Chapter 5: Dracule Mihawk

The banquet had ended, and the ship was still sailing. Bardock was diligently helping clean up. He had already gathered some information—Shanks was headed to meet none other than Dracule Mihawk, the top swordsman on the seas. At this point, Mihawk wasn't yet the world's greatest swordsman, but just the thought of these two clashing made Bardock's blood boil with excitement.

"Hey, Bardock, hurry up! I'll show you where you'll be staying," Lucky Roux called out with a cheerful wave, beckoning Bardock to follow him.

"Here, I think you'll need this." At the doorway to the cabin, Lucky Roux handed over a package.

Bardock took it and found a new set of clothes inside. They fit him perfectly, though he had no idea where Roux managed to find them.

"Thanks, Lucky Roux! I don't have to look like a wild man anymore."

"Haha! Rest up well, and when you have time, let's exchange some tips on grilling meat."

"Of course! Honestly, grilling is all I can do, so I've been meaning to learn a few tricks from you."

---

Two days quickly passed. In this time, Bardock had gotten to know everyone on board, including an actual monkey. Beyond the characters he knew from the manga, he had also met some new faces. The most interesting discovery was meeting Shanks' adopted daughter, Uta—the future superstar singer.

Despite her young age, Uta was the musician of the Red-Haired Pirates. She was always seen wearing headphones, and it seemed she had already eaten the Uta Uta no Mi (Song Song Fruit). Her voice was indeed mesmerizing, and people would unknowingly be drawn into her songs.

One time, Bardock got so entranced by her singing that, without thinking, he blurted out, "Uta, I want to have a baby monkey with you!"

Heaven knows it was just a joke, but Shanks didn't care about that.

"You idiot! Uta would never have a baby monkey with you!" Shanks, acting like Nami, immediately gave Bardock three hard knocks on the head—duang, duang, duang—leaving three bumps.

"Shanks, what does 'having a baby monkey' mean?" Uta innocently asked, which only fueled Shanks' irritation. He delivered another three duangs on Bardock's head.

Watching Bardock with the three bumps on his head, the crew burst into laughter.

As Bardock rubbed his head, he couldn't help but admire Shanks' strength. He didn't even have time to react before he was hit.

"Shanks, where does my strength stand compared to others on the sea?"

This was something Bardock had been eager to know for a while. Without knowing his own strength, he couldn't confidently make future plans.

"Kid, strength isn't something you can measure just by comparing numbers. Here, punch my palm with all your might," Shanks said, raising his hand.

Bardock didn't hold back. He transformed into his Great Monkey King form, his strongest state. In this form, his power and defense were at their peak. He threw a full-powered punch. The strike was fierce and imposing, but to his surprise, Shanks' hand didn't even budge.

Since Bardock had mentally prepared himself for this, he wasn't too shocked. He knew he was still far from Shanks' level.

"Your current attack strength is comparable to a pirate captain with a bounty of 35 million berries. However, your defense is much stronger than his. But remember, bounty amounts are only a reference. Considering your age, you're already quite impressive."

"35 million? I wonder how that compares to Luffy when he first set out. Still, I can grow larger and increase my combat power even more," Bardock thought to himself. "But what I really need is actual combat experience—I haven't fought anyone yet."

---

That afternoon, the Red-Haired Pirates finally met up with Dracule Mihawk. The rendezvous point was a desolate island, about half a day's journey from the Sabaody Archipelago. The island was so barren and small, it was barely the size of a soccer field. No wonder they chose this spot for their duel; even if the island got destroyed, it wouldn't matter.

Mihawk looked much like how Bardock remembered him from the manga, just a younger version, with no beard. He was still in his prime.

"Mihawk! Long time no see! How about we have a banquet?" Shanks, as usual, was always trying to find an excuse to party.

"Shanks, we can have a banquet anytime, but first, let's finish our duel. It's been a while since I've had a proper challenge."

Though Mihawk's tone was calm, he was clearly getting excited. There were very few people on the seas who could match him in a swordfight.

As soon as he finished speaking, Mihawk had already drawn his famed sword, Yoru, which was shaped like a cross. His whole presence suddenly radiated sharpness.

Bardock noticed that Yoru hadn't yet turned into a black blade, guessing that Mihawk hadn't yet claimed the title of the world's strongest swordsman.

Seeing this, Shanks grew serious and drew his sword, Gryphon, preparing for the battle.

The crew, well-rehearsed for this, quickly moved the ship and Mihawk's small boat far away from the battlefield. Judging by their efficiency, this wasn't the first time they had seen such duels.

Bardock transformed into his Great Monkey King form and activated his Fiery Eyes, Golden Vision technique. He didn't want to miss a single move in this match. In the future, he planned to model his own swordsmanship training on the techniques of these two greats.

Thanks to his enhanced memory from being transported to this world, Bardock was confident that his Fiery Eyes, Golden Vision would allow him to catch every detail of their fight. Not observing these masters closely would be a wasted opportunity.

Both Mihawk and Shanks simultaneously unleashed massive flying slashes at each other. The two massive slashes met in mid-air and slowly wore each other down until they both disappeared.

Just as Yonko-level fighters start with a clash of Conqueror's Haki that splits the sky, it seemed that great swordsmen initiated their duels with flying slashes.

Next, the two charged toward each other for close combat.

Mihawk's strikes were heavy and precise, showing a mastery of technique where every move served a purpose. Shanks, on the other hand, fought with his left-handed sword style, attacking with lightning speed and unpredictable angles, but his strikes still packed plenty of power. They were truly a perfect match for each other, equals in every sense.

As the battle raged on, the shockwaves from their clashes grew stronger. Occasionally, a flying slash would slice through the ocean, traveling far into the distance.

Suddenly, Bardock was startled as one of Mihawk's slashes flew straight toward their pirate ship. Before he could cry out in warning, a figure leapt into the air and shattered the slash with a single strike. Only when the figure landed back on the ship did Bardock realize it was none other than Benn Beckman, the vice-captain of the Red-Haired Pirates.

"These guys are getting out of hand… Move the ship even further away," Beckman calmly instructed the crew. The crew responded in unison, showing no signs of panic. This level of coordination was to be expected from a Yonko crew.

The duel lasted from noon until sunset. By this point, Mihawk and Shanks were standing still, facing each other, not making any further moves.

"Mihawk, it's getting dark. Let's finish this with one final strike. This next move is going to be powerful, and my control over it isn't perfect, so watch out."

"I'm looking forward to it, Shanks."

"Divine Departure!"

Boom!

A massive explosion echoed through the air. Bardock, watching from afar, clearly saw that their swords didn't even make contact. The air between them was violently shaking, and the thunderous sound came from the shockwaves created by the clash. This was the result of Conqueror's Haki coating their swords and being unleashed with Armament Haki.