19 Dracule Mihawk.

Luffy and Kaizo were standing in the middle of the platform, waiting for the Krieg pirates to finish their meals. Zoro and Usopp left the ship at Kaizo's orders, leaving Jhonny, Yosaku and Nami in the Merry.

'Nami, don't fuck with us. I really don't want to do more stuff than necessary.' Kaizo.

"A-are we really going to fight them?" Usopp.

"Yes." Luffy/Kaizo.

"But the Krieg pirates are the strongest in the East Blue!" Usopp.

"Correction, they used to be the strongest in the East Blue." Kaizo.

"Huh?" Usopp.

"That's a given, taking into account that us, the Straw Hat Pirates, are the strongest crew in the East Blue." Kaizo.

"Hehe, that's right, we're strong!" Luffy.

"Don't be too arrogant, Luffy. I only said in the East Blue, aka, the weakest sea of all." Kaizo.

Luffy's smirk disappears and gets serious.

"That's why we have to keep getting stronger, to survive the billion horrors that the Grand Line has for us." Kaizo.

Luffy and Zoro nodded while Usopp was shaking.

"ANIKI!!!" Yelled Jhonny and Yosaku.

The quartet looked at their direction and saw Merry sailing to the horizon.

'She did it, that dumb, delusional woman actually did it. Why can't anyone take my advice?' Kaizo.

Jonny and Yosaku explained that Nami hijacked the ship and went back to her island.

"Nami would never betray us!" Luffy.

"Hard to say, since she took our ship and all." Zoro.

"Nope, Nami has her reasons, reasons that I'll explain after this battle." Kaizo.

"You knew she was going to steal the Merry?!" Usopp.

"I knew that she was either do that or…" Kaizo.

"Or what?" Usopp.

"To be continued, after the battle." Kaizo.

"CONTINUE NOW!!!" Zoro/Usopp.

After a few more minutes, the Krieg Pirates finished eating and prepared to attack the restaurant when....

*SLASH*

A powerful slash came out of nowhere and diced the galleon in three. Everyone was astonished by the unbelievable scene that they've just witnessed, Except Kaizo of course.

From the sea, a mysterious boat is sailing towards the Baratie. The boat, if we could even call it that, had only one sail on it, one big chair, and a few candles with green flames lit up.

"Is he..." Zoro looked at Kaizo.

"Yeah, he's the current holder of the World's Greatest Swordsman tittle, Dracule Mihawk." Kaizo.

Everyone shakes at the revelation and are impressed by his unfathomable strength.

'I had my doubts, but it seems that this vice-captain is not that bad.' Zoro.

"Hawkeyes, why did you attack us?!" A random Krieg pirate.

"Just killing some time." Mihawk/Kaizo.

Mihawk notices what Kaizo did and got curious.

'Hahaha, this is the closest I'll be to mock him, it was invigorating.' Kaizo though with a smirk.

"DIE!!!!!!"

The pirate takes out two guns and shoots at Mihawk. In a matter of seconds, Mihawk used his black sword and deflected the bullets without effort.

Zoro goes to what's left of Krieg's galleon and challenges Mihawk.

"I've never seen such talent and elegance in a swordsman in my whole life." Zoro.

"Humph, a sword that only has power is not powerful." Mihawk.

"My vice-captain said that you were the one to cut this ship, is it true?" Zoro.

"Of course." Mihawk looks at Kaizo, sensing some weird energy within him.

'Is that Haki? It appears to be but, there's something more within him.' Mihawk.

"As expected, you're the strongest! I've been sailing the seas to find you." Zoro grabbed his bandana.

"What's your mission?" Mihawk.

"Be the best!" Zoro.

"Idiot." Mihawk smirks.

"You have spare time, right? Would you accept a duel against me?" Zoro.

While everyone was paying attention at Zoro and Mihawk, Usopp tried to force Kaizo to speak.

"Where the hell is she taking Merry?!" Usopp.

"Cocoyasi village in the Conomi Islands." Kaizo.

"Then, what are we waiting for? Let's use the spare boat and go there!" Usopp.

"Nope, we need Zoro to finish his duel and we need Sanji to join our crew." Kaizo.

"Fine, I'll go by myself!" Usopp.

"I'll give you some free advice, there are enemies in that island, that could kill you with little to no effort." Kaizo.

Usopp shakes in fear but he really wants to rescue Merry.

"Trust me, Usopp. Once we're done in here, we'll go and get Nami back, isn't that right, Captain?" Kaizo.

"Damn right!" Luffy.

Usopp decided to believe in Kaizo and remained silent. Meanwhile, with Zoro.

"A duel? What an insignificant weakling." Mihawk.

Mihawk disappears and appears some distance from Zoro.

"If you were really a good swordsman, you would've been able to feel the difference between our strengths without the necessity of unsheathing your sword." Mihawk.

"A duel against me? Are you brave or...simply reckless?" Mihawk.

"So I've heard, but it doesn't matter. Its for my own ambition! And, a promise to a dear friend." Zoro.

"The World's Greatest Swordsman, Mihawk versus the Pirate Hunter, Zoro. What kind of battle will we see?" Patty.

Kaizo disappears and appears between the two swordsmen.

"Now, now, enough chitchat, we're on a schedule here. Zoro, either go full power from the get-go, or you'll die even faster." Kaizo.

"Yeah, I won't die." Zoro.

Mihawk took a better look at Kaizo's body and energy within.

'He knows how to use Haki, and speaking of which, this swordsman also knows how to use it. The level is far below mine, but for the East Blue, it's a good achievement.

"Kaizo, don't interfere with the duel." Zoro.

"You kidding?! I only got here to see the duel as close as I could. I'll do you a solid and prevent others from interfering, how's that?" Kaizo.

"Fine, thanks." Zoro.

Mihawk takes off the necklace from his neck and reveals a small knife, barely worth of being called a dagger.

"Oi, what's this supposed to mean?!" Zoro.

"You wouldn't use a cannon to hunt a rabbit, right? Even though you're strong enough to make a name for yourself as a swordsman, this is the weakest out of the 4 oceans, the East Blue."

"Unfortunately, I have nothing smaller than this." Mihawk looked at Zoro with pity.

'Damn! Where's your foxfire style for that burn, Zoro?!' Kaizo.

"Don't mock me!" Zoro.

Zoro begins to dash towards Mihawk.

"Don't regret about this once you die!" Zoro.

"You're just a frog in the well, who haven't seen the real world and its heights." Mihawk.

[Oni Giri!!!]

Zoro slashes his three swords in a single point but, Mihawk stops them easily with his knife.

"W-what?!" Zoro.

'The position of his feet, the position of the knife, the grip. He minimized the strength of the attack at minimum using those simple tricks, he only used enough Haki to prevent the knife from breaking.' Kaizo.

Zoro falls in denial and begins to swing his swords to try and cut Mihawk. Mihawk, on the other hand, was analyzing Kaizo.

'Such sharp eyes, he's learning through my movements. Such an interesting person.' Mihawk.

The clash continues, but Mihawk is clearly the one with the upper hand.

"He can't be this out of reach!" Zoro looked at Mihawk and barraged again.

Mihawk effortlessly parries and dodges Zoro's attacks.

"What an unlimited talent..." Mihawk.

Zoro clashes his mouth sword and generates a small shockwave when it clashes against Mihawk's knife.

"He's parrying the three-sword style with just that knife!"

"He's a monster beyond the already monstrous Roronoa Zoro!"

'I haven't traveled this far to lose against a simple toy like that!' Zoro thinks of Kuina and loses balance.

Mihawk dodges the slash and karate-chops him in the neck. Zoro reminisce about his past for a while, once he's over reminiscing, he's too tired to fight properly and falls after slashing one more time, which Mihawk dodges.

"What's your objective? Why is a weakling such as yourself looking for strength?" Mihawk.

Johnny and Yosaku try to intervene but Kaizo sends a powerful slash that breaks their weapons. He grabs both of them and slams them into the ship.

"Didn't I say that I wouldn't allow any type of interference? That goes for you too, Luffy." Kaizo looks at Luffy, who was ready to impulse himself.

"I know…!" Luffy answers while resisting the urge to save his Nakama.

Kaizo goes back to see the battle.

"I...I can't lose!" Zoro.

Zoro prepares one final attack.

[Tiger...…

'The World's Greatest Swordsman? That's nice, since you are one of the crewmembers of the future Pirate King, you shouldn't aim to anything less than that.'

...Hunt!!!!!!!]

Zoro makes one last powerful dash towards Mihawk, but he gets impaled inches away from his heart.

"Do you wish to have your heart pierced? Why didn't you back down?" Mihawk.

"I don't know. I'm not sure why myself. But if I take even a single step back, I believe that all those oaths and promises...would go to waste and I'll be unable to come back from that." Zoro.

"Yes, that's what losing is." Mihawk.

"Heh, that's exactly why I can't back down." Zoro.

"Even if it means death?" Mihawk.

"I'd rather be dead!" Zoro.

'Such a strong will! He prefers death before defeat.' Mihawk.

Mihawk takes back his knife and sheathes it.

"Brat, tell me your name!" Mihawk.

Zoro prepared a stance.

"Roronoa Zoro!" Zoro.

"I'll remember it! It's been a while since the last time I fought someone with such fighting spirit! So...." Mihawk unsheathes Yoru.

"As a token of my respect, I'll honor you to die by the edge of Yoru, the strongest black blade!" Mihawk.

"I appreciate the thought." Zoro.

'This is my last chance. World's Greatest or death.' Zoro.

[Three Sword Style, Esoteric art:

Zoro began to spin the swords in his hands.

"Die!" Mihawk dashed towards Zoro.

Three Thousand Worlds!!!]

Zoro slashes his three swords at the same time. The clash only lasted a second, but the battle was already decided.

Zoro's swords got destroyed and he gave into his fate.

'I lost. Despite everything, I never thought or expected me to lose. So, this is the World's Greatest? Unbelievable.' Zoro sheathes Wado Ichimonji and faces Mihawk with pride.

"What are you doing?" Mihawk.

"A wound on the back and attacking from the back, is a shame to every swordsman." Zoro explained with a smile.

"Magnificent!" Mihawk.

"Mihawk slashed Zoro and leaved a deep wound in his chest.

"ZORO!!!!!!!" Luffy.

'Don't waste your life, young swordsman.' Mihawk.

"Zoro!!!" Usopp.

"ANIKI!!!!!!!!!" Johnny/Yosaku.

'Why? He knew that he wasn't match for him! Life is always better than death! If you have to sacrifice to your dreams to stay alive then…'

"It's simple! just abandon your ambitions!" Sanji.

Kaizo appeared behind Zoro and opened his soul pocket. He took out some medicines, a towel and bandages, and began to treat his injuries.

"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Luffy.

Luffy stretched his hand and grabbed a part of the ship, he then lunged against Mihawk and tried to punch him, but he evaded the attack.

"You bastard!" Luffy.

"Are you Nakama of the swordsman? Thanks for bringing him here." Mihawk.

Luffy comes back from the rubble.

"Don't worry, he's not dead." Mihawk.

"Eh?" Luffy.

"Can't you see that I've been treating him this whole time?" Kaizo looked at Luffy.

Luffy runs towards the two of them and looks at Zoro.

"Zoro, oi! Are you okay?!" Luffy.

"Sure, he's fine, he just has a big cut in his chest, some fatigue and his proud as a swordsman was shattered by a simple knife, he'll be ready to go in a few hours." Kaizo.

"It's not the time for your death yet. My name is Dracule Mihawk! Find your true self, explore the real world and become stronger! It doesn't matter how long it will take. I'll be waiting for you at my best! Surpass my sword! Surpass me! RORONOA ZORO!!!" Mihawk.

"For Hawkeyes to make such declaration...I can only imagine what he saw in him." Zeff.

"Boy, what's your goal?" Mihawk.

"Pirate King!" Luffy.

"That's a difficult path, even more difficult than surpassing me." Mihawk smirks.

"I don't care, I already planned to be it." Luffy makes a mocking face.

"*COUGH* *COUGH* Luffy!" Zoro.

"Zoro!" Luffy.

Zoro raises Wado Ichimonji.

"Luffy, can you hear me?" Zoro.

"Yes!" Luffy.

"I'm…sorry for…worrying you. If I…don't become the Greatest Swordsman in the World... you'd be in a tough spot, wont you?" Zoro.

"*COUGH* From…here on out…until I surpass him…until I become the World's Greatest Swordsman…I'll…I'LL NEVER LOSE AGAIN!!!!!! ANY PROBLEMS WITH THAT??? PIRATE KING!!!!!!!!!!!!" Zoro.

Luffy smiles.

"Shishishi! None!" Luffy.

"Nice crew. I hope we can meet again, once you reach this level." Mihawk.

Mihawk walks towards Kaizo and looks at him.

"I wanted to clash swords with you, but I'm already satisfied." Mihawk.

"Don't worry, the sea is vast, if we meet again, we'll have a waltz." Kaizo.

Mihawk smirks and begins to walk towards his "ship".

Don Krieg doesn't try to stop him since his armor was broken by Kaizo and lost confidence.

Mihawk leaves the Baratie happy, knowing that in the future, he doesn't has one but two swordsmen with potential to fight with.