Chapter 2: The Hawk's Ascent
The shockwaves still echoed in the air, rippling through the battlefield like an aftershock. Soldiers stumbled, dazed and disoriented. The ground was scarred, cracked from my sudden burst of power. The air hummed with a sinister energy that matched the cold in my chest.
Whitebeard's bisento, now deeply embedded in the earth where my strike had landed, vibrated ominously. The massive pirate king himself stood unfazed, though there was a flicker of recognition in his gaze. He'd underestimated me. That would be his last mistake.
I straightened, my grip tightening on Yoru. The weight of the blade was comforting, familiar. My heart didn't race. It never did. This was just the beginning.
"Not bad, Hawk," Whitebeard's gravelly voice rang out, filled with an unsettling amount of respect. "But you'll need more than that if you want to bring my head."
"I'm not after your head, old man," I replied, my voice cutting through the chaos like a blade. "I'm after the world."
My words seemed to hang in the air, striking the hearts of every pirate and Marine present. Whitebeard's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, the entire war seemed to pause.
Then, like the roar of an awakening beast, the battle resumed.
The pirates rallied, charging forward with renewed vigor. Marines formed ranks, preparing for the inevitable clash. And me? I simply watched, feeling the storm of the battlefield stir around me.
A Marine Admiral charged at me from the side, his sword drawn. I could sense the fear behind his determined facade. His power, like so many others, was fleeting. The moment he swung, I was already moving.
A flash of black, a slice of air, and his head fell to the ground before his body could even react.
[+150 Shock Points!]
I didn't pause to admire my handiwork. Another came. And another. I danced through them all, my strikes clean, my motions fluid.
The world bent to my will as the Shock System guided me, feeding my hunger for power. Each death, each moment of shock, added to my growing power. They were nothing but stepping stones, tools in my climb to something greater.
Doflamingo appeared beside me, his eyes gleaming with interest. "You've got a taste for this, don't you?"
I didn't answer. I didn't need to.
A sharp crack split the air, followed by the sound of a cannonball hurtling toward me. I barely flinched before raising Yoru in a single, effortless arc.
The cannonball shattered into a thousand pieces, scattering across the battlefield.
[+50 Shock Points!]
Another Marine Admiral — Kizaru — appeared on the horizon, his hands held casually in his pockets as he approached at light speed.
He had no interest in wasting time.
I smiled. Let him come.
The moment Kizaru stepped into range, I moved. Faster than the human eye could track, I surged forward with the Shockwave Step, my body leaving a trail of cracked earth and ruptured air in its wake. The distance between us evaporated.
"Impressive," Kizaru said lazily, before a wide grin spread across his face. "Let's see how long that lasts."
His body flickered with light, moving faster than even my eyes could keep up with. The air around him shimmered, warping as he teleported from place to place. He seemed to laugh, a sound devoid of warmth.
I raised Yoru.
"Then I'll shatter the light."
In an instant, I brought my sword down with a force that could split mountains.
Kizaru attempted to dodge, but his movements were too slow. He was caught. The shockwave from my blade slammed into him, sending his body crashing through the air like a broken doll.
[+250 Shock Points!]
But Kizaru wasn't finished. He rose, his form flickering with light, unscathed. He'd taken the hit, but I could see the amusement in his eyes. He was testing me. Playing.
I could feel it. The System was watching. It wanted more.
"Good," I muttered under my breath, the thrill of the battle sharpening my senses.
I wasn't Mihawk anymore. That man was a relic of the past. I was the Storm. I was the Hawk, ready to rend this world to pieces.
Across the battlefield, Whitebeard was still watching. His expression was unreadable, but I knew he was calculating. He would come for me. He would test me. And when that time came, I would show him the truth of my power.
But for now?
For now, I would carve my path through the world.
I would make them all feel the shock.
The Marines had regrouped, and Whitebeard's forces were rallying once again. But there was a difference now. A shift in the wind. I had no more intention of playing games.
I raised Yoru high, my grip steady, my resolve cold.
"You're all going to regret underestimating me."
And then I charged.
[+400 Shock Points!]
The battlefield ignited once more.