Bab 198: 197 Swordmaster Duel
"A big battle between swordmaster is about to begin!"
Zoro, on the brink of witnessing the clash between Whitebeard and Hawkeye, couldn't help but sigh.
Facing these two world-class powerhouses, and on the verge of witnessing one of the epic battles, Zoro felt his blood about to boil.
Zoro recognized the unfathomable and astonishing strength of Hawkeye when training under him.
He's also heard about the renowned status of Whitebeard, the strongest of the Four Emperors. Especially lately, the reputation of Whitebeard, The Pirate King, has started to gain prominence.
Therefore, Zoro is eagerly anticipating the showdown between these two powerhouses.
"You're Hawkeye's apprentice, right? But unfortunately he's not a match for the old man"
Jozu remarked, pouring cold water on Zoro's excitement as they anticipated the battle.
Jozu's message to Zoro is clear: Hawkeye isn't on par with Whitebeard, and there's a significant difference between the two.
But Zoro's attention isn't on that point; he quickly retorted, "You're mistaken. I'm not Hawkeye's apprentice."
"Even though he taught me swordsmanship, I didn't formally become his apprentice. And never will be. Because in the future, I'll surely surpass him and become the world's number one swordsman!"
Zoro's determined gaze reflected his dream of becoming the world's number one swordsman.
But Vista laughed: "The world's number one swordsman? Let's see if you still have that confidence after watching the old man's battle later."
After speaking these words, they fell silent, because the clash between Whitebeard and Hawkeye had already begun.
Hawkeye gripped a black sword in his hand, its blade cloaked in the aura of Haki. The Haki aura enveloping his entire being and the black sword appeared as if they were merging into one.
Under Whitebeard's gaze, the Hawkeye figure instantly disappeared in an instant..
"He disappeared."
Zoro, who had been observing them closely, suddenly exclaimed. He was clueless about what just happened.
However, Whitebeard's gaze swiftly shifted, and then he stepped forward with his left foot, meeting the attack with his blade.
Shortly after, a surge of immense power emanated from Whitebeard's blade, and Hawkeye's figure reappeared in the next moment.
"This is the Instant Cut!"
Jozu remarked with slight surprise, having heard of Hawkeye's sword skill, one of which was known as the Instant Cut.
He can instantly approach the enemy and deliver a swift strike.
This technique, when paired with Observation Haki, can be deemed a lethal move by Hawkeye. Most opponents would likely be beheaded before they even had a chance to retaliate.
Nevertheless, Whitebeard effortlessly blocked the strike, leaving Hawkeye with a bead of sweat on his forehead.
Whitebeard easily countered his maneuver, surprising Hawkeye a bit.
Whitebeard effortlessly blocks the attack, even wearing a smile while doing so
Subsequently, Whitebeard pushed Hawkeye backward with a shove and simultaneously thrust forward with his large blade.
Hawkeye's eyes narrowed, his hands swiftly turning upward as the black knife in his grip spun like a dart.
The entire blade of the black sword emitted a subtle glow, and sword energy continuously emanated from the blade, creating an invisible barrier.
Whitebeard's blade was instantly blocked by this invincible barrier. Gripping his right hand tightly, Whitebeard unleashed a burst of Haki in an instant.
A sharp edge thrust out from the tip of Whitebeard's sword, creating a small hole in the barrier above.
"Damn it"
Hawkeye cursed under his breath, swiftly moving away.
And that barrier suddenly cracked, spreading outwards, and then burst open instantly.
But Hawkeye managed to escape, Whitebeard's blow didn't connect.
Furthermore, as soon as Hawkeye backed off, he counterattacked Whitebeard.
He noticed Hawkeye concentrating Haki throughout his body, with the black blade consistently covered in a pitch-black Haki, giving off a dark radiance.
Next, Hawkeye waved his sword, unleashing a strong gust of wind that swiftly swept through the surroundings.
"Step back a bit,"
Jozu quickly reminded Zoro, who quickly transformed into diamond form.
"This power is truly frightening. I wonder when I'll be able to master it"
Zoro sighed inwardly as he took a step back.
Hawkeye's strike created a storm strong enough to lift nearby trees, and that's not even the main force of the sword energy.
The true sword energy is concealed in the air, slicing through like swift light, tracing the path of the sword's light.
The ground is sliced into a deep crack, resembling an abyss.
All of this happened in an instant; even Whitebeard had no time to think. Instinctively, he blocked with the naginata in front of him.
Boom!
The immense impact force strikes the naginata, with Whitebeard's Armament Haki instantly enveloping it, leaving no chance to escape.
Whitebeard sensed a steady surge of power from his naginata.
When it comes to swords skills, Mihawk truly deserves the title of the world's number one swordsman, and even Whitebeard feels the pressure.
Even though Whitebeard could effortlessly use his tremor-tremor fruit power to resolve the situation, he refuses to admit defeat in the clash of sword
"How can it end so easily?"
Mihawk observed as Whitebeard swiftly redirected his sword attack, countering the impact from the opposite side.
Whitebeard's sword aura grew increasingly intense, ultimately deflecting Hawkeye's attack to a different location.
The impact created a large, deep pit at the point of impact.
"It's my turn."
Without allowing Hawkeye a moment to catch his breath, Whitebeard swiftly charged forward and slashed.
With the physical strength of the strongest man in the world, he moved away quickly, possessing enough power to split the space.
Hawkeye also met him with all his might, and the two faced each other at their strongest.
When Hawkeye's 'Yoru' clashed with Whitebeard's 'Murakumogiri,' the surrounding space vibrated intensely.
A more fearsome storm started sweeping the ground, gradually rising into the air.
Like a tornado, the dust on the ground spiraled upward to a height of several meters above the ground, as if aiming to conceal the sun.
Zoro and the others' gaze were completely hindered, and the central battleground became less visible.
And this power clash is still expanding, and Zoro senses that his heart has been thoroughly shaken.
Zoro felt a surge of enthusiasm during this swordsmanship battle.
This terrifying battle scene was the first Zoro had witnessed, and it was even more intense than he had imagined.
"Is this the true display of power? The clash between the world's strongest swordsman and the Pirate King?"
Zoro likely won't witness a battle of this caliber again in his life; he has already engraved it firmly in his heart.
Compared to this spectacle, his previous battles seemed trivial—his three thousand worlds and three-sword style almost insignificant.
"I've got a long way to go"
Zoro thought, clenching his fists.
Due to the impact, a portion of Whitebeard and Hawkeye's power was expelled from the center, shooting straight into the sky as if slicing through the sky apart and dividing the cloud!
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TO BE CONTINUE
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Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone