Boom!
With a dull, thunderous roar, Garp's fist smashed heavily into the black vortex.
In the next instant, Conqueror's Haki clashed violently with Darkness, erupting into a terrifying shockwave that instantly swept through the entire conference room.
Tables and chairs, already partially devoured by Blackbeard's Darkness, were now violently hurled away by the shockwave, crashing into the walls and shattering into splinters.
Thick cracks spiderwebbed across the heavy walls, spreading rapidly.
The power of the shockwave was so immense that the Seven Warlords of the Sea present had to channel their Haki to its fullest to withstand the residual force.
Doflamingo instinctively wrapped himself in threads to avoid being sent flying by the shockwave, a flicker of shock crossing his face.
Garp's strength was indeed worthy of his reputation; the power of this punch was even more terrifying than he had imagined.
Moria's massive body swayed slightly as shadows condensed around him into a shield, blocking the aftershocks. His eyes were filled with awe; he was now even more certain he could never withstand a punch like that from Garp.
Dust filled the air, obscuring everyone's vision.
As the dust gradually settled, everyone saw clearly that Blackbeard's black vortex had been shattered by Garp's fist. Blackbeard was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the conference room wall.
The wall instantly collapsed under the impact. Blackbeard fell into the rubble, struggling to get up, continuously groaning:
"Hurt, that hurts! This old man's strength is just too much!"
Everyone looked over, their faces etched with disbelief.
Although Blackbeard looked utterly disheveled, with blood trickling from the corner of his mouth and his face covered in dust, he had only sustained minor injuries. There was no fatal damage; he could even struggle to his feet, showing no sign of being defeated.
This sight caused the pupils of the Seven Warlords present to contract sharply, each inwardly gasping:
"What terrifying vitality!"
Seeing this, Doflamingo's eyes narrowed slightly. The mockery on his face vanished, replaced by wariness.
He thought to himself:
"This Blackbeard is indeed not simple, to take a direct hit from Garp and only suffer minor injuries.
His strength is probably even more formidable than I imagined. It seems I underestimated him before."
Especially Moria. He stood rooted to the spot, his body trembling slightly, his eyes filled with shock.
He knew his own strength very well. If he had taken that punch from Garp, he would likely be unconscious already.
Yet Blackbeard had only suffered minor injuries. This was enough proof that Blackbeard's strength surpassed his own!
"A monster like this... why was he unknown before, hiding under the Whitebeard Pirates all this time?" Moria muttered to himself, his heart filled with confusion.
"Could it be he was waiting for the right opportunity, biding his time for years, just for today?
How terrifying. A guy like this would be a fatal threat as an enemy."
Blackbeard struggled to his feet from the rubble, wiped the blood from his mouth, and revealed a ferocious grin:
"Hahaha! That was exhilarating, truly exhilarating! Garp, you live up to your name! But defeating me won't be that easy!"
As he spoke, the Darkness at his feet surged once more. Clearly, he still wanted to continue fighting Garp, to see just how big the gap was between himself and this Navy Hero.
Seeing this, a flash of excitement crossed Garp's eyes. He clenched his fist, ready to charge forward again and teach this brat a proper lesson.
"Garp, you stop right there!"
At that moment, Sengoku roared, striding forward and grabbing Garp's arm to stop him.
His face was livid, his expression full of exasperation:
"Calm down! He is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea now! If you kill him, you'll disrupt our war preparations!"
Garp stopped, scratched his head, and picked his nose nonchalantly:
"What's the rush? I was just sparring with him. I wasn't really going to kill him."
Despite his words, Garp retracted his fist.
Seeing Garp being restrained, Blackbeard also breathed a sigh of relief.
He knew that although he could withstand one punch from Garp, if the fight continued, he would eventually be defeated by him.
Sengoku's intervention had undoubtedly given him a way out.
He rubbed his chest and jerked his chin at Garp:
"Garp, we'll call it a day for now. Next time there's a chance, I'll definitely have a proper match with you!"
After saying that, he slowly retreated to the side, picked up his barbecue again, and began eating heartily.
The tense atmosphere in the conference room gradually eased.
Sengoku looked at the indifferent Garp and shook his head helplessly.
This old comrade was always so impulsive, constantly causing trouble for him.
Just as he was about to speak and continue explaining the war matters, a calm voice suddenly rang out in the conference room.
"Hawkeye Mihawk."
Everyone turned to look. Ivan had taken a step forward, his gaze fixed on Hawkeye in the corner:
"I wish to spar with you."
These words were like a bolt from the blue, instantly exploding in the conference room.
Sengoku's expression changed drastically. He whirled his head towards Ivan, his eyes filled with incomprehension as he demanded:
"Ivan, what are you trying to do now? Garp just caused a scene. Isn't that enough chaos?
This is a critical time for the war! No more trouble-making!"
He had truly had enough. Garp's impulsiveness was one thing, but Ivan, as a Navy Admiral Candidate, was being just as willful, wanting to spar with Hawkeye at such a crucial juncture.
If the two really fought, it would not only consume both sides' combat power but also affect the relationship between the Seven Warlords and the Navy, disrupting subsequent plans.
Ivan slightly raised his eyes to look at Sengoku and explained calmly:
"Fleet Admiral, it's not that I'm deliberately causing trouble.
During the Navy's mission to besiege the Shadow Garden some time ago, Hawkeye attacked me.
Today, I am merely returning the favor, settling our previous grudge through a spar."
His tone was flat but exceptionally firm, clearly indicating his resolve.
Seeing the determination in Ivan's eyes, Sengoku knew further persuasion would be futile.
He understood Ivan's character somewhat; once he made up his mind, he wouldn't change it easily.
Moreover, what Ivan said was true. Hawkeye had indeed participated in the mission to besiege the Shadow Garden and had attacked Ivan. It was reasonable for Ivan to seek a spar for revenge.
Sengoku took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and slowly turned to look at Hawkeye in the corner:
"Mihawk, Ivan has issued a sparring invitation. Do you accept?"
Hawkeye had been sitting quietly to the side, his expression calm as if everything around him was irrelevant.
Upon hearing Ivan's invitation, he slightly raised his eyes. His sharp gaze fell upon Ivan, a flicker of interest passing through them.
He was obsessed with swordsmanship his entire life, pursuing the ultimate sword path. He would never refuse any powerful opponent.
Without the slightest hesitation, Hawkeye slowly stood up, his Black Blade Night slightly unsheathed:
"I accept. I stake the title of the World's Greatest Swordsman on it!"
That brief statement instantly ignited the atmosphere in the entire conference room.
Hearing this, the Seven Warlords all showed expressions of anticipation.
A playful smile appeared on Doflamingo's face:
"Fufufufufu... Interesting! This is truly interesting!
White Dove versus the World's Greatest Swordsman, Hawkeye. Who is stronger?"
This duel was undoubtedly a clash of titans. He certainly wouldn't miss it.
Moria's massive body swayed slightly as a high-pitched, sneering laugh sounded:
"Shishishishishi... Although White Dove Ivan is powerful, Hawkeye is the World's Greatest Swordsman, his strength unfathomable.
For Ivan to win against him won't be easy. This show is getting more and more exciting."
As for Garp, hearing that Ivan wanted to spar with Hawkeye, his face instantly broke into an excited grin. His eyes lit up as he slapped his thigh and laughed heartily:
"That's the spirit, kid Ivan! Teach that Hawkeye brat a lesson! Let him know the might of our Navy!"
As one of the earliest high-ranking Navy officers to encounter Ivan, Garp was full of confidence in him.
He knew Ivan was a monster no less than, perhaps even surpassing, himself!
Although Hawkeye was the World's Greatest Swordsman, Ivan might not necessarily lose.
He greatly anticipated Ivan defeating Hawkeye and bringing glory to the Navy.
Sengoku looked at the excited Garp, then at the resolute Ivan and Hawkeye, and sighed helplessly before saying in a deep voice:
"Since you've both decided to spar, then go to the training grounds at Marineford. No fighting in the conference room, no harming innocents, stop at the appropriate point. If you dare disrupt the preparations, I will not be lenient!"
"Understood, Fleet Admiral," Ivan nodded slightly.
Hawkeye also gave a slight nod without a word, turning first and walking towards the conference room door.
Ivan followed closely behind, his expression calm.
He was prepared to win this duel.
He would use victory in this match to change others' impressions of him. He, White Dove, was no ordinary Admiral Candidate.
His strength was sufficient to hold the position of Admiral!
Soon, news of Ivan sparring with Hawkeye at the training grounds spread throughout Marineford.
Navy soldiers who were training dropped what they were doing upon hearing the news, rushing towards the training grounds in droves, eager to witness this clash of titans with their own eyes.
In an instant, the streets of Marineford were packed with Navy soldiers heading to the training grounds.
"What?! Vice Admiral White Dove is sparring with Hawkeye?!"
"My God, this is a clash of titans! One is the Navy's rising star, an Admiral Candidate; the other is the World's Greatest Swordsman. Who's stronger?"
"I think Hawkeye should be stronger. He is the World's Greatest Swordsman!"
"Yeah, yeah. Although Vice Admiral White Dove is amazing and his strength approaches that of an Admiral, he's still just a Vice Admiral. How could he possibly beat Hawkeye?"
"Don't say that. Vice Admiral White Dove is so young yet possesses such formidable strength. Maybe he can really create a miracle and defeat Hawkeye?"
"Impossible. No matter how strong Vice Admiral White Dove is, he can't be Hawkeye's match."
Discussions rose and fell. The soldiers held different views; some supported Ivan, others favored Hawkeye, but most believed Hawkeye would win.
After all, Hawkeye's fame resounded across the seas. The title of World's Greatest Swordsman was not unearned.
While Ivan had risen rapidly, his experience was still shallow. Compared to Hawkeye, there was a certain gap.
Soon, everyone arrived at the training grounds at Marineford.
It was a vast open space, the ground paved with hard rock. Usually a place for Navy soldiers to train, it was large enough to accommodate thousands.
Now, the area around the training grounds was packed with Navy soldiers, a dense, bustling crowd.
Everyone stood on tiptoe, their eyes fixed intently on the center of the grounds.
Besides them, the Seven Warlords and Navy high command also found elevated spots to sit, awaiting the start of the duel.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Ivan and Hawkeye slowly walked to the center of the training grounds, standing opposite each other.
Neither spoke, nor made any unnecessary movements. They simply stared quietly at one another.
Even so, an immense aura erupted from both of them. Two terrifying pressures collided. Though it wasn't Conqueror's Haki, it still caused the vast majority of the marines to tremble uncontrollably, unable to move.
"Is... is this the presence of the top-tier powerhouses of the sea?" one marine stammered, staring at his trembling legs. "It's absolutely terrifying!"
His superior officer looked back at him and laughed heartily:
"This is nothing. If you'd ever witnessed a clash of Conqueror's Haki, that would be something.
Unfortunately, we won't see a Conqueror's Haki clash today, since Vice Admiral Ivan hasn't awakened it.
But even so, this will be an astonishing battle. Watch closely, learn well. Just absorbing a bit of experience can greatly enhance your own strength!"
"Yes, sir!"
As Ivan and Hawkeye faced off, the area around the training grounds gradually fell into a deathly silence.
All discussion, all noise vanished without a trace, leaving only the heavy breathing of the crowd.
An invisible tension spread wildly between the two.
The duel was on the verge of erupting!
The surrounding Navy soldiers held their breath, their eyes fixed tightly on the two combatants, their hearts pounding wildly.
They all wanted to know: how would this clash of titans ultimately end?
Would the World's Greatest Swordsman, Hawkeye, successfully defend his title? Or would the Navy's rising star, Ivan, stage an upset victory?
"Begin." On the training grounds, Hawkeye's voice was flat. The moment the words left his lips, his figure moved like a ghost. Hawk Flash・Single Slash!"
Without any preamble, Black Blade Night was instantly unsheathed. With a light shing, a sharp Flying Slash was already at Ivan's face.
Ivan's eyes narrowed. Instead of retreating, he advanced. His wrist turned, and a jet-black sword aura met the attack as he uttered a low cry:
One Sword Style・Black Azure・Sky Sever!"
The moment the jet-black sword aura and the silvery-bright sword aura collided, they erupted with a piercing screech.
A violent shockwave centered on the two combatants, sweeping outwards in all directions.
Their figures intertwined, sword shadows flying so fast the trajectories of their moves were a blur.
Hawkeye's wrist sank slightly. Black Blade Night swept out horizontally. Sword aura condensed into a broad, black blade of light, slashing through the air towards Ivan.
Black Blade・Sky Break!"
"Well met!" Ivan cried out low. A snow-white sword aura suddenly erupted. "One Sword Style: White Dawn: Horizontal Slash!"
The snow-white sword aura and the black blade of light collided. The roar was deafening.
Another violent shockwave spread. Training equipment at the edge of the grounds was instantly shredded; an alloy shooting range collapsed with a roar.
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