"What a troublesome rookie."
Quietly sipping his drink, Rayleigh hadn't expected things to turn out like this.
But as a swordsman and a senior, how could he allow himself to refuse a challenge to battle?
Setting the bottle down, his weathered gaze locked on those razor-sharp hawk-like eyes.
Buzz—!!!
Crack crack crack!!!
His eyes suddenly turned sharp, and streaks of black and red lightning-like energy erupted wildly, swirling like thunderstorms with the golden-haired, scruffy uncle at the center, exploding madly in all directions.
The sheer force of this aura even made Mihawk's pupils shrink slightly, his expression turning grave in an instant.
A domineering will no weaker than Orin's—perhaps even slightly stronger—spread out in all directions!
Within a hundred meters around them, aside from Shakky, every single person rolled their eyes back, mouths agape, collapsing to the ground unconscious.
The peak-level Conqueror's Haki of the Dark King Rayleigh!
One of the true pinnacles of the world, the strength of an old master.
Of course, Mihawk was not someone who would be cowed into inaction by mere Conqueror's Haki—after all, he possessed it too.
"The world's greatest swordsman would never sheathe his blade because of someone else's aura!!!"
Crack crack crack…
Black and red lightning kept exploding in the air!
The new generation and the old—respectively the vice-captains of Roger and Orin—glared at one another, their clashing Conqueror's Haki ripping the very ground apart, a sight visible from kilometers away.
"That is…"
The guards of the Sabaody Archipelago stared, mouths agape, at the phenomenon in the sky. Bolts of thunder seemed to pierce the heavens, dark clouds gathering as if it were the end of the world.
"This level of aura collision? Are you kidding me? This is the Black Emperor's territory!!!"
"How dare anyone…!"
"What is this? Is the world ending???"
All across the streets and alleys, countless people stopped what they were doing and stared wide-eyed toward the sky.
As the head butler, Sammi was naturally the first to know the inside story—making her just as troubled now.
"Rayleigh-san and Mihawk-san are going to duel? Honestly, what can we even do about them…"
"At least don't go rampaging here on the Sabaody Archipelago!"
She wasn't the only one with that thought.
In Shakky's Rip-off Bar, staring at the two exuding such oppressive auras, Shakky's face was equally grim and unsightly.
Unable to hold back any longer, she slammed her fist down on the table.
"Hey!!! You two—if you're going to fight, don't do it on this island!!!"
Rayleigh: …
Mihawk: …
Shakky's interruption made them both freeze for a moment, and their terrifying auras gradually subsided.
The black and red lightning dancing wildly in the air slowly faded away.
"You two… look what you've done to my bar?"
Faced with Shakky's sharp-tongued scolding, Rayleigh gave a wry smile, cold sweat on his brow, before glancing at Mihawk.
The young hawk could only sigh inwardly, resorting to his usual trick.
"Find Orin. He'll compensate you double."
...
Mihawk, at twenty-four years old, was undoubtedly a young man—but his strength had already brushed against the threshold of an Admiral, thanks to his mastery of swordsmanship and Haki.
Rayleigh, the Dark King, had been a top-tier powerhouse long ago, his battle experience immeasurable.
A clash between the two… who could say how long it might last?
Whoosh—
A massive emerald slash burst forth, effortlessly cleaving the ground in two.
It could split mountains and shatter stone; even towering peaks crumbled like tofu under its sharp edge!
But through the dust and smoke of the altered terrain, a tall, muscular figure draped in a white cloak emerged seemingly unscathed, swaying slightly as he walked forward.
The stride of a strong man on the sea was never hurried—always steady and deliberate.
Hand on his sword hilt, Rayleigh stepped toward Mihawk, his gait crisp and firm, black and red arcs of electricity bursting around him in an instant.
"I figured a swordsman like you would come to challenge me sooner or later… just didn't expect this day to come so soon."
Mihawk narrowed his eyes slightly, his hand trembling—not from fear, but from the thrill of facing a powerful swordsman.
"Dark King Rayleigh…"
Yoru slowly opened its eye-like sheen, radiating killing intent—his thoughts clearly the same.
"If you're ready, then come…"
Rayleigh met Mihawk's sharp gaze coldly, slowly drawing his blade, its edge wreathed in intense Conqueror's Haki.
He pointed it to the sky.
Immediately, terrifying lightning storms reappeared, reminding Mihawk of the battle against Orin—except this time, the pressure was even greater.
"Hey, little hawk-eyed brat from Orin's crew… maybe I'm overstepping, but I once guided Orin in his training and growth. Giving you a lesson in swordsmanship today… isn't too much to ask."
Facing such an opponent, Mihawk, just like Orin before him, displayed a powerful fighting spirit.
Gripping Yoru tightly, he brought the black blade across his body, unleashing his own Conqueror's Haki—his presence no less imposing.
What a joke.
This was just the Pirate King's vice-captain. He was going to be the world's greatest swordsman!!!
The right-hand man of the future world's strongest man—the king of the world!!!
Black and red lightning coiled around Yoru as Mihawk slowly raised it overhead, his noble silhouette lowering slightly.
His killing intent locked onto Rayleigh like a top predator.
Then—an incisive, ruthless downward slash!
Buzz… Crack—!
Wreathed in black and red lightning, sharper than before, the slash shot straight toward Rayleigh.
Rayleigh's response was just as fierce—his blade cleaving forward.
The two supreme blades, too sharp and too domineering, met after a brief clash of Conqueror's Haki at a distance.
Clang!
The sound of steel clashing exploded between them!
That strike… was dead even?
High above, theSeagulls—trained by Morgans and immune to Conqueror's Haki—held a camera, snapping away furiously.
Such big news would never be wasted on outsiders; of course, the King of News himself had to report it.
Though slightly outmatched in Haki, even suppressed, Mihawk was still Mihawk—his spirit and swordsmanship would never yield.
Under the immense pressure, he kept breaking past his own limits.
Rayleigh's blade, wrapped in supreme Haki, still couldn't truly push Mihawk back; the two kept crossing swords again and again.
Naturally, Mihawk accumulated wounds all over his body during the fight, but the pride of a swordsman forbade him from retreating or fleeing.
He welcomed this pressure.
"Dark King Rayleigh! Come at me with the intent to kill!!!"
Rayleigh's reply was nothing but an even more domineering slash.
"I've always been serious, boy."