"You brat, why is your temper so stubborn?"
Taking a deep drag and exhaling a long trail of smoke, Rowan sighed.
Why are these swordsmen all so one-track-minded? Zoro is like this, and now Hawkeye-boy is the same.Rowan felt a bit lucky that his natural talent for the sword had been pitifully low in the beginning. Otherwise, if he had spent his life drilling into a dead end like they did, he might have ended up just as obsessive. If that had happened, the world wouldn't have gained a "Godfather of the Marines"; it would have just gained another sword-idiot trudging along the path of the blade.
Musing to himself, Rowan glanced at Tashigi, and a look of relief appeared on his face.
At least this girl Tashigi is well-behaved and obedient. Her swordsmanship level might be mediocre, but I definitely can't let her become like those two—spending every day challenging this person or that person.
However, faced with Rowan's rhetorical question, Hawkeye Mihawk offered no answer. His hawk-like eyes were simply filled with intense expectation as he stared at the old man. Not just Mihawk, but every single person in the plaza was looking at Rowan with bated breath. If Rowan and Mihawk's identities weren't so heavyweight, the crowd would have long since burst into cheers and jeers. As it stood, they only dared to wait in silence.
"Hawkeye-boy, do you truly want to challenge me and have a fight?"
After a long silence, Rowan finally spoke.
Hearing this, the spectators' ears pricked up, and their eyes shifted collectively onto Rowan.
"Could it be that this guy came all this way just to challenge Mr. Rowan? That makes no sense. Even though Mr. Rowan has a high status in the Navy, he was never a world-renowned grandmaster swordsman. Did Hawkeye read some fake news or rumors?" Smoker lit a cigar and scratched his head again, still unable to grasp the logic.
Mihawk tilted his chin up, his expression solemn. "Senior, regarding this matter, my attitude is extremely serious."
To have a heart-racing, peak-level duel with Rowan was the very reason he had come to the East Blue. If not for this, why would he have cast aside his pride, used his authority as a Warlord to requisition a Navy warship, and raced across the seas at top speed? The fact that he had twice lowered his stance to ask for a duel under the honor of his title was proof enough of his sincerity.
"The current you is not the Old Man's match."
Rowan spoke suddenly.
His words were like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky, exploding across the plaza. The expressions of the crowd froze once more.
"Wait... did I hear that right?" "What did the old guy just say?" "Is he... serious?"
That old man just said Hawkeye Mihawk isn't his match?!
Does he have any idea what he's saying? Sure, Mihawk was the one initiating the challenge, and sure, the way you mentored Zoro earlier looked like something out of a legend. But even for an arrogant old man, there has to be a limit! Mihawk is the reigning World's Greatest Swordsman! Even Red-Haired Shanks can only fight him to a draw. And who is Shanks? He's an Emperor of the Sea standing at the pinnacle of the world!
You haven't even fought yet, so based on what can you say he's not your match? Based on your age? Based on your pension?
Not just the crowd, but Mihawk himself was momentarily stunned. He had imagined many reasons why Rowan might refuse, but he never expected this one. After a brief silence, Mihawk took a deep breath and asked, "Senior, why do you say that?"
Since obtaining the title of the world's strongest, that was a sentence he usually said to others. He never expected to hear it directed at him today.
In truth, from the moment he first felt Rowan's Sword Intent, Mihawk knew the old man's intent—both in its purity and its sheer volume—surpassed his own. In terms of the Way of the Sword, Mihawk was genuinely willing to call Rowan "Senior." That was why he had gone to such lengths to find him.
However, the purity of intent and the volume of aura do not always equate to absolute combat strength. Take Red-Haired Shanks: in terms of pure technical sword skill and philosophical understanding, Shanks wasn't Mihawk's match, yet the man could use his overall power to force a draw. Therefore, hearing Rowan's claim, Mihawk felt a surge of indignation.
"The Old Man knows you definitely don't agree with that statement."
Rowan flicked his fingers, quite rudely tapping the extinguished ash out of his pipe onto the plaza tiles. He took out some aged tobacco leaves from a small pouch, crushed them casually, stuffed them into the bowl, and lit it. Taking a long draw, he continued, "If I were you, I'd be pretty annoyed too."
Regardless, Mihawk was currently the strongest known swordsman on the seas. He had humbled himself enough for this challenge, even going as far as to admit defeat to a junior like Zoro for the sake of integrity. He still had his pride.
However, Rowan's claim that Mihawk was inferior wasn't a hollow boast. Setting aside the fact that his physical stats were at the world's absolute peak, his swordsmanship—having been "maxed out"—reached the very ceiling of this world. Even if it didn't dwarf Mihawk's level, it was certainly a significant step above. This wasn't just Rowan's ego talking; it was what he had observed during the fight between Zoro and the "Hawkeye-boy."
Furthermore, he had his three-color Haki maxed out at the first tier. If he accepted this duel, no matter how long it took, the victor would undoubtedly be Rowan.
But Rowan also knew that even if he could win, it wouldn't be easy. While both were Warlords, Mihawk wasn't like Jinbe, whom he had defeated with a few casual moves. More importantly, he didn't have the time to sit here and "grind" sword skills with this kid. He had to get to Marine Headquarters.
However, since Mihawk had been so persistent and respectful in his challenge, Rowan couldn't just keep acting aloof and ignore him forever. If this kid was truly a "one-track mind" and decided to stalk him everywhere, it would be a massive headache. A World's Greatest Swordsman following you around 24/7 demanding a duel? The thought made Rowan's head ache.
Thus, Rowan finally spoke.
"I can accept your challenge."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
⭐ Read chapters early on Patreon → https://www.patreon.com/Bagga_10 ⭐
BONUS CHAPTER REWARDS
• Every 20 reviews = 1 bonus chapter
• Every 100 Power Stones = 1 bonus chapter
Your support directly unlocks more content and faster releases.