"Haha, Big Sister, don't joke around. A curse is too much! So many years have passed, and everyone has..."
Shanks couldn't continue. He looked at Nero, who had returned to her usual state, almost identical to how she was years ago, and his eye twitched slightly.
Nero indicated she received his message and entered a state of reminiscence.
"Indeed! Unknowingly, I've passed that innocent period and become a mature adult. Hmm, time really is a butcher's knife!"
Nero's gaze was filled with endless sighs, leaving Shanks speechless. So, he was the pig?
From her appearance alone, Nero was definitely the youngest one present, yet she spoke as if she were a little girl pretending to be an adult.
"Oh, Big Sister! This is Mihawk, he's here to challenge you." Shanks grabbed a scapegoat, refusing to delve deeper into that topic.
"I know! An old friend, he comes over for a beating now and then." Nero waved her hand, indicating there was no need to say more.
"Is Mihawk with you all?"
"That's right! He hitched a ride on our ship."
"I see, Hathaway! Remember to collect the entrance fee later. He should still have it on him. If not, go check Shanks's ship."
Nero reminded Hathaway, who was at the very back of the crowd. Challengers don't get a free pass.
Mihawk's mouth curved downwards a bit. Why did he only come to challenge her every once in a while? It was simply because Nicuss's expenses were too high.
Some people thought that ten million Berries was nothing for Mihawk, which was true, but in reality, his expenses were far more than ten million.
As of now, he had accumulated a debt of 1.7 billion Berries in Nicuss, making him a notorious defaulter there.
Medical expenses accounted for a significant portion of that. For a period, Nero even decided how many days he would be bedridden based on his assets.
Of course, it wasn't that he was unable to repay the 1.7 billion, but 1.7 billion for a single meal was something he couldn't accept.
He heard it was even leftovers from Nero's table, and she claimed she gave him a discount?
How novel. Did he, Mihawk, even get discounts in Nicuss? Getting his bones broken was a frequent occurrence from beginning to end.
But he had no choice but to come. She had a monopoly; she could manipulate him however she pleased.
Mihawk stepped forward, his eyes sharp and resolute.
If it weren't for a swordsman's persistence, if it weren't for the yearning for the strongest, he had no doubt that the moment he saw Nero, he would immediately fight with all his might.
"Mr. Mihawk?" Hathaway called out to him from behind.
Without turning back, almost all of his attention was on Nero. He calmly uttered three words: "The usual!"
"Alright!" Hathaway nodded, took out a den den mushi and began to contact the imperial physician.
Nero turned back to the pavilion, picked up the Primal Fire, and impatiently waved at Doflamingo and Tesoro: "These two will be locked in the dungeon for now. I will deal with them personally later."
The maids waiting nearby put Sea Stone handcuffs on the two and roughly dragged them away. Their fate would depend on the Empress's mood the next time she remembered them.
"Hmm, you've waited long enough, come at me directly!" Nero didn't converse with the two any further, walking straight towards Mihawk.
Gripping his Black Blade Yoru with both hands, Mihawk had already realized during the brief exchange between Shanks and Nero that he still had a very long way to go to catch up to Nero.
But a swordsman always rises to the challenge!
Mihawk silently swung his sword, charging at Nero.
Nero raised her sword to parry. To be honest, she didn't particularly enjoy fighting Mihawk.
In this era where everyone shouted out skill names, only Mihawk remained silent, every strike like a basic attack.
It made her, Nero, seem like some kind of one-shot mob, only able to respond with basic attacks.
And Mihawk actually had similar thoughts.
"Hmm, is that all the strength you have? Is it less than the wrist strength of a hungry maiden?"
"Holio's tea-making movements are more precise and fluid than yours. Your sword swings are as clumsy as a bear's."
"No surprises? It's always the same few moves. I even suspect you can't even beat a cripple like Shanks."
"Put more effort into it! The amount of water I'm holding back right now is no less than the Four Seas."
Facing such a pressure-inducing opponent, Mihawk, in recent years, had certainly grown stronger in terms of his mental fortitude.
The battle didn't last very long, only about ten minutes.
Both sides only used swordsmanship. Although Mihawk was also a genius, Nero's combat talent still far surpassed his.
If Mihawk's swordsmanship was constantly improving, then Nero's swordsmanship could be described as evolving.
Like climbing an endless mountain, Mihawk often wondered if he would ever be able to surpass Nero in this lifetime.
As time went on, this thought appeared more and more frequently, and he didn't consider it a bad thing.
The reason people on the Grand Line regarded him as the World's Greatest Swordsman was simple: his swordsmanship was overwhelmingly powerful compared to others.
So, the peak they saw was there, and they hoped he was the strongest in the world. How could such a strong person not be the strongest?
But they didn't know that there were true monsters above, and even if he desperately chased, the distance was still widening... "A beautiful strike..."
Finally, Mihawk fell in a disheveled state. The imperial physicians and nurses nearby skillfully examined him, then placed him on a stretcher and carried him away.
Nero felt he was like an NPC in a game, only speaking a few words when he fell.
Either threats or "a beautiful strike."
As if ending a game, Hathaway immediately brought a hot towel and carefully wiped Nero's sweat-free face.
"Hmm, then Shanks, let's go. I'll give you a proper welcome feast."
As the host, Nero tilted her head towards Shanks.
Nero was actually very happy to see her old friend. Even the matters of Doflamingo and Tesoro were temporarily relegated to trivialities.
She didn't want her subordinate, whom she hadn't seen in nearly a decade, to visit her and have to wait to see her deal with troublesome matters.
"What should we do? Boss, are you sure you want to bring that up?"
"Otherwise, let's try to find a solution from the World Government?"
The Red Hair Pirates whispered amongst themselves. Having witnessed Nero's strength, they absolutely did not want to go against her.
"What are you all whispering about? It's time for a banquet!"
Shanks acted as if he hadn't heard, calmly smiling and greeting them.
He was determined to claim the position of a Four Emperor. The current era still needed balance, and he wanted to buy enough time for Luffy's growth.
And the reputation of a Four Emperor, even if he met the strength requirements now, would be impossible to obtain without Nero's approval.
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