The morning sun sprinkled on the sea, creating shimmering ripples that sparkled like Broken Gold, and the entire ocean was filled with a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere.
The going merry cut through the waves in this golden painting, its hull gently swaying with the slight undulations of the waves, emitting a rhythmic "creak."
On the deck, Kai, Luffy, and Zoro were diligently practicing the Body Tempering Technique.
Nami and Usopp, under Kai's admonition, also began to actively exercise to improve their physical fitness.
Suddenly, while cultivating, a flash of inspiration struck Kai's mind.
Several scenes appeared in his mind, just like before.
A man with hawk-like eyes, as deep as the night, exuded a sharp light, as if he could see through everything.
In the scene, he swung his sword down. A sword strike without exaggerated movements, yet it contained an unparalleled oppressive power.
A sharp Sword Qi instantly erupted from the blade, sweeping across with a destructive Aura.
The Sword Qi tore through the sky, and wherever it passed, the sky was ripped apart, clouds were cut in half, and dazzling sunlight shone through the cracks.
The Sword Qi fell into the sea, and the waves, like a blue curtain being cut open, revealed a bottomless trench.
The seawater on both sides furiously rolled back, forming water walls dozens of meters high.
Seabirds around shrieked and scattered, and a piercing whistle echoed in the air, as if even heaven and earth were moved by this one sword strike.
"What is this?" Kai suddenly stood up, breaking free from his cultivation state.
The Hawkeye man in the scene brought a huge shock to Kai's Soul.
The destructive power of that man's casual strike was far beyond what a mere nobody like Kuro could compare to before.
Kai's spiritual will was vibrating, telling Kai that if he defeated that man, his Conqueror's Haki would experience an explosive increase.
"It seems that the premonitions in my mind are not just about those wicked pirates, but also about the top powerhouses of this world!"
Kai gradually understood the key to the premonitory images in his mind.
As long as he participated in killing or defeating them, it would bring an increase to his Conqueror's Haki.
Based on past experience, this meant that the terrifying Hawkeye man was nearby.
"I feel it, to the east!" Kai's intuition guided him in that direction.
"Nami, steer the ship east!" Kai shouted loudly at Nami.
Kai wanted to witness the demeanor of a top powerhouse in this world.
Although he had not yet grown up and there was still a big gap between him and the powerhouses of this world.
But it didn't hinder him from seeing a master and clarifying his own strength positioning.
"Okay! going merry, heading east!" Nami responded, turning the rudder to sail east.
"What's wrong, Kai?" Luffy looked at Kai confusedly. "Is there something to the east?"
Zoro also stopped his cultivation and looked at Kai.
"I had a premonition that not far to our east, there's a man with a large black sword on his back."
"He has a pair of hawk-like eyes and is a top powerhouse."
Kai explained to the two.
Luffy and Zoro both knew about Kai's premonition ability and understood that what Kai said was true.
"Hawkeye man? Could it be the World's Strongest Swordsman, Hawkeye Mihawk?"
Zoro exclaimed in surprise when he heard Kai's description of his features.
"You know him?" Kai looked at Zoro.
"He is my goal; I will defeat him and become the World's Strongest Swordsman!"
Zoro said seriously and passionately.
"You are still far from being his opponent now, but it's good to go and see him." Kai paused and said:
"Only by knowing the gap with powerhouses will you understand your own insignificance and strive harder to surpass him!"
"Understood!" Zoro responded.
After his recent rapid progress in strength, Zoro was no longer the narrow-minded pirate hunter he once was.
He understood that he was still very weak now, but he would use all his efforts to surpass all these people.
"Great Swordsman! So amazing!!" Luffy became excited when he heard they were going to see the World's Strongest Swordsman. "going merry, full speed ahead!!"
The sea breeze was gentle, and the going merry sailed quickly across the shimmering sea, its sails casting graceful arcs in the sunlight.
Kai, Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Usopp stood on the deck, looking out into the distance, where two large ships, one big and one small, suddenly appeared on the horizon.
The reason for calling them one big and one small was because even the smaller one was dozens of times larger than the going merry.
The smaller ship was a peculiar floating restaurant, shaped like a giant fish head.
It was magnificent and exotic, with golden decorations sparkling in the sunlight, like a palace floating in the sea.
That was the famous "Baratie" of the East Blue. Waves of fragrance drifted with the sea breeze, and when Luffy smelled it, his saliva almost drooled out.
The other large ship, however, appeared extremely battered.
It was a huge San Juan Wolf, its surface covered with charred marks and dense cracks, its mast broken, and its sails hanging in tatters.
This San Juan Wolf was the flagship of East Blue Admiral Krieg, once a colossal symbol of endless deterrence in the East Blue.
Now, it floated on the sea like a dying giant beast, looking exceptionally miserable.
"That wrecked ship is so pathetic, it can still float on the sea." Zoro squinted, looking at the ship, checking if Hawkeye was there.
Just as they were watching the two ships, a peculiar small boat suddenly appeared on the distant sea.
A boat so small it was almost unbelievable was slowly approaching.
It was a dark, coffin-shaped boat, decorated with carvings like giant claws, and candles extending from its sides flickered with a faint glow in the breeze.
As this boat approached, a strong sense of oppression washed over them.
The man on the boat slowly stood up, his figure tall and slender, draped in a black trench coat.
His golden eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, sending a shiver down one's spine.
They were eyes that could penetrate the Soul; anyone he gazed upon would feel exposed.
He slowly raised the black blade "Yoru" in his hand — a huge black cross-shaped longsword.
The blade glowed with a cold light in the sun.
The next moment, he flicked his wrist, and two invisible Sword Qi, like a chasm, cut through the sky.
At that instant, heaven and earth seemed to stand still.
There was no deafening explosion, nor dazzling light.
Only two Sword Qi, like the Milky Way, tore through the sky, cutting across Krieg's San Juan Wolf with unparalleled sharpness.
Krieg's San Juan Wolf was silently severed by these two Sword Qi, its hull evenly divided into three parts, with cuts as neat as a mirror.
Immediately after, with a crash, the San Juan Wolf broke, and the three sections of wreckage tilted in different directions.
The sea instantly churned with monstrous waves, like a raging tempest, and the people on board struggled desperately, falling into the sea like dumplings.
On the going merry, Kai and the others saw this scene and felt the true power of the World's Strongest Swordsman.
"Oh my god, he destroyed such a huge San Juan Wolf with one move!" Nami covered her mouth, her eyes filled with shock.
Usopp simply collapsed to the ground, mumbling, "What kind of monster is this..."
Luffy and Zoro's expressions were completely different. Luffy's eyes lit up, and he jumped with excitement: "So strong!"
Zoro, however, clutched the sword at his waist, his eyes full of Battle Intent and longing.
He whispered, "It's him... he's the goal I must challenge!"
Kai's gaze was solemn, but he was secretly vigilant: "This kind of power, this world indeed hides many powerhouses who defy common sense."
"Hawkeye Mihawk," a name whispered through the crowd, "the World's Strongest Swordsman."
The name boomed like thunder in the air, and everyone who heard it involuntarily held their breath.
"It's him... chasing our Krieg Pirate Group from the Grand Line to here."
Someone mumbled softly, their tone filled with disbelief and fear.
Hawkeye surveyed his surroundings, his gaze filled with cold and indifferent contempt.
To him, these pirates struggling to survive in the sea were nothing more than weak ants.
Neither their numbers nor the size of their warships could stir a ripple in his eyes.
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