"Wahaha! Chiyo, your lobster with abalone sauce is incredible!" Felina said, holding a giant lobster claw in one hand and grinning shamelessly as she devoured it.
"If it's that good, eat more!" Fiona chimed in cheerfully, while the rest of the crew nodded in agreement, their plates already piled high.
Chiyo beamed, cheeks flushed with pride. "I'm glad you like it! I simmered that abalone sauce all night it better be delicious!"
After the meal, Fiona leaned back with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Eli, come spar with me!"
Eli Winters, who had just reclined on a deck chair ready for a nap, froze with a twitch of his eyebrow. Not again. Fiona had become far too energetic lately once shy and quiet, now chatty, boastful, and obsessed with showing off her swordsmanship. And somehow, she had decided Eli was the perfect practice partner.
She'd been pestering him for duels the past few days, even banning him from using his space abilities. It was a headache but fine. He'd play along. Training the kid wouldn't hurt.
Soon, the deck of the Silver Dragon became their arena, with Big Pan and the others gathered on the upper deck, leaning on the railings to watch.
Fiona drew four blades from her spatial storage, gripping her favorite sword, Snowdrinker, in her right hand. With a sharp cry, the four floating blades shot toward Eli like streaks of light.
Eli parried two with his sword, Oblivion, twisting his wrist just in time to dodge the other two. But Fiona was already closing the distance Snowdrinker lunged from an unpredictable angle straight for his chest.
Eli chuckled, his sword aura flaring. A burst of invisible force sent Fiona stumbling back, but the four blades spun in midair and darted at him again from behind.
With a swift motion, Eli unleashed a Flying Slash, cleaving through the air and knocking the weapons away. The metallic ding-ding-dang of clashing blades echoed across the deck as they fought.
Fiona's strikes were precise, fierce, and beautiful to watch until she suddenly changed rhythm. Her attacks softened, flowing like water. Snowdrinker danced like a serpent, wrapping toward Eli's guard.
She's learning fast, Eli thought, a spark of surprise in his eyes. He pivoted lightly, retreating with effortless grace. But Fiona pressed forward, refusing to yield. Her movements were fluid and relentless, her determination fierce.
Then Eli spotted it a tiny gap in her stance.
He smiled faintly, stepped in instead of retreating, and thrust straight at her opening. Fiona's eyes widened in alarm. She tried to block but she was too slow.
Just as Oblivion's point touched her chest, Eli halted his strike and instead tapped her shoulder lightly with the flat of his blade.
"You lose," he said with a teasing grin.
Fiona pouted, lowering her sword. "Hmph. This one doesn't count! Next time, I'll win for sure!"
The others burst into laughter.
Big Pan called down, "Fiona, you've got a long way to go yet!"
She shot him a glare but couldn't suppress her own laughter for long.
Suddenly, Simon shouted from the lookout post, "Captain! There's something weird ahead it looks like a coffin... and it's rowing this way!"
Everyone rushed to the edge of the deck. Eli squinted at the dark silhouette gliding over the waves.
"No way," muttered Dortai. "That guy's using swords to row?"
Eli's grin widened. "Hahaha! That has to be the one and only Dracule Mihawk!"
Fiona's eyes sparkled in awe. "The Mihawk? The world's greatest swordsman? I've heard he's been traveling across the seas, challenging every master he can find and he's never lost!"
Big Pan folded his arms, snorting proudly. "He's still no match for the Captain."
Fiona rolled her eyes dramatically. "You'd say that even if a god challenged him."
As the coffin-shaped boat drew near, the man in the black hat reached into his coat and pulled out a newspaper. On the front page was a photo of Eli and the Silver Dragon.
"Ah," Mihawk muttered to himself. "This time, I've found the right one."
With a light leap, he landed silently on the Silver Dragon's deck. His sharp gaze swept across the crew, finally locking onto Eli. The air thickened as his fighting spirit surged like a blade drawn from its sheath.
"You are Eli Winters?" Mihawk asked, voice cool and precise.
Eli replied seriously, "No."
"...What?" Mihawk froze, completely thrown off. That was not how this was supposed to go.
Up on the balcony, Big Pan and the others were trembling with suppressed laughter. They knew that expression Eli was messing with the poor guy.
"You're... not?" Mihawk asked again, brows furrowing. He pulled the newspaper from his coat and double-checked the photo. Same face. Same grin. The man was clearly toying with him.
"Hmm," Mihawk said coldly, his expression darkening. "To think a swordsman of your caliber would mock me so casually."
Eli quickly waved his hands with a laugh. "Relax, relax! Just a joke. I am Eli Winters. I heard you've been challenging swordsmen all over the world. So you're here for a duel, right?"
Mihawk gripped his black blade, Yoru, and nodded. "Indeed. I sensed your sword aura from afar. I came to test my edge against yours."
Before Eli could respond, Fiona stepped forward, pointing her sword at Mihawk. "Then you'll have to get through me first!"
Eli caught her wrist gently. "Hold on. I'll take this one but not now." He smiled at Mihawk. "If we fight seriously, my ship won't survive. How about this you stay aboard for a few days. Train my crew, spar with them, and I'll cover your food and drink. Fair trade?"
Mihawk studied him for a moment, then gave a single nod. "Deal."
"Perfect!" Eli laughed. "Come on, I've got some drinks you've never tasted before."
That night, the Silver Dragon rocked gently on the waves as the two swordsmen shared bottles of fiery liquor Maotai and Erguotou, spirits so strong they could strip paint off a cannon.
By midnight, the world's greatest swordsman was slumped over the railing, red-faced and laughing, declaring Eli his "brother of the blade."
When Eli woke up the next morning, he found Mihawk asleep on deck arms wrapped tightly around Big Pan's leg.
Eli's eyes went wide. Then, grinning like a devil, he snatched the recording transponder snail and began snapping pictures. "This is gold," he muttered. "Hawkeye's blackmail material for life!"
By noon, Mihawk's face was still red but for a very different reason. Remembering the scene when he woke up, he looked ready to jump into the sea and drown himself.
"Relax," Eli said, smirking. "I won't tell anyone."
Mihawk scowled. "You'd better not."
Eli burst out laughing. "Of course not... hahaha!"
(He would, of course. At the next big pirate gathering, those pictures would mysteriously 'circulate.' But that was a story for another time.)
That evening, Mihawk kept his word sparring one by one with Eli's crew. The Silver Dragon trembled from their clashes, so they limited themselves to technique, not full power.
At first, Mihawk didn't take them seriously until Fiona nearly caught him off guard. Her sword control, her telekinetic coordination with her flying blades it was unlike anything he'd seen.
For a split second, her Snowdrinker grazed his chest, leaving a shallow cut.
It wasn't the wound that stunned him it was the realization that she'd managed to land one at all.
From that moment, Mihawk's expression turned solemn. He unleashed his full precision, every swing of Yoru striking like lightning. Fiona fought bravely, but within minutes, the tide turned, and she was forced to yield.
Then came Big Pan.
Raw power. Unshakable defense. Unyielding will. His staff struck with the force of a storm, forcing Mihawk into a drawn-out duel that lasted over an hour before they finally called it a draw.
When it was over, Mihawk wiped sweat from his brow. "Your crew is... exhausting."
Eli smirked. "What's wrong, Master Swordsman? Feeling old already?"
Mihawk's eyebrow twitched. "Old?!" He drew Yoru again, eyes flashing. "Care to prove it?"
It took the entire crew to stop the two from fighting for real.
Over the next two days, Mihawk sparred with the rest Felina, Chiyo, and even Reiju. Except for Reiju, every one of them forced him to get serious.
By the end, Mihawk stood on deck at sunset, watching the waves in silence. For the first time in years, his lips curved into a faint smile.
He had come searching for a worthy rival and found an entire crew of them.
And at the center of it all stood Eli Winters the man whose strength he could no longer measure.
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