Such a battle was nothing short of spectacular.
No one could possibly look away or remain uninterested.
On the battlefield, every person held their breath, their eyes fixed solely on Mihawk and El.
Without the slightest hesitation, Mihawk swung his blade—swift and sharp, in a single, fluid motion.
It looked casual, almost effortless.
But it was the culmination of years upon years of relentless training and refinement.
Countless strikes, countless battles.
Every attack he had ever launched, every victory he had ever claimed.
All of it had been forged and distilled into this one blow.
There was no doubt it was extraordinary beyond measure!
A powerful surge of sword energy shot forth from his blade.
Vast, sweeping, and blindingly fast.
Like a bolt of lightning that seemed capable of shattering the entire world.
Every onlooker felt the hair stand up on the back of their necks.
"As expected of Mihawk… what a terrifying strike!"
"This… this is the true power of the World's Strongest Swordsman!"
"It's absolutely staggering!"
Those watching felt as if they were seeing for the first time just how overwhelming his attacks truly were.
And yet, El—standing directly in its path—
Didn't even flinch.
He remained perfectly still, calm and composed where he stood.
Just as the massive blade of light was about to reach him,
El casually lifted the scabbard in his hand and gave it a single, simple swing.
The entire wave of light was instantly deflected, sent soaring high into the sky!
"Far too easy to counter, Mihawk."
El spoke in an even, unhurried tone, looking straight at him. "Is this really all you're capable of?"
His voice was calm, completely devoid of mockery or arrogance.
Yet to everyone listening, those words sounded incredibly sharp and striking.
Jozu the Diamond watched the force of the attack vanish into the air,
And fell into deep thought.
At the very start of the war, he had done something very similar.
Faced with one of Mihawk's enormous slashes, he had charged forward, used his diamond-hard body to block part of it, and managed to deflect the rest.
He remembered clearly how much effort it had cost him back then.
Now, seeing El handle the exact same attack as easily as if he were brushing away a speck of dust—
Jozu felt a deep sense of awe and realization.
There really was an unimaginable gap between himself and a true master.
It was humbling to witness.
Whitebeard too, stood watching El's figure.
He could sense it—El had grown stronger again.
Not much time had passed since he last saw him fight.
Yet his power was clearly on an entirely different level than before.
Now, El moved with absolute ease and mastery.
Even against the most devastating attacks, he remained unshaken and unhurried.
That kind of strength, that level of battle instinct…
It was something very few could ever hope to attain.
Whitebeard marveled in his heart.
That boy… it was as if he had no limits, no ceiling to his growth.
Everything he did, he did with terrifying skill and power.
Crocodile, meanwhile, watched with burning excitement in his eyes.
He knew better than anyone exactly what Mihawk's strikes represented.
He had crossed blades with him before, too.
Brief though their encounter had been.
Back then, he had found himself struggling to keep up.
While Mihawk had looked completely at ease—
And utterly arrogant.
Crocodile couldn't help but feel a dark satisfaction now.
How the tables had turned!
Now it was Mihawk who couldn't afford to be arrogant, and El who was completely unbothered.
Mihawk stood there, staring intently at El.
And in his eyes burned a fierce, exhilarated passion.
At last.
Finally, someone who could meet his swordsmanship with such ease.
Mihawk's heart raced.
If someone could defeat him effortlessly…
That meant the path of the sword was not yet ended, not yet fully explored!
He still had far more to learn, far greater heights to reach.
Just the thought filled him with pure joy.
And now—he grew serious.
That last strike had only been a test.
This… this was where he would truly give his all!
Every muscle in his body tensed, coiled with power.
A sharp, biting killing intent radiated from him, so thick it felt almost solid—
Sharp enough to cut anyone standing too close.
He gripped his hilt, and instantly his blade turned pitch-black.
Armanent Haki. A Black Blade.
Swish!
In a flash, Mihawk charged straight at El.
"Excellent!"
El's voice rang out clear and sharp. He tightened his own grip on the scabbard of his Supreme Grade Sword, Slash God.
Instantly, dense black Armament Haki and overwhelming Conqueror's Haki surged and coiled around it.
A powerful aura exploded from El as well.
But it was different from Mihawk's—
Heavier, grander, and far more imposing.
Dark, swirling energy writhed behind him,
Making him look like a demon or a god—terrifying, unstoppable.
Clang!
Light flashed as sword met scabbard.
And then came the explosion.
BOOM!
From where they stood, a massive shockwave blasted outward,
Shaking everything around them to its foundations.
The ground cracked open. The sea boiled and steamed.
As the deafening roar echoed away,
A figure was sent flying backward, hurtling through the air.
__________________
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