What followed next was just as in the original.
Zoro exhausted his last ounce of strength, the arc of his Three Sword Style gleaming resolutely under the moonlight, yet ultimately unable to withstand Hawkeye's Black Blade Night.
The sharp blade sliced through his chest, instantly dyeing his black clothes crimson. His roar of "I will never lose again," tinged with the metallic scent of blood, actually stirred a faint, almost imperceptible flicker of emotion in Hawkeye's yellow pupils.
"Remember today's humiliation," Hawkeye sheathed his blade, the metallic clink crisp as cracking ice. His voice was calm yet carried immense weight: "I'll be waiting for you at the pinnacle of the world."
As his words faded, his gaze abruptly shifted to the small, rocking boat beside the Baratie. His hawk-like eyes pierced through the lingering smoke, precisely landing on the figure by the window, a cigar dangling from his lips.
"Interesting," Hawkeye's voice wasn't loud, yet it cut through the battlefield's clamor. "To think there's such an intriguing individual hiding here."
He had sensed this faint yet formidable presence earlier, initially mistaking it for some cowardly pirate. But now, meeting those indifferent eyes, he suddenly realized—this was a swordsman. Even in the casual way he held his cigar, there was an unconcealed sharpness.
The surrounding crowd finally followed Hawkeye's gaze and erupted into chaos.
"Th-that's Ryan! Why is he still there... and that woman!" Usopp's jaw nearly hit the floor as he stammered, pointing frantically toward the small boat.
Seeing Ryan half-embracing Miya, her golden hair cascading over his arm, Usopp hopped in agitation. "And he calls her a friend! Since when are friends th-that intimate?! Kaya would be heartbroken if she knew!"
Nami stood with her arms crossed, momentarily stunned by the scene before letting out a derisive snort, understanding flashing in her eyes. "I knew that guy was up to no good."
To have the leisure for such intimate embraces at a time like this—he really was just a brute who solved everything with fists and charm, no different from those filthy pirates.
"Bastard! How dare he treat a lady like that!" Sanji didn't even notice his cigarette burning his fingers, his eyes glued to the red-haired figure on the boat. His curly eyebrows trembled with rage, his gritted teeth dripping with jealousy.
Yet, seeing no trace of fear on Miya's face—instead, a blush that even the evening breeze couldn't disperse—only infuriated him more. He kicked the nearby railing hard, denting the metal. "Damn it! Does this bastard even know what gentlemanly manners are?"
Meanwhile, Johnny and Yosaku, who were supporting Zoro, saw the scene and their pupils constricted sharply. They exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with both shock and admiration.
Amidst the smoke still hanging in the air, the two on that small boat remained completely unperturbed by the surroundings—such composure truly deserved the title "Divine Being."
As for Ryan on the boat, he paid no heed to the stares directed his way. When he met Hawkeye's hawk-like gaze, he merely raised an eyebrow indifferently, flicking ash from his cigar with his fingertips, not even bothering to stand.
Hawkeye's yellow pupils narrowed slightly.
He hadn't cared about Ryan's demeanor initially, but this attitude of utter disregard—more than any overt provocation—was what truly caught his attention.
The air abruptly solidified. He slowly raised his hand to grip the black blade at his back, his fingertips brushing against the cold hilt before giving it a light swing.
"Whoosh!"
A silvery-white slash suddenly tore through the clear sky, carrying a sharp whistle capable of splitting wood and stone as it shot straight toward the small boat. The Flying Slash skimmed across the sea surface, stirring up a wall of water over ten feet high. The cresting waves churned with white foam, refracting scattered specks of light under the sun.
"Tch."
Ryan frowned, his arm around Miya tightening abruptly as he pressed her closer against his chest. His other hand flashed out to draw the Wind Splitter resting nearby.
The crisp sound of the scabbard hitting the deck coincided almost perfectly with the sharp ring of the drawn blade. A pitch-black Slash Wave shot forth in response, carrying a heavy, oppressive pressure like compressed shadows, accurately crashing into the silvery arc of light.
"Boom!"
The two slashes collided mid-air, erupting in a brief but powerful shockwave. The surrounding sea winds were stirred into howling gusts, pushing the small boat back half a foot with a creaking sound as the hull scraped across the water.
The Baratie's railing was swept by the shockwave, several wooden balusters snapping instantly. Splinters mixed with sea spray flew toward them, carrying the salty, bitter scent of the ocean.
Everyone in the restaurant was momentarily stunned into silence by this display of power. Usopp clamped his hand over his mouth to stifle a scream, his body involuntarily shrinking back. Nami grabbed onto a nearby ship's pillar, her knuckles turning white from the force, the shock in her eyes overwhelming her usual composure.
Sanji stared at the dissipating energy remnants in the air, his curly eyebrow trembling slightly—this power was clearly a clash between top-tier swordsmen, yet it carried a restrained, measured quality.
Even the severely injured Zoro forced himself to look up, leaning on his sword as he watched the air distorted by the collision, a flash of understanding in his eyes.
This wasn't a life-or-death struggle, but more like a silent probe. Both sides were testing each other's capabilities, that precise control of power being exactly what he currently lacked.
"You got a problem or something?" Ryan's shout cut through the shockwave, carrying undisguised impatience.
This bastard was just watching the show, why did he have to draw attention over here? And attacking without regard for the situation—couldn't he see he was busy with important matters?
Miya was already too shocked to speak. She knew Ryan wasn't ordinary, but she never expected him to create such an earth-shattering scene with a simple gesture. For a moment, she even forgot the danger surrounding them.
Hawkeye suddenly smiled, a glimmer of genuine interest flashing in his yellow pupils. Completely ignoring Ryan's crude language, he raised his black blade horizontally before him, the steel reflecting the moonlight as his voice carried far across the sea winds: "I happen to be bored. Care for a spar?"
Ryan raised an eyebrow, tapping the Wind Splitter's back against the deck with a lazy tone of someone disturbed: "Not right now."
"I'll wait." Hawkeye's gaze swept over Miya's fingers tightly gripping the window frame, the smile at his lips deepening. His tone remained calm yet carried undeniable certainty:
Everyone has their own hobbies. Some are obsessed with the way of the sword, others crave power and status—being infatuated with women isn't particularly strange either.
Ryan looked up at Mihawk, a playful smile curling at his lips: "Then keep waiting."
He was indeed somewhat interested in measuring the capabilities of the world's greatest swordsman.
Just then, Krieg began waving his large sword like a madman, roaring as he charged toward Hawkeye: "Mihawk! How dare you ignore me!"
Without even turning his head, Hawkeye tapped the tip of his foot against the ship's rail and glided back to his Coffin Ship like a ghost. With a light stroke of the oar, it drifted directly toward Ryan's small boat, stopping several meters away like a silent reef, making it clear he intended to wait it out.
Meanwhile, the Straw Hat Kid had already confronted Krieg, his rubber fists cutting through the air with powerful gusts, kicking off a new battle on the sea where the smoke of gunpowder had yet to dissipate.
Ryan withdrew his gaze, sheathed the Wind Splitter, and paid no mind to Mihawk nearby. He lowered his head to ruffle Miya's hair, his tone returning to its previous nonchalance: "Alright, we need to pick up the pace."
Only then did Miya snap out of her daze. She glanced at the silently floating Coffin Ship nearby, then at Ryan's unperturbed profile, and suddenly understood.
The man standing behind her was, in himself, the most thrilling and perilous existence of all.