Sensing Hawkeye's formidable aura, Reno's blood boiled with excitement!
Nami froze. It was the first time she'd seen Reno look so serious. No words were needed—his actions spoke volumes.
"Stay here. I'll be back soon," Reno instructed the girls before stepping out of the restaurant.
The coffin boat docked, and Hawkeye arrived at Baratie. His hawk-like eyes locked onto Creek and Gin. His secret could not be exposed. Anyone who saw him rowing with Yoru had to die. His reputation couldn't afford the hit.
Creek and Gin were losing it. A million curses raced through their minds. Damn it! Hawkeye really chased them from the Grand Line to the East Blue. Wasn't he tired?! Did he have to wipe them out completely?!
Hawkeye strode toward Creek with measured steps, each one sounding like a death knell, counting down their final moments.
But then, he stopped, raising an eyebrow. He sensed a powerful fighting intent directed at him.
"Who are you?!" Hawkeye asked, fixing his gaze on Reno—a rare initiative from him.
Meeting Hawkeye's piercing stare, Reno replied calmly, "Who I am doesn't matter. Since we've met, fancy a fight?"
"You know who I am?" Hawkeye frowned at Reno's bold challenge.
"Of course," Reno said with a shrug. "The world's greatest swordsman, Dracule Mihawk."
"Then let's fight."
The chilling killing intent on Creek dissipated, and he gasped in relief, panting heavily. The pressure was overwhelming. He decided he'd stick to the East Blue from now on—screw being Pirate King, let someone else have it.
Reno gripped Wado Ichimonji, his eyes flashing with a feral red glint. His tall frame erupted with a powerful aura.
"Looks like the East Blue's got another decent fighter," Hawkeye remarked, noting Reno's blade and rising momentum.
"Slash Wave!"
Reno struck first, swinging Wado Ichimonji twice, unleashing two golden sword beams that pierced the night sky, hurtling toward Hawkeye.
"That move!" Hawkeye's eyes narrowed. It felt oddly familiar.
No time to think—Hawkeye swung Yoru, delivering a casual slash.
Boom!
Their attacks collided midair, the explosion echoing through the night.
"Not bad, but not enough," Hawkeye said, expressionless.
As he spoke, his figure vanished, Yoru slashing swiftly at Reno.
"Testing speed, huh?" "You've met your match!"
Reno's lips curved into a playful smirk. In an instant, he vanished.
Hawkeye's attack missed, and his Observation Haki screamed a warning—danger from behind. At the last second, he activated Armament Haki, coating his body in an unbreakable armor.
The moment it formed, Wado Ichimonji struck his back.
Clang!
Sparks flew, accompanied by a metallic ring.
Damn, that was fast.
Reno clicked his tongue in admiration. He'd used teleportation, vanishing and striking Hawkeye's back in the same instant. Yet Hawkeye still managed to deploy Armament Haki.
Hawkeye's pupils shrank, his face showing a rare hint of unease. He quickly retreated, putting distance between them.
What was that ability?! Even his Observation Haki couldn't keep up. More accurately, it detected Reno, but before he could react, Reno was elsewhere.
Whoosh!
Reno vanished again, giving Hawkeye no time to process.
Swish, swish, swish!
Teleporting rapidly, Reno shifted positions over a dozen times in a second, unleashing dozens of golden Slash Waves. They formed an inescapable web of attacks, sealing Hawkeye's every escape route.
Hawkeye's expression darkened. By the time he reacted, he was surrounded by arcing sword beams. No way to dodge.
He was pissed.
Yoru swung repeatedly, unleashing casual slashes to destroy the incoming attacks. What he couldn't block, he tanked with Armament Haki.
Damn it, I've never fought this frustratingly! Even against Admiral Kizaru's Glint-Glint Fruit, he could track the movements. But Reno's attacks were random, without pattern. He could sense them but couldn't follow.
Kizaru's "teleportation" was an exaggeration. Reno's was real.
A few sword beams hit Hawkeye's back. They didn't pierce his Haki armor, but the impact made him stumble forward, nearly face-planting.
Boom!
A surge of sword intent erupted from Hawkeye, dispersing the force. His slashes carved deep marks into the ground.
He was furious. Even against Emperor Shanks, he'd never been this humiliated. A no-name kid making him look this pathetic? If word got out, his reputation would be ruined—worse than Creek seeing him row with Yoru.
He had to take back control.
"Getting mad? Perfect!"
Reno's fighting spirit surged. He wasn't done yet. Gaining so many powerful abilities in such a short time, only constant battle could fully integrate them.
"Hahaha, Hawkeye, taste my infinite slashes!"
Reno laughed, unleashing his ultimate move. Teleportation and swordsmanship drained stamina heavily, but with the Healing Fruit, all side effects were nullified.
What followed was—
Clang, clang, clang!
A relentless chorus of metallic clashes filled the night sky.
Hawkeye's face grew darker, enduring Reno's storm of slashes like a torrential downpour. Unceasing, unrelenting. He'd catch Reno's position, only for his Observation Haki to blare a warning from another spot.
How the hell do you fight this?!
Hawkeye went all out, his sword aura ravaging the area, Yoru swinging with afterimages to destroy most of the slashes. The few that hit sparked against his Haki armor.
To an outsider, it looked like a blacksmith hammering iron.
…