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The distance between the Flamingo ship and the Red Force closed rapidly.
Doflamingo stood on the deck, surrounded by his family executives. Yet, despite the numbers around him, he felt no sense of security—only a tension that radiated from his very core.
Those who possess Conqueror's Haki do not yield easily. However, standing before an insurmountable mountain, anyone would feel a deep, crushing sense of powerlessness.
When doing business with Kaido of the Beasts, Doflamingo would break out in cold sweats, terrified that the "Strongest Creature" might suddenly change his mood. When he faced the Thunder Emperor, Arthur, he was suppressed to the point where he dared not move a muscle.
If you aren't strong enough, you will always be controlled by others! This is the Iron Law of the New World!
And now, on their journey to the Calm Belt, they had run into yet another "monster"!
Doflamingo himself was often called a monster, but aboard that unheralded Red Hair pirate ship was a monster among monsters—someone capable of rivaling the four great overlords!
"Has this battle for supremacy drawn out every apex powerhouse in the world?" Doflamingo grinned, his expression a mix of frustration and excitement.
Frustration, because he wasn't even qualified to meet them face-to-face. Excitement, because... the entry of such a monster into the New World would plunge the situation into even greater chaos.
Under the helmsman's control, the Flamingo ship veered sharply off its original course, avoiding direct contact with the Red Force.
Although the red-haired man smiling at the bow looked vaguely familiar, Doflamingo had absolutely no desire to come face-to-face with such a terrifying existence right now.
Doflamingo's rule for survival in the New World was simple: when it's time to fold, you fold!
SPLASH—
The waves parted as the Donquixote Family's ship brushed past the Red Force, widening the gap between them.
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Aboard the Red Force.
"Eh? How boring. They actually went around..." Lucky Roux complained. He held a chicken leg in one hand and a flintlock pistol in the other, his palm already gripping the handle. "I was hoping to beat up a few pirate crews to warm up before we entered the Thunder God Sea!"
"Don't let your guard down," Yasopp said calmly. His expression hadn't relaxed with Doflamingo's departure; instead, it had grown even more grave.
"The person I was talking about wasn't that 'Joker'... The real enemy... is behind them!!"
"Oh?"
The elites of the Red Hair Pirates immediately perked up, walking to the railing to gaze into the distance.
There, floating on the boundless ocean, was a small, coffin-shaped boat, barely large enough to hold one or two people.
Under the gloomy grey sky, sat a solitary figure.
He sported a short beard and wore a wide-brimmed black hat adorned with white plumes. He was dressed in a patterned wine-red shirt, a long black trench coat, white trousers, and black boots. A small cross hung from his exposed chest, while a massive cross was strapped to his back.
His eyes—sharp as eagles—exerted a terrifying pressure that could be felt even across the vast distance of the sea.
Perhaps sensing something, Hawkeye Mihawk steered his coffin boat rapidly toward the Red Force.
He made no attempt to conceal his sword intent; his aura was fully exposed, sharp and biting. This was a true master swordsman, one whose body and soul were dedicated to the blade.
"That man..." Benn Beckman lit a cigarette, his brow furrowing. "The wielder of the Supreme Grade Blade, Yoru. It's Hawkeye Mihawk!"
"Those are some terrifying eyes! He's coming for you, Shanks!"
At this point in time, Mihawk's reputation was far louder than that of the Red Hair Pirates.
"Hahahahahaha! I felt it! Isn't this the warm-up we've been waiting for?" Shanks laughed heartlessly, unable to hide his excitement.
Every man craves a rival of equal standing!
The Red Force came to a halt. Shanks slowly drew his famous blade, Gryphon...
The coffin-like boat cut through the water like a hot knife through butter, arriving in front of them in moments. Mihawk's sword intent was so intense it felt like dancing on the tip of a blade.
The two men seemed to forget everything around them, locking eyes in silence.
This was a destined encounter!
"Shanks, don't you dare lose..."
"Relax, how could he possibly lose?" The crew chattered with grins on their faces, their confidence in Shanks stronger than anyone's.
Shanks paid no mind to his crew. He was fully focused, smiling as he spoke first. "I've seen you before. Eleven years ago in Loguetown... I'm Shanks!"
Mihawk's expression was cold, his eyes filled with intense battle spirit. He wasted no words.
"Draw your sword."
Since the death of the Golden Lion, he hadn't met a swordsman against whom he could strike without restraint. He had originally planned to go to the Thunder God Sea to meet his former rival, Shiryu, but he hadn't expected to encounter such a terrifying man on the way.
He could feel the Black Blade, Yoru, trembling with anticipation.
SHING!!
Shanks pointed Gryphon diagonally at the deck. "It's a pity we aren't on land. We can't have a proper duel here!"
He sighed, genuinely regretful, but his stance didn't relax in the slightest.
The sword energy swirling around the two men grew stronger and stronger. The sheer sharpness of their intent was enough to mentally crush a lesser man.
Shanks seemed to be infusing his Conqueror's Haki directly into his swordplay!
"One strike! Let's make friends..."
The moment the words left his mouth, sword energy erupted. The air, solidified by their immense presence, was ruthlessly sliced apart as Gryphon unleashed a slash toward Mihawk, who was over a hundred meters away.
This was Shanks getting serious in the truest sense. In this moment, the only thing in his world was Mihawk; nothing else existed.
One strike, threatening to cleave the ocean itself. The calm water, unable to withstand the razor-sharp pressure, parted voluntarily to the sides.
The speed was appalling. In a mere instant, the terrifying slash reached Mihawk.
CLANG!!
The pitch-black blade seemed to absorb all light. Yoru had been unsheathed without anyone noticing, unleashing a brilliant, snowy flash of sword energy that intercepted Shanks' attack dead in its tracks.
Sparks flew.
After that single collision, the overwhelming sword intent that had permeated the ocean vanished without a trace.
Mihawk sheathed the Black Blade, his face remaining cool and impassive. "Friends, is it? I am Dracule Mihawk. You are qualified to be my friend!"
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On the Flamingo ship, speeding toward the Calm Belt.
The members of the Donquixote Family wiped cold sweat from their brows in unison.
"Fuffuffuffuffu... Hawkeye Mihawk. Yet another monster!" Doflamingo lowered his telescope, instantly recalling the intelligence on Hawkeye.
A Supernova from his own generation. A witness to Roger's execution. The strongest contender for the title of Warlord of the Sea—a title allowing legal plunder, which he seemingly disdained, having rejected the invitation from Navy HQ. His eyes saw nothing but the Way of the Sword.
"This grand gala... fighting for the supreme hegemony... figures like this are jumping out one after another..."
"When this war ends, it will undoubtedly birth a new King!"
"The Battle of the Four Emperors has reached its most spectacular moment..."
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