Vane had already landed on the water, standing firmly as if the sea itself supported him. The distance between him and Dracule "Hawkeye" Mihawk was barely twenty meters. At that range, both men could see each other clearly.
Hawkeye's small coffin-shaped ship drifted silently to a halt. The sea was unnervingly calm, the air heavy with unspoken tension. Neither man rushed to speak.
In Vane's eyes, among the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Mihawk might be the strongest. Behind him, perhaps Bartholomew Kuma, then Boa Hancock. Mihawk's strength, however, had always been shrouded in mystery. He was a man who frequently clashed with Shanks, one of the Four Emperors. If Shanks, who also wielded a blade, couldn't surpass him in swordsmanship, then Mihawk's mastery was unquestionable.
It was widely accepted that Mihawk was the greatest swordsman in the world.
Meanwhile, Mihawk's gaze on Vane carried its own weight. Rumors described Vane as a powerful swordsman, though many claimed his blade was overshadowed by his other terrifying abilities. Mihawk intended to confirm the truth for himself.
"Now that we've met, I want to test the difference between us," Mihawk muttered, his voice quiet but sharp as steel.
With that, he stood and drew his massive black blade, Yoru. The distinct ring of metal echoed across the sea as its darkened edge gleamed coldly in the sun.
"So you want to test my strength?" Vane's lips curled into the faintest smile. He could sense that Mihawk's challenge wasn't one of life or death, but rather a duel between men of the sword.
There was no killing intent. It was a spar born of curiosity.
Even if Whitebeard himself were present, Mihawk would draw his sword without hesitation. Whitebeard may have been known as the world's strongest man, a living legend spanning eras, yet Mihawk's pride as a swordsman allowed no exceptions.
Vane leapt lightly from his conjured throne, the floating construct vanishing the moment he left it.
"That throne just disappeared…?" Mihawk's sharp eyes narrowed.
What truly shocked him, however, was what he saw next. Vane landed upon the sea's surface, standing firmly atop the rolling waves. Ripples spread outward beneath his boots.
"He's standing on seawater? How is that possible?" Mihawk's pupils shrank. He clearly heard the faint splash as Vane's soles touched the surface.
For a Devil Fruit user, this was impossible. Even without a Fruit, no ordinary man could stand atop the ocean.
"Hawkeye, let's begin. Didn't you want to spar?" Vane finally broke the silence. His voice resonated like a tremor through the air, the surrounding waters quivering as if the sea itself acknowledged his power. Though his Quake-Quake Fruit wasn't activated directly, the ocean responded to his presence.
Mihawk's sharp eyes widened ever so slightly. "What terrifying power."
No longer holding back, Mihawk gripped Yoru with both hands. His gaze sharpened, the air itself seeming to grow colder under the pressure of his will. An emerald aura crackled along the blade's surface, sword intent surging like a storm.
With practiced precision, Mihawk raised Yoru high and brought it down in a mighty arc. From its edge erupted a massive slash of pure sword energy, a cyan crescent cleaving through the sea itself as it roared toward Vane.
The dazzling blue arc tore the water apart, a trench forming in its wake as it raced forward with unstoppable force.
Vane didn't move to dodge. His weapon, Ryūjin Jakka, was already in hand, flames simmering faintly along its edge.
To retreat before Mihawk's slash would be cowardice. He chose instead to meet it head-on.
"Bakudō #81: Dankū!" Vane declared.
A towering wall of translucent cyan energy manifested before him, stretching across the waves. Mihawk's slash collided with the barrier in an earth-shaking crash. The mighty arc that could split the sea itself slammed uselessly against the wall, breaking apart like a river against an immovable cliff. The energy dispersed into fragments of light, unable to pierce through.
"What?!" Mihawk's eyes widened. His attack, capable of sundering galleons, had been halted completely.
The sea around them lay divided, a massive gap carved through the waters by his slash, yet Vane stood untouched behind the shining barrier.
"What power is this? Is it his sword? No… something else…" Mihawk's thoughts raced, shock flickering across his normally calm expression.
The wall dissolved slowly, leaving behind the still-gaping scar in the ocean, proof of Mihawk's devastating strike. Yet his slash had accomplished nothing against Vane's defense.
Mihawk tightened his grip on Yoru, his eyes gleaming with renewed intensity.
"So this is the Pirate Emperor," he murmured, awe and anticipation burning behind his sharp gaze.
_______
Read chapters in advance on patreon.com/Zphyr_