Although there was no depiction in the original work of Mihawk possessing Conqueror's Haki, as the World's Greatest Swordsman and someone capable of sparring with Shanks, it was highly likely that Mihawk did indeed have it. Ivan had long suspected this, and now, seeing it firsthand, his suspicions were confirmed.
Unable to defeat him, Mihawk finally unleashed his Conqueror's Haki!
In the next moment, black and red lightning coiled around Mihawk's Black Blade Night.
"Black Blade: Ultimate Slash!" he growled, gripping his sword with one hand and swinging it forward with immense force.
A pitch-black Flying Slash, infused with Conqueror's Haki, surged toward Ivan with an unstoppable momentum.
This Flying Slash was far more ferocious and terrifying than the previous Night Raven: Horizontal Severance. Wherever it passed, the air was completely torn apart, the sea was carved into a trench thousands of meters long, and even the clouds in the sky were split open by the slash.
Ivan's eyes narrowed, his expression turning grave.
He could sense the sheer terror of this Flying Slash—its power far surpassed any of Mihawk's previous attacks.
Not daring to be careless, Ivan tightened his grip on Snowfall.
In the next instant, he unleashed all the power within him without reservation. Attraction and Repulsive Force twisted around Snowfall, forming a purple energy capable of severing space:
"One Sword Style: Purple: Severing the Void!"
A purple Flying Slash erupted, several times more violent and powerful than before, charging forward with an unstoppable momentum to meet Mihawk's Advanced Conqueror's Haki Infusion slash!
The moment the two Flying Slashes collided, an ear-splitting roar echoed once more.
This roar was more intense than any previous collision.
Conqueror's Haki is one of the most mysterious powers in the pirate world, containing unimaginable might.
Logically, the power of Purple should be enough to cut through space and sever everything. However, when the slash imbued with Purple clashed with the Advanced Conqueror's Haki Infusion slash, something strange occurred.
The Purple slash did not make direct contact with the Advanced Conqueror's Haki Infusion slash. Instead, it stopped some distance away, colliding with the black and red lightning.
The black and red lightning was Conqueror's Haki refined to its absolute peak. It consumed most of Purple's power first. By the time Purple finally clashed with Mihawk's slash, after a brief stalemate, it was directly cleaved apart by Mihawk's attack!
In the next moment, the remaining force of the slash rushed toward Ivan at incredible speed!
Seemingly unable to dodge in time, Ivan was struck by the Flying Slash. His body was forced back dozens of steps, a trickle of blood escaping the corner of his mouth, and his face instantly turned pale.
He could clearly feel the gap brought by Conqueror's Haki Infusion.
With or without Conqueror's Haki Infusion, the power of Mihawk's slashes differed by at least several times!
It wasn't just a suppression of power—it was more like a crushing superiority on an energy level.
With the enhancement of Conqueror's Haki Infusion, Mihawk's sword became even sharper and more unstoppable.
Without giving Ivan a chance to catch his breath, Mihawk continued to swing Black Blade Yoru, each strike infused with Conqueror's Haki Infusion, relentlessly attacking Ivan.
Every one of his slashes carried a terrifying momentum, firmly suppressing Ivan.
Ivan struggled to resist, but he couldn't break through Mihawk's onslaught. His wounds multiplied, his breath grew weaker, and he was forced into a defensive retreat.
At Marineford in the distance, the watching marines shook their heads, their tones tinged with regret.
"It seems Ivan is about to lose."
"After all, he doesn't know Conqueror's Haki Infusion. Once Mihawk goes all out, Ivan is no match."
"What a pity. He's done well already—suppressing Mihawk in swordsmanship is a miracle in itself."
"Indeed, Conqueror's Haki Infusion isn't easy to master. Without Conqueror's Haki, Ivan simply can't compete."
Nearby, Sengoku sighed softly, a trace of regret in his eyes:
"What a shame for this young man. Exceptionally talented, yet lacking Conqueror's Haki—he ultimately falls short."
Vice Admiral Tsuru nodded, her expression grave:
"Mihawk's Conqueror's Haki Infusion has reached perfection. Without Conqueror's Haki, Ivan cannot contend with him. Defeat is only a matter of time."
Garp clenched his fists, nervously watching the combatants, muttering to himself:
"It shouldn't be like this. A monster like Ivan—could he really fail to awaken Conqueror's Haki?"
He refused to believe it, even suspecting Ivan was holding back!
A monster who could injure him years ago—how could he be so 'weak' now?
On the sea, Ivan's aura continued to weaken. Each block forced him to withstand tremendous force.
His wrists were numb, and he could barely grip Snowfall.
Mihawk's attacks grew fiercer, his Flying Slashes more sharp. It seemed Ivan's defense was about to crumble, leading to his complete defeat.
Even Nami and Tashigi, who had full confidence in Ivan, grew tense.
Nami clenched her fists, said anxiously:
"What's wrong with Ivan? Could he really lose to Mihawk?"
Tashigi was also puzzled: "That's impossible. Vice Admiral Ivan is invincible—how could Mihawk defeat him?"
Among them, Smoker was the most rational. He sighed: "It's normal for Ivan to lose to Mihawk. After all, Ivan is still too young, and more importantly, he hasn't awakened Conqueror's Haki Infusion."
Unbeknownst to them, on the distant Orange Ship, Robin watched the scene with amusement.
As the only one aware of Ivan's true identity, Robin knew Ivan couldn't possibly be inferior to Mihawk.
He was playing around, toying with his opponent, and more importantly—setting the stage.
Ivan intended to use this opportunity to reasonably display Conqueror's Haki!
Robin took a sip of red wine, calmly observing what would unfold next.
Sure enough, just as everyone thought Ivan was about to lose, a crimson light suddenly erupted from his eyes.
The next moment, an unprecedented, overwhelming aura burst forth from within him!
This aura carried the majesty of a king, shaking hearts and minds. It clashed with Mihawk's Conqueror's Haki, producing a piercing roar in the air.
Black and red lightning spread across the sea. The waters churned violently, and towering waves surged.
At this, most of the remaining standing marines collapsed unconscious!
Black and red lightning continuously swirled around Ivan. The paleness on his face was replaced by a flush of color, and the exhaustion in his eyes vanished, replaced by an unprecedented sharpness.
He slowly raised Snowfall. The black and red Conqueror's Haki flowed along his arm, coiling around the blade and intertwining with its surface, emitting constant crackling sounds.
At this moment, he had awakened Conqueror's Haki!
This sudden turn of events left all the onlookers stunned.
The scene fell into dead silence once more, with everyone's gaze fixed intently on the figure hovering above the sea, enveloped in black and red Conqueror's Haki lightning.