The moment his words fell—
Mihawk reached back and grasped the hilt of the black blade.
In the next instant, the world's strongest black blade was firmly in his hand.
A terrifying pressure erupted outward without restraint, surging in all directions. Boundless sword intent flooded every inch of space, causing even the air itself to tremble faintly.
Then—
As if responding to its master's call, the black blade emitted a deep, resonant hum.
"Buzz—!"
The overwhelming sword intent shook the very void once more, dominating everything in its wake.
"S-So strong!"
Standing beside Arashi, Bell-mère's eyes widened in shock as she felt the oppressive sword intent crashing toward her. Her voice trembled. "Th-This is… the power of the world's greatest swordsman?!"
"It really is impressive."
Arashi narrowed his eyes, staring intently at Mihawk as he drew his blade.
In the original story, Mihawk's appearances were always cool and awe-inspiring, his massive slashes visually stunning—but that had only been a visual impression.
Now, witnessing it in person, it was far more than just sight.
This overwhelming sword intent—
If he had to compare it, it was absolutely above his own integrated Level 8… perhaps even surpassing Level 9.
So Level 9 is only the beginning of a new stage…
Feeling the immense impact both visually and physically, Arashi's determination to push his swordsmanship to Level 9 grew even stronger. He had to experience what lay beyond it.
"Damn it!"
"Mihawk is way too domineering!"
"Hey, Mihawk—are you really going to attack us?!"
"Run! Everyone run!"
Behind Arlong, the members of the Arlong Pirates widened their eyes in terror under the mountain-like pressure. Everything had happened too suddenly—they had no time to think.
There was only one instinct left—
Run.
But—
Once the world's strongest black blade was drawn by Mihawk, escape was no longer an option.
Gripping the hilt with both hands, Mihawk's eyes flashed coldly. He merely glanced at the fleeing figures before decisively raising the blade high above his head—
And bringing it down.
"Slash—!"
A dazzling sword aura burst forth, radiant and blinding, descending like a celestial river from the heavens.
Boom!!!
A massive slash over ten meters long connected sky and earth in an instant, unstoppable as it surged forward like a falling moon.
Everything in its path—
Arlong, his crew—
Was swallowed whole.
Their screams echoed as they were sent flying into the air.
After sweeping through the entire Arlong Pirates, the sword aura did not slow. Like lightning, it surged straight toward the dock.
Rumble—!!!
With a thunderous roar, the Arlong Pirates' ship was obliterated instantly, shattered into countless fragments that were swept into the sky by the overwhelming force.
Only after completely destroying the ship did the terrifying sword aura gradually fade away.
And when it finally vanished—
A massive, exaggerated fissure stretched from the marketplace all the way to the sea.
The villagers around Arashi stood frozen, staring at the裂缝 carved into the ground, utterly dumbfounded.
Mihawk, meanwhile, casually carried Arashi's two chests of Beli and walked back, stopping in front of him.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
As Mihawk arrived, the members of the Arlong Pirates who had been blasted into the air fell back down one by one, crashing onto the ground—life or death unknown.
"That was ridiculously strong."
Arashi smiled as he took the chests from Mihawk. "Thanks for the hard work."
Mihawk remained as cold as ever, looking like someone who had simply finished a routine task. Without a word, he turned and walked back toward Bell-mère's house.
"Mr. Kairo D. Arashi!!! Mr. Kairo D. Arashi!!!"
Just as Arashi was about to leave, a voice called out from nearby.
Turning around, he saw Genzo—his pinwheel still on his head—limping toward them.
Clearly shaken by the massive fissure, Genzo blinked in disbelief. Then, standing beside the slash mark, he said excitedly, "Your Traveler is safe! And—I found a strange little boat out at sea… shaped like a coffin…"
"Hm?"
Hearing this, Mihawk—who had already turned away—suddenly froze. His eyes lit up as he quickly turned back toward Genzo.
"A coffin-shaped boat?"
"Mr. Genzo, your luck is incredible."
Arashi blinked in surprise before saying, "That boat you found—it should be Mihawk's."
Before he could finish speaking, Mihawk vanished in a flash, rushing straight toward the sea.
"Mr. Kairo D. Arashi… that pirate… I think he's still alive…"
At that moment, Nami tugged at Arashi's sleeve, pointing cautiously at Arlong lying a dozen meters away. "I think… I just saw him move."
"Really?"
Arashi blinked, then walked over.
"Oh—just a dying reflex."
Looking at Arlong, who had already stopped breathing, Arashi shook his head. "No surviving that head-on hit from Mihawk."
Arashi had no interest in whether Arlong and his crew lived or died.
He knew very well—if Mihawk hadn't been here, the Arlong Pirates would have brutally oppressed Cocoyasi Village.
And he himself wouldn't have been spared either.
Of course, if they had targeted him, he wouldn't have hesitated to cut them down completely.
In a world overrun by pirates, mercy only invited endless trouble.
If one strike was enough—
There was no need for a second.
And in that regard—
Mihawk had done it perfectly.
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