January 25, 1502, Age of the Sea Circle
Inside the waiting room for contenders at the coliseum, Orion was in the company of the two princesses of the kingdom, who had just finished their sisterly quarrel and were now looking at him with flushed and slightly swollen cheeks, the result of the fierce pinching battle they had exchanged moments earlier.
"My love, are you sure you want to face that Warlord? … He seems like a dangerous person," Scarlett asked with a touch of concern, fearing that her fiancé might end up embarrassed in front of the whole kingdom if he were to lose his match against Mihawk.
She knew Orion was quite powerful—she had seen him in action against pirates and had also witnessed his sparring match with Kyros. Considering that he had been able to fight almost evenly with Kyros, known as the strongest gladiator in Dressrosa's history, it was obvious his strength was immense.
Even so, the Warlord Dracule Mihawk had been able to defeat Kyros and the entire royal guard without the slightest difficulty, which clearly placed him on a far higher level.
Orion smiled warmly at the princess's concern, and stepping forward, he wrapped his arms around her sensual waist, resting his palms over the ample, plump ass hidden beneath the modest formal dress of the princess.
"Don't worry, Scarlett. Everything will be fine. At worst, I'll lose—and there's nothing shameful in losing, as long as I can gain valuable combat experience in the process," said Orion, giving Scarlett's butt a light squeeze and savoring the soft touch.
If there was something he was truly looking forward to, it was undoubtedly the wedding night, though there were still nearly two months left before it would take place.
Scarlett blushed faintly at the intimate touch of her beloved, her cheeks—which were already red and swollen from her quarrel with Viola—turning even redder.
"I understand. Then I'll be cheering for you from the royal balcony with my family," Scarlett replied with a beautiful smile, and standing on tiptoe, she took the initiative to kiss Orion, who gladly received the princess's soft pink lips against his own.
Pulling her tightly against his chest, Orion felt the softness and voluptuousness of Scarlett's curves as he invaded her mouth with his tongue. Although the young woman had taken the initiative to kiss him, Orion immediately assumed the active role, reflecting the dynamic of their relationship.
Because of her cultural background—something difficult to change—Scarlett tended to take the initiative in most situations, though almost immediately she would be "defeated" by Orion, who with his skilled movements would take over the dominant position.
It wasn't that Orion was a chauvinist; he even enjoyed yielding control at times during intimate moments with his companions. The dynamic of his relationship with Scarlett simply came about naturally, as a reflection of their personalities' interaction.
Even so, they both enjoyed how things unfolded, so neither had any complaints.
"Ah, my sister is thinking perverted things again!" said Viola suddenly, standing to one side—though she clearly wasn't using her ability and only wanted to tease Scarlett.
Scarlett immediately broke off the kiss with Orion in irritation, then dashed toward Viola intending to teach her a lesson. But the younger princess merely smiled mischievously and ran off while waving her hand.
"Brother-in-law! I'll be cheering for you from the stands—give that pretentious Warlord a good beating!"
"Come back here, you little demon!" Scarlett shouted, chasing after her sister. But when she realized she wouldn't catch up, she stopped before reaching the exit door, turned around to look at Orion once more, and with a wholly sensual expression said,
"My love, if you win your fight against Mihawk… I'll give you a reward tonight."
Then, as if suddenly realizing how embarrassing it was to say such suggestive words aloud, the brave princess hurried off in the same direction her sister Viola had disappeared moments earlier.
Orion watched the sway of her large, luscious hips, their shape outlined beneath her modest dress as she ran, and couldn't help but imagine all sorts of rewards. After all, there were many ways to be intimate before marriage without breaking the promise of not taking the final step…
Shaking his head slightly, Orion pushed aside all those indecent thoughts—no matter how tempting they were. Right now, he had to focus on his upcoming fight with Mihawk, which was about to begin.
On this occasion, there was something he wanted to try, though it would only be possible with the Warlord's cooperation, so he would have to wait for the right moment to see what would happen.
Once again, Orion sat down on one of the benches in the contenders' waiting room and watched the transmission of the previous matches on the screen projected on the wall by a Den Den Mushi.
Although Orion had arranged his fight with Mihawk for this day at the coliseum, that didn't mean it was the only match scheduled. In a world with so few sources of entertainment, places like the coliseum were truly essential to keep the people content.
Under the reign of the benevolent King Riku, the culture of combat in the coliseum allowed entire families to attend the matches, since they were sporting duels rather than fights to the death.
Though it remained a violent activity, the situation was highly controlled, and people could enjoy a day of entertainment at the arena without issue. Moreover, this venue—where strong warriors competed in martial contests—was open almost every day, having become a routine part of everyday life for the inhabitants of Dressrosa.
The battle between Orion and Mihawk was scheduled as the closing match of the day, and over the past few days, it had been heavily promoted. This was because Orion would appear in the arena under one of his most meaningful identities to the people of the kingdom: the fiancé of Princess Scarlett.
Countless spectators had gathered to witness the clash between the famous fiancé of the princess and one of the Warlords, who were widely recognized as the most terrifying pirates of the seas—ranking only behind legends such as Kaido or Big Mom.
Watching the projection of the gladiator fights, Orion planned his upcoming battle against Mihawk in his mind. A fight with someone of that level wouldn't last long due to the vast difference in power, so he had to make sure to make the most out of every instant available to him.
Finally, after nearly an hour of waiting, the moment of the battle arrived. Rising slowly from the bench, Orion looked toward the distant gate and began walking with slow but steady steps toward the central platform of the coliseum.
Meanwhile, in the royal family's private balcony, Scarlett and her relatives were ready to watch the match between Orion and Mihawk.
"Kyros, you've fought both of them—what do you think are Orion's chances of coming out victorious in this fight?" asked King Riku curiously.
Kyros, who was there to ensure the royal family's safety, replied without hesitation.
"None. Dracule Mihawk is on a completely different level."
The serious soldier's words angered Scarlett, who immediately glared at him with resentment and said,
"If you don't have anything good to say, then stay quiet!"
Although Scarlett's impression of Kyros had improved significantly since Orion had asked her to give the repentant ex-convict a chance to move on from his past, it was impossible for the princess not to react so fiercely when someone claimed her beloved would be defeated without a doubt.
Kyros immediately fell silent, while King Riku sighed bitterly, thinking that, after all, there truly was no hope for Orion. If Kyros—his most capable warrior—had given such a prediction, the likelihood of it being correct was very high.
Finally, amid the passionate cheers of the crowd filling the coliseum, Orion and Mihawk stepped onto the combat platform. It was the first time they had seen each other in several days, since the Warlord had left the palace to travel around the kingdom on his own.
The two walked toward the center of the stage, and Mihawk said,
"Well then, the time has come. I was starting to get bored of this kingdom."
"Sorry for the delay—I thought it'd be better if we did it in a more epic setting," Orion replied with an innocent smile, though he clearly wasn't telling the truth.
"Well, no matter. So, will the rules be the same as your duel with Shanks?" Mihawk asked.
"That's right. If I manage to land a single hit on you, it'll be my victory," Orion answered, nodding.
"Very well. Then I'll defeat you, so I can go mock Shanks for losing to you under those same rules before."
Although Mihawk appeared to be a very serious man—entirely different from the carefree Shanks—there were quite a few similarities between them, such as their pettiness.
Once they agreed on the rules, Orion picked up one of the training swords distributed by the coliseum—the same weapons they would use for this bout. On one hand, it was a good thing they wouldn't be using their supreme-grade swords for a sparring match, though these flimsy blades provided by the arena might not hold up long in the hands of someone like Mihawk—or even Orion.
"Citizens of Dressrosa! Today we are witnessing a truly special battle! On one side, we have the fiancé of Princess Scarlett—the Duke of Aït-Ben-Skar, Orion!
And on the other side, we have one of the mighty Seven Warlords allied with the World Government, famed as the strongest swordsman in the world—Dracule Mihawk!!"
The voices of the spectators roared through the stands as they cheered loudly for Orion. Clearly, he was the one the people wanted to see win, since as the fiancé of Dressrosa's princess, he was basically part of their kingdom.
"Without a doubt, this is the highest-level battle ever held in the history of the coliseum! The time has come to witness history!"
The announcer spoke passionately once more, and after finishing his words, he struck a great gong, signaling the start of the battle.
Orion, who had been standing in a relaxed stance just moments earlier, immediately vanished without a trace, using Soru at maximum speed. At present, his "Soru" ability was at level 7, and though not yet fully mastered, his control over the technique was already at a very high level.
Orion's speed, however, could not compare to Mihawk's.
Sensing his movements with Observation Haki, Mihawk raised his sword slightly, blocking Orion's strike with no effort at all.
"Thirty-Six Styles: Moonfall Blade!"
Orion unleashed an attack, his sword coated in Armament Haki, drawing an elegant arc through the air that left behind a silver trail—like the moon descending from the heavens.
"Decent," said Mihawk, nodding slightly at Orion's technique, though once again, he deflected the attack with ease.
Although he could have countered at that moment, Mihawk showed no intent to go on the offensive; he simply waited to see what Orion would do next.
It was obvious why—given Mihawk's overwhelming strength, a single real attack could end the fight instantly. That was why he remained defensive, observing what Orion was capable of before deciding to finish it.
Orion had predicted this, and had planned his attacks accordingly. For that reason, his following strikes began to flow continuously, forming a mesmerizing display in the eyes of those fortunate enough to witness this battle that would go down in Dressrosa's history.
"Kamusari!"
Orion's attack came crashing down with great force, and for the first time since the duel began, Mihawk smiled. Finally, Orion had shown a technique worthy of catching his attention.
However, unlike Mihawk, Orion wasn't only a swordsman, and his attacks began to diversify.
"Un Fleur," Orion murmured, and a leg materialized in midair. Then it began to spin frantically, firing waves of Tempest Kicks!
This move consumed a large amount of mental energy, but the effect was quite good—and Orion had wanted to test it in battle for some time now.
Mihawk moved his arm so fast it became invisible to ordinary sight, cutting down all the Tempest Kicks with his sword. Meanwhile, Orion took advantage of the distraction to slip behind him through a Space Door and launched an electric strike toward his blind spot!
"Bam!"
Mihawk turned around at the last instant, and just before Orion's Electro could hit him—which would have meant his defeat, since it would count as a landed blow—he struck Orion's arm with his sword.
Although Orion reacted quickly and even coated his arm in Armament Haki, the Warlord's blow broke it. Fortunately, Mihawk had held back, so he didn't sever the arm entirely.
Still, the pain Orion felt was intense, but clenching his teeth, he continued his attacks.
"Thirty-Six Styles: Roaring Dragon Blade!"
Orion's sword lunged once again toward Mihawk, who looked slightly disappointed by the simplicity of the strike. With a light motion, he intercepted Orion's sword—but to his surprise, the weapon shattered into countless fragments that rained upon him at high speed.
At first, he paid no attention to the fragments, but suddenly, his instincts flared. Mihawk reacted instantly, unleashing a defensive slash of energy that destroyed the shards just as they transformed into tiny needles coated with a potent venom.
If even one of those fragments had touched his body, it could have damaged his nervous system.
Looking at Orion, who once again jumped into his Pocket Dimension and vanished, Mihawk smiled once more, realizing that the fight wasn't as boring as he had initially thought.
Although he truly preferred sword-to-sword combat, this kind of battle—filled with strange abilities—wasn't so bad either. In the end, power could manifest in many forms, and Mihawk understood that.
Inside the Pocket Dimension, Orion quickly bandaged his arm, ensuring it stayed firm and immobilized. Then he emerged once again, launching a new attack.
"Shigan," said Orion, firing his classic finger strike, coating it with Armament Haki. Mihawk stepped forward, intending to destroy Orion's finger just as he had done with his arm moments earlier—but before he could, the Shigan began to grow rapidly until it became gigantic.
It was Orion's new ability—Gigantification!
Through experimentation, he had managed to use the power partially, enlarging only one part of his body at a time to conserve energy.
The gigantic Shigan lunged toward Mihawk, who decided that rather than face it head-on, it was better to evade completely. With a movement of his body similar to Soru—but not exactly the same—Mihawk darted aside, reappearing at one end of the arena platform.
However, the moment his foot touched the ground, Mihawk sensed something was wrong. His foot sank into the surface, and he couldn't pull it free from the strange mud that instantly swallowed it. It was the effect of the Canvas Realm—Orion's technique that allowed him to modify his surroundings while simultaneously applying his Art Coating.
This ability was far more powerful than regular Art Coating, as it allowed him to materialize his imagination more vividly—such as the strange mud which, though Orion didn't fully understand how it worked, had been brought into existence through his mental image of the desired effect.
Even so, this combination of techniques was extremely exhausting for Orion, and the only reason he could use them now was because of the nature of this duel—his opponent wasn't actively trying to kill him and was, in fact, maintaining a defensive stance.
Orion appeared like a specter before Mihawk, and extending his uninjured hand, he uttered, "Age Change."
Just as he had done with Shanks, he had now reverted to his natural form, intending to use his ability to change the swordsman's age and finish the fight in a single blow—since he could only activate his Age Change on one person at a time, himself included.
However, Mihawk had heard about the duel Orion had with Shanks and wasn't about to fall into the same trap. The Warlord decided that there was no way to avoid Orion's attack without ending the battle outright, so he resolved to finish it. With a swift motion of his sword, he slashed across Orion's torso just as the boy was about to touch him and turn him into a child by surprise.
Mihawk closed his eyes, thinking the result had been somewhat disappointing—but in the next instant, he saw Orion's body dissolve into petals.
That wasn't Orion's body at all!
He had known that Mihawk would attempt to deny the use of his Age Change through an immediate counterattack, and he had acted precisely with that in mind. It could be said that every one of Orion's actions had been designed to lead the Warlord to this exact point.
First, he had gigantified his hand to force Mihawk toward the edge of the platform, then used his Canvas Realm to immobilize him for an instant, and afterward, he had launched his Age Change, intending to turn him into a child and defeat him in that brief moment of vulnerability.
However, the final step of his plan had been nothing but a feint. Knowing that Mihawk was aware of how Shanks had lost his duel, Orion had deliberately repeated the same sequence of moves, certain that Mihawk would reject his attack—and by doing so, he had caused him to lower his guard, if only for an instant.
Now came the true final strike—the one Orion had been preparing from the very beginning.
The air around Mihawk trembled violently, and something seemed to crack and vanish. It was Orion's Canvas Realm, which had collapsed because he no longer had the mental strength to maintain it. But it no longer mattered; it had already fulfilled its purpose—it had bought him a few precious seconds.
In truth, ever since Orion had emerged from his Pocket Dimension the last time—after bandaging his arm—he had been using his Canvas Realm to subtly alter a small portion of the arena floor, specifically the spot where he had deliberately guided Mihawk.
In that small area, he was able to materialize his imagination through Art Coating, though doing so was incredibly taxing. Ultimately, this strategy had only been possible because Mihawk's Observation Haki wasn't as monstrous as Shanks's, and since he hadn't attacked Orion immediately, the illusion had lasted long enough to deceive him for a few seconds.
Now that the illusion had vanished, the real Orion stood before Mihawk. His expression, however, was quite strange. He was slightly hunched, his good hand hidden behind his torso, and his breathing was heavy, with countless veins bulging across his forehead in a disturbing display.
Still, Orion managed to force a smile with the last of his strength and spoke the name of his final attack.
"Door Collapse."