Chapter 42 – Baratie 05.

[Chapter Size: 2106 Words.]

Third Person POV

Baratie, East Blue.

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"I'M HERE TO FACE YOU!" He said and continued. "Your title of the world's strongest swordsman will belong to me soon!" He spoke with determination and a confident smile.

"What a naive child..." Mihawk couldn't help but comment, seeing a fool in front of him.

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Mihawk paid meticulous attention to Zoro, his sharp eyes registering every movement of the swordsman who had just issued a challenge. A cold and unperturbed expression adorned the face of the legendary Dracule Mihawk as he analyzed the green-haired youth before him. The eyes of the world's greatest swordsman seemed to penetrate Zoro's skills and determination, evaluating him in a silence that echoed with the intensity of the imminent battle.

Faced with this penetrating gaze, Zoro couldn't contain his anger. "DON'T UNDERESTIMATE ME!" he shouted in response to Mihawk's words, his emotions boiling in the face of the renowned swordsman's arrogance.

"Underestimate? I am merely observing a cub entering the forest wanting to be at the top of the mountain, without understanding the truths of the sea... To me, he is just a naive child," retorted Mihawk calmly, finding it peculiar how someone so inexperienced in this sea could be so audacious and, at the same time, so blind.

Determined to prove his worth, Zoro responded angrily, "I... I will show you that you're wrong!" The words came loaded with determination, echoing on the restaurant's deck alongside the murmurs of those witnessing the intensity of the impending clash.

"Zoro..." Kuina murmured, observing the scene alongside the other crew members.

As the realization dawned on everyone around, they finally noticed Don Krieg's death as they directed their attention to Mihawk. They emerged from the initial state of shock to realize that the fearsome pirate had silently fallen, a victim of a fatal blow to the head that had gone unnoticed.

"But... what happened?" a waiter murmured, his wide-eyed gaze reflecting shock.

"Is he really dead?" questioned another, unable to believe the scene before his eyes.

"Don Krieg!" Gin lamented as he ran to the lifeless body on the floor.

Usopp, standing next to Luffy, observed the reactions of the people around and couldn't help but comment, "Looks like the fight wasn't as balanced as we imagined." Luffy didn't respond; his attention was on Zoro at that moment.

While astonishment took hold of the environment, some began to exchange glances, trying to comprehend how such a feared man could be defeated so suddenly and discreetly. The ensuing silence was punctuated only by the subtle murmur of the crowd processing the scene before them.

Kuina left the table and went towards Luffy, concerned about Zoro. She broke the silence by questioning Luffy, whose gaze remained fixed on the restaurant's deck, where everyone began to gather to witness the unfolding sword duel after processing that Don Krieg was dead. "He's not ready for this fight, is he?" she asked.

Luffy, equally focused, replied calmly, "No, he will lose and be humiliated, maybe even killed..."

Luffy's words alarmed Nami, who went to them, and she hurriedly suggested, "Hey, hey, shouldn't we stop him then?" Concern in Nami's voice was evident in the face of the dark prospect looming in the imminent duel.

"We can't, even if I tried to put some reason into Zoro, he has his own determinations and dreams, even if it's foolish to die in his first attempt to pursue this dream... He is determined to die here, chasing his ambitions..." Luffy commented, and everyone could only remain silent, turning their attention to the duel, or if they could call it a duel, in the next few minutes.

Zoro stood on the wreckage of the ship, his slender figure denoting an aura of determination and fury. Meanwhile, Mihawk observed him with a serene expression, almost as if he were contemplating a mere ten-year-old boy, completely unaware of the challenge he had thrown.

"COME AND FIGHT!" Zoro shouted, anger reflected in his eyes.

"Well, then, let's see what you're capable of, pup..." Mihawk mocked, gracefully leaping from his raft to the area where Zoro was positioned.

"Don't underestimate me!" Zoro retorted, his fury amplified when Mihawk drew a small knife from his neck, indicating that he would face Zoro only with that modest instrument.

"You must be joking...?" Kuina responded, perplexed, next to Luffy on the deck.

Luffy couldn't help but mock her, "You've only stayed in the East Blue your whole life. It's time to see how we are ants compared to the great powers of this world..." His attention was fixed on the imminent fight, his eyes analyzing every movement.

Returning to the scene of the fight, Zoro placed his main sword between his teeth while raising the other two in each hand.

"Don't blame me if you get hurt!" Zoro said, mocking as he advanced toward Mihawk, who awaited the attack with unshakable calm.

What unfolded next shocked most of the spectators present at Baratie, including Krieg's defeated pirates. Zoro, having a clear view of the scene, was even more astonished than anyone else.

His three-sword strike was halted by the knife in Mihawk's hand as soon as it touched the modest weapon. Zoro could hardly believe what he was seeing, but his disbelief did not prevent him from persisting in the battle. A dizzying exchange of high-speed blows unfolded, with Zoro attempting to hit his target unsuccessfully. Mihawk, on the other hand, toyed with the former bounty hunter, sporting a mocking smile on his face.

Surprisingly, Mihawk didn't need to take a single step to dodge Zoro's attacks. With only one arm holding that small knife, he skillfully parried each blow, leaving the audience bewildered and humiliated as they witnessed Zoro being so clearly outmatched. Baratie fell silent in the face of the display of disparity between the two swordsmen.

"He doesn't even stand a chance..." Yamato said calmly, surprised by Mihawk's skill. She continued, expressing her thoughts in the face of the gradual revelation.

"And to think there are others so powerful in the sea..." Her voice reflected disbelief.

This revelation wasn't a surprise to Luffy, considering Yamato's isolated life context in a closed country where her own father blocked information about the outside world. She wasn't aware of many sea monsters that could rival Kaido.

"Is he really that strong?" Nami asked, seeking to understand the extent of Mihawk's power.

"I'm not sure of the extent of his power, but I wouldn't doubt that he could cut Syrup Village Island in half with a single strike." Luffy said, shocking everyone with this impressive revelation.

"WHAT??!!!" Usopp was the first to shout, expressing his amazement.

"Is our difference really that vast?" Kuina couldn't help but tremble at the possibility of such a wide power gap. The realization of the discrepancy between Zoro and Mihawk was disturbing for everyone present at Baratie.

"Are there people at that level of power?!" Nami exclaimed in fear as well.

"He's just one of the tips; there are many people in that category who are classified as the true monsters, and it's this group of beings that dominates the sea. Kuina, your dream is to surpass him, even knowing what kind of monster he is now, will you give up on your dream?" Luffy asked, crossing his arms, his gaze fixed on Kuina, wanting to see her determination after imagining Mihawk's power.

"I... I will surpass him, no matter how many years I have to train or how many scars will be drawn on my body!" She said, showing a determined look after a moment of hesitation.

"Great, I would like to see your progress to the top of this world then. I'm sure Mihawk expects that too because it must be lonely always being at the top. Besides, usually, you stagnate when there are no rivals to compare your skills to..." Luffy said, thinking that after Shanks lost his arm, he must have regressed quite a bit in his fencing, and that must have frustrated Mihawk since the world's greatest swordsman seemed to consider him a rival.

Turning his attention back to the fight, Zoro was finally acknowledged by Mihawk at this moment. After a few blows and exchanged words, which showed a smile as he took Yoru from his back to face the young swordsman for the first time with recognition.

A blow followed as the two crossed swords, breaking all of Zoro's ordinary swords a second later. Recognizing his defeat, Zoro opened his arms to Mihawk and said the same words as in the anime.

"It's a shame for a swordsman to have a cut on his back!" He said without removing the smile from his face. Admiring this, Mihawk struck Zoro head-on a moment later.

"ZORO!"

"THIS!"

"ZORO-SAMA!"

Luffy's companions exclaimed with this, but Luffy looked at Yamato and said.

"What does your Haki say? Was it a life-threatening injury?" He asked.

"No, it was superficial, although it will leave a beautiful scar..." Yamato said.

"Well, Jhonny, let's get Zoro and take him out of there. Yamato, you come with me. Let's see what the difference is between us and the true monsters of this world..." Luffy announced, jumping from the deck toward the space where Mihawk was with Zoro fallen. He grabbed a dazed Jhonny as he advanced.

*Crack*

Mihawk didn't need to look to identify who had approached, keeping his gaze fixed on Zoro lying down.

"Jhonny, take Zoro and take care of that wound," he instructed, and Jhonny promptly lifted Zoro's body, quickly retreating from the scene like a rocket. He didn't want to stand in front of the world's greatest swordsman, especially after everything he had heard and seen.

"You are...?" Mihawk finally diverted his gaze to the newcomer, assessing Luffy. 'He must be eyeing the hat on my back, but it doesn't matter...' Luffy thought, responding confidently and without hesitation in the face of this imposing monster.

"I am Monkey D. Luffy, the man who will dominate the seas..." Luffy declared calmly.

"A bold statement, especially coming from a child of the weakest sea..." Mihawk commented calmly.

"Oh? My swordsman fought you. Let me see the strength of the one who stands among the top of this world..." Luffy stared at Mihawk without hesitation.

Watching this, Mihawk couldn't help but have a peculiar gleam in his eyes. "It seems that this journey to this sea is quite enjoyable. I didn't think I would encounter such peculiar children..." He said, but Luffy ignored the comment.

"Anyway, you don't mind fighting against two at the same time, do you?" Luffy calmly questioned, receiving silence as Mihawk's response, who didn't need to say a word.

*BOOM!*

An explosion on the wood, in the middle of the sea, echoed next to Luffy, and Yamato arrived ready to fight, her Kanabo resting on her shoulder.

"Hmm... Interesting. So, show me your determinations, children. Let's see if you are fit to dominate the seas in the upcoming era..." Mihawk declared, assuming a combat position with Yoru raised.

He acknowledged that he couldn't underestimate the two in front of him. What surprised him more was the presence of the white-haired, horned woman. She was too powerful to be in this sea or even in the first part of the Grand Line. The same thought applied to the boy Shanks constantly praised. Here, he proved to be much more formidable than Mihawk initially imagined, considering that the boy should be only 17 years old but now looked like an incredibly powerful man, far from being underestimated, even as a rookie.

Luffy took his saber from the holster on his waist, which looked like a scimitar for the first time since he bought it at the system store; he didn't know anything about fencing until now, but he could learn a little from this fight.

Aware of her opponent's immense strength, Yamato assumed a serious posture. Mihawk might not be as ruthless as Kaido, but she recognized that she couldn't underestimate the swordsman. Although she couldn't predict the outcome of a deathmatch between them, she knew that Mihawk was capable of cutting her club in two, making him a formidable opponent.

"Let's start..." Luffy announced, an amethyst glow enveloping his body, while Yamato radiated a white aura. The tension in the air indicated that the battle was about to begin.

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Author's note:

* I don't know the extent of Mihawk's power; what I saw was him cutting a frozen tsunami and a meteor, but I wouldn't doubt that he could cut a small island too.

* I didn't delve into Zoro's thoughts in this fight, mainly because everyone should know what happens with him in the fight, and it would be a waste of time since the fanfic intends to bring a new point to the story with other aspects. I repeated everything that happened in the original work; it doesn't make much sense.

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