That single sentence instantly drew every member of the Nether Soul Pirates' attention to him.
Being stared down by the Nether Soul crew was no small thing. Even the campfire between them suddenly flickered and shrank, as if cowed by the pressure. Cricket, in particular, felt a chill run down his spine.
For the first time, he realized the group he'd only just met was anything but ordinary. The man standing before him, Dracule Mihawk, and the attitude the Black Jack Pirates had shown earlier were proof enough.
"Heh heh." With the atmosphere suddenly turning tense, Rogen chuckled. "I do know a bit of swordsmanship, but it's not what I specialize in. Or rather... my swordsmanship is different from the kind practiced in this world."
Mihawk's curiosity was piqued. "What do you mean?"
"It's a power that comes from a completely different kind of swordsmanship, one unlike the path followed by this world's swordsmen," Rogen smiled as he answered.
"I'd like to see it for myself, Rogen." Mihawk's expression turned serious. It was an open challenge. He made no attempt to hide his desire to fight.
Right in front of everyone, he challenged Rogen directly. There wasn't the slightest hint of fear or hesitation in his eyes, only a blazing fighting spirit. To battle one of the world's greatest powerhouses was the highest honor he could ask for.
"Is that so?" Rogen laughed. "To be honest, I haven't used a sword in a long time. And the path I've chosen isn't limited to swordsmanship anymore."
A trace of disappointment flashed across Mihawk's eyes. Only someone who devoted themselves entirely to the sword could reach its peak.
Trying to develop in multiple directions was nearly impossible. Countless people spent their entire lives without ever stepping into the realm of a true swordmaster. Rogen had become famous for his swordsmanship, yet he'd abandoned that path.
Mihawk had thought the world was about to gain another swordsman worthy of competing with him. Instead, he was disappointed.
A swordsman who couldn't dedicate everything to the blade would never reach the summit. He had walked this path for far too long to believe anyone could surpass him. That confidence had been built on countless victories.
"What a shame," Mihawk shook his head, disappointment still in his eyes.
"Still, if you just want to exchange swordsmanship, that's certainly possible." Rogen smiled knowingly. Among his Six Paths clones, the Naraka Path, Agson, had been a swordmaster before his death. In Rogen's opinion, Agson's mastery of the sword was second to none.
"Oh?" Mihawk looked puzzled.
Then he saw Rogen stretch out his right hand toward an empty patch of ground. A swirling vortex suddenly appeared, and a cold-faced man wearing a black robe patterned with red clouds slowly emerged from the distortion.
The bizarre sight left not only Mihawk stunned, even the Nether Soul Pirates found it astonishing. Daz Bones was especially shaken.
Having only recently joined the crew, he'd never witnessed Rogen's abilities before. Watching him casually wave a hand and summon a living person left him deeply shocked.
"His name is Naraka Path. You can think of him as my clone." As Rogen spoke, Agson of the Naraka Path stepped forward.
A massive horse-chopping blade rested diagonally across his back. Standing nearly three meters tall, his broad, sturdy frame made him look overwhelmingly imposing. At first glance, Agson looked more like a warrior than a swordsman.
"I am Naraka Path Agson. Mihawk, it's a pleasure." Agson grinned, his smile carrying an eerie edge.
"Agson!" Mihawk's pupils contracted. The name sounded vaguely familiar, as though he'd heard it somewhere long ago, but the memory was too distant to grasp.
"If it's swordsmanship you seek, I'll be your opponent." Compared to the other Five Paths, Agson was noticeably more talkative. His right hand slowly reached behind his back and wrapped around the hilt of the enormous horse-chopping blade.
'Buzz!'
The three- to four-meter-long blade came free in a single motion, trembling in his hand as if it were roaring. An invisible but razor-sharp aura burst forth.
Mihawk's entire body stiffened. "The aura of a great swordsman... You're truly a powerhouse." He reached for the black blade on his back,
''Yoru.''
As their auras locked onto each other, Mihawk immediately judged that the unknown Agson standing before him was also a swordsman of the highest caliber.
The realization shocked him, and made him curious. But the desire to fight burned so fiercely that he didn't even bother asking who Agson really was before swinging his sword.
'Whoosh!'
A fierce gust swept across the area. Birds burst from the distant forest in alarm, and leaves rained from the trees.
A flash of black steel streaked through the air, cutting straight toward Agson's face. The world's greatest swordsman showed no mercy the moment he made his move.
"Hahaha!" The instant Mihawk's wrist moved, Agson threw back his head and laughed. The massive horse-chopping blade in his hands looked unwieldy, yet it moved with unbelievable speed, appearing beneath Yoru in an instant.
'Clang!'
The two enormous blades collided with a shower of brilliant sparks before locking together in a dead stalemate.
'Bzzzz!'
A powerful wind roared through the clearing. Even the campfire surged high before shrinking back again, as though it, too, feared the clash between the two men.
"As expected of the world's greatest swordsman!" Agson laughed loudly.
"And to think a master like you could remain unknown. You've surprised me," Mihawk spoke with complete seriousness.
The two separated as soon as their blades met, each retreating a step and returning to their original positions.
That brief exchange had already given them a rough measure of each other's strength. At the same time, each had developed a genuine interest in the other. True masters always recognized their own kind.
"Come, Mihawk!" Agson called out. "I want to fight you."
"As you wish." Mihawk's eyes sharpened. Faced with a challenge, the world's greatest swordsman would never back down.
The two exchanged a glance, nodded, and walked toward the shoreline together.
There were too many people here, and a fight between them could easily drag everyone else into it. Rogen and the others got up and followed. A duel between these two wasn't something you got to see every day, and even Rogen was curious.
"Who do you think will win?" Robin asked quietly.
"I'm betting on Mihawk. He's the world's greatest swordsman."
"But who is Agson? I've never even heard of him."
"The captain said he's one of his clones."
Trensu, Chaporos, and the others discussed it among themselves. By then, the two swordsmen had reached the water's edge.
Mihawk slowly raised Yoru before his chest, then leveled its tip at Agson. His hawk-like eyes grew even sharper. Even standing still, without making a move, he inspired fear from the bottom of one's heart.
The smile faded from Agson's face. Resting the huge horse-chopping blade on his shoulder, he looked completely at ease. Yet every muscle in his body was taut, ready to unleash its full power at a moment's notice.
'Whoosh...'
A gentle sea breeze drifted past. Under the light of the crescent moon, the ocean shimmered as though the scales of some enormous sea creature were reflecting the moonlight.
Then, in that very instant…
A whirlwind erupted where Mihawk had been standing. His figure vanished without warning.
Agson's eyes narrowed sharply. The horse-chopping blade resting on his shoulder came crashing down in a savage slash.
The world's greatest swordsman had made his move.
Like a hurricane.
Like lightning.
Like a torrential storm.
(End Of This Chapter)
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