Perona floated in midair, hugging her Kumashi doll, making a disgusted face.
"Horohorohoro! As expected, just a useless fat guy! Trying to challenge Mihawk, he's completely overestimating himself! Looks like this boring farce is about to end."
However, at that moment, the chubby body lying at the bottom of the crater suddenly moved.
"Heh…"
A low chuckle came from deep within his throat.
"Hehehe… hahaha!!"
Rehn suddenly sat up. He dusted himself off, then… made a move no one expected.
He raised his hand and made a throwing motion into the air, as if hurling away an invisible sword into the sea.
"You're right, Hawkeye."
Rehn slowly stood up. That always-sycophantic, chubby face of his now turned unprecedentedly serious, almost ferocious.
"I'm a butler. A cleaner. A tool that exists for Lord Renzo's efficiency."
"Swordsmanship, the kind that requires cultivation and patience… it's just too inefficient!"
Crackle
A strand of pitch-black lightning flickered at the center of his brow.
"If swordsmanship won't work…"
Rehn clenched both fists tightly. Every muscle (and fat) in his body tensed to the extreme!
"Then I'll use the simplest, most brutal, most efficient way… to make you shut up!!"
"Armament Haki, Harden!"
"Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Overload Mode!!"
BOOM!!!!!
With the island as the center, the skies within dozens of nautical miles instantly darkened!
The once-clear blue sky was swallowed in an instant by thick, roiling storm clouds!
These weren't ordinary clouds; they were thunderclouds forcibly drawn in, compressed, and manifested by Rehn himself!
"What?!"
Perona's laughter cut off abruptly as she stared at the sky in horror. The oppressive force made even her, a Ghost-Ghost Fruit user, feel her soul tremble!
"Thunder God, Descends!!!"
With Rehn's roar, a massive lightning pillar dozens of meters wide crashed down from the sky, striking directly onto him!
But he wasn't harmed, he was absorbing it!
Within the blinding lightning, Rehn's body began to transform dramatically.
His already bulky frame didn't slim down, instead, it became enveloped in a dense, almost tangible layer of lightning plasma!
This wasn't ordinary blue lightning. Infused with high-level Armament Haki, it shimmered with a terrifying… dark-gold hue!
Bzzzzz!
The plasma flowed across his body, forming a majestic, awe-inspiring armor that fused technology and divinity, [Thunder God Armor: Black-Gold Form]!
Rehn's height surged to five meters. He now looked like a demonic god forged from black-gold lightning!
His narrow eyes snapped fully open, shooting out beams of electricity!
"HAWKEYE!!!"
His voice rolled like thunder itself, shaking the entire island.
"Now… try this!!"
"Oh?"
For the first time, Mihawk's usually expressionless face showed genuine surprise.
He gripped the hilt of his black blade Yoru with both hands, lowering his stance slightly.
"Now this is more like it."
"Soru: Thunder Dash!"
BOOM!
The spot Rehn stood on exploded into a bottomless charred crater!
His speed was so fast it left not even an afterimage, pure lightning-driven velocity beyond physical limits!
"Over here!"
Mihawk's Observation Haki flared as he swung his blade to the left!
CLANG!!!!
A deafening metallic crash rang out!
Rehn's fist, wrapped in black-gold lightning armor, slammed into the edge of the blade!
The resulting shockwave flattened the surrounding rocks instantly!
"So heavy!"
Mihawk's arm trembled slightly.
He wasn't just resisting force, he was also resisting the two-hundred-million-volt current surging through the blade!
Without his peak-level Armament Haki, his arm would have been ruined instantly!
"Not done yet!!"
Rehn grinned wildly, launching another barrage!
"Thunder Fury: Thousand Hands!!"
BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM!!!
Countless black-gold fists filled the air, each strike capable of shattering mountains and incinerating everything!
Rehn abandoned all technique and all defense.
He used only raw speed, overwhelming power, and violent lightning to bombard the world's greatest swordsman!
"So this… is your efficiency?"
Mihawk's eyes sharpened as his blade became a black barrier, blocking every strike.
Yet the ground beneath him cracked continuously, his feet sinking into the rock.
He was being pushed back!
The world's greatest swordsman… was being suppressed in a head-on clash?!
"Still not enough! Still not enough!!"
Rehn grew more frenzied as he fought, lightning pouring endlessly from his body.
"Conqueror's Haki, Infusion!!!"
"Rising Dragon!"
BOOM!!
Black-red lightning coiled around his arms like dragons.
His attack power surged again.
"Now… FLY!!!"
Rehn slammed both fists down like a thunder hammer.
CLANG!!!
Mihawk had to block with both hands.
But this time, the sheer force, combined with Conqueror's Haki, shattered the entire hill beneath him!
RUMBLE!!
The ground collapsed, seawater rushing in.
Both men fell into the ruins, clashing wildly midair!
…
On the Lullaby.
Perona was completely stunned.
"That… that's the fat guy?!"
"He actually pushed Mihawk back?! How is that possible?!"
"That's the world's greatest swordsman!!"
She had thought Rehn was just a slightly strong underling relying on a Logia fruit.
Now, watching the collapsing island and apocalyptic storm, she realized how wrong she was.
That fat man… was a monster.
A top-tier monster capable of dominating the New World.
"My, my."
Monet adjusted her glasses, a hint of surprise in her eyes.
"Mr. Rehn is serious this time… even using Conqueror's Haki so skillfully."
"Hmph, that idiot."
Sanji stood by the railing, cigarette in mouth.
"He may seem unreliable, but for Renzo… that guy's been training like his life depends on it."
Only Renzo, still lay on his lounge chair.
He tossed a grape into his mouth and casually commented:
"Hmm… demolition's pretty thorough this time."
"But… still too noisy. What if it wakes the Sea Kings?"
Though he sounded unimpressed, the slight curve of his lips betrayed him.
…
At the battlefield's center, the fight had reached its climax.
Half the island was gone, seawater boiling from the lightning.
"Ha… ha…"
Rehn hovered in the air, cracks forming in his Thunder God Armor.
But his aura only grew stronger!
Opposite him, Mihawk stood on a remaining rock.
His hat was gone, revealing sharp black hair.
His shirt was scorched, exposing his muscular torso.
And, a trace of blood at his lips.
He was injured.
'How many years had it been?'
'Since Shanks lost his arm, how long had it been since I was injured in a duel?'
He wiped the blood away.
Then he smiled.
A true warrior's smile.
"Good."
"Very good."
He looked at Rehn, golden eyes burning with approval.
"The speed and destruction of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit… combined with advanced Armament… and even awakened Conqueror's Haki…"
"Most importantly, you've fused it all into pure combat instinct."
"Rehn."
"For the first time, Mihawk spoke his name."
"You're not a swordsman. But… you are a warrior worthy of respect."
"In that case…"
Mihawk raised Yoru, pointing it skyward.
An unprecedented sword intent surged, power enough to split heaven and earth!
The true seriousness of the world's strongest!
"As a response, I will answer your resolve with my strongest strike!"
"COME!!!"
Rehn felt the lethal threat, but did not retreat!
"For Lord Renzo's glory!!!"
"Ultimate Technique · Thunder God · World-Annihilating Funeral!!!"
He poured every ounce of lightning, Haki, and stamina into one attack!
The storm clouds formed a colossal black lightning hand, crashing down on Mihawk!
"Yoru Ultimate Art: Void Slash!"
Mihawk swung his blade.
Simply. Cleanly.
Buzz
A thin green slash cut through space.
The next instant, BOOOOOOM!!!!
The giant lightning hand… split clean in two!
The slash continued, cutting through Rehn!
At the same time, Rehn's lightning struck Mihawk!
Heaven and earth lost color.
The sea itself split apart, revealing the ocean floor.
The explosion nearly capsized the Lullaby miles away.
…
After a long while, the storm faded.
The island… was gone.
Only scattered rocks remained.
Mihawk stood, leaning on his blade, breathing heavily. A charred mark lay across his chest.
Not far away, Rehn floated face-up in the sea, smoking, unconscious.
"Is it… decided?" Perona trembled.
"No."
Mihawk sheathed his blade.
"It's a draw."
Rehn fainted, but he had injured Mihawk.
In a life-or-death battle, Mihawk might win, but at great cost.
For a "butler," this was already shocking enough.
"Let's go."
Mihawk leapt toward the Lullaby.
"To try… those world-class desserts."
…
On deck, Rehn was hauled up like a dead fish.
"What a mess," Monet said, already preparing treatment.
Renzo walked over and kicked him lightly.
"Hey, fatty. Stop playing dead."
"Cough…"
Rehn woke up, immediately trying to kneel.
"Lord Renzo… I… I lost…"
"Enough."
Renzo stopped him, handing him a drink.
"Drink."
"T-thank you…!"
Rehn gulped it down, moved to tears.
"Not bad."
Renzo said casually.
"At least no one will dare interrupt my sleep anymore."
He turned to Mihawk.
"Well? Was my interviewer acceptable?"
"Acceptable."
Mihawk sat down, smiling faintly.
"G-5… is indeed a good place to retire."
"Good."
Renzo lay back down.
"Monet, arrange rooms. Perona can stay with Nami, help manage accounts."
"As for Mihawk… don't draw your sword too often. It's blinding."
"Yes, sir."
The sun was warm, the breeze gentle.
And aboard the Lullaby, there was now the world's greatest swordsman, and a ghost princess.
The legend of G-5 gained another bold chapter.
"Oh, right…"
Renzo murmured sleepily.
"Rehn, that move 'Thunder Greatsword'… name's too lame. Change it."
Rehn shed a tear of happiness and embarrassment.