On the deck of the Traveler, Mihawk looked at Arashi with a helpless expression.
Perona's sudden appearance had completely disrupted his mood for sparring.
Although he could tell that Arashi had intended to fight earlier, his attention now clearly wasn't on that anymore.
Watching Arashi tilt his head and stare at Perona as she was led away by Robin—with a rather strange look in his eyes—Mihawk blinked in confusion before black lines ford across his forehead.
"Arashi… don't tell you're into that sort of thing?"
"Huh?"
Arashi snapped out of it and looked at Mihawk, puzzled.
"What sort of thing?"
"…Holy hell!"
Suddenly, Arashi's eyes widened as he stared at Mihawk in disbelief.
"Mihawk, I didn't expect your thoughts to be that filthy. What are you even thinking?! I was just wondering how Perona ended up falling off that ghost ship, alright?!"
"Cough, cough…"
Realizing his slip, Mihawk quickly cleared his throat and waved his hand.
"Misunderstanding. I thought you were into lolis… Wait, hang on—is your thinking twisted, or is it mine?"
"Alright, alright."
Arashi waved it off with a grin.
"I prefer won with long legs, maturity, and… curves. Especially the kind with a nice figure—those are top-tier."
Mihawk stared at Arashi as if he were seeing him for the first ti.
This was the first ti he had ever heard Arashi talk about won. At first, he had even suspected this guy didn't like won at all.
But now, seeing the way Arashi spoke—like soone savoring the aftertaste of honey—Mihawk felt a chill run down his spine.
As expected of a traveler…
Quite the "experienced" one.
Mihawk might not be a traveler, but as soone who road alone year-round, he understood one thing:
A journey without a bit of romance or indulgence was, in itself, a regret.
So Arashi liking won? That was a good thing.
Otherwise, Mihawk would have to stay on guard every ti they drank together.
"Mihawk…"
Suddenly, Arashi dropped his playful tone and looked at him seriously.
That abrupt shift made Mihawk uneasy. A strange sense of foreboding crept over him.
"Do you know why I've always refused to spar with you?"
Arashi's gaze drifted to the Black Blade on Mihawk's back, undisguised desire flickering in his eyes.
"That's because I've been waiting to find a weapon that suits … so we can have a battle that truly respects both of us."
"After all, you wouldn't want to spar with using the world's strongest blade, right?"
"Y-yes…"
Mihawk felt like he was losing track of the conversation but nodded anyway.
"But this is just a spar, not a life-and-death duel."
"So…"
Arashi stepped closer, his smile turning slightly mischievous.
"Why don't you lend your Black Blade for a bit?"
"…A 'wonderful' way to spar?"
Mihawk's eyes lit up slightly, intrigued.
"Exactly," Arashi nodded. "Let see if I can handle your Black Blade. If I can, it ans we're worthy opponents. If I can't… then I'm still lacking."
Mihawk understood imdiately.
This guy was trying to take his blade.
Did he not realize that to a swordsman, their blade was their honor—their very life?
Still…
Mihawk knew Arashi couldn't actually steal it.
The will of the Black Blade was already one with his own. As long as he lived, it would never truly belong to another.
And besides—
Arashi's idea did make sense.
Using the Black Blade as a asure of their compatibility… was indeed an interesting approach.
With that thought, Mihawk decisively removed the blade from his back and tossed it to Arashi.
"Haha—now that's generous!"
Arashi laughed heartily, catching the hilt in one smooth motion.
The instant he grasped it—
A crushing weight surged through his hands.
Then, with a flick of his finger, he tapped the pitch-black edge.
A clear, resonant hum echoed through the air, lingering above the Traveler.
Closing his eyes, Arashi began to attune himself—trying to rge his own understanding of sword intent with the will of the Black Blade.
At first, Mihawk had been worried Arashi might do sothing disrespectful again.
But seeing him treat the blade with uncharacteristic seriousness, he slowly relaxed.
Then—
Arashi's eyes snapped open.
A dazzling light burst forth from his deep, star-like gaze.
In the next instant, he gripped the Black Blade with both hands, spun, and faced the vast ocean ahead.
The sea breeze… stopped.
The entire harbor seed to freeze.
Ti, space, the blade, and Arashi himself—
All beca one.
And Mihawk… felt like the only thing out of place.
"Impossible—!"
Before Mihawk could finish his thought—
Arashi stepped forward.
Boom!
The frozen space shattered.
An overwhelming torrent of energy surged from all directions, flooding into the Black Blade. The very air warped and trembled along the blade's edge, as if reality itself was about to split apart.
And then—
He swung.
A sound like space breaking echoed outward.
A brilliant arc of light tore through the sky, cleaving the sea in two as it shot forward at incredible speed, reaching a thousand ters in an instant.
Where it passed—
The ocean exploded.
Waves erupted violently, energy rippling through every inch of space as towering surges crashed outward in all directions.
The sea itself had been split apart.
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