However, to Hawkeye Mihawk's absolute surprise, Senior Rowan did not kill him.
The sword ki that was supposed to cleave him into two had been forcibly shifted at the last possible microsecond! This strike had left him heavily wounded, but alive.
Mihawk knew that if he had the strength to look behind him, he would witness a sight of unparalleled grandeur.
The entire island of Dachik had been split in two. Even the sea behind the island had been severed! A colossal sword scar divided the vast, boundless ocean, forming a massive trench where the seawater failed to close back in for a long time. Not just the island and the sea—even the heavens above bore a crimson streak. Rowan's single slash had, in the truest sense, severed heaven and earth!
Listening to Mihawk's question, Rowan sheathed the now-dull longsword at his waist. He let out a light chuckle. "In the Way of the Sword, reaching your current stage is no easy feat. In the future, you might even take another step forward. Even if you don't, your understanding of swordsmanship can easily nurture countless seeds for the next generation. It would be a waste to kill you here."
"Senior..."
Hearing Rowan's words, Mihawk finally let go of his stubborn persistence. He released his grip on the Black Blade, fell to both knees, and pressed his forehead firmly against the ground. He spoke to Rowan with absolute, pious devotion.
"I will certainly not fail your expectations, Senior!"
On this day, the World's Greatest Swordsman, Hawkeye Mihawk, challenged the Marine Godfather Rowan on Dachik Island and ended in a crushing defeat. The title of World's Greatest Swordsman had officially shifted to the Marine Godfather, Rowan!
"Is the battle... over...?"
On the sea, every faction watching the scene felt their hearts shake as they saw the legendary Mihawk kneeling in devotion. Although they didn't fully comprehend the metaphysical weight of that final exchange, the evidence was clear. From the wound that nearly bisected Mihawk's chest, the World's Greatest had been utterly defeated by Rowan.
The sheer, overwhelming nature of the victory was something no one had expected. But not a single person questioned the outcome. Whether it was the crimson scar in the sky, the island split in two, or the massive sea trench that refused to close, everything spoke of the power of Rowan's final strike.
"Is this the true strength of the Marine Godfather...?"
The strike hadn't just defeated Mihawk and severed the sky; it had left a permanent scar in the minds of everyone present. They would remember this moment forever.
"Great-Grandpa... he's so strong..."
Aboard the warship, Ace watched the scene with profound shock. Was this really the same old man who had raised him—sometimes stern, sometimes kind? A strike of this level... even "Pops," Whitebeard, would struggle to match it, wouldn't he?
Whitebeard was the man with the strongest Paramecia, the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. But his Great-Grandpa had achieved this purely through swordsmanship. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Ace would never have believed a human being was capable of such a feat.
"Quick! RECORD THIS! Send it to the headquarters immediately!"
Aboard a ship belonging to a major news agency, a president-level executive finally snapped out of his trance and roared at the photographers beside him. Looking at the severed horizon, his face was flushed with adrenaline and excitement. This news was going to set the entire world on fire! He had already formulated the headlines in his mind:
Marine Godfather Rowan Defeats Hawkeye Mihawk, Claims Title of World's Greatest Swordsman!
Hiding for Eighty Years Only to Reveal Absolute Power? Rowan Slashes Heaven and Earth!
The Navy's Hidden Sword Saint? Hawkeye Mihawk Rendered Powerless Before the Marine Godfather!
"Move, move, move! Contact the headquarters now!"
As news crews scrambled, every other faction—from World Government agents to pirate scouts—began frantically contacting their superiors to report the impossible scene they had just witnessed.
Aboard the flamboyant ship of the Beautiful Pirates, the Supernova "White Horse" Cavendish gripped his telescope, his face pale with shock. As a swordsman of "Grandmaster" rank himself, he understood far better than the laypeople just how horrific Mihawk's final "Zenith" move was.
To him, Mihawk's technique had represented the absolute peak. But Rowan's final slash had completely shattered his understanding of swordsmanship. The power contained in that strike transcended imagination. That image was now burned into his soul. No matter how strong he became in the future, Rowan would always be the nightmare at the end of the path.
Beside the warship, Dark King Rayleigh shook his head with a light laugh. After taking a deep swig of liquor, he whispered to himself: "The coming era... it belongs to Mr. Rowan now."
Inwardly, he felt a strange sense of relief. If Mr. Rowan had decided to come out of retirement earlier, would Captain Roger have ever found Laugh Tale? Would he have ever become the Pirate King? Rayleigh shook his head, not daring to follow that thought to its conclusion. He was retired; having witnessed such a legendary battle was enough to make this trip worth it.
Aboard the Happo Navy ship, the legendary pirate Don Chinjao—a man whose bounty once exceeded 500 million—stood frozen. He couldn't utter a single word.
Dammit... that's Garp's father's strength?
The idea of "finding trouble" with Rowan had been completely wiped from his mind. Now, his only thought was to turn the ship around and teleport back to the Kingdom of Kano. This old man was too terrifying. Beside him, his grandsons Sai and Boo were equally speechless.
On the water, the Shichibukai Knight of the Sea Jinbe stared fixedly at Rowan, his mind unreadable. Elsewhere in the fleet of onlookers, the grin had vanished from Gecko Moria's face. Deep, primal fear flickered in his eyes.
"Marine Godfather... Rowan..."
Thinking of the moment he had first met Rowan at Headquarters, Moria felt a chill creep up his spine. It wasn't just him; every pirate in the vicinity felt the same. Looking at Rowan was like looking at the personification of a world-ending storm.
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