Mihawk looked at the Mink before him.
"Just you alone?"
Wanda nodded. "Just me. There was a skeleton who wanted to come too, but I thought he'd get in the way, so I didn't let him."
"A skeleton…"
Mihawk knew who she meant.
On White Ghost's ship—no, on the entire sea—there was only one bouncing skeleton.
Wanda rose from the ground and said, "I saw your slash just now. If I took it head-on, I wouldn't be able to block it."
The corner of Mihawk's mouth curved with an unreadable smile.
"Oh? As a swordsman, you admit fear so easily?"
Wanda showed no reaction to his teasing. She simply continued, "I can't block it head-on. But I'm not a power-type swordsman."
Mihawk's eyes narrowed.
"Now I'm a little interested."
"I won't disappoint you."
As Wanda spoke, she lightly drew her blade.
Her hand loosened, and the scabbard dropped toward the ground.
Clang.
The instant the scabbard hit the ground, Wanda vanished.
Mihawk swung straight ahead.
Clang!
Blade met blade.
Wanda's first strike failed, and her figure flashed away again.
Clang, clang, clang!
Every time Mihawk blocked Wanda's attacks, sparks burst through the air.
Whoosh!
Wanda appeared behind Mihawk, drawing her blade back.
"Inuarashi Slash!"
Blue sword energy appeared around Wanda one after another.
Awoo!
A hound made entirely of sword aura lunged toward Mihawk.
Mihawk's face showed excitement.
An unfamiliar technique.
That was what he loved most.
From the eyes of outsiders, they only saw a blue hound bite down on Mihawk's blade.
When the illusion dispersed, the Mink was revealed clenching her teeth, locked in a clash with Mihawk.
In the New World, aboard the Moby Dick, Jozu nudged Vista, who was watching the broadcast beside him.
"What the hell was that? Do all you sword users make your attacks that flashy?"
Vista stroked his mustache and said, "That was an illusion formed from sword aura. Don't underestimate it just because it looks like an illusion. Those sword auras carry real power.
"For her to reach that level means her understanding of swordsmanship has already surpassed far too many others."
Jozu curled his lip. "Flashy nonsense. Still wouldn't break my defense."
Vista couldn't be bothered arguing with this brute and focused on the battle instead.
For a swordsman, watching masters exchange blows was a precious opportunity.
Perhaps a single moment would allow him to understand something new.
Seeing that Vista was ignoring him, Jozu rubbed his chin.
"That ship seems to have quite a few swordsmen."
Thatch came over with a mug of beer.
"How come I don't remember that?"
Jozu began counting on his fingers.
"Ain, who fought Vista last time. That leopard Mink too.
"Add the three from just now, and the one in front of us now.
"And the last one doesn't need me to say, right?"
When Jozu finished, the others all nodded.
True.
Why were there so many swordsmen on that man's ship?
And none of them looked weak.
Jozu glanced at Marco and continued, "Besides, the others aren't weak either. Like that Ancient Zoan who fought Captain Marco last time.
"Didn't Captain Marco say after coming back that the guy's aura was almost on his level?"
Seeing everyone look at him, Marco nodded.
"That's right. When I saw Kuro last time, I could feel that his aura wasn't much weaker than mine."
The others were all surprised.
That ship's overall strength really wasn't low.
Regret appeared in Whitebeard's eyes.
After Marco bought the medicine and returned last time, he had told him that when he got close to White Ghost, that man's strength felt terrifying.
Add the fact that White Ghost had recently defeated some peak-level powerhouse, and there was no need to think too deeply.
His strength had definitely risen again.
Perhaps he wasn't far from Whitebeard himself anymore.
Whitebeard sighed.
His dream of taking that brat as a son was gone.
Mihawk knocked Wanda back, his expression calm.
"Your speed is good, but not enough to surprise me.
"Your sword techniques, however, do surprise me. I didn't expect your understanding of swordsmanship to be this deep."
Wanda shook out her numb arm and replied, "After staying by that man's side for so long, watching him practice swordsmanship every day taught me a lot by osmosis."
Crackle.
Lightning began appearing around Wanda.
Mihawk's lips curved upward. "Interesting. The people on your ship always manage to surprise me."
Wanda smiled.
"Didn't you say my speed wasn't fast enough just now? The captain taught me how to use lightning."
"I look forward to it."
Mihawk gripped his blade with both hands and watched her seriously.
Wanda smiled faintly.
"I won't disappoint you. This technique is called Lightning Mode. It causes some damage to my body, but the risk is small enough to ignore."
Crackle.
Lightning shattered the surrounding reefs.
Whoosh!
Wanda vanished.
Mihawk narrowed his eyes, Observation Haki constantly sensing her movement.
"More than twice as fast as before."
"Above."
Mihawk looked up.
Crackle.
Wanda appeared in the air.
"Thunder Hound!"
Awoo!
Sword aura and lightning fused together, forming a thunder hound that pounced fiercely toward Mihawk.
Clang!
Their weapons collided.
Boom!
The surrounding reefs exploded, and the stone beneath their feet began to crack.
Mihawk looked seriously at Wanda, who was wrapped in lightning.
"Not bad. Your speed has improved, and your strength has increased as well."
Wanda said nothing. She didn't try to compete with Mihawk in raw power. Her figure flickered rapidly instead.
"Big Sister Wanda is amazing."
Nami's little mouth fell open as she watched Wanda display her strength in astonishment.
Ain handed Nami a glass of juice.
"Wanda just rarely fights. That doesn't mean she's weak."
"Yohohohoho! Miss Wanda has gotten even faster!"
Looking at Brook's depressed skull face, Pedro patted him on the shoulder sympathetically.
"My condolences."
Wanda usually found it difficult to resist the temptation of bones and often chased Brook around to bite him.
Because of that, Brook's speed had improved quite a bit.
Now, seeing Wanda activate Lightning Mode, Brook felt as though his entire skeleton was faintly aching.
On Nirizabello's luxury cruise ship, inside one room, Lady Lilith, wrapped in a black robe, watched the battle ahead.
"I underestimated that boy's crew.
"I never expected even a Mink who has rarely shown herself to have this level of strength."
Leonardo's eyes dimmed slightly when he heard his mother's words.
That Mink's strength was such that he wasn't even sure he could defeat her.
Arya's face was pale as well.
They really had underestimated that man.
They had thought only a few people on his ship were powerful.
But now, any random person who stepped out seemed to be an expert.
According to the intelligence, that Mink was just a cook.
Lady Lilith's alluring red lips curved upward.
"No wonder that boy rejected us.
"Now it seems he isn't strong alone. Everyone on his ship is strong."
Clang!
Wanda's attack was blocked by Mihawk once again.
Whoosh!
The two pulled apart and stared at each other.
Wanda was breathing a little rapidly, and her face had turned somewhat pale.
Mihawk held his black blade.
"It seems you're close to your limit."
Wanda gripped her sword with both hands and drew it back, looking at Mihawk.
"More or less. I only mastered this move recently. It's meant to be my trump card."
"I must say, miss, you are very strong. Stronger than most swordsmen who have challenged me.
"I'm glad. Glad that another future opponent has appeared.
"This trip was worth it."
After saying that, Mihawk also gripped his blade with both hands, his expression serious.
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