As the massive slash came straight toward Rosinante, the expressions of every member of the Oathblood Royal Guard changed dramatically.
"Impudent!"
Several Oathblood Royal Guards standing in front of Mihawk roared in fury. They swung their long blades at the same time, trying to block the incoming slash.
But the power contained within that slash far exceeded their expectations.
The overwhelming force sent them flying instantly, and the slash continued onward, still cutting straight toward Rosinante.
"So this is all the so-called Oathblood Royal Guard amounts to?" a Supernova captain sneered coldly.
"Well, it is Hawk-Eyes Mihawk's slash after all," another rising star pirate said. "He's a half-step Great Swordsman. Not just anyone can wield a blade in front of him."
In the blink of an eye, after blasting several Oathblood Royal Guards away, the slash kept advancing toward Rosinante. It was fast and vicious, and no one had expected Mihawk to be so reckless as to attack Rosinante directly. For a moment, everyone was caught off guard, with no time to react.
The enormous slash was about to reach Rosinante's position.
Yet Rosinante seemed completely unconcerned, as if he regarded the slash as nothing, or as if he had no time to react at all. He simply stood there smiling.
Was he ignoring it?
Or was it that…
Hawk-Eyes fixed his eagle-like gaze on Rosinante.
At that very moment, a figure suddenly flashed forward, appearing in front of Rosinante.
"We can't let you casually attack our king like this."
The newcomer swung his blade, actually blocking Hawk-Eyes Mihawk's slash.
"Daolang?" Mihawk said with slight surprise.
Mihawk had some knowledge of Daolang. After all, Daolang was a dark mercenary who had been famous for many years, and also a highly accomplished swordsman. He had once been one of Mihawk's intended challengers. But now, Mihawk no longer paid him much mind.
Daolang struck Mihawk's slash head-on with complete confidence, intending to stop it.
But the moment his blade made contact, he realized that this slash was far heavier and far sharper than he had imagined.
He discovered that he could barely withstand Mihawk's attack.
Daolang's expression changed drastically. He exerted all his strength at once, diverting Mihawk's slash up into the sky. In an instant, the clouds were split apart, leaving behind a massive scar across the heavens.
"He blocked it!"
"He actually blocked Mihawk's slash. Even though it looked extremely strenuous, he still managed to stop Hawk-Eyes Mihawk's attack. As expected of the Gray Kingdom. Even someone who steps out at random is this strong!"
"That wasn't just some random person. That was the once-famous dark mercenary Daolang!" the pirates around them whispered among themselves.
"What a terrifying slash. I never imagined such a formidable swordsman would appear on the seas," Daolang said with an incomparably solemn expression.
At this moment, Ryan's face had already turned extremely ugly.
In No Night City, under the protection of the Oathblood Royal Guard…
Someone had actually dared to attack Rosinante.
And worse still, the members of the Oathblood Royal Guard had failed to stop it. If Daolang had not intervened, that attack would have nearly struck Rosinante.
Although such an attack could never truly harm Rosinante, allowing someone to launch an attack on him so easily was the greatest humiliation for them as his personal guard.
Furious, Ryan instantly transformed into his beast form. The rest of the Oathblood Royal Guard all darkened their expressions and drew the long blades from their waists.
From their bodies erupted terrifyingly powerful auras and killing intent.
"So strong. Is this the Gray Kingdom's strongest force, the Oathblood Royal Guard?"
"That pressure is horrifying. With so many powerful subordinates protecting him, who could possibly make a move against Rosinante?"
"As expected of the Dragon King's guard. I never thought the sense of oppression would be this overwhelming!"
The faces of the Supernova pirate captains around them changed drastically.
The aura and killing intent of one or two Oathblood Royal Guards might not have seemed overwhelming.
But when so many of them released their presence at the same time, the pressure they created was like a hammer crashing down on everyone's heads. The previously eager Supernovas were instantly chilled to the bone, cold sweat pouring down their bodies.
Faced with an aura and killing intent that made every pirate around him pale, Mihawk's expression did not change in the slightest.
He still stood there calmly.
He even raised the long blade in his hand, pointing it directly at Rosinante.
Seeing this action, the surrounding pirates and onlookers were even more shocked, while the expressions of the Oathblood Royal Guard grew even darker.
Surrounded like this, Mihawk still dared to provoke Rosinante.
It was sheer audacity.
"I wish to challenge you, Dragon King Rosinante. Do you dare to accept?"
Mihawk asked, his hawk-like gaze fixed on Rosinante.
Everyone knew Mihawk had come to challenge Rosinante.
But seeing him openly issue that challenge while encircled by the Oathblood Royal Guard still left everyone around filled with shock and admiration.