Chapter 9: The Floating Restaurant and the World's Strongest Blade
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: NEW ADVENTURE PATH INITIATED. NEXT TARGET: BARATIE. RECOMMENDED ACTION: ENGINEER DEATH. ACQUISITION: FRACTION OF MIHAWK'S SUPREME SWORDSMANSHIP. SECONDARY GOAL: RECRUIT SANJI.]
"The Baratie. Finally, some decent food! But more importantly, the chance to face Mihawk. This is not going to be a fun death. This is going to be quick, painful, and probably very, very embarrassing. But 'a fraction of Mihawk's supreme swordsmanship'? That's worth any amount of temporary dismemberment. This is the big one for Arc 1."
After the events of Syrup Village and the acquisition of Usopp as our designated liar (and future sniper), the Going Merry continued its journey. The talk on board quickly shifted from saving maidens to satisfying a growling stomach. Luffy, of course, demanded meat. Sanji, the future chef, was still just a twinkle in fate's eye.
"Alright, navigator-swan," I called out to Nami, who was busy charting our course. "What's the next culinary destination? My stomach is starting to believe that 'rubber' is a food group."
Nami sighed, pushing her fiery hair out of her eyes. "We're heading towards the Baratie. It's a floating restaurant. We need a cook, anyway. Luffy's going to bankrupt us with his appetite."
"A floating restaurant, you say?" I mused, tapping my chin. My compass, which had been relatively calm, suddenly began to hum with an intense, almost frantic energy. It was pointing directly towards the Baratie, but its energy was different. It wasn't just about the compass's primary desire (Robin), but a powerful secondary pull. A sense of overwhelming, formidable skill.
"Mihawk. It has to be. The Baratie means Zoro's duel. And Zoro's duel means Mihawk. This is perfect. This is the high-tier death I need before the Grand Line. This is where I go from 'quirky immortal' to 'quirky immortal with a scary sword skill'. Provided I don't get obliterated into a fine mist."
As we approached the Baratie, the fish-shaped restaurant was a welcome sight. But the atmosphere was tense. We were already embroiled in the conflict with Don Krieg's pathetic excuse for a pirate fleet. Cannons roared, wooden splinters flew, and Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro were already in the thick of it.
"Alright, crew!" I yelled over the din, stretching my arm to snatch a flying breadstick. "Time for a feast! And for me, a little… self-improvement course! Wish me luck, I'm going to challenge the strongest man in the world!"
Nami, who was busy trying to commandeer a smaller lifeboat to escape the chaos, froze. "What?! Adam, have you lost your mind?! Mihawk is here?!"
My grin widened. "The one and only! The World's Strongest Swordsman! And he's about to be my most prestigious killer! Don't worry, Nami-swan, I'll be back. Eventually. After a brief period of dismemberment and spiritual contemplation."
I propelled myself across the water, using a combination of Gum-Gum elasticity and Kuro's Pussyfoot Maneuver, landing on the Baratie's splintered deck just as the Black-Legged Sanji was introduced via a powerful kick. And there he was. Dracule Mihawk. Standing calmly amidst the chaos, his giant, cross-shaped sword, the Yoru, gleaming ominously. He was watching Zoro, a flicker of something akin to amusement in his piercing yellow eyes.
Zoro, for his part, was already challenging him, his three swords drawn, his pride burning bright.
"This is it. No random Marine, no clown, no butler. This is the real deal. The pinnacle of swordsmanship. If I can get even a fraction of that, I'll be set."
"Excuse me, Mr. Mihawk-san!" I called out, my voice cutting through the din of battle. Luffy and Krieg were still going at it, and Sanji was kicking various Krieg pirates. "Adam D. Vane, at your service! I've been looking for you!"
Mihawk's gaze, previously fixed on Zoro, slowly shifted to me. His expression remained utterly impassive, yet there was a subtle, almost imperceptible tilt of his head, as if assessing a particularly odd insect. "And who might you be, insolent one? Another fool seeking glory?" His voice was deep, resonant, carrying an undeniable weight of authority.
"Oh, much more than glory, Mr. Mihawk!" I declared, striking a dramatic pose. I stretched my arm out, then let it retract. I detached a hand and let it float menacingly. I then blurred forward with Kuro's speed, appearing directly in front of him, then immediately blurring back, a tiny wisp of smoke curling from my fingertips. "I'm looking for... ultimate self-improvement! And I've heard you're the best. The very best. The kind of best that can cut through literally anything. Including, perhaps, an immortal, stretchy, choppable, super-fast, slightly smoky human."
Mihawk's eyes narrowed, a flicker of genuine intrigue passing through them. "An interesting display. You possess a Devil Fruit and... other abilities. And you seek to test my blade?"
"Not test, Mr. Mihawk," I corrected, a wide, challenging grin on my face. "More like... learn from it. Through the most direct means possible, you understand. I'm hoping you can teach me a thing or two about swordsmanship. The kind that comes from being utterly, unequivocally, and spectacularly killed by the World's Strongest."
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: KILLER DETECTED. DRACULE MIHAWK. RECOMMENDED ACTION: ENGINEER DEATH. ACQUISITION: SUPREME SWORDSMANSHIP (FRACTIONAL).]
A profound, almost imperceptible shift occurred in Mihawk's stance. His aura intensified, becoming sharper, colder, like a freshly honed blade. He didn't even draw Yoru fully. He simply, casually, reached for the small, cross-shaped dagger at his neck. The Kogatana.
"If that is what you desire, boy," Mihawk said, his voice devoid of emotion, "then so be it. Do not mistake my restraint for weakness. You seek death. I shall grant it. But know this: even a fractional skill comes at a cost you cannot fathom."
He moved. It wasn't a blur of speed like Kuro's. It was instantaneous. One moment, he was standing there, the Kogatana still at his neck. The next, he was directly in front of me, the small blade seemingly appearing out of thin air, pressed against my chest. There was no fanfare, no dramatic wind-up. Just pure, unadulterated precision and power.
I had no time to react. The Kogatana, imbued with a fraction of Mihawk's overwhelming Haki, bypassed my Gum-Gum and Chop-Chop defenses as if they didn't exist. It didn't pierce. It didn't cut. It felt as if my very existence was simply... extinguished. A wave of absolute, unfeeling nullity washed over me. It was not pain, but a profound, chilling emptiness, a complete unraveling of my being at a fundamental level. It was the absolute, total, and immediate cessation of all sensation.
And then, nothing. Perfect, silent oblivion.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: DEATH RECORDED. KILLER: DRACULE MIHAWK. ABILITY ACQUIRED: SUPREME SWORDSMANSHIP (FRACTIONAL). REVIVAL INITIATING. PLEASE WAIT.]
"Holy. Mother. Of. God. That was... profound. No pain, just pure, total erasure. Mihawk truly is on another level. But 'Supreme Swordsmanship (Fractional)'?! This is massive! This is the game-changer! This is what will allow me to actually fight in the Grand Line! Now, to make a re-entrance that'll make even Mihawk raise an eyebrow. Probably."
I gasped, sitting bolt upright on the deck, my body perfectly fine, not even a mark on my clothes. The sounds of the battle, the shouting, the clanging of steel – it all rushed back. Mihawk was still standing there, the Kogatana now back at his neck, his gaze still impassive, but a faint, almost imperceptible flicker of something akin to surprise in his eyes. Zoro, who had been watching the entire exchange, was frozen, his jaw dropped. Luffy was too busy fighting Krieg to notice.
"Well," I said, rubbing my chest, feeling the phantom echo of utter non-existence. "That was... enlightening, Mr. Mihawk. You really do live up to the hype. Not bad for a glorified letter opener, either." I then slowly, deliberately, picked up a stray piece of splintered wood from the deck, no bigger than a toothpick. I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, the intuitive knowledge of Mihawk's blade, the concept of cutting all things, flowed into me. I flicked the toothpick. It sliced through the air with a faint whoosh, cleanly severing a stray rope on the mast, a rope that had been under tension. The cut was impossibly clean, almost invisible.
Mihawk's eyes widened. A single, short, almost soundless breath escaped his lips. It was the first reaction I'd seen from him.
"You... copied my blade," he murmured, his voice laced with a newfound, dangerous interest. "From a single strike. Impossible. Even a fraction... a fractional insight into all things... you truly are an anomaly."
Zoro, seeing the clean cut, gasped, his eyes wide. "Did he... did he just cut that rope with a toothpick?!"
"Indeed he did, Roronoa," I said, dropping the toothpick. "Turns out, being obliterated by the World's Strongest Swordsman really helps with one's understanding of cutting things. Who knew?" I bowed to Mihawk, a theatrical flourish. "Thank you for the lesson, sensei. Truly invaluable. Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe my captain is still trying to fight that armored oaf. And I need to convince a certain chef to join our crew. Preferably before I get eaten by a fish."
Mihawk continued to stare, his golden eyes burning with an intensity I hadn't seen before. He did not move to stop me.
As I made my way towards the chaotic brawl involving Luffy and Krieg, Zoro finally found his voice. "Adam! What was that?! What did he do to you?!"
"He killed me, Zoro," I said, giving him a cheerful thumbs up. "Best death ever! Learned a ton! Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go make sure Sanji doesn't kick me into the sea. And then, we can celebrate my new sword skills with some delicious food!"