In the distance, Rowan—rushing across the sea—spotted his mission target and the man standing atop the coffin.
"!!!"
"Mihawk?!"
"WTF?! What are you doing?! How can you, a pirate with a measly 18-million bounty, provoke the world's greatest swordsman?!"
"What are you doing?!"
Fortunately, Mihawk hadn't made a move yet.
If he did, that speedboat would be gone instantly.
Rowan immediately accelerated and sprinted across the waves.
On the other side—
After seeing Mihawk effortlessly shatter the cannon shell, Awei realized he had encountered a terrifying opponent.
He hadn't even seen Mihawk swing his blade. Just from that alone, he knew he stood no chance.
But the grudge was already formed; there was no way this could end peacefully.
"What do we do, boss?!"
"He's coming!"
Awei gritted his teeth and issued the order.
"Charge! Ram him! I refuse to believe he can slice the entire ship apart!"
"Bring all the artillery! Aim everything at him!"
"Keep firing!"
Awei roared.
Standing on the coffin, Mihawk lazily swung the cross-shaped sword in his hand. Every incoming cannonball shattered instantly, fragments scattering harmlessly into the sea.
Mihawk then lifted his head slightly. His sharp, falcon-like eyes swept toward Awei, and Awei broke into a cold sweat on the spot.
"Turn around! RUN!!! That's Mihawk!!!"
The moment he saw Mihawk's face clearly, he froze—and then shouted desperately.
This man was the world's strongest swordsman, an invincible monster.
I don't want to die!
Feeling the suffocating difference in power, Awei trembled.
Hearing their captain's terrified cries, the Tiger Pirates immediately fell into chaos, scrambling to turn their ship around and flee at full speed.
Their new direction…
Was exactly where Rowan was coming from.
Seeing the Tiger Pirates recklessly provoke Mihawk, Rowan nearly panicked. If Mihawk got annoyed, he could wipe them out with a single attack.
But suddenly, the situation flipped.
Why did the Tiger Pirates turn around so suddenly?
Why were they heading straight toward him?
Rowan blinked.
…Is this really good luck?
He raised Excalibur Morgan and aimed it at the ship barreling toward him.
"Call…"
Reinforcement.
(The ability to enhance one's weapon and body by infusing them with magic.)
A surge of dark magic burst from his body.
A powerful aura rippled outward, stirring a gentle breeze, causing his pale golden hair to flutter.
Rowan closed his eyes, feeling the magic coursing through him.
Following that flow, the power concentrated into his hand and onto the sword.
Excalibur Morgan pulsed with dark magic, the aura around it swelling and twisting like a living storm.
!
With his power at its peak, Rowan opened his golden pupils, fixing his gaze on the pirate ship rushing toward him across the sea. Raising the jet-black holy sword high above his head, he let its ominous pressure spread out in all directions.
"Ahhh!"
With a fierce shout, Rowan brought the sword down. Black mana surged around the blade, exploding into a razor-sharp wave of sword aura that shot straight toward the pirate ship.
On the pirate ship.
On the deck, a pirate was hastily adjusting the sails when—suddenly—his eyes bulged wide, as if he had just witnessed something impossible.
The rope slipped from his hands without him realizing it.
His face went pale.
Captain Awei, noticing his failure, grew furious.
Snap!
Awei slapped him across the face, snapping him back to reality.
"What are you doing?! Do you want every one of us to die out here?! Pull yourself together!"
The surrounding pirates glared at the man, eyes full of irritation.
Because of him, the ship's escape speed had slowed.
"N-No… the ship… Captain, l-look ahead… someone's on the sea…"
He stammered, trembling as he pointed forward.
"Huh? Someone… on the sea?"
Awei followed his gaze.
Sure enough, a black figure stood on the water ahead of the advancing ship.
"Boss! W-What is that thing?!"
"A ghost! It's a ghost!"
"How can he stand on the water?!"
The entire crew tensed instantly, fear overtaking them.
Facing an unknown entity on the open sea was the worst possible omen.
Awei's instincts screamed that this was bad—very bad.
"T-That dark shadow is probably… just a reflection! Caused by weird weather on the sea! Don't panic, men!"
Awei blurted out the excuse.
He knew it was absolute nonsense, but he had no better explanation.
Luckily, the Tiger Pirates were surprisingly convinced.
"As expected of the boss! So smart!"
"Yeah, yeah!"
"You got scared by a reflection, you idiot! Hahaha!"
"Ha ha ha ha!"
The atmosphere eased—at least on the surface.
But now was not the time for laughter.
Ahead was an unknown dark figure.
Behind them was Dracule Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman.
A single mistake could mean the end of the Tiger Pirates.
"Men! Turn the ship! We'll circle around it!"
Awei decided.
If we go around, we'll be fine… right?
But the sea was not so forgiving.
"B-Boss… the dark figure… it moved…"
"This is…!"
"Something's flying toward us!!!"
RUMBLE!!!