The Duel

"To be honest, I never thought I'd be able to meet you so early on..." Zoro says as he puts up his stance.

"A waste, if you ask me." Mihawk just shrugs it off as Zoro's level is so low that he probably wouldn't humor him if he wasn't so bored right now.

"The world's strongest swordsman Hawk Eyes Mihawk versus Pirate Hunter Zoro. What kind of a fight will it turn out to be?" Patty wonders as the battle ready chefs spectate.

"There's not a chance someone can match our Aniki!" "Aniki's the best!" Yosaku and Johnny shout like a bunch of fanatics.

"Zoro will get his ass kicked." I just state the obvious outcome and everyone looks at me like how could I say that.

"You guys haven't been to the Grand Line so you don't know much about the power levels there so it's understandable but come on think a little. The dude split the huge galleon in three in a split second while Zoro... yeah dunno about that."

Everyone falls silent at the implication and everyone gets serious and dread the outcome of this duel. Even Luffy's serious face turns a bit grim. Meanwhile Mihawk takes his cross pendant off and reveals a small knife the size of an index finger.

"Just what're you planning to do with that?" Zoro says grimly as he looks at Mihawks actions.

"I'm different from those stupid brutes who'd go all out just to hunt a mere rabbit. Though you may be a swordsman of some renown, this is East Blue, the weakest of the Four Seas, that are separated by Red Line and Grand Line."

"Unfortunately, I do not have a blade smaller than this at the moment." Mihawk says with a pitiful expression and I almost laugh at the face he is making.

"There's a limit, to just how much you can underestimate me! You better not regret it when you die!" Zoro grits his teeth in anger and rushes at Mihawk.

"Hear me, little frog in his well. It's time for you to realize that the world is bigger than what it seems from you well."

"ONI! GIRI!" Zoro uses his Santoryu technique but is easily blocked by Mihawks tiny knife. Almost everyone gets shocked by the scene of Mihawk effortlessly stopping Zoro and making him not even budge an inch.

From the shock of the huge difference Zoro loses his cool and starts swinging like a madman at Mihawk while Mihawk just casually defends and even parries Zoro away, making him roll on the ground for a few meters. Johnny and Yosaku just keep screaming how impossible this situation should be even though I just told them but their fanatism just doesn't seem to falter.

Zoro gets up and continues his mad rush as everyone in the vicinity watches in awe at Mihawk's skill.

"What burdens you so? What do you still desire at the extent of your strength, weakling?"

Johnny and Yosaku try to burst in on the scene because of Mihawk's insult at Zoro but Luffy grabs them and smashes them to the ground and holds them down while also gritting his teeth and stopping himself of doing just the same.

"I can't afford to lose!" Zoro takes another Santoryu stance. "TORA..."

"GARI!" But before he could even swing his swords properly Mihawk's butter knife stabs him in the chest and almost to his heart yet Zoro does not back down and just grits through the pain as blood drips on the floor and Mihawk notices this.

"Do you wish for me to pierce your heart thus? Why do you refuse to step back?" Mihawk asks while still keeping the knife at Zoro's chest.

"Beats me... Not really sure myself... But I get the feeling... That if I were to take even one step back right now, I'd lose something very important to me... A promise or oath... or whatever it is would be irreversibly broken, and that I'd never be able to return back to where I'm standing right now."

"Yes, such is defeat." Mihawk tells that the feeling Zoro is feeling is the feeling of defeat. A very familiar feeling.

"Haha... Then that's why I can't step back." Zoro chuckles weakly.

"Even if it means your death?"

"I'd much rather die." Zoro grins and glares at Mihawk with determination clear in his eyes.

"Kid... Tell me your name." Moved by Zoro's conviction Mihawk takes his knife out of Zoro and puts it back in its sheath and steps back a few meters.

"Roronoa Zoro." Zoro says as he takes another Santoryu stance.

"I shall remember it, for your strength of will is not oft seen in this world. And to pay my respect to you as a fellow swordsman, I shall end this duel with my Black Blade, the world's strongest sword." Mihawk draws his famous sword the Black Blade, Yoru.

"SANTORYU OUGI!" Zoro starts spinning his swords in a fast pace and Mihawk rushes at him.

"SANZEN SEKAI!" As Mihawk rushes past Zoro, slicing him we both feel it with our Haki that Zoro successfully survived the strike that was meant to be the real killing blow as two of Zoro's swords break.

As the surprised Mihawk turns back for another killing blow he sees Zoro sheathing his Wado Ichimonji and turning towards him arms open wide ready to take the finishing blow.

"What...?" Mihawk looks at the never before seen situation in front of him in puzzlement.

"A wound on one's back, is the shame of a swordsman." Zoro says and grins at his own Reaper.

"Splendid." Mihawk grins back and slashes Zoro from his shoulder to his waist blood spurting everywhere.

"ZORO!!!" Luffy shouts in horror as rest follow as even I grit my teeth at the spectacle even though I can feel him being fine and knowing the future.

[It hurts. It hurts to see people in pain. Yet I wish to succumb to my urge of violence. Humans are a paradox...]

As Zoro falls into the ocean Johnny and Yosaku rush to rescue him while Luffy rushes towards Mihawk.

'SHIT! Did Luffy attack Mihawk at this point!? Fuck I can't remember these things!' I witness Luffy flying towards Mihawk and Mihawk dodging Luffy's attack.

"LUFFY STOP!! ZORO IS STILL ALIVE!! I CAN STILL HEAR HIS HEART BEATING!!" I rush towards where Luffy and Mihawk are.

"Fear not. As your friend there said, that man is still alive." Mihawk reassures Luffy and looks at where Zoro had fallen.

"ANIKI! ANSWER US, ANIKI!" Johnny and Yosaku fish out Zoro and bring him to a small boat that Usopp sailed there and give him first aid as he coughs out blood and sea water.

"I am Dracule Mihawk! It is much too early for you to die. Know thy self! Know thy world! and become strong, Roronoa! No matter how many months or years pass by, I shall stand here at the top of the world and wait for you! So forge on ahead with that fierce conviction and try to surpass my sword! Surpass me, Roronoa Zoro!

"Kid, what do you aim for?" Mihawk turns to Luffy.

"Pirate King!"

"A tough path, indeed. Even tougher than surpassing myself." Mihawk grins.

"Like I care! I'm going to do it anyways!" Luffy says and shows his tongue to Mihawk with "Bleeh!"

After successfully getting the first aid Zoro finally wakes up and lifts his Wado Ichimonji up high.

"L-Luffy... C... Can you hear me?" "Yeah!"

"Sorry for worrying you... I know... That if I don't become... the world's strongest swordsman, it will put you in trouble... GUH!" Zoro spits out blood and Johnny and Yosaku try to tell Zoro to stop talking.

"I SWEAR! THAT I'M NEVER GOING TO LOSE AGAIN! UNTIL THE DAY I FIGHT HIM AND WIN... I SWEAR! TO NEVER LOSE AGAIN! ANY PROBLEMS? PIRATE KING!?" Zoro shouts while crying as he makes another oath to himself and to his new friend and captain.

"Shishishi! NOPE!" Luffy laughs and Mihawk grins at the declaration.

"You make a good team. I'd like to see you two again. Sometime in the future..."

"Excuse me, Mihawk." I quickly stop Mihawk before he leaves.

"What is it young man?" Mihawk looks at me in intrigue.

"Could you please tell me how to control my Observation Haki? It awakened few days back and quite frankly it's making me go mad." [Madder.]

"A newly awakened Haki user here in East Blue? Now this is rare. Very well, seeing as you are so polite and a friend of these two then I will give you some simple guidance."

"Thank you." I bow to Mihawk in an aristocratic manner.

"Normally it would turn off when losing concentration or using it too much but there are rare cases where you can't turn it off or it needs training to be turned off, like in your case. You have two ways to go about it currently. Either slowly adjust all the senses that you feel right now or use it explosively and drain your Haki until exhaustion and it turns itself off automatically."

"From what I see it would be very risky for you to attempt draining your Haki since you seem to have a high affinity with Observation Haki and it might overload your brain. I recommend you finding a calm environment where you can tackle one sense at a time. You will then need to keep practicing and you will master it depending on your own efforts."

"Thank you for your generous advice and may we meet again." I bow once more to Mihawk.

'Maybe I could try to go all out in some quiet environment if I ever find one. If not then it is a slow grind...'