Up ahead, Kuina had already transformed into a lithe, slender catwoman. Her posture was loose and composed, her right hand resting lightly on the hilt at her waist.
Zoro had tied the familiar black bandana around his forehead. Three swords were drawn—one clenched between his teeth, the other two gripped firmly in his hands.
"Oh?"
Mihawk regarded the two of them with clear interest.
So, this girl has become a Devil Fruit user? If that's the case, then the gap in physical strength had likely been made up.
However, Mihawk's gaze shifted, finally settling on Zoro. More precisely, on the three swords in Zoro's hands.
"To see four swords of such high caliber all at once… that's not something you come across often," Mihawk said with a faint smile.
Kuina smiled back. Her Wado Ichimonji was of the same grade as the three blades Zoro wielded.
"You'll find out soon enough just how powerful they are!" Zoro said, grinning with excitement.
"If this is Ian's request, then I shall oblige you," Mihawk replied, his tone calm and composed.
He slowly reached behind his back, gripping the long handle of the massive blade. With a smooth motion, he drew it forth—a pitch-black sword gleaming with an ominous light.
Both Zoro's and Kuina's eyes widened in unison.
"A black blade?" Kuina exclaimed in disbelief. "You've refined that sword into a Black Blade?"
A Black Blade—the ultimate aspiration of every swordsman. A divine weapon, unbreakable in the truest sense.
The obsidian edge of Mihawk's sword lifted slightly, pointing toward the young man and woman before him.
"Consider it an honor," he said softly. "You'll be the first to face this sword since it became a Black Blade."
"That's quite an honor indeed!" Zoro shouted.
In the same instant, he sprang forward, the three swords in his grasp cloaked in a dark, shimmering aura of Armament Haki.
"Three-Sword Style—Oni Giri!"
Three black arcs tore through the air, their razor-sharp edges aiming to slice Mihawk apart.
Mihawk's eyes gleamed with admiration.
No wonder Ian had gone out of his way to recruit this boy. Such extraordinary talent. At that age, to unleash slashes of this magnitude… even Mihawk himself hadn't been capable of that back then.
A strike of astonishing power.
But for him now, that was far too naive.
If you want to test your strength…
Mihawk let out a light laugh, lightly flicking his black blade in hand, yet its speed seemed to surpass even lightning.
Snap!
Zoro's body instinctively staggered backward.
Such immense power!!
He looked up in shock.
In an instant, he swung a blade, simultaneously fending off three of his swords!
This guy hasn't even used Haki yet, has he?
"Ittoryu—North Wind!"
Like the biting cold of winter, Kuina lowered her body, pressing her right hand against the hilt at her waist, and propelled herself straight toward Mihawk.
Mihawk only felt a flash before his eyes, as a dazzling strike erupted in an instant.
"Iaido?"
Clang!
Dark lightning scattered in all directions.
Kuina frowned. Her blade struck Mihawk's withdrawn greatsword, but it didn't move an inch.
"Kuina! Get back!"
Zoro leapt into the air. "108 Pound Phoenix!!"
Three strikes merged into one, forming a spiraling slash that fell.
Faced with an attack of this magnitude, Mihawk merely sneered. "So now we're testing flying slashes?"
With a swing of his black blade, a jade-green slash shot into the sky, slicing Zoro's strike cleanly in half.
If Zoro hadn't dodged in time, he likely would have been struck.
The moment he landed, without hesitation, the twin blades in Zoro's hands began to spin.
"Three Thousand Worlds!!"
As his body rotated, the three swords tore through the air, and Zoro launched forward.
"Still far from enough."
Mihawk only let out a cold sneer, casually swinging his blade.
A jade-green light shimmered along the edge; with a single strike, Zoro's ultimate technique was nullified, and he was sent flying once more.
But at that moment, Kuina had already closed in again.
Without noticing, the Wadō Ichimonji in her hand had once again returned to its sheath.
"Ittō-ryū Iaijutsu—Senpō!"
In an instant, a brilliant lotus flower enveloped Mihawk.
Each petal of this beautiful firework was a slashing strike.
"A sword attack pursuing ultimate speed?"
Mihawk chuckled lightly. "Still not fast enough."
Whoosh!
A dazzling green blade of light cut across the air.
Kuina didn't even see how Mihawk swung his sword—she only saw the slash appear out of nowhere.
Then, she was sent flying by a single strike.
"Miss Kuina!!"
Sanji shouted in alarm, but when he saw Kuina land steadily after a mid-air spin, he could only grit his teeth and complain, "A sword that big can still swing at that speed… this guy!!"
"Green-haired fool! What are you hesitating for? Give it your all!"
"No need to tell me!!"
Zoro landed lightly, his eyes fixed on Enma held in his right hand.
Come on! Enma! Take all my Haki!
Zoro completely let go of control, allowing Enma to devour his Haki freely.
Not just absorb—it actively poured every ounce of Haki into Enma.
"Oh?"
Mihawk finally grew a bit interested, watching Zoro in surprise.
Invisible pressure radiated from Zoro in waves.
Green lightning spread across his three swords, the blades wrapped in flame-like auras.
"Impressive!"
Mihawk couldn't help but admire him.
Though wielded by hand, a sword is a swordsman's weapon; mastering the sword completely proves one's skill as a swordsman.
"Don't praise me yet!"
Zoro's eyes locked onto Mihawk. "Enma Nine-Sword Style!"
Pouring Haki into Enma at full force was something even he couldn't sustain for long, so he decided to end it with a single strike!
Green energy rippled across his body, finally solidifying from the ethereal into two additional heads and four extra arms on Zoro's shoulders.
Just like the legendary Asura!
"ASURA!!"
Whoosh!
Zoro transformed into lightning, green radiance exploding outward, forming arcs of shimmering light!
At the ends of these arcs, Mihawk's gaze grew slightly serious.
His wrists blackened with Haki, infusing the blades in his hands.
"Flash."
Whoosh!!
Two figures crossed paths in an instant.
The next moment, blood shot into the air.
"Ugh!!"
Zoro's eyes widened as a massive wound tore through his chest. Blood gushed out, and he fell backward.
His three treasured swords spun in the air before finally landing, planted beside him.
"The gap is too big…"
Ace shook his head.
"Zoro already did very well," Ian said with a smile. "Dracule Mihawk took it somewhat seriously."
Zoro's full power was strong even among disaster-level fighters, but it was still too weak against Mihawk. The fact that Mihawk had to use Haki at all was remarkable.
"One Sword Style—Raikiri!"
A surge of lightning shot toward Mihawk's back.
Kuina had never moved this fast before.
Her entire being had fused with her sword, as if she had become a spear that could pierce everything, intending to impale Mihawk directly.
But.
Clang!
Mihawk simply slung his black blade behind him.
Then, in Kuina's shocked gaze, her sword tip collided with Mihawk's blade, perfectly blocked.
"It's over."
A green whirlwind surged violently into the sky.
Within this raging storm, a slender figure was mercilessly swept away.
Finally, she fell helplessly to the ground.
Kuina's strength, compared to Zoro, was slightly weaker, barely touching the edge of disaster-level.
At that moment, Sanji leaped up and caught Kuina directly.
"Miss Kuina, are you okay?!"
Sanji was more worried than Kuina herself.
Meanwhile, Mihawk's blade pointed toward Ian.
"Perfect timing to warm up. Ian, let's go!"
**********
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