Seeing Mihawk shift his hand ever so slightly toward his sword, Don immediately changed the subject.
"Is my swordsmanship that obvious?"
Naturally, he was asking Rayleigh.
"Not really. Most people wouldn't even notice."
Rayleigh shook his head.
Compared to Don's monstrous physique and overwhelming Haki, his swordsmanship was the weaker side—but only when compared to monsters like him.
"Honestly, if your physical strength is this absurd, and your Observation Haki is keen enough, as long as you learn to hold back a little when you strike, there won't be many swordsmen who can match you."
Rayleigh looked at Don as he spoke.
He simply couldn't understand it—Don was overwhelmingly strong in every other aspect, yet his swordsmanship lagged just behind, unable to catch up to the pace of his physical growth.
What Rayleigh didn't know was that Don's body had skyrocketed in strength in barely over a year…
And his swordsmanship experience was only that long as well.
Still, Don agreed with Rayleigh's assessment.
If he learned to control his strength when swinging, and relied on Observation Haki to adjust mid-strike, it would be enough.
But—that kind of restrained swordplay isn't fun.
As silence settled over the ship, Mihawk's eyes scanned Don's body, then shifted to Rayleigh.
"I can't just pretend you didn't say that. If you think my swordsmanship is lacking, then why don't you try experiencing it firsthand?"
Mihawk said seriously.
Rayleigh: "…"
"Actually… I would also like to witness the strength of the Dark King."
Issho, who had been quietly sitting to the side, suddenly spoke up.
Can they not gang up on him?!
Rayleigh widened his eyes but didn't argue anymore.
One Don already exhausted him.
Now these two wanted to join the fun?
He stayed silent. Mihawk and Issho didn't press the matter—after all, Rayleigh was currently Don's sparring partner.
Back to Sabaody
The ship sped toward the archipelago.
Photos of today's duel were sent to the headquarters of the World Economy News.
This time, Morgans wasn't particularly thrilled.
The photos lacked yesterday's explosive impact.
After thinking for a moment, he picked up a Den Den Mushi and contacted Crocodile.
A story with no hook? Unacceptable.
So he decided to leak something ahead of time.
After a short exchange, he hung up and called his secretary.
"For tomorrow's article, add a new title for Don: President of the Hunter's Guild."
"Just that?"
The secretary blinked, puzzled.
They hadn't even published anything about a Hunter's Guild yet.
"Do as I said."
Morgans waved his hand.
He had to lay the groundwork.
When the Hunter's Guild officially announced itself in Sabaody, he could ride Don's growing fame and manufacture a massive headline.
Maybe…
He could even cooperate with them.
If this Hunter's Guild truly took off.
At Sabaody Archipelago
Don's group returned and headed toward the Rip-Off Bar.
But before they even arrived, their steps slowed.
District 13 was packed with people—pirates of all shapes and sizes.
One pirate spotted Rayleigh and froze…
Then shouted with excitement.
In an instant, countless eyes locked onto them.
"Dark King Rayleigh!"
The pirates practically lit up with greed.
They grabbed their weapons and surged forward, eyes glued to Rayleigh.
Rayleigh shot a dangerous glare at them, then turned to Don.
"This trouble is yours. How about you handle it?"
Don didn't refuse.
"Dark King Rayleigh! I'm the one with a bounty of 240 million!"
A towering bull-headed man—easily four or five meters tall—charged to the front.
But before he even finished talking, a shadow flashed before him.
A Haki-coated kick slammed into his chest.
BOOM!
His massive body blasted backward, bowling through the pirates behind him, cracking bones and leaving bodies wailing on the ground.
Some didn't move at all.
The charging pirates stiffened instantly, all eyes snapping toward Don.
"Pirate Hunter Don!"
Once they recognized him, their expressions darkened.
They were pirates.
He was a pirate hunter.
Natural enemies.
And he had just kicked their ally into a wall.
"BASTARD!!!"
A roar echoed from afar.
The bull-headed pirate swelled—literally—his body doubling to nearly ten meters tall.
Muscles writhed.
Skin flushed blood-red.
Eyes burned crimson.
"Supernova: Minotaur Warrior Uruppu.
Zoan—Bull Bull Fruit.
Bounty: 240 million Berries."
Robin calmly reported.
"Supernova, huh?"
Don glanced at the rampaging giant charging toward him.
Pirates along the way were sent flying like rag dolls.
The ground trembled violently.
Kesa-giri.
Don gripped his sword and vanished.
A single gleam of steel flashed.
The charging Minotaur froze mid-step.
A spray of blood burst from his chest.
He collapsed with a thunderous crash.
Don reappeared behind him and sheathed his blade.
The pirates stared in horror.
Some shifted to flee.
Others froze with fear in their eyes.
"Torch."
Don's calm voice echoed.
Flames erupted, spiraling upward and swallowing the entire street.
A powerful suction pulled fleeing pirates back into the blazing vortex.
Moments later, the flames vanished.
Dozens of charred figures lay scattered across the ground.
A few tough ones still twitched.
Most did not.
Rayleigh eyed Don warily.
He didn't hold back at all.
And a Logia user… really was terrifying when they went all out.
During their spar, Don had never used his fruit ability.
"All done."
Don turned to Rayleigh.
"You really don't differentiate, do you?"
Rayleigh muttered while walking past the corpses.
He was shocked at Don's decisiveness
But an old sea dog like Rayleigh had seen more bloodshed than most men alive.
The sea was a place for killing.
"Robin, call that crocodile. Have him clean this up.
This will be the Hunter's Guild's first operating funds."
Don said casually.
Robin nodded and pulled out a Den Den Mushi to contact Crocodile.
END OF CHAPTER
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