"What a troublesome rookie."
Rayleigh sipped his drink quietly. Never saw this coming.
But as a swordsman and a veteran—how could he refuse a challenge?
Rayleigh set down the bottle. His weathered gaze locked onto those razor-sharp hawk eyes.
BZZZZT—!!!
CRACK CRACK CRACK!!!
His stare turned lethal. Black-red lightning erupted like a thunderstorm, the scruffy blonde man at its center. The shockwave exploded outward in a frenzy.
The pressure was so intense even Mihawk's pupils contracted. His expression turned grave instantly.
This will matched Aus's—no, it surpassed it slightly. Domineering intent flooded the area!
Except for Shakky, everyone within a hundred meters collapsed. Eyes rolled back. Mouths gaping. Unconscious before they hit the ground.
The Dark King Rayleigh's Conqueror's Haki at its peak!
True world-class power. The strength of an old master.
Naturally, Mihawk wasn't fazed by mere Conqueror's Haki. He had it too.
"The World's Greatest Swordsman doesn't lower his blade for anyone's aura!!!"
CRACK CRACK CRACK...
Black-red lightning kept exploding!
Two generations.
Roger's right hand versus Aus's right hand. Battle intent clashed between them. Their Conqueror's Haki tore the earth apart. People a thousand meters away could see it.
"What is that..."
The guards of Sabaody Archipelago stared slack-jawed at the sky. Lightning bolts pierced the heavens.
Dark clouds gathered. Like the apocalypse.
"This level of aura clash—are you kidding me? This is the Black Emperor's territory!!!"
"Who would dare..."
"What's happening?!! Is the world ending???"
On every street corner, people dropped what they were doing. Mouths hanging open. Eyes locked on the sky.
Sami, as head manager, was naturally first to get the inside scoop.
Which gave her a massive headache.
"Rayleigh-san and Mihawk-san are dueling? What am I supposed to do with them..."
"At least don't wreck Sabaody Archipelago!!!"
She wasn't alone in that thought.
Shakky's Rip-off Bar.
Watching the two imposing figures, Shakky's expression turned grim and ugly.
She'd had enough. Her fist slammed the table.
"Hey!!! You two! If you're gonna fight, don't do it on this island!!!"
Rayleigh: ...
Mihawk: ...
Shakky's interruption stunned them both. Their terrifying auras gradually subsided.
The black-red lightning dancing through the air slowly faded.
"You two... look what you've done to my bar!"
Faced with Shakky's sharp-tongued interrogation, Rayleigh broke into a cold sweat and forced a bitter smile. Then he looked at Mihawk.
The young hawk was speechless. Helplessly, he deployed his signature move:
"Bill Aus. He'll pay you double."
Mihawk was twenty-four. Solidly young.
But his strength had already reached the Admiral threshold, carried by powerful swordsmanship and Haki.
But the Dark King Rayleigh had been Emperor-class for ages. His combat experience was bottomless.
Their fight? No telling how long it'd last.
WHOOSH—
A massive emerald sword slash erupted, cleaving the earth clean in half.
Mountain-splitting. Stone-shattering. Even towering peaks would slice like tofu before it. Unstoppable sharpness!
But through the dust of shattered terrain and split mountains, a powerful figure in a white cloak emerged unaffected. Swaying casually.
The strong of the seas always made their entrance with that unhurried swagger.
Hand on his hilt, Rayleigh approached Mihawk step by step. Each footfall crisp and forceful. His gaze locked forward, expression grave. Black-red arcs crackled around him.
"I figured a swordsman like you would challenge me eventually. Just didn't think it'd be this soon."
Mihawk's eyes narrowed slightly, watching this legendary swordsman. His hand trembled with excitement.
Not fear.
The thrill of crossing blades with a powerful swordsman.
"Dark King Rayleigh..."
Night slowly opened its eyes. Battle intent surged. Clearly thinking the same thing.
"If you're ready, then come..."
Rayleigh's cold stare met Mihawk's sharp eyes. He slowly drew his blade. Dense Conqueror's Haki coiled around it like radiant light.
He pointed it skyward.
Instantly, terrifying lightning reappeared. It reminded Mihawk of fighting Aus.
The scene before him was even more intense.
"Hey, Aus's hawkeye brat. Might be overstepping, but I did guide Aus's training once.
Guess I can guide your swordsmanship today too."
Facing such an opponent—
Just like Aus before him, Mihawk displayed overwhelming battle intent.
He gripped the black blade tight. Mihawk held it horizontally before him. His own Conqueror's Haki exploded outward. His presence didn't yield an inch.
Are you kidding?
Just the Pirate King's right hand? He was going to become the World's Greatest Swordsman!!!
The future World's Strongest Man's right hand! The World King's vice-captain!!!
Conqueror's Haki coiled around the black blade Night. He slowly raised it overhead. His noble figure sank slightly.
A thread of intent locked onto Rayleigh. Like a world-class predator.
A lethal downward slash!!!
BZZZZT... CRACK—
Black-red lightning wrapped around it. Sharper than before. The slash shot straight toward Rayleigh.
Rayleigh struck back fearlessly. Both blades were so sharp, their techniques so domineering, that after a brief clash of Conqueror's Haki in midair, they made direct contact.
The clang of metal rang out at the center of their battlefield!
This strike—evenly matched?
In the sky above, a Conqueror's Haki-resistant Seagull King raised by Morgans held a camera, snapping away.
Keep the profits in the family. A scoop like this belonged to the News King.
Though outmatched in Conqueror's Haki—even suppressed—Hawkeye was still Hawkeye. His spirit and swordsmanship would never lose.
Under immense pressure, he kept breaking through his limits.
Rayleigh's blade, wrapped in supreme Haki, couldn't truly force Mihawk back. Both held their blades, locked in contest.
Of course, during this, wounds kept appearing across Mihawk's body. But a swordsman's pride wouldn't let him retreat or flee.
He craved this pressure.
"Dark King Rayleigh! Come at me with the intent to kill!!!"
Rayleigh's response was only a more domineering slash.
"I've always been serious, boy."
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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