After Mihawk swung his black blade and blocked the first wave of sword energy, the second followed right behind it.
Bang!
After he expended most of his strength to dissolve the second wave of sword energy, the third came straight at him again.
Bang!
Clang!
The first sound was the black blade colliding with the sword energy. The second was the thunderous sound of the black blade being knocked out of Mihawk's hand and sent flying before it fell to the ground.
"Huh?"
Mihawk widened his eyes. He looked at his hand, then looked at the black blade lying on the ground. For a moment, he found it difficult to accept.
Never before had his blade been knocked out of his hand!
For a swordsman, that was the greatest failure that could happen in battle.
"Your strength and potential are both impressive. In this world, there are very few people who can withstand three of my sword strikes. You are one of them."
Roy's calm voice rang beside Mihawk's ear, making him immediately come back to himself.
After all, he was an outstanding swordsman with extremely strong willpower.
After only a brief moment of distraction, he quickly snapped out of it.
He walked over and picked up his blade.
Mihawk felt the hand gripping his sword tremble.
That third wave of sword energy had not been easy to receive.
In the clear surface of the black blade, Mihawk could clearly see his own reflection.
For a moment, his heart surged, and the blade seemed to sense his emotions as it let out a faint sword hum.
Do not ask why a blade can let out a sword hum.
Here, a sword is a blade, and a blade is a sword!
Mihawk quietly stared at the blade like that. Then he closed his eyes slightly, and the corner of his mouth lifted into a relieved curve.
He turned around, fastened the black blade back behind him, and looked openly at Roy, who had been standing there quietly the entire time without saying a word.
Mihawk took off the black top hat on his head and lowered his head slightly.
"Captain."
"From now on, you are also a member of the Thunder God Pirates. If there is anything you do not understand about swordsmanship, come ask me whenever you like."
Roy was in an excellent mood over someone like Mihawk joining.
He turned his head and looked toward King and the others, who had followed him to the audience seats and watched the sword duel the entire time.
"So, what are you thinking now?"
The Beast Pirates in the audience seats had long since been stunned by Roy's powerful sword energy.
For a moment, everyone, including Jack and Queen, turned their gazes toward King.
King felt the gazes coming from all around him and remained silent for a long while.
In the end, he took a deep breath, stepped forward toward Roy, and bent his body down.
"Captain!"
King's voice rang through the entire arena, echoing for a long time.
He had truly been convinced by Roy's strength!
After King, as if everyone had reached the same understanding, the rest of the Beast Pirates also began shouting one after another.
"Captain!"
Their voices were so loud that even the people outside the arena could hear them.
"Yohohoho! Looks like another batch of capable fighters will be joining our Thunder God Pirates!"
"Then we should decide on the new divisions ahead of time, BON!"
"Huff, huff... Zzz..."
"Stop sleeping, Jelro!"
"...Ah, sorry!"
"Honestly, is this the side effect of the Sleep-Sleep Fruit?"
The news that the most famous powerful swordsman in the first half of the Grand Line, along with the remaining members of the Beast Pirates, including the Three Calamities, had all joined the Thunder God Pirates once again shook the sea awake.
Captain of the Tenth Division: King.
Captain of the Eleventh Division: Queen.
Captain of the Twelfth Division: Jack.
All the other subordinates from the Beast Pirates were assigned to the three of their divisions.
The addition of King, Mihawk, and the others greatly filled out the Thunder God Pirates' middle-rank combat strength.
Every sea overlord had their own signature forces or top fighters.
Whitebeard had his division commanders. Charlotte Linlin had her Sweet Commanders. Kaido had his Three Calamities.
When Roy and his crew entered the New World, Gin, Daz, and the others were still not even twenty. Even if they were strong, there was a limit to that strength.
The former relied on the special power of the Boiling Fruit, while the latter had the physical advantage of a fish-man. As for Dai, Roy had positioned him for medical work and logistics.
But now, with Mihawk and the Three Calamities such as King joining them, the Thunder God Pirates' reputation immediately stood firm.
Because of this, the Thunder God Pirates, who had originally only faintly suppressed the other two overlords, were now seen by everyone as the unquestionable rulers of the New World.
They were even seen as emperors.
After this incident, people gradually stopped calling Roy the Thunder God and began changing his title to "Thunder Emperor."
"Thunder Emperor" Roy!
The current Thunder God Pirates were so similar to the Rocks Pirates, who had once dominated the New World decades ago!
This also made many veterans sigh over the evils of the sea, past and present, while turning expectant gazes toward the Marines.
In the past, the Marines had been able to break apart the Rocks Pirates. Then they would surely be able to break apart the Thunder God Pirates now as well!
As long as the Marine legend who had accomplished it before, the "Hero" Garp, took action!
However, the Hero Garp, on whom these people had placed their hopes, was currently sweeping through pirates in the East Blue.
Yes, he had only gone home to see his grandson, then happened to run into some pirates and casually dealt with them along the way.
This was also why, by the time Luffy went out to sea, the East Blue was the weakest sea.
With a powerhouse like Garp coming home from time to time to clean up the waters, what pirate could ever rise up there?
On top of that, once a certain man known as the White Hunter was later stationed in Loguetown...
The East Blue was thoroughly reduced to a sea with only a few small-timers left.
"Luffy, did you miss your grandpa?"
Inside Makino's bar, Garp used his arm, hardened over a lifetime until it seemed like an iron rod, to lock little Luffy in place.
"It hurts, Grandpa! I hate you!"
"Hahahaha! Do you want to taste this old man's Fist of Love again? Tell me, where do you want to go this time? A mysterious jungle, or a bottomless abyss?"
"...I don't want to go anywhere!"
"That will not do. If you do not go to places like that, how can you become a great Marine?"
"I don't want to become a Marine! I want to be a pirate!"
"What?! Looks like you really have not tasted this old man's Fist of Love in far too long!"
"Ahhh!"
Bang!
K.O.
(End of Chapter)
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