Absolute Strength II

It was at this point that things would get tricky. Veyron recovered quickly but from that moment on the battle turned one-sided. Now they were allowed to use observation Haki, but that wasn't his forte while Mihawk was technically a master at it.

Every single one of her strikes was as if she had seen it ages ago. Her eyes were closed even as she evaded and blocked everything he had to offer without even striking herself. It was at that point that he grinned and prepared to do a piercing attack at the right distance.

He thrust his sword forward a couple of times and she evaded it successfully, just like he planned.

The third time, however... things were quite different.

*WHOOOSH!*

The thrust was accompanied by a surge of force that pushed the sword away from his hand forward like a bullet.

!!!

Mihawk's eyes opened abruptly as she moved her head aside, but the sword managed to cut a few strands of her hair.

Both of them stopped with the lady laughing audibly.

"Make your opponent believe in a future that doesn't exist... in other words, an illusion," He remarked... during her 'vision' it would be very difficult for her to distinguish profoundness, in order words in a thrust attack she'd be unable to tell how far or how close the sword is to her... an opportunity he took to use his 4th Will.

Such an attack would be impossible to execute by a common swordsman.

"Good boy. I still haven't gotten completely used to your power and your roguish way of using it, you keep making new ways to amuse me, son".

'I'm serious though' He growled inwardly, it seemed like this much improvisation was still far from being able to take her down, nevertheless... he felt satisfied that he caught her by surprise.

"Should we move to the next stage?~" She recovered her stance and her whole arm and sword got imbued in Armament Haki, hers was overbearing and purplish.

Veyron realised that it was at this junction that he may end up losing in less than ten exchanges, but still... the boy carried on, covering his own arm and sword in Armament Haki as well.

*WHOOSH!*

*BOOOOOOOOMM!!*

The difference in power compared to before was like the difference between a lake and a river. The shock produced destruction and debris flying all over the area. The humandrills that had been expecting knew it was time to flee the scene as things would only get worse from here on out.

The clash continued with thunderous strikes resonating in the field and destroying everything in their wake, each time... Veyron had to back down and stay in the defensive. Ten exchanges afterwards he managed to counterattack but the same thrusting trick wouldn't work again against Mihawk.

*BOOOOOOMMMM!!!*

She took his extended arm and trashed him down in the soil, producing an explosion as he grunted and spat some saliva. Veyron groaned and recovered his position when his whole body floated briefly and away from her reach much to her shock.

"You're flying now?".

"G-Gliding would be a better word" He rephrased and cleaned some blood from his lips, panting and ready for the next exchange, he hadn't yet dominated this gliding trick... it was a one-time move.

"I see, let's end this, son... you have entertained me indeed, but you're not quite there yet".

"Mom, let me ask you a question..."

"Speak".

"Are you already... the strongest swordsman in the world?" He asked with doubt. At this point of the story, she wasn't yet acknowledged as the strongest. But it didn't matter how many times he fought against her, it just felt like she was the strongest already. How exactly did she become the strongest? who did she defeat?

"The title of the strongest can only be attained after you have defeated the possessor of the title. If the one I'm supposed to plunder the title from is already dead, what am I supposed to do, Veyron?".

"Who is it... or who was it?"

"The Pirate King, Gold Roger... no, Gol D. Roger".

!!!

He never expected those two to have such a connection, there was much of Mihawk's information missing in the manga.

"When I was still a kid, Gol D. Roger defeated and killed my father, the then possessor of the title of the strongest swordsman, Dracule Maximus".

"..." Veyron listened attentively, not wanting to miss a single detail.

"I was supposed to defeat him and take the title back, but he was executed in front of my eyes and the Great Pirate Era started as he took the title to the grave. My only way to attain that title... is to defeat his successor".

'Ace? no... Ace didn't even like his father. Roger's successor would be...'

"Shanks" Veyron asserted and Mihawk displayed little shock before nodding in conformation.

"But Shanks is not strong enough yet, nowhere near the level that Roger was. Taking his head right now be a cheap move underserving of the title of the strongest swordsman".

Veyron frowned as Mihawk prepared for another round.

"Am I stronger than Shanks?"

Although the question made her tilt her eyebrows, Mihawk smirked a little and answered the question with another question, "Why do you ask? Do you want to be my rival instead?~".

Her tone was playful, even teasing... but Veyron was serious, his next words determined so, "I'm going to be the strongest man alive!".

For a second there was silence in which she eyed him up and down, that seven years old boy with a sword twice his size, proclaiming he was going to be the strongest man alive... it was too comical for her to resist.

"Hahaha!~ sure son, maybe you should start by becoming a man first".

*SNORT!*