[Chapter Size: 2146 Words.]
Third Person POV
Baratie, East Blue.
...
...
Somewhere on the sea, East Blue.
"Hey, why is my cook wasting food on a dead man?" Luffy casually inquired as he appeared at his side, unnoticed by anyone, without anyone having time to react.
-------------------------------------
"..."
"..."
"..."
A heavy silence hung in the atmosphere, echoing like a verdict after the spoken words.
The most dumbfounded person was Don Krieg, wondering if he had heard correctly.
"Hm? What did you say?" The pirate in question squinted at Luffy.
"You didn't hear?" Luffy mocked before continuing.
"I said there's no reason to waste food on a dead man. Am I not right?" Luffy calmly looked at the pirate, his words laden with disdain.
"Are you insane?" Reiju couldn't help but speak, finding the man's behavior quite reckless. Uttering such words only served to escalate the already tense situation.
"Hm? Do you know who I am? Who are you to speak like this to the strongest man in the world?" Krieg spoke angrily, as if his reputation meant little to this unknown figure with a straw hat on his back.
Unfazed by the tension in the air, Luffy, with a mocking smile, responded:
"His name is Monkey D. Luffy, a rookie pirate with a bounty of 10 million Berries..." Gin, still on the ground after being punched by his own captain, intervened, providing information that could further stir the tense atmosphere.
"10 million? Hahaha, he must be quite ruthless then!" Krieg replied, showing a disdainful smile.
"Hm?" Luffy was intrigued by the pirate's reaction.
"I have a proposal that can save your life after those bold words. If you join me in the Grand Line under my command, I'll forgive you for everything you said and let you live." Krieg offered, with a greedy smile, hoping to attract a new recruit to his crew.
"Let me live? Are you kidding me?" Luffy looked at the pirate as if he were staring at a fool clad in armor.
"Let me tell you something, Don Krieg. Do you think you have qualifications to subjugate me? You can't even fight in the Grand Line, just a failure who ran away after being kicked... The strongest man in the world? You have ambitions you'll never achieve..." Luffy said calmly as he began to walk towards the man at a slow pace, a challenging smile on his face.
Don Krieg, still recovering from the shock of hearing Luffy's mockery, responded with a mix of anger and disbelief:
"You, you damn rookie, think you can belittle the great Don Krieg? I have a fleet! Men! Weapons! Nothing can surpass my power!"
Luffy, maintaining his serene expression, retorted:
"A fleet, men, and weapons, is that all you think you need to be the strongest? The Grand Line is not so forgiving, my dear. Here, real strength means more than a number of followers or an arsenal. It means facing challenges that make others tremble. Are you ready for that, Don Krieg?"
Enraged, Krieg tried to maintain a confident pose:
"You're just an insolent kid with a bounty of 10 million! I'll show you what happens when you dare to challenge the great Don Krieg!"
Luffy, now just a few steps away, responded with an ironic smile:
"Show me, then. I'm looking forward to seeing if there's any real substance behind all these empty threats."
"YOU! I'VE MADE UP MY MIND, I'LL KILL YOU HERE AND NOW!" Don Krieg roared, fueled by fury. Luffy's comments about his failure in the Grand Line hit him like a direct blow to his already wounded pride. He completely ignored the recruitment idea, focusing only on annihilating the challenger.
No longer caring about any possibility of recruitment, Luffy continued his approach, triggering an impulsive reaction from Don Krieg, who threw a powerful punch towards the man in the straw hat.
"Dodge that!" Reiju, closer to the scene, expressed disapproval urgently.
BOOM
Luffy showed no interest in evading, absorbing the impact directly, without retreating an inch. Silence settled for a moment, interrupted by Luffy's calm and mocking voice.
"Is that all? The strength of the strongest man in the world? What a joke..." His words hung in the air, echoing the apparent inadequacy of Krieg's attack.
"WHAT?" Krieg instinctively stepped back a few meters, surprised by Luffy's seemingly unyielding resistance to the blow. The proud self-proclaimed "strongest man in the world" now found himself perplexed in the face of the rookie pirate's audacity and confidence.
"Even facing my blows without showing any reaction, this punch wasn't a joke. He didn't even move an inch..." Reiju exclaimed, impressed and incredulous at what she had just witnessed.
"This man doesn't seem to be joking..." Zeff was stunned by Luffy's apparent impassiveness in the face of the received blow. Even in his days as a pirate, few could afford to resist such a ruthless strike as if it were nothing, and most of them would be composed of monsters from the Grand Line, not by a seemingly random man who had emerged out of nowhere in this unknown sea.
"Let me show you what you didn't learn in the Grand Line..." Luffy smiled and said calmly, completely ignoring the bewilderment around him.
*SHIII*
With a cutting sound of wind, similar to the use of Soru, Luffy tilted his heels and appeared in front of Krieg. The pirate, realizing the proximity of danger, quickly raised a cape with iron spikes to protect himself.
Luffy, however, didn't stop, launching another punch towards his opponent. Krieg, who had initially sported a confident smile, watched in surprise as Luffy's fist pierced through his spikes, effortlessly destroying them as it advanced through his defense.
*BOOM*
The punch went through the spikes and hit Krieg's armor, cracking and denting it easily with Luffy's impressive strength and speed. The pirate captain was thrown, stunned and yelling, towards the opposite wall.
*COLLISION*
The wall near the door exploded as Don Krieg flew like a projectile in that direction.
"DON KRIEG!" Gin shouted alarmed on the ground, witnessing his captain, whom he considered invincible, being thrown so easily.
"That was fast..." Yamato commented at the table, as they, the only present customers, watched the scene as if it were a spectacle. They knew Luffy's style and anticipated his action.
"Luffy is truly a monster..." Usopp couldn't help but express his admiration.
"Is that the bad guy? But Luffy-Sama defeated him so easily..." Shirahoshi tried to understand the complexity of the situation.
"Why am I surprised..." Kuina murmured, observing a scene that, since coming back to life, had repeated itself many times.
"He didn't even break a sweat..." Nami commented, lost in her own thoughts.
"Brother Luffy is so amazing!" Jhonny and Yosaku exclaimed in unison.
"HAHAHAHAHA. Interesting!" Zeff laughed as he looked at Luffy's back.
"I'll charge you for the damages to the restaurant, heard?" Zeff warned Luffy, not forgetting to emphasize his concern for the establishment.
"..." Reiju, in turn, couldn't articulate any comments in the face of what she had witnessed.
"Do you... do you think you can defeat me?" Krieg's voice emerged from the wreckage of the destroyed wall, and he appeared again in front of Luffy.
*Boom*
Everything in the broken place rose as Krieg reappeared. His forehead was bleeding, and one hand supported the spot where he had taken the blow. The armor was sunk into his chest, and the expression of pain was evident. Krieg looked at Luffy with hatred, gritting his teeth tightly.
"I WILL KILL YOU!" Krieg declared, while Luffy just stared at him indifferently, waiting for the next act of this unlikely spectacle.
"Okay, I heard you. But can you wait a bit? There's an event about to happen right now..." Luffy said calmly, diverting his attention from Krieg and turning to the pirate ship visible through the entrance of the place.
"You! YOU DARE IGNORE ME! I WILL KILL EVERYONE HERE!" A furious Don Krieg roared, raising his hands and preparing to release poisonous gas into the restaurant through a pipe in his armor.
Luffy, however, completely ignored the threat. His attention was still focused outside the restaurant, and he continued, saying, "ZORO, KUINA, LOOK AT THE SHIP. YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE THE GREATEST SWORDSMAN IN THE WORLD IN ACTION, DRACULA MIHAWK!" He shouted to his companions at the table.
"WHAT?!" Both Zoro and Kuina were surprised by the revelation and immediately turned their gaze to the ship, trying to identify who Luffy was mentioning.
"What?!" Don Krieg also couldn't help but exclaim, recognizing the name with anger and fear, his worst nightmare since entering the Grand Line, had he followed him to this sea?
"The strongest swordsman in the world?" It was the general amazement, both from Krieg's companions and the restaurant patrons. It wasn't something you saw every day, and even Zeff was astonished; everyone turned to observe Don Krieg's battleship.
The expectation in the air was palpable, and it didn't take long for the action to begin.
*CUT!*
Suddenly, lines appeared in the air, moving with agility and precision across the pirate ship. A second passed, and under the astonished gaze of everyone, the lines opened, cutting through the ship as if it were butter, tracing impressive straight lines.
*BOOM*
"WHAT?!" A collective exclamation escaped from everyone present, surprised by the incredible demonstration of skill and mastery. The almost instantaneous destruction of the pirate ship left a lasting impression, spreading shock and admiration throughout the area.
Don Krieg couldn't help but express his astonishment in front of Luffy, realizing that the man who had destroyed his fleet days ago was also present.
"He really followed me here?!" He murmured again, fearing the presence of Mihawk.
"Anyway, you're no longer needed, so die." Luffy, seeing the spectacle before him, turned his attention back to Krieg, aware that he was no longer useful there.
"Hm?!"
Luffy took a coin from his pocket and flicked it towards Don Krieg.
[Moa Moa no Mi: Speed, apply 30 times!]
*SHII*
The coin flew towards the pirate before he could react, piercing through his head and making him fall backward immediately. No one noticed when he died, as attention was focused on the small raft with green sails. A lone man was in the middle of it, with a massive sword on his back, one of the Twelve Supreme, the black blade known as Yoru.
"CAPTAIN!!!" Luffy heard Zoro suddenly.
"Hm?" Luffy diverted his attention from Don Krieg's lifeless body and turned to Zoro.
"Let me challenge this man. I want to prove that I'm the strongest swordsman in the world!" He said with determination.
"You..." Kuina expressed surprise at his side. She also wanted to challenge Mihawk, but she knew she was 11 years behind and recognized that Zoro was stronger than her currently.
Luffy watched the scene and let out a deep sigh.
"You can challenge him, and even if I say you're not ready now, I know you would defy my orders anyway. The only thing I'll ask is... just don't die..." Luffy expressed calmly, understanding Zoro's ambitions and aware that the swordsman could find death there.
Without wasting time, Zoro hurriedly stood up from the table and headed determinedly towards the restaurant's entrance.
Mihawk, navigating among the wreckage of ships towards the restaurant, paid no attention to the countless low-level pirates in despair around him, clinging to the few parts of the battleship that were still intact.
"Hm?" Mihawk, who had been watching Don Krieg the whole time, was surprised when the pirate was killed by a small object flying towards his head amidst the chaos.
He immediately captured some familiar element.
"That hat..." He immediately recognized Shanks' hat being worn by the man who had just eliminated his target.
"DRACULA MIHAWK!"
Suddenly, he heard his name being shouted with determination, diverting his attention from Luffy. He looked to the side, Zoro emerged from the restaurant with determination and shouted, Mihawk saw where a green-haired man on the restaurant's deck was staring at him as if he had found a treasure. The determined expression on Zoro's face revealed his intention to face the legendary Dracule Mihawk, the greatest swordsman in the world.
"A child...?" Mihawk murmured, surprised.
"DRACULA MIHAWK! I'M HERE TO FACE YOU!" Exclaimed Zoro, jumping from the restaurant to the wreckage and running towards Mihawk.
Mihawk observed in silence.
"I'M HERE TO FACE YOU!" Shouted Zoro again, continuing his charge.
"Your title of the strongest swordsman in the world will soon belong to me!" He declared with determination, displaying a confident smile.
"What a naive child..." Commented Mihawk, seeing before him a fool full of determination.
---------
Fallow me on Patreon!
🌟 RaccoonLeague | Patreon🌟
Visit our Patreon for more: https://www.patreon.com/RaccoonLeague
[Chapter Size: 2106 Words.]
Third Person POV
Baratie, East Blue.
...
...
"I'M HERE TO FACE YOU!" He said and continued. "Your title of the world's strongest swordsman will belong to me soon!" He spoke with determination and a confident smile.
"What a naive child..." Mihawk couldn't help but comment, seeing a fool in front of him.
---
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Mihawk paid meticulous attention to Zoro, his sharp eyes registering every movement of the swordsman who had just issued a challenge. A cold and unperturbed expression adorned the face of the legendary Dracule Mihawk as he analyzed the green-haired youth before him. The eyes of the world's greatest swordsman seemed to penetrate Zoro's skills and determination, evaluating him in a silence that echoed with the intensity of the imminent battle.
Faced with this penetrating gaze, Zoro couldn't contain his anger. "DON'T UNDERESTIMATE ME!" he shouted in response to Mihawk's words, his emotions boiling in the face of the renowned swordsman's arrogance.
"Underestimate? I am merely observing a cub entering the forest wanting to be at the top of the mountain, without understanding the truths of the sea... To me, he is just a naive child," retorted Mihawk calmly, finding it peculiar how someone so inexperienced in this sea could be so audacious and, at the same time, so blind.
Determined to prove his worth, Zoro responded angrily, "I... I will show you that you're wrong!" The words came loaded with determination, echoing on the restaurant's deck alongside the murmurs of those witnessing the intensity of the impending clash.
"Zoro..." Kuina murmured, observing the scene alongside the other crew members.
As the realization dawned on everyone around, they finally noticed Don Krieg's death as they directed their attention to Mihawk. They emerged from the initial state of shock to realize that the fearsome pirate had silently fallen, a victim of a fatal blow to the head that had gone unnoticed.
"But... what happened?" a waiter murmured, his wide-eyed gaze reflecting shock.
"Is he really dead?" questioned another, unable to believe the scene before his eyes.
"Don Krieg!" Gin lamented as he ran to the lifeless body on the floor.
Usopp, standing next to Luffy, observed the reactions of the people around and couldn't help but comment, "Looks like the fight wasn't as balanced as we imagined." Luffy didn't respond; his attention was on Zoro at that moment.
While astonishment took hold of the environment, some began to exchange glances, trying to comprehend how such a feared man could be defeated so suddenly and discreetly. The ensuing silence was punctuated only by the subtle murmur of the crowd processing the scene before them.
Kuina left the table and went towards Luffy, concerned about Zoro. She broke the silence by questioning Luffy, whose gaze remained fixed on the restaurant's deck, where everyone began to gather to witness the unfolding sword duel after processing that Don Krieg was dead. "He's not ready for this fight, is he?" she asked.
Luffy, equally focused, replied calmly, "No, he will lose and be humiliated, maybe even killed..."
Luffy's words alarmed Nami, who went to them, and she hurriedly suggested, "Hey, hey, shouldn't we stop him then?" Concern in Nami's voice was evident in the face of the dark prospect looming in the imminent duel.
"We can't, even if I tried to put some reason into Zoro, he has his own determinations and dreams, even if it's foolish to die in his first attempt to pursue this dream... He is determined to die here, chasing his ambitions..." Luffy commented, and everyone could only remain silent, turning their attention to the duel, or if they could call it a duel, in the next few minutes.
Zoro stood on the wreckage of the ship, his slender figure denoting an aura of determination and fury. Meanwhile, Mihawk observed him with a serene expression, almost as if he were contemplating a mere ten-year-old boy, completely unaware of the challenge he had thrown.
"COME AND FIGHT!" Zoro shouted, anger reflected in his eyes.
"Well, then, let's see what you're capable of, pup..." Mihawk mocked, gracefully leaping from his raft to the area where Zoro was positioned.
"Don't underestimate me!" Zoro retorted, his fury amplified when Mihawk drew a small knife from his neck, indicating that he would face Zoro only with that modest instrument.
"You must be joking...?" Kuina responded, perplexed, next to Luffy on the deck.
Luffy couldn't help but mock her, "You've only stayed in the East Blue your whole life. It's time to see how we are ants compared to the great powers of this world..." His attention was fixed on the imminent fight, his eyes analyzing every movement.
Returning to the scene of the fight, Zoro placed his main sword between his teeth while raising the other two in each hand.
"Don't blame me if you get hurt!" Zoro said, mocking as he advanced toward Mihawk, who awaited the attack with unshakable calm.
What unfolded next shocked most of the spectators present at Baratie, including Krieg's defeated pirates. Zoro, having a clear view of the scene, was even more astonished than anyone else.
His three-sword strike was halted by the knife in Mihawk's hand as soon as it touched the modest weapon. Zoro could hardly believe what he was seeing, but his disbelief did not prevent him from persisting in the battle. A dizzying exchange of high-speed blows unfolded, with Zoro attempting to hit his target unsuccessfully. Mihawk, on the other hand, toyed with the former bounty hunter, sporting a mocking smile on his face.
Surprisingly, Mihawk didn't need to take a single step to dodge Zoro's attacks. With only one arm holding that small knife, he skillfully parried each blow, leaving the audience bewildered and humiliated as they witnessed Zoro being so clearly outmatched. Baratie fell silent in the face of the display of disparity between the two swordsmen.
"He doesn't even stand a chance..." Yamato said calmly, surprised by Mihawk's skill. She continued, expressing her thoughts in the face of the gradual revelation.
"And to think there are others so powerful in the sea..." Her voice reflected disbelief.
This revelation wasn't a surprise to Luffy, considering Yamato's isolated life context in a closed country where her own father blocked information about the outside world. She wasn't aware of many sea monsters that could rival Kaido.
"Is he really that strong?" Nami asked, seeking to understand the extent of Mihawk's power.
"I'm not sure of the extent of his power, but I wouldn't doubt that he could cut Syrup Village Island in half with a single strike." Luffy said, shocking everyone with this impressive revelation.
"WHAT??!!!" Usopp was the first to shout, expressing his amazement.
"Is our difference really that vast?" Kuina couldn't help but tremble at the possibility of such a wide power gap. The realization of the discrepancy between Zoro and Mihawk was disturbing for everyone present at Baratie.
"Are there people at that level of power?!" Nami exclaimed in fear as well.
"He's just one of the tips; there are many people in that category who are classified as the true monsters, and it's this group of beings that dominates the sea. Kuina, your dream is to surpass him, even knowing what kind of monster he is now, will you give up on your dream?" Luffy asked, crossing his arms, his gaze fixed on Kuina, wanting to see her determination after imagining Mihawk's power.
"I... I will surpass him, no matter how many years I have to train or how many scars will be drawn on my body!" She said, showing a determined look after a moment of hesitation.
"Great, I would like to see your progress to the top of this world then. I'm sure Mihawk expects that too because it must be lonely always being at the top. Besides, usually, you stagnate when there are no rivals to compare your skills to..." Luffy said, thinking that after Shanks lost his arm, he must have regressed quite a bit in his fencing, and that must have frustrated Mihawk since the world's greatest swordsman seemed to consider him a rival.
Turning his attention back to the fight, Zoro was finally acknowledged by Mihawk at this moment. After a few blows and exchanged words, which showed a smile as he took Yoru from his back to face the young swordsman for the first time with recognition.
A blow followed as the two crossed swords, breaking all of Zoro's ordinary swords a second later. Recognizing his defeat, Zoro opened his arms to Mihawk and said the same words as in the anime.
"It's a shame for a swordsman to have a cut on his back!" He said without removing the smile from his face. Admiring this, Mihawk struck Zoro head-on a moment later.
"ZORO!"
"THIS!"
"ZORO-SAMA!"
Luffy's companions exclaimed with this, but Luffy looked at Yamato and said.
"What does your Haki say? Was it a life-threatening injury?" He asked.
"No, it was superficial, although it will leave a beautiful scar..." Yamato said.
"Well, Jhonny, let's get Zoro and take him out of there. Yamato, you come with me. Let's see what the difference is between us and the true monsters of this world..." Luffy announced, jumping from the deck toward the space where Mihawk was with Zoro fallen. He grabbed a dazed Jhonny as he advanced.
*Crack*
Mihawk didn't need to look to identify who had approached, keeping his gaze fixed on Zoro lying down.
"Jhonny, take Zoro and take care of that wound," he instructed, and Jhonny promptly lifted Zoro's body, quickly retreating from the scene like a rocket. He didn't want to stand in front of the world's greatest swordsman, especially after everything he had heard and seen.
"You are...?" Mihawk finally diverted his gaze to the newcomer, assessing Luffy. 'He must be eyeing the hat on my back, but it doesn't matter...' Luffy thought, responding confidently and without hesitation in the face of this imposing monster.
"I am Monkey D. Luffy, the man who will dominate the seas..." Luffy declared calmly.
"A bold statement, especially coming from a child of the weakest sea..." Mihawk commented calmly.
"Oh? My swordsman fought you. Let me see the strength of the one who stands among the top of this world..." Luffy stared at Mihawk without hesitation.
Watching this, Mihawk couldn't help but have a peculiar gleam in his eyes. "It seems that this journey to this sea is quite enjoyable. I didn't think I would encounter such peculiar children..." He said, but Luffy ignored the comment.
"Anyway, you don't mind fighting against two at the same time, do you?" Luffy calmly questioned, receiving silence as Mihawk's response, who didn't need to say a word.
*BOOM!*
An explosion on the wood, in the middle of the sea, echoed next to Luffy, and Yamato arrived ready to fight, her Kanabo resting on her shoulder.
"Hmm... Interesting. So, show me your determinations, children. Let's see if you are fit to dominate the seas in the upcoming era..." Mihawk declared, assuming a combat position with Yoru raised.
He acknowledged that he couldn't underestimate the two in front of him. What surprised him more was the presence of the white-haired, horned woman. She was too powerful to be in this sea or even in the first part of the Grand Line. The same thought applied to the boy Shanks constantly praised. Here, he proved to be much more formidable than Mihawk initially imagined, considering that the boy should be only 17 years old but now looked like an incredibly powerful man, far from being underestimated, even as a rookie.
Luffy took his saber from the holster on his waist, which looked like a scimitar for the first time since he bought it at the system store; he didn't know anything about fencing until now, but he could learn a little from this fight.
Aware of her opponent's immense strength, Yamato assumed a serious posture. Mihawk might not be as ruthless as Kaido, but she recognized that she couldn't underestimate the swordsman. Although she couldn't predict the outcome of a deathmatch between them, she knew that Mihawk was capable of cutting her club in two, making him a formidable opponent.
"Let's start..." Luffy announced, an amethyst glow enveloping his body, while Yamato radiated a white aura. The tension in the air indicated that the battle was about to begin.
------------------------------
Author's note:
* I don't know the extent of Mihawk's power; what I saw was him cutting a frozen tsunami and a meteor, but I wouldn't doubt that he could cut a small island too.
* I didn't delve into Zoro's thoughts in this fight, mainly because everyone should know what happens with him in the fight, and it would be a waste of time since the fanfic intends to bring a new point to the story with other aspects. I repeated everything that happened in the original work; it doesn't make much sense.
---------
Fallow me on Patreon!
🌟 RaccoonLeague | Patreon🌟
Visit our Patreon for more: https://www.patreon.com/RaccoonLeague
You may also Like
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT