บท 26: 24. Hawkeye: Is This Cat A Swordsman? Then My Hands Are Itchy!

T/N: There is a little plot hole here, pls ignore it

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Usopp rubbed his eyes, stretched Luffy's face, and asked, "Does it hurt?"

Luffy massaged his face, spun around, and growled, "Of course it hurts, are you an idiot?"

Usopp stood still for a moment, gestured towards the gaping hole Zoro left behind, and couldn't help but shiver.

With shaky legs, he hesitantly mumbled, "Zoro got beaten?"

It wasn't just Usopp who was stunned!

Everyone who knew Zoro's reputation looked astonished and exclaimed:

"No way, Zoro, the pirate hunter, was defeated?"

"It's unbelievable!"

"..."

Luffy chuckled softly, flashing a grin with his teeth, and said with a smirk, "Yep, he got knocked around, shishishi."

Just as Usopp was about to speak up, I saw Luffy mimicking Tom and puffing up his palms. Then he chuckled and demonstrated his newfound abilities to Usopp.

"Shishushi, this is fun!" Luffy laughed.

"Hey, Luffy! How can you joke around at a time like this?" Usopp exclaimed.

"Zoro got beaten!"

Usopp grabbed Luffy's shoulders and shook him vigorously, trying to snap him out of it.

At that moment, Hawkeye, sitting in the corner, suddenly stood up and commended without hesitation, "That was quite an entertaining fight."

As Hawkeye's words echoed, everyone's attention turned to him simultaneously. Some keen-eyed pirates recognized Hawkeye's identity and stumbled backward in fear, collapsing to the ground.

Pointing at Hawkeye with horror written all over his face, he yelled out loud!

"Shichibukai, the world's greatest swordsman!"

"Hawkeye Mihawk!"

"Why is this legendary figure showing up here!"

.....

The moment Al laid eyes on Hawkeye, he too was taken aback, feeling an inexplicable urge to challenge him.

Luffy cocked his head, a bit puzzled, and turned to Zeff, asking, "Is he tough?"

Before Zeff could reply, Usopp grabbed Luffy's face forcefully and said in a quivering voice:

"Hey, Luffy, did you not see how everyone reacted?" Usopp exclaimed.

"He's the world's top swordsman, do you really want to challenge him?"

Seeing Luffy's eager expression, Usopp slumped to the ground, his eyes filled with despair.

'What kind of pirate crew did I end up on? Isn't there anyone sane?'

While everyone awaited Hawkeye's next move, the door of the seafaring restaurant burst open. Immediately after, a man wearing a gray and blue striped turban assisted another man, visibly exhausted, into the establishment.

Under the watchful gaze of everyone, the man suddenly dropped to his knees and pleaded, "Please, save my captain!"

Zeff and the staff of the restaurant recognized them immediately: it was none other than East Blue's Overlord, Krieg, and his subordinate, Gin the "Man-Demon".

However, all eyes remained fixed on Hawkeye, ignoring Krieg and Gin completely.

Hawkeye glanced briefly at Krieg before turning his attention back to Tom, who was enjoying his meal and drink.

A slight smirk played on his lips as he remarked, "That was quite the spectacle, but I'm more intrigued by something else. How formidable can you truly be with a sword?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the room fell into a profound silence.

Everyone held their breath, their eyes widening in disbelief!

"The world's top swordsman is challenging a mere cat to a duel!"

"I can't believe those words actually came out of his mouth!"

...

As the atmosphere in the sea restaurant reached a boiling point, everyone's breaths grew shallow. All eyes were fixed on Tom, who continued to eat and drink, their expressions filled with anticipation.

The skill Tom displayed during his duel with Zoro had shattered their preconceptions!

Al's hand, holding the hot soup, remained suspended in mid-air as he gazed at Hawkeye with a perplexed expression.

He hadn't anticipated Hawkeye's interest in Tom.

As an invitation to duel was extended to Tom, Al, who had been considering proposing a challenge to Hawkeye, chuckled helplessly.

"It seems I've been overlooked," he remarked with a wry smile.

However, Tom, known for his unconventional actions, seemed not to be intrigued by the prospect of facing off against the world's top swordsman.

With a slight smirk, Al leisurely sipped his hot soup and settled back, patiently awaiting Tom's response.

Upon hearing Hawkeye's challenge, Tom appeared taken aback. It seemed he wasn't inclined to accept Hawkeye's offer as he simply ignored it and continued enjoying his meal, munching on meat and sipping juice.

As everyone witnessed Tom's disregard for Hawkeye's invitation, they couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

Some even collapsed to the ground, pleading with Tom to accept Hawkeye's challenge.

They didn't want to meet their end here! If Hawkeye grew enraged, they wouldn't stand a chance! Such was the power of the world's top swordsman!

Hawkeye hadn't anticipated Tom's indifference to his proposal. However, he didn't seem displeased; rather, he grew even more intrigued by Tom.

Just as everyone pondered how to persuade Tom to agree to the duel, Al, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke up:

"Tom, agree to his challenge. Show him your strength," Al urged.

As soon as the words left his mouth, everyone's eyes widened, shooting Al a bewildered glance.

"Let Hawkeye witness Tom's power?"

"I think this young man might not be in his right mind, perhaps he's had a bit too much to drink!"

....

Zoro, who had just emerged from the sea, felt an intense urge to battle upon seeing Hawkeye for the first time. However, upon hearing Hawkeye's proposition, his desire to fight was instantly replaced by astonishment and curiosity.

Having sparred with Tom earlier, Zoro had gained a preliminary understanding of Tom's prowess.

At least for now, he knew he couldn't defeat him.

Even though Zoro felt like he was constantly being toyed with by Tom, he couldn't deny the lessons it taught him.

Despite his reluctance to accept it, this experience helped him gauge his own strength.

Zoro sat cross-legged on the ground, gazing towards the seafaring restaurant with a faint smile playing on his lips.

"A duel between the world's best and a pirate worth 30 million berries?" he mused aloud. "Let's see just how vast the gap between us truly is!"

...

Hawkeye fixed Al with a piercing gaze and inquired, "Are you the master of this cat?"

Al grinned, sidled up to Tom, and affectionately ruffled his hair. "Close enough, but I'd rather have Tom as part of my crew."

"Then you're truly fortunate to have recruited such a formidable ally," Hawkeye praised without hesitation.

Al shook his head, opting to change the subject. Instead, he guided Tom out of the seafaring restaurant.

Shortly after, Al swiftly drew the western sword from Tom's waist and cleaved Krieg's vessel in half with a powerful sword aura!

With a smile, he remarked, "The space inside is too cramped; it's better to have our duel out here."

Hawkeye's expression turned grim, and his gaze towards Al grew more intense, yet he chuckled darkly.

"To think there's someone like you in the weakest of seas," he remarked.

"My apologies, I misspoke."

With that, Hawkeye retrieved the massive long knife known as Yoru from behind him.

"To uphold the honorable code of swordsmanship," he declared. "I shall use the world's mightiest black blade to send your crew to the depths of the sea!"

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