With Mihawk leading the way, the Freedom didn't take long to reach a deserted island.
This island was discovered by Mihawk during his wanderings in this sea area over the past few months.
Apart from gathering information on Drum Island, he spent most of his time here.
After all, with his coffin-like small boat, it was impossible to stay on the vast sea all the time!
The island was not large, only about ten kilometers in circumference.
There were no beaches on the island, nor any animals. Apart from trees and some resting seabirds, there was nothing else.
In the pile of rocks in the center of the island, Kong Tai and Mihawk stood facing each other.
Silence, but a rising aura.
The Freedom was parked beside a large rock on the island's edge, and the people on board stood on the rock, staring excitedly at the center of the island.
They could all feel the invisible clash of auras between the two in the center of the island.
Silence fell.
*Crack—!*
Suddenly, a sound like muffled thunder flashed in everyone's minds.
"Is it about to begin?"
Gu Yina tightly gripped the "Wado Ichimonji" at her waist, her eyes fixed forward with excitement. She stood tall and straight, like a sword about to be drawn, her entire being radiating a sharp aura.
The last time, they had only witnessed the beginning of Kong Tai's battle with Shiki, and it had not been satisfying at all.
This time was different.
The clash of two world-class swordsmen, one of whom was currently the world's strongest, was enough to make them thrilled.
In the center of the island, Kong Tai stared at Mihawk, leaning forward, his legs bent. He held the sheath of Zankon in his left hand and lifted it up, his right hand reaching for the hilt.
"I can't wait any longer!"
Flowing Armament Haki instantly wrapped around Zankon.
"This guy is too strong! He's actually matched my Conqueror's Haki with his own swordsman's aura."
"As expected of the man who stands on the throne at the pinnacle of swordsmanship!"
However, there was one thing he found perplexing. Mihawk's aura was strong, but it could only target one person. Therefore, he was certain it was definitely not Conqueror's Haki.
He couldn't understand why Mihawk, who had ascended to the throne of the world's greatest swordsman, didn't have Conqueror's Haki.
"Does it really require lineage to possess it?"
"Then what about him?"
He hadn't transmigrated his soul, but his body. He had Conqueror's Haki, yet Mihawk, standing at the pinnacle, did not. This was a bit strange.
When he first awakened Conqueror's Haki, he truly believed that possessing enough spirit was enough. But after meeting Mihawk, he understood.
Conqueror's Haki was probably not something that could be awakened by spirit alone.
No one would doubt Mihawk's spirit, would they?
If the world's greatest swordsman lacked spirit, then no one would have it.
"Forget it, I won't think about it!"
Kong Tai shook his head, dismissing the stray thoughts from his mind. If he couldn't figure it out, he wouldn't dwell on it. His main task now was to fight this person who put him under immense pressure.
He raised his head, met Mihawk's eyes, which held a hint of excitement amidst their calmness, and his gaze sharpened.
*Swish—!*
Zankon was instantly unsheathed.
"One Sword Style: Iaido: Wave Slash!"
How could a swordsman's battle be without soaring slashes clashing?
He had always heard that this guy's slashes were the world's best, and today, he wanted to see for himself how much they differed from his own.
*Puff—!*
A massive, crescent-shaped, silver-grey slash cut through the air, rapidly heading towards Mihawk, slashing horizontally.
Before the slash even arrived, Mihawk could feel the boundless sharpness contained within Kong Tai's strike.
He stared at the slash, his pupils contracting, his eyes sharpening, and he raised his right hand, pulling backward, gripping the hilt of the "Black Blade: Yoru."
*Zing—!*
"Yoru" was unsheathed instantly, its blade rubbing against the scabbard with a pleasant ring.
He raised "Yoru" high with his right hand, the back of the blade resting on his right shoulder, his left hand on the hilt, holding the sword with both hands.
Facing the oncoming silver-grey slash, he slashed downwards diagonally.
A flash of black light.
A massive, pale green slash shot forward rapidly.
*Clang—!*
The silver-grey slash and Mihawk's pale green slash met in a cross shape, colliding instantly.
*Rumble!!*
White light flashed, the ground instantly caved in, and then, centered on the collision point of the slashes, the ground became like waves, rapidly sweeping outwards with the shockwave.
Withstanding the shockwave, Kong Tai leaped backward, his eyes flashing red. His upper body swayed left and right, dodging the debris carried within the shockwave.
Then, with a backflip, he landed on a large rock behind him, his silver hair dancing wildly in the wind.
"Is this the clash of top swordsmen?"
"It's too dazzling!"
On the large rocks at the edge of the island, everyone covered their foreheads with their hands, squinting their eyes against the hurricane formed by the shockwave, staring at the center of the island with awe in their eyes.
*Crack crack!!*
On the rock, Kong Tai stared at the center of the slashes, stardust swirling in his eyes.
"He actually shattered his slash so quickly."
*Crack crack!!*
In the center of the battle, on the silver-grey slash, cracks like a spiderweb continuously spread outwards from the center.
Finally, with a "crack" sound, it shattered completely.
Then, under the power of the pale green slash, the fragments rushed outwards in all directions, finally stopping before Kong Tai, as if their power was exhausted, flashing with silver-grey light before rapidly disappearing.
Mihawk's pale green slash, apart from its color becoming lighter, remained unchanged. It continued forward, rapidly slashing towards Kong Tai.
"As expected of the world's greatest slash!"
Indeed, there were no wrong titles, only wrong people.
If Mihawk's slash was recognized by everyone as the world's best, then it must be the world's best.
Kong Tai rotated his sword with his right hand, using his arm's strength. Facing the oncoming slash, he swung upwards.
*Clang—!*
Feeling the force from Zankon, Kong Tai applied a slight bit of force with his right hand, and with a "bang," he deflected the slash.
The pale green slash, its direction altered by Kong Tai's power, spiraled upwards and flew rapidly into the sky.
*Boom—!*
It dispersed the clouds overhead and disappeared at the edge of the sky.
Kong Tai glanced at the sky, then lowered his gaze to Mihawk, excitement in his eyes.
"Strong! So strong!!"
"Is this the pinnacle of swordsmanship?"
This guy's slashes felt like basic attacks. He wondered if it was actual swordsmanship or just casual slashes.
If it was swordsmanship, it would be understandable. But if it were truly casual slashes, then this guy's swordsmanship must have reached the realm of perfection!
Perfection, the highest realm of swordsmanship, where every movement, still or active, was itself swordsmanship, requiring no need to cultivate other sword techniques.
No...
There couldn't be such a person. If he were truly that powerful, then he wouldn't be the world's greatest, but a sword god.
After all, this was just his own understanding of swordsmanship.
Thinking this, he pushed off the ground with his feet and, with a "whoosh," rapidly charged towards Mihawk.
As he charged forward, Zankon was sheathed instantly.
"Hmph!"
Mihawk's eyes flashed red. He gripped his sword with both hands and slashed downwards rapidly at the empty space in front of him.
"Soru: Iaido: Quick Draw Slash!"
*Clang—!*
Zankon below, Yoru above, the blades of both swords, completely black, collided instantly.