In the sky above, the meteor blazed with crushing pressure as it plummeted.
One fiery slash after another rained down from the heavens.
Hawkeye, still holding his sword, seemed stirred by the commotion. He raised his arm—sending several arcs of sword energy slicing forward.
BOOM!
The meteor slammed into the sea.
The pirate ship beneath it vanished on impact, engulfed by the explosion. Towering waves surged outward, overturning nearby vessels as if they were toys.
Don landed lightly, blade sliding back into its sheath. Hawkeye slung Yoru across his back, and Isshō planted his sheathed Gambler's Fireline at the bow.
Robin glanced at the three of them—then at the burning wreckage surrounding them.
Flames and debris covered the sea like a battlefield of gods.
And she'd actually thought about sailing around this earlier?
Don raised his hand, unleashing a shockwave that blasted away the floating wrecks, clearing a path through the carnage.
The small boat drifted forward, slicing through the sea of wreckage.
The Marine warships that had been pursuing the pirates had already stopped.
Their sailors watched the tiny boat approach, nerves wound tight.
Whatever had just happened—there was no doubt this little boat was behind it.
Vice Admiral Mouse stood at the bow of his ship, his grip tightening on his sword as his eyes darkened.
"Order the fleet to open a path," he said curtly.
"Uh—yes, sir!"
His adjutant blinked, startled, then quickly called out through a Den Den Mushi.
The Marine ships ahead split apart, making way.
Mouse's gaze locked onto the approaching boat—and his eyes widened.
Hawkeye!
Compared to Don and Isshō, Hawkeye's fame and distinct appearance made him instantly recognizable.
Most importantly—Mouse had fought him before.
When Hawkeye had challenged swordsmen across the world, many of the Marines' top officers had become his practice targets.
Mouse had been one of them.
But who were the two beside him?
Mouse's eyes narrowed as he glanced from Hawkeye to the others.
Then the younger man—Don—turned his head and grinned at him.
Mouse's heart jolted. The next instant, fire flared before his eyes.
He instinctively gripped his sword as the Marines around him snapped to battle stations.
Out of the flames, Don stepped forward.
"The pirates you were chasing—they've got bounties, right?"
Caught off guard, Mouse hesitated, then nodded. "Uh—yes!"
"Good. Have the bounty transferred to my account. Garp knows what to do."
With that, Don's body dissolved back into flame and returned to the small boat.
Only when he was gone did Mouse finally exhale.
"Garp knows?" he muttered, blinking. "Wait a second… that guy looked familiar…"
A moment later, his memory clicked.
"Right! It's him—Don!"
As a Marine officer, Mouse had heard plenty about him. He knew that the Marines once tried to recruit Don, but he refused
and that he'd even fought two Admirals before.
Watching the small boat sail past through the opened sea lane, Mouse frowned.
"Hold on… weren't we the ones chasing those pirates?"
He stood there dumbfounded for a moment—then sighed.
"Forget it. Better report this to the Fleet Admiral."
He turned to his men. "Clear the waters. If anyone's still alive—capture them."
Then Mouse headed for the cabin to contact Sengoku.
On the small boat
"What were you doing back there?" Robin asked, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
"Nothing much," Don replied, waving his hand lazily. "We helped take down those pirates. Can't just skip out on the bounty, can we?"
"Eh? But… those were Marine targets!" Robin's eyes widened.
"Marine targets?" Don said, looking offended. "We're the ones who did the work."
"…Fine."
Seeing his expression, Robin decided not to argue. She sighed and focused on steering again.
Hawkeye's voice cut through the sound of waves. "Your flames and swordsmanship—how far can you fuse them?"
Don smirked. "You'll find out… when we cross blades again."
"This route has no islands," Hawkeye noted calmly. His piercing eyes stayed fixed on Don.
"The Grand Line's vast. It's my first time here too. No idea where we'll hit land next," Don said, turning toward Isshō. "You got any idea?"
The blind swordsman shook his head slightly. "Old me can't see, remember? I usually borrow other people's ships to travel."
Hawkeye glanced between them—his expression unreadable.
That meteor… those fire slashes…
Both had stirred something in him.
Don's swordsmanship wasn't refined, but the sheer force of it—combined with his Devil Fruit—gave it terrifying weight.
A rare kind of opponent.
Since becoming the world's strongest swordsman, only one or two men had ever made him feel this thrill.
And one of them had lost an arm.
Hawkeye closed his eyes, saying no more.
For a worthy rival, he could wait.
Don exchanged a look with Robin, who silently asked if he'd take the helm.
He shook his head, climbed onto the cabin roof, and stretched out under the open sky.
Robin sighed again—and kept rowing.
Marine Headquarters
"I see. I'll inform Garp about the bounty," Sengoku said, hanging up the Den Den Mushi.
"Hawkeye… the one who called down that meteor… and Don."
He had already received reports about Don's earlier encounter with Hawkeye near Alabasta.
But he hadn't expected the two to travel together.
Sengoku's eyes hardened.
He knew exactly how strong Hawkeye was
even an Admiral would find him difficult to defeat.
And now, with Don and Isshō added to the mix…
That trio could probably face even Whitebeard or Big Mom head-on.
Three top-tier powerhouses sailing together
Sengoku felt his control over the seas slipping away.
Just what kind of magnet was this man, Don?
Even someone as solitary as Hawkeye had joined him.
"No… I need to find out his true purpose."
He muttered, lost in thought.
Even if Don wasn't a pirate, three men of that caliber traveling together could shake the balance of the world.
He needed answers—fast.
And so, Sengoku called Garp.
When Garp heard the report, even he froze.
"Wait, what? You're telling me Hawkeye's traveling with Don?!"
"Exactly," Sengoku said grimly. "That's why I want you to find him—and learn what his goal is."
END OF CHAPTER
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