Outskirts of Wano Country.
Initially, Hawkeye hadn't taken Gecko Moria seriously.
His change in attitude came only after witnessing Moria's power and courage...
But truthfully, it still wasn't enough to make Hawkeye go all out.
Yet, Moria immediately made Hawkeye pay a small price.
In his Shadow's Asgard state, Moria instantly stabilized his body mid-air after being sent flying...
In the next moment, he appeared before Hawkeye with near-teleportation speed.
Without even raising his massive sword, a single punch to the side of Yoru's blade sent Hawkeye flying.
Skipping across the sea like a stone.
This sudden turn of events left Hawkeye in disbelief.
But what followed...
Was exhilaration.
Regaining his footing, Hawkeye used Moon Walk to return to his ship.
Wiping the blood from his lips—drawn by the shockwave of that punch—he stared at the now utterly transformed Moria before him.
"So you're this strong? I truly underestimated you."
"Hawkeye Mihawk... Even though I'm one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, I've heard of your swordsmanship... There are even rumors spreading across the seas that the man wielding that massive black blade... is already on the path to becoming the world's greatest swordsman," Moria said with exaggerated seriousness.
"But no matter how strong you are, when the power of two thousand people is concentrated into one body, even you would find it hard to resist, wouldn't you?"
"Not just hard—it's nearly impossible," Hawkeye shook his head. "If that earlier force hadn't been directed at my black blade but at the pirate ship beneath us, this vessel would have been torn apart, creating massive shockwaves across the sea."
"Scary words... but in reality, you only coughed up a little blood," Moria observed, watching Hawkeye's calm and indifferent demeanor, though the veins bulging at his temples betrayed his less-than-optimal condition.
Shadow's Asgard allowed him to cram the shadows of two thousand people into his body, but this was already the limit of his insane training.
While it granted him immense power...
Maintaining and controlling this state required tremendous mental strength.
Though Moria might seem to be casually bantering with Hawkeye, in truth, he was searching for an opening—a chance to deliver a fatal blow.
If he couldn't secure a swift victory with this overwhelming power, prolonged combat would drain his mental energy, eventually causing him to lose consciousness...
And descend into a rampage.
In a way, this was a powerful technique shackled by numerous conditions.
Most importantly...
The current Moria was far from the washed-up wreck he had been in the original story.
He was once a great pirate who had rivaled Kaido himself!
Even if he had since fallen far behind Kaido, he had still grown significantly stronger compared to his past self.
Under these conditions, he could even hold his own against Hawkeye.
"Making me cough up blood is already quite an impressive feat," Hawkeye said, slightly raising the black blade Yoru to point at Moria.
"But your power... is still too superficial. Though it stems from a Devil Fruit's ability... it ultimately relies on others' strength. Without proper control, defeat is only a matter of time."
"So, that's why you sent the other Marines to support your allies earlier? Because you alone are enough to stall me until I lose control?" Moria sneered. "What a tactician you are."
"What you described is indeed the optimal strategy... but I've never been one to prioritize efficiency above all," Hawkeye lifted his head, his cold eyes now brimming with palpable killing intent.
"So, I'll crush you... head-on."
"Then you'd better... truly be the world's greatest swordsman!"
Moria raised his massive blade, the strange undulations beneath his bluish-black skin settling as he launched a furious assault at Hawkeye.
This time, Hawkeye wasn't sent flying like he had been with the first strike.
But all he could do now was barely hold his ground...
If it weren't for the unparalleled toughness and flexibility of Yoru, the Supreme Grade Sword, the sheer vibrational force transmitted to Hawkeye would have been enough to shatter his tendons and bones.
Yet...
Amid what seemed like completely unfavorable battle conditions, Hawkeye's eyes remained as sharp as an eagle's.
A faint smile even crept onto his lips.
He... had seen through it.
"Gekko Moria... your fate has already been discerned by me."
As he spoke, Hawkeye raised Yoru to block Moria's final horizontal slash, then used the momentum to pivot, delivering a pure black Flying Slash from below.
Moria, meanwhile, was left momentarily immobilized by the recoil of his own attack.
In the blink-and-you'll-miss-it intensity of the assault, it was nearly imperceptible...
But Hawkeye seized that precise instant.
Enduring all those previous strikes had been solely to uncover this fleeting opening.
This Flying Slash was the perfect fusion of Hawkeye's strength and swordsmanship, further amplified by a dense coating of Armament Haki...
"Guh—!"
A single slash sent Moria crashing onto the pirate ship's deck.
The next moment, he arched backward violently, mouth agape as countless shadows spewed forth.
Shadow's Asgard... broken!
With two thousand shadows forcibly expelled in an instant, Moria was left in unprecedented weakness.
"A technique like this was bound to have severe drawbacks... Still, you've provided me with quite the entertainment... cough!"
Hawkeye couldn't suppress a cough, blood mingled with organ fragments spraying out.
Forced to withstand that lightning-fast barrage, his body had reached its limits.
So he turned his blade, knocking Moria unconscious with its flat.
He was no merciful man—in fact, among SWORD's Forces, he was the most bloodthirsty.
But... Gekko Moria was different.
He was one of the Seven Warlords personally recruited by Michael.
His life... and death... were Michael's to decide.
Even if Michael now stood with the Revolutionary Army.
"Cough... That Shadow's Asgard was truly strong..."
Hawkeye muttered to himself, gaze drifting toward the distance.
"Their battle... should be going smoothly?"
"But those foes... each seems no less dangerous than Moria..."