As a man who had already reached the absolute pinnacle of pure swordsmanship, Mihawk's hawk-sharp eyes could read the path of any technique.
And within Zoro's seemingly chaotic swings, he saw the shadows of many old acquaintances.
They were instinctive reactions born from Ozz's foundational swordsmanship, the traces of someone who had once been guided by Ozz.
Still immature, yes, but enough to spark a hint of interest in Mihawk.
Slash!
Once again, Mihawk dismantled what looked like a ferocious strike. His merciless gaze fell on Zoro's chest, where blood continued to drip.
Drip.
Drip.
Zoro stood ramrod straight, never retreating a single step.
"You want me to pierce your heart like this? Why didn't you dodge?"
Zoro's whole body trembled.
"I don't know. I just feel like… if I take even one step back here, I'll never come back."
"Yes. That's what defeat is."
"Then I can't retreat."
"Even if it means death?"
"Dying would be the easy way out."
Only then did Mihawk truly begin to take the man before him seriously.
What a terrifying will.
He would rather die than lose.
At that moment, Zoro was no longer just Ozz's junior in Mihawk's eyes.
He was a swordsman worthy of being acknowledged.
"Kid, state your name!"
"Roronoa Zoro!!!"
Zoro staggered back a few steps, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. His eyes were like a feral demon.
Mihawk finally faced him head-on and drew his true blade in a reverse grip.
The famed sword that symbolized the world's strongest swordsman.
Yoru.
"I'll remember you, a long-awaited swordsman of true spirit…"
"I will end your life with a swordsman's courtesy, using the world's strongest black blade!"
Mihawk raised the blade behind him. The wide brim of his hat instantly swallowed his expression, leaving only one razor-sharp eye visible.
His cloak snapped high.
Two hands on the hilt, he surged forward.
A strike that represented the strongest in the world, cleaving straight ahead.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Like a high-speed fan blade slicing the air, Zoro's three swords flared into afterimages, shockwaves bursting outward.
"Three-Sword Style Secret Technique: Three Thousand Worlds!!!"
Flashy technique versus a nameless basic swing.
The moment Zoro, still playing with fancy moves, faced "Hawk Eyes" Mihawk, whose aura only ever lowered in front of Ozz, he was crushed by an overwhelming gap in level.
The two swords in his hands shattered across the ground.
In the end, he removed Underworld Crow from his mouth, then slowly sheathed it.
So this was the world's strongest swordsman.
He spread his arms wide toward Mihawk.
"What are you doing?"
"A scar on the back is a swordsman's shame!!!"
"Well said!"
Slash!
Blood sprayed on the spot as the young swordsman fell into the sea.
"Youthful strength…"
"Go see the world. Go become stronger, Roronoa!!!"
"As a frog in a well, you have no idea how many monsters truly exist in this world. I and Ozz will be waiting for you at the top!"
"Test the limits of your blade, and try to surpass us, Roronoa!!!"
In the end, Mihawk spared his life.
Not only because of Ozz, but because Mihawk himself wanted to see just how far this man with iron will could go.
Whether he could…
bring even the slightest change to a swordsman's life that was too lonely at the summit.
Different from before, after defeating Zoro with ease, Mihawk didn't leave satisfied.
For some reason, he turned and walked into the restaurant, then quietly sat down.
He didn't plan to leave, but he also didn't plan to strike again.
No one dared show the "world's strongest" even the slightest disrespect.
He simply sat by the window, sipping red wine, eyes closed in stillness, as if the outside noise had nothing to do with him.
Whether it was Zoro swearing he would never lose again, Luffy's crew battling Krieg, or even their eventual departure, Mihawk ignored it all.
When it was finally time to go, Sanji stood with his back to Zeff, silent for a moment, not wanting any dramatic farewell.
That stern old man stood there, watching Sanji's back. A voice that had been hard his entire life softened once.
"Sanji… don't catch a cold."
Just one sentence.
Sanji froze, and then he couldn't hold back the tears anymore. He turned toward Zeff, who had cared for him for so many years, and dropped to his knees.
"Old man… for so long…"
"Thank you for everything!!!"
"Your kindness, I will never forget as long as I live!!!"
As the years passed, Zeff's place in Sanji's heart had gradually risen to stand beside Ozz.
Both of them had given him enormous grace, like true fathers.
Zeff smiled too, but tears filled his eyes.
Among everyone present, the only ones not crying were probably Luffy, with his blunt heart, and the man sitting inside by the window.
Mihawk.
And the man sitting across from him.
"What a warm scene, isn't it?"
At those words, Mihawk finally opened his eyes. He lifted his hat slightly with one hand, revealing his piercing gaze as he stared straight at the man opposite him.
"Excessive tenderness only dulls a swordsman's blade."
"And yet you're a gentle man yourself, Hawk Eyes."
The man across from him tilted his head slightly, looking toward the sea where the little boat was already growing distant. A straw-hatted boy was there, laughing with his fist raised.
The backlit shadow faded, revealing the man's true face at last.
A handsome face.
Eyes bursting with crimson light.
And the same faint smile at the corner of his mouth, as if he was always watching something amusing.
Golden characters and a side-profile smile close-up:
[The Next-Generation King]
[Black Gun]
Ozz Dotor.
Mihawk was already used to Ozz's teasing, so he only closed his eyes and took a sip of red wine. Instead of responding, he shifted the topic.
"You ran into a rookie crew so closely tied to you. Why didn't you show yourself?"
Before his duel with Zoro, Mihawk had already sensed Ozz's presence. Since Ozz didn't appear, Mihawk chose not to expose him either.
He simply sat in the restaurant and waited.
Because he knew.
If he waited here, Ozz would definitely show up.
Looking at the man who had changed even from his memories, Ozz raised his wineglass to Mihawk. They clinked once.
"This is a bit late to say, but…"
"Long time no see, Hawk Eyes."
Mihawk's lips lifted slightly.
"It has been a long time. Especially after Shanks lost his arm, I've been looking forward to crossing blades with you again."
Hearing that, Ozz's expression turned helpless.
"Leave that to Zoro someday."
"More importantly…"
"Hawk Eyes, later, come with me to Alabasta."
…
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