sword light, just pure technique.
In that instant, Vincent's instincts screamed danger. He leapt back.
The black blade struck the ice with unstoppable force.
Crack!
The surface split apart.
Mihawk's eyes locked onto Vincent again. Another slash came down.
Vincent sidestepped and drove his right fist into the side of the blade, knocking it off course.
"What power…"
Mihawk felt his hands go numb from the blow, though he still held his sword firmly.
Vincent pressed forward, forcing him to block once more.
Clang!
The metal rang again as Yoru trembled in Mihawk's hands.
His teeth clenched, disbelief flickering in his gaze.
He had fought countless enemies in his life even the Emperor, Red-Haired Shanks but none had pressed him like this.
"Not a Devil Fruit user… and not Haki either."
Mihawk's Hawk's Vision told him Vincent's abilities were unlike anyone else's.
"But this monstrous strength…"
A thought took shape in Mihawk's mind.
"Are you… a Giant?"
"Hah?"
Vincent almost laughed. Do I look like a giant to you?
The clash resumed.
Mihawk quickly adapted, using Yoru's unique flexibility. Not only could it unleash powerful long-range slashes, it could also absorb the force of Vincent's punches, blunting their impact.
The fight shook the ice, cracks spreading in every direction.
But neither man could gain the upper hand.
Mihawk's slashes were sensed and avoided.
Vincent's Serious Punches were absorbed and deflected.
They were evenly matched.
"Kid, let me have a go!"
A loud, rough voice rang out from behind.
Vista the Flower Sword two thin mustaches, twin western blades in hand.
A swordsman of exceptional skill, one of the strongest in the New World.
"The legendary world's greatest swordsman… As a fellow swordsman, how could I not want to cross blades with you?"
Vista's smile was calm as he stepped in front of Vincent.
"Vista, Fifth Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates."
Mihawk raised his sword once more, facing this new challenger.
"Dracule Mihawk."
----------------------------------------------------
The deeper he goes, the more the truth unravels. Don't wait read ahead and witness Vincent's rise before the world catches up!
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