That night, everyone had drunk themselves into oblivion.
Early the next morning, as soon as Thorne Ashveil stepped out of his room, he found Dracule Mihawk and Boa Hancock waiting at his door.
The area that had once been a restricted zone of the Whitebeard Pirates—where Ashveil now resided—had long turned into a gathering place. Pirates from all around came and went freely, leaving him utterly exasperated.
"What are you two doing at my door so early? It's kind of creepy, you know," Ashveil said, clearly annoyed.
Boa Hancock didn't get angry. Instead, her eyes sparkled with delight as her lips parted slightly.
"But it's not early anymore, Ashveil-kun. Look—the sun's already high in the sky."
"Did you forget what you said yesterday?" she added, smiling brightly. "You told me I could clean your room today."
Her words were filled with so much joy that Ashveil could only scratch his head awkwardly.
"Right... I did say that," he muttered, sighing. "Alright then, Hancock. Thanks, I guess."
He felt a little embarrassed; his room was quite a mess. For someone as lazy as him, tidiness was a luxury.
Once she got permission, Hancock cheerfully skipped into his room like an excited deer, leaving Mihawk standing there silently.
Ashveil frowned. "Hey, Mihawk, Hancock's cleaning my room. What are you doing here?"
Mihawk's sharp golden eyes lit up with excitement. "We didn't get to spar yesterday because of all the drinking," he said, his tone full of anticipation. "I was hoping we could have that match now. Please, Ashveil, grant me your guidance."
Ashveil sighed. "You really don't give up, do you? Fine—let's do it today. But after that, stop bothering me about it."
He knew Mihawk well enough to understand that if he refused, the swordsman would just chase him down until he agreed. Better to end it quickly.
Mihawk nodded immediately. To him, even a few minutes of Ashveil's guidance was a tremendous honor.
"Alright then," Ashveil said casually. "Let's find another place. This area's too small—and I'd rather not break Whitebeard's stuff."
They left together, heading toward a nearby island close to the Whitebeard Pirates' territory.
On the way, Doflamingo and several members of Whitebeard's crew noticed them and, upon learning they were about to spar, followed along with bright grins.
Soon, an excited debate broke out among the pirates.
"Wanna make a bet?" Marco said, smirking. "I say Ashveil beats Mihawk in just a few moves."
"In my opinion," said Vista, the Flower Swordsman, rubbing his chin, "if they fight purely as swordsmen, Ashveil would need at least three moves to win. Mihawk isn't someone who can be beaten easily."
Vista's tone carried deep respect. As a swordsman himself, he understood the meaning of swordsmanship. A true swordsman wasn't just about strength—it was about mastery of the blade. Ashveil had never been seen using a sword before, which made it hard to imagine him surpassing Mihawk in pure technique.
Diamond Jozu, however, disagreed. "You're overthinking it. Even if Ashveil only uses half his strength, Mihawk's done for in two moves."
Vista raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding. Mihawk's the world's greatest swordsman. Nobody beats him that easily."
Jozu grinned. "I still believe in Ashveil."
Marco chuckled. "Fine. Let's bet a million Berries. The loser pays up."
"Deal," Jozu and Vista said together.
Marco smirked. "Then I'll up the stakes. I bet Ashveil wins in one move."
The entire group froze.
"What did you just say? One move? Marco, are you insane?" Vista exclaimed. "Even Mihawk wouldn't lose that fast—not in a sword fight!"
Marco only smiled. "You'll see. If Ashveil uses his Conqueror's Haki through the sword, Mihawk won't last a second."
The others stared in disbelief, but deep down, even they weren't sure what Ashveil was truly capable of.
Eventually, they reached the small island.
Vista stepped forward and offered his weapon. "Ashveil, you don't have a sword. Use mine."
Ashveil shook his head, a faint smile forming. "No need. I've got one."
Everyone exchanged confused glances. None of them had ever seen Ashveil use a sword before.
A circle quickly formed around them as anticipation filled the air.
Mihawk drew his Black Blade: Yoru, and his killing intent surged like a storm. The sheer pressure made the air hum, the ground tremble, and even the wind cut like blades.
Whitebeard's deep laughter rumbled across the clearing. "Gurararara! Now this... this is going to be fun!"
Even Doflamingo looked impressed. "As expected of the World's Greatest Swordsman. That aura alone is terrifying."
The Whitebeard Pirates murmured among themselves, amazed by Mihawk's presence. Apart from Whitebeard and Ashveil, no one else here could match that overwhelming spirit.
Mihawk's eyes burned with determination. "My goal is to withstand two of your strikes, Ashveil. If I can do that, it means I'm getting closer to surpassing you!"
But just as everyone felt the full pressure of Mihawk's aura—
An even greater force erupted from Ashveil.
The island itself seemed to shudder. The wind stopped. The air turned heavy. His presence radiated pure, unyielding dominance—Conqueror's Haki that made even seasoned warriors feel their knees weaken.
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Should I tweak Hancock's personality towards Ashveil a little, so she wouldn't be a simp lol.