The battle intent that Hawkeye Mihawk could not conceal, along with the sharp sword intent radiating involuntarily from his body, betrayed the sheer excitement coursing through him.
Red-Haired Shanks was profoundly curious. What exactly had this seemingly amiable old man done to Hawkeye back in the East Blue to cause a man of his caliber to lose control over his emotions? This was not the typical demeanor of a powerhouse at Mihawk's level.
Was it truly just because of that single, lingering wisp of sword intent?
Shanks, who had reached a realm of being largely "without desire," was incredibly strong, but even he struggled to fully comprehend Mihawk's perspective. Mihawk had been at the "peak" since the day he set sail, long hailed as the World's Greatest Swordsman and standing at the apex of the world's Way of the Sword. To suddenly learn one day that he had not reached the summit—that he was, in fact, only halfway up the mountain—was a feeling beyond words.
His thirst for mastery and his obsession with the Way of the Sword made it impossible for him to remain calm. Even though a month of bitter cultivation had elevated his understanding of swordsmanship by several levels, in Mihawk's heart, he was still far inferior to Rowan!
He wanted to challenge Rowan to witness for himself what the true peak of swordsmanship looked like!
"It's Shanks! Shanks is here too!" Luffy caught sight of Shanks and broke into a massive grin, waving his hands high toward the Red Force to make sure he was noticed.
"Why is Shanks with Hawkeye Mihawk?" The flames on Ace's body vanished, replaced by a look of confusion. He had specifically sought out Shanks a few months ago to thank him for taking care of Luffy back in the East Blue. Shanks had even thrown a banquet for him, so there was a level of friendship between them.
"Yo! Luffy! Ace!" Shanks called back with a smile. He and Luffy had a promise that they would only meet once Luffy had become a great pirate to return the straw hat. Yet, here they were, meeting again before Luffy had even officially set sail.
Nearby, Momonga and the many Marines were utterly bewildered. Why did it seem like this Yonko, Red-Haired Shanks, was on good terms with everyone? It was one thing to be rivals with Mihawk, but how did he know Mr. Rowan? And not just Rowan—he seemed remarkably familiar with the Whitebeard Second Division Commander and Garp's grandson as well!
Shanks, of course, offered no explanation to the puzzled Marines. As the Red Force drew close to the shores of Dachik Island, the impatient Hawkeye Mihawk leaped from the railing, landing not far in front of Rowan.
Looking at the old man he had thought about every day for a month, Mihawk's expression was one of visible agitation. He had trained relentlessly for this day. And finally, it had arrived!
"Hawkeye-boy, you seem a bit nervous," Rowan said with a light chuckle, exhaling a puff of smoke as he looked at Mihawk, who stood there like a sharp, unsheathed blade.
Mihawk's mouth curled into a grin. "I am simply too excited."
Taking a deep breath, Mihawk drew the Black Blade, Yoru, from his back. Under the bright sun, the Supreme Grade sword looked pitch black, radiating a strange, soul-stirring light that seemed to absorb the very sunlight. Upon drawing the blade, Mihawk's aura instantly climbed to its absolute peak!
The spectators in the distance felt as if their eyes were being pricked by needles just by looking at him!
"Hawkeye Mihawk is making his move!" "He looks like he has no intention of holding anything back!" "Quick! Record this! This is a massive scoop!" "This battle will be written into the history books!"
The various factions gathered on the sea widened their eyes and held their breath, terrified of missing a single second of what was to come.
Behind Rowan, Vice Admiral Momonga felt a chill as he sensed the sheer pressure of Mihawk's sword intent. He had previously thought he might be able to trade a few blows with Mihawk in terms of pure technique, but now he felt completely outmatched. He had vastly underestimated the World's Greatest Swordsman!
But even so, in Momonga's heart, Mihawk still couldn't stand on the same level as Rowan. He would never forget the strike Rowan had unleashed in the Marine Headquarters meeting room. To Momonga, that single slash was the ultimate peak of the world!
"Senior Rowan, do you need to change weapons?" Zoro asked in a low voice, suppressing his own battle intent as he walked to Rowan's side. In the face of Mihawk's full-throttle aura, Zoro could clearly feel the gap between himself and the World's Greatest. Standing this close, he felt as if his skin were being cut by thousands of invisible blades.
"Change weapons?" Rowan glanced at the struggling Zoro and smiled. "No need. While a good weapon is smoother to use and more powerful, a swordsman's strength shouldn't be dictated by what's in his hand. A true master can demonstrate their peak strength even with a rusty dagger."
Zoro looked thoughtful at those words.
Rowan tucked his pipe away and said to Zoro, "Step back. Tell Momonga-boy to take the soldiers and move away from the island."
With that, Rowan's right hand gripped the hilt at his waist. He turned back to Mihawk and asked, "Hawkeye-boy... are you ready?"
Mihawk tightened his grip on Yoru and said deeply, "I am at my strongest!"
"In that case..." Rowan looked toward Shanks on the Red Force and laughed. "Red-Haired-boy, you know what to do, right?"
Shanks grinned. "Don't worry, Mr. Rowan. I've got things covered here."
Turning to his crew, Shanks ordered, "Boys, pull back! And keep a sharp eye on that crowd behind us. We can't let anyone interrupt this duel!"
As the warship and the Red Force sailed further away, everyone watching on the sea swallowed hard. They were about to witness a struggle for the title of the World's Greatest Swordsman—a duel that would shake the world!
Whether it was Red-Haired Shanks, Vice Admiral Momonga, or the thousands of spectators, all eyes were wide with anticipation.
The Peak Battle was about to begin!