Surviving in the Wilderness II

The title of the strongest swordsman had gone from generation to generation belonging to a single family from the void century, up until recent times when it was mercilessly plundered by nothing less than a miserable pirate.

The original line of possessors of the title: The Dracule Royal Family together with their legendary sword that had gone through generations of slaughter, Kokuto Yoru (Night).

*CLAANG!!*

Mihawk's sword clashed against an opponent too fierce before her body was blasted away, regaining her balance atop the sea. The shockwaves produced by the clash were strong enough to split the sky in two... there weren't many opponents against whom she had to concede, but the one in front made her blood boil in thrill.

On the other side was a man so tall and imposing that he resembled a mountain.

"Guararara!~ you're just as annoying as your father was, kiddo" the man stated, his white coat fluttering while he held his long Naginata, a weapon Mihawk couldn't take her eyes away from.

"You've got yourself a pretty good weapon this time, old man" Mihawk praised loudly, to fight against another one of the legendary twelve supreme weapons, Murakumogiri; was a sight to behold.

The battlefield was an unknown island in the new world, Whitebeard didn't have the leisure to take his face away from his foes. The red haze of his other opponent manifested in the form of a full blast of Haki.

<Divine Departure!>

Shanks' sword crashed against Whitebeard's spear, obtaining the same fate. No, compared to Mihawk, Shanks did get blasted far away into the sea.

"You're not there quite yet, Akagami… though this energy does resemble Roger's" Whitebeard waved his naginata a few times before coming to a stop, the members of his crew watched from the side as their captain singlehandedly dealt with the 'rookies'.

"It's time to go, boss! I thought you wanted to recruit Kaido?" One of the members yelled from behind, they had already been fighting for three days.

"There are two better prospects right here, it would be a pity to not invite them after they showcase such prowess" Whitebeard turned around and smiled broadly, regarding a grinning Mihawk before his lips uttered a name as clear as the quiet waters.

"Dracule Maximus".

!!!

Mihawk gasped and readied her sword to continue upon hearing the name of her father being mentioned by one of the individuals who was there the moment he perished.

"Back then in God Valley… it was Roger who took his life and became the strongest swordsman. You're his daughter and you even inherited that sword, what exactly do you wish? whatever it is, you could achieve it by joining my crew".

Mihawk grit her teeth and stood back up in consideration, Whitebeard was still in the process of assembling his crew.

"If you're after Kaido, you should know he has formed his crew already... the beast pirates".

"Guararara~ that fool only needs some convincing but enough about him, who I want right now is you, Mihawk".

"..."

As she thought about it a splash of water originated from the water past the shore of the island. Shanks flashed back in position next to her, "Quite disrespectful to try and take away my crew member right in front of my nose, geezer".

"That bastard Roger made me lose quite a bit for years, what's wrong with me taking one or two members away from you, Akagami?"

Both of them then awaited her decision, however... there was no decision to make in this case, she merely gave Shanks an enigmatic gaze before turning against her foe, brandishing her sword.

"What I wish for... won't be found with you, Whitebeard!"

*RUMBLE!!*

Conqueror Haki was felt by both individuals and the whole of Whitebeards' crew. They all gasped at the power backing up this much will capable of devastating a whole island easily.

'Is this just a rookie!?'

Even Shanks was shaken up by Mihawk's whole display of strength that was just a bit weaker than Whitebeards'.

A long-distance slash was met by the shockwave of the Yonko's fist.

"Worthily of a Knight of God's children!"

*BOOOOOMMM!!!*

Space cracked and the whole strength of an earthquake, mixed with Whitebeard's mightful conqueror Haki unveiled against Mihawk's sword. The world seemed to stop in front of the might of these two individuals.

*RUMBLE!!*

Mihawk's sharp glare never receded in her mind there was only Shanks, the successor of the man she once wished to slaughter yet was denied the pleasure. To usurp the title of the strongest swordsman, she needed to kill him.

!!!

For a moment, just the briefest second, the silhouette of a boy manifested in her mind, that boy and his overwhelming demon-like potential. Nevertheless, she quickly took that image away from her mind.

**

**

The duel between Shanks and Whitebeard continued but it was clear the Yonko was just playing around, the pirate capable of matching the pirate king, Gold Roger, was not a pushover.

He was the first Yonko of the seas: Whitebeard, Edward Newgate together with his crew, the Whitebeard Pirates.

"Enough. Playing with you both was entertaining, but there are things for me to do, someone has to smack that dragon".

Before jumping on his ship, Whitebeard handed something to Shanks, a piece of paper... the red-haired young man tilted his head in confusion.

"You've got potential, boy... Roger may have been my rival but he was also my friend. Even if you don't join my crew, I expect us to be allies... you should know by now who to trust" Whitebeard's gaze sharpened up as if sending a hidden message, one that Shanks caught but Mihawk didn't.

"..."

"You haven't been to Laughtale... but you must have heard from him".

"I did".

"Then watch your back... I'll wait for you both at the top, brats! Guararara~"

...

Shanks and his crew watched as the gigantic ship, the moby dick, sailed towards the east of the new world, its destiny unknown to them.

"The old man Whitebeard is a tough one" A man clad in a cape, Ben Beckman, had been fighting another member of Whitebeard's crew, Thatch.

"And he was holding back" Mihawk brushed her hair with her gaze fixed on the departing Moby Dick.

'Being a pirate wasn't my objective from the start, old man...'

Having heard Whitebeard's words, Shanks regarded Mihawk who had just sheathed her sword back.

"Why didn't you join his crew? It is stronger than mine" Asked Shanks, they were just four members as of now: Yassop, Ben Beckman, Mihawk and himself... compared to Whitebeard who was a Yonko, it should have been an easy choice.

"What I want I can't find with Whitebeard" Were Mihawk's simple words before going further into the island which was their original objective... they just happened to meet Whitebeard here.

Her words left Shanks thinking while Yassop and Ben elbowed and winked towards their captain, further emboldening his confidence about something that from the beginning, was impossible.

"Hehe~ could it be that you want me?"

"…" Mihawk glared at Shanks who flared at the repercussions of that gaze.

"Who knows?".

Little did he know, what she was thinking was completely different from what he was thinking.

'Maybe I still have a chance with her?~'

'Only after I kill you can I be the world's strongest' swordsman'.

...

Mihawk still recalled the sense of emptiness she felt when the man she had set as her objective laid bare, dying by something as pitiful as an execution.

"Do you want my treasure? If you want it you can keep it. Search it! I left everything in 'that' place!" The one that killed her father Dracule Maximus, a celestial dragon, and knight of God. He whose Haki was said to be legendary; attained the title of the strongest swordsman: the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger.

'If I can't take the title from you… I will take it from your successor, when Shanks has become strong enough, I'll have his head'.

With her gaze looking at the distance, her mind drifted from Shanks to a different person.

'How are you doing, brat? Are you still alive...? If you survive this time, I'll acknowledge you as my son'.