Chapter 128: The World's Greatest Swordsman—Vista Won't Back Down

Blood didn’t spill.

Mihawk remained in his stance, blade raised, not moving an inch.

“Splat!”

A geyser of blood shot into the air.

From Shimotsuki Koushirou’s shoulder to his waist, a deep gash burst open. Blood soaked through his clothes, sapping his strength and leaving his limbs weak. The next moment, his entire body collapsed onto the tiled floor. His eyes lost focus, and his grip on his sword weakened.

Mihawk calmly flicked his massive sword, shaking off the bloodstains.

Huh? Mihawk glanced to the side, noticing a strand of his own hair falling.

“Cough, cough. Bearing the name of the Shimotsuki clan, I refuse to fall like this.”

To everyone’s surprise, the once-collapsed Koushirou somehow managed to stand back up. It was like a dying flash of brilliance. Even though he seemed incapable of fighting anymore, he still forced himself to put on a brave face. This kind of attitude was most common in Wano.

“You’d better stay down. This wound could easily kill you,” Mihawk said, looking back at Koushirou without a trace of pity. “Don’t think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re from Dressrosa. Anyone who stands in my way will be cut down.”

The path of a swordsman is like that—if he wants to move forward, he must step over the corpses of others. And this guy, Koushirou, was unexpectedly interesting! Mihawk decided that he would spar with him again someday.

“I, too, am a swordsman. How could I not have imagined walking the path to the pinnacle?” Koushirou’s eyes were bloodshot as he slowly stood up, leaning on his sword, Wado Ichimonji. As a swordsman, how could he easily give up the title of the world’s greatest? Though he hadn’t fought for it in years, now that it was right in front of him...

“I underestimated you,” Mihawk said, becoming more serious. How could he look down on a swordsman driven by conviction? This required showing the most basic respect for such a swordsman.

“Heh,” Koushirou chuckled, perhaps laughing at his own insignificant dream. He raised Wado Ichimonji again, pointing it at Mihawk. Then, with all his remaining strength, he launched an attack. The arena was instantly filled with flashes of blades.

These two men fought like madmen, oblivious to everything around them. Slashes flew towards the audience, killing many who were just there for the excitement. Only then did they realize what Raijin meant earlier about not being strong enough. Their insignificant strength didn’t even qualify them to watch such a battle. Any stray strike from this fight could easily cripple them.

Bang! A sharp slash flew towards the barrier and instantly dissipated upon impact. The surrounding spectators quickly hid behind Bartolomeo, fearing they might get caught in the crossfire. But despite the danger, they couldn’t resist watching such a spectacular battle.

“Didn’t we already see how strong this guy was back in East Blue? Did Raijin really send him up here to embarrass us?” Garp said, glancing at the battlefield, already knowing the outcome. The difference in their strength was too great, and victory was clearly one-sided. Garp could see this from a mile away. On this stage, Koushirou was merely a stepping stone to elevate Mihawk.

“Sensei...” A boy sitting nearby tightly clenched his fists, watching Koushirou about to be defeated. Zoro, frustrated at his own lack of strength, longed to challenge Mihawk himself. The feeling was so intense that he wished he could age ten years in an instant and take on Mihawk.

“Hmph, what’s so scary about failure on the seas? There are countless people who have failed,” Zephyr said, looking at Zoro and ruffling his green hair. “Kid, when you’ve learned to grow from failure, then you’ll be ready to fight for the title of the world’s greatest. But for now, stand back, so you don’t get your teacher’s blood on you.”

Zephyr knew Zoro had no idea of the dangers of the seas, much like Garp’s grandson, who constantly shouted slogans but understood nothing. Everyone was chasing after the same goal, and they were just swept along with the current.

“Refund! What a piece of trash! How dare he challenge Mihawk? I actually thought he might be a dark horse!” one spectator shouted angrily.

“Hahaha, Mihawk is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, you idiot! And you picked a nobody to bet on?”

“Even though the odds for Dressrosa were low, I still made a little profit!”

“Idiot! Go back to playing your pinball machine! This kind of real man’s fight isn’t for you!”

Clearly, Koushirou was carried off the stage. Even with a final burst of energy, he couldn’t withstand Mihawk’s overwhelming assault. The crowd hurled insults at Koushirou as he was taken away. They had expected that anyone bold enough to challenge Mihawk would have some real skill, but instead, they saw him get carried off. It was unexpected, yet somehow expected at the same time. Koushirou was not famous, after all, and Mihawk’s victory had been a foregone conclusion.

On stage, the announcer was unfazed by the deaths in the arena. Everyone who entered the arena knew they were likely to die. After all, this wasn’t a playground; it was a place of mortal combat.

“Ugh! It seems our Mr. Koushirou was a bit too weak! He didn’t last long against Lord Mihawk,” the announcer said. “But did you think the battle would end here? Not at all! This fight won’t stop until no one else dares to challenge! We’ll take a fifteen-minute break and then welcome the next challenger. Let’s see who’s next... Oh! This challenger has an interesting identity—the Fifth Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Flower Sword Vista! No need for further introduction, right?”

“So today, let me teach you a lesson—go all in! Lord Mihawk is the eternal god and the world’s greatest swordsman!”

The announcer exaggeratedly bowed to Mihawk, making him feel extremely uncomfortable, as if bugs were crawling all over him. Mihawk quickly walked into the rest area to take a short break.

*At least Raijin still acts like a human being by giving him a 15-minute rest after each battle.*

"Vista? The captain of the Whitebeard Pirates."

"Damn, this is a tough choice. Mihawk seems stronger."

"Hmph, that host is on Mihawk's side, so of course, he's hyping him up! But now that the Whitebeard Pirates are here, they’re definitely going to win. Does Mihawk really think he's unbeatable?"

"You make a good point. All in!"

"Hmph! Dressrosa's plan to cash in has failed because we're way smarter."

The audience couldn't come to a conclusion right away.

Both sides are strong, but because Mihawk has already won one fight, the odds are unexpectedly low.

But the arena doesn’t give these folks time to think, and as soon as the 15 minutes are up...

Mihawk's figure appeared in the middle of the arena, right on time, still with that arrogant demeanor.

His sharp eyes made it hard to look directly at him as he calmly stared at the open passageway.

A burly man slowly emerged from that passage.

"Heh heh! Good thing I showed up this time, or the title of the world's greatest swordsman would’ve been handed over to someone else."

"Old Man is the strongest man in the world, so it's only fitting that his ship also has the world's greatest swordsman."

Vista, holding two swords, slowly walked up to Mihawk.

He looked like a gentleman, occasionally tweaking his two curved mustaches.

Compared to Hawkeye, he was a lot more arrogant.

It was almost as if he was already claiming the title of the world's greatest swordsman.

"The strongest man in the world, huh? I was planning to ask him for some pointers."

"And now, here’s a member of the Whitebeard Pirates right in front of me!"

"Let me see just how strong the Whitebeard Pirates really are."

Mihawk drew his sword, Yoru. The jet-black blade was something to be envied.

After all, this sword was recognized as the strongest black blade in the world.

But in Hawkeye Mihawk's hands, you could only take it from him by defeating him.

Yet, to this day, no one has been able to do that.

Mihawk's strength has trampled all other swordsmen along the way.

"Fight! Start!"

The host, sweating, raised the mic and shouted.

Even though the two hadn’t started fighting yet, their intense aura already scared him into silence.

It was fine when Koushirou was up earlier, but how did they suddenly let someone from the Whitebeard Pirates get on stage?

These guys are recognized as monsters of the sea!

Who knows what terrifying things will happen next?

Even if something terrifying does happen, as long as it doesn't affect him, that’s all that matters.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

This time, there was no flashy draw-and-slash move.

As soon as they heard "start," both men rushed at each other.

The blades in their hands moved so fast they became blurs, constantly slashing at one another.

The flashes of swords and blades kept flickering, making it harder and harder for the audience to see clearly.

This level of combat was beyond what they could follow.

But they still watched with great interest. Even if they didn’t fully understand, they could brag about it later.

As for any danger in the stands, witnessing such a battle was worth dying for.

Boom!

Boom!

If the earlier part was a test of sword skills, now was the time to truly show off their strength.

Countless slashes flew across the arena, leaving the ground in ruins.

It no longer looked anything like it did before!

It was basically in shambles, full of craters and cracks.

"Hah!"

Vista leaped down from the air, his twin swords spinning, seemingly surrounded by a whirl of roses.

His fierce sword strikes were aimed right at Mihawk's vital points.

Clang!

The black blade blocked in front, and the two squared off.

The ground beneath Mihawk's feet erupted in shards of stone.

The terrifying impact scattered in all directions.

Around the arena, water splashed violently.

The fish that had been in there were now jumping wildly.

Bang!

The arena’s structure couldn't hold up any longer.

In an instant, huge cracks spread in all directions.

"Urgh!"

Vista kept pressing down with his swords.

The arena looked like it was about to shatter completely.

Clang!

Mihawk swung the black blade, hurling Vista backward with immense force.

Mihawk didn't stand still waiting for Vista to strike again. He aimed his black blade at him.

Boom!

A massive, unprecedented slash erupted from the black blade, Yoru.

This slash was several times bigger than Mihawk’s previous ones.

It was clear this was Mihawk's all-out strike, intending to end the battle once and for all.

"Bring it on!"

Vista's eyes gleamed with a sharp light, and he crossed his swords in front of him.

Armament Haki burst forth, fully coating his blades.

He was ready for Hawkeye's strike!

He knew this guy hadn’t been fighting at full strength earlier.

Every time he swung, he held back a little, but he didn’t expect that this guy's full power would be so strong.

Crash!

The greenish slash collided with the twin swords.

The ground beneath Vista’s feet cracked instantly, and his face turned pale.

Crack!

He was pushed back step by step!

Sweat dripped down his forehead.

His arms trembled, and his pupils shrank sharply.

It was clear he hadn’t expected this attack to be so powerful.

"I'm the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, no mere Warlord of the Sea's slash can stop me."

Vista roared, using the force to deflect the slash into the sky.

It exploded faintly in the sky, gradually fading away.

"Impressive!"

A small smile crept onto Mihawk's lips. He’d already figured out most of Vista’s sword techniques.

This guy was indeed an outstanding talent with some real insights into swordsmanship.

But he was... just a little too weak.

Not nearly as incredible as the hype.

Swoosh!

A fierce wind howled!

Mihawk’s figure continuously advanced.

In an instant, he was right in front of Vista.

Before Vista could react, Mihawk slashed down.

Thud!

The same move!

But Vista’s injuries weren’t as severe as Koushirou's.

Clang! Clang!

Vista drove his swords into the ground.

This round!

Hawkeye Mihawk was victorious.

Many had already anticipated this outcome!

They had prepared themselves for this result.

Especially Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, sitting in the stands.

He was the only one whose feelings were most conflicted.

Mihawk was met with thunderous applause.

The cheers grew louder, with people already calling him the world's greatest swordsman.

After all, these two thrilling battles would be talked about across the seas for some time.

"Looks like the Whitebeard Pirates are truly finished."

"As one of Whitebeard's senior members, it’s pathetic to see him in such poor shape now."

Raijin sat up there, resting his head on one hand, calmly watching as Vista was carried off.

It was just the outside world hyping them up. In all these years, the Whitebeard Pirates haven’t had a decent fight.

Since these guys became famous, they’ve probably just been enjoying the glory and hiding under Whitebeard's protection. At this point, their strength has barely touched the Four Emperors' level.

But with Whitebeard shielding them, they didn’t need to lift a finger.

They only had to put in some effort when dealing with minor threats.

They’ve been wasting away all these years!

Is there still hope for these guys?

Tsk tsk!

"Has the message been sent to Jinbei?"

Raijin glanced to the side.

"Not yet! We were planning to send it after the battle with the Big Mom Pirates."

Not sure if Shiranui quickly responded.

He’d specifically consulted Nara Shikaku about this.

"No need to prepare! Send it now! The Whitebeard Pirates aren’t worth the trouble."

"Fish-Man Island is important to me. Let Jinbei know to lead them to join us."

"If it doesn’t work out... after defeating Big Mom, we’ll simultaneously declare war on the Kuja Pirates, the Whitebeard Pirates, and Fish-Man Island!"

Raijin narrowed his eyes, his face full of murderous intent.

He clearly didn’t see any of these three forces as a threat.

(End of Chapter)