Journey to One Piece

55. Hawkeye

Don Krieg's crew and the chefs who were ready to have a go against each other stopped in their tracks. A sharp slice passed through the air and it went right across Krieg's huge ship. The slice cut the ship into two parts in a very clean manner.

Zoro and others who had just come out were able to see this magnificent scene. Zoro could smell it. The greatest swordsman. There was no doubt about it. Seeing this move by Mihawk was enough to prove that Mihawk's swordsmanship was still high above his. But he didn't want to give up after coming so far.

Krieg's crew were very angry how Mihawk had chased them from the Grand Line and they even shot at him, only to see the bullets getting deviated with just a touch from his sword. The more Zoro saw this, the more excited he was.

"I came out to the sea to meet you." Zoro said.

"Meet me? Why?"

"To become the strongest…. You have time to fight. Right?"

"Strongest? How foolish!! You belong to the weakest sea of all the seas. You have seen how I cut the ship. Are you sure even after that?"

"We will see to that at the end of the duel. Now battle me."

"As you wish." Mihawk said as he brought out the small knife that was hanging in his neck.

"You really look down on people." Zoro said as he brought out the three swords. This was where Mihawk's eyes squinted a bit as he saw the three swords. He could feel that the three swords weren't as simple as he thought. Especially the two colorful swords.

It was common knowledge that only black swords were the kings and even his sword was a black one. But from the looks of the swords in Zoro's hands these weren't normal. They looked dazzling in the sun rays.

"Kid, where did you find these two swords?"

Zoro, who was ready to make his first move, stopped and looked at Mihawk.

"A friend gave it to me." Zoro said as he looked at Ken who was just standing at the deck of the restaurant. Mihawk turned his head and looked at the smiling Ken.

"Your friend isn't simple." Mihawk said as he could easily feel that this person had a strong body.

"Of course, he is the Vice Captain of our ship. Now shall we start?" Zoro asked.

"Heh..." Mihawk had a small arc on his mouth as he looked at Zoro.

Zoro used his three swords and ran at Hawkeye.

'Oni.... Giri'

The three swords were stopped by Mihawk with just his small knife. Zoro was trembling. He had expected that there was a gap between them, Ken had hinted to him long ago. But he didn't expect it to be this big.

"The gap can't be this big."

Zoro shouted as he used all his swords to battle Mihawk. He used all the moves that he had known and learnt until this point. All the moves that he himself created after years of training. But no matter what move he made, how he used his techniques Mihawk seemed to know how his next move would land and he avoided each and everyone of them.

The more Zoro fought, the more his past memories, his childhood flashed in his eyes. He remembered Kuina and the promise. As those memories flashed, at one moment he let go of the defense which allowed Mihawk to stab him.

"Zoro..."

"Big Brother ..."

"Oh my god..."

Such exclamations came from everyone. Even Krieg's crew. Zoro was famous in East Blue and he was known to be a demon. And Mihawk just laid waste to it with just a small knife. This was ridiculous.

"Why didn't you defend and get back?" Mihawk asked as he slowly pulled away the knife that he had stabbed Zoro. The knife point was very close to touching his heart. Blood gushed out as he did so and his white shirt soon turned red.

"I don't know... I have made promises and I want to keep them. I can be killed but not be defeated..." Zoro as he felt that he was losing too much blood. Sleep was taking over him and soon he fell right on the spot.

Zoro had fallen asleep!!!!

"Tell me this is a joke."

Mihawk, Luffy, Yosaku, Nami and everyone's eyes fell on the floor seeing this. Zoro had fallen asleep during a fight. Mihawk looked disappointed at the fallen enemy as he felt this guy wasn't serious. How could a person just sleep after being stabbed once. He was expecting one of a kind swordsman only to be disappointed.

"Big Brother.. Wake up.. You can't be serious. Wake up..."

"Please be serious..."

Even Ken was puzzled about what had happened. He already felt something was wrong from the start. He didn't even use his breathing styles. What was Zoro thinking? Did he think that his old techniques would be enough to take down Mihawk? Why did he fall asleep?

Mihawk turned around and he was ready to get to his boat but he stopped because Zoro had again got up. His back was bent with his two legs wide apart vertically as he touched his sword's hilt that had been sheathed.

If one looked closely, he would see that Zoro's eyes were still closed and if one paid more attention one could see that Zoro was still sleeping. Ken and Luffy both looked at each other and smiled.

They could finally understand what Zoro was doing!!

"So you were just pretending to be asleep. That's a little cheap of you." Mihawk said as he turned around to look at Zoro. Zoro didn't reply as he breathed a mouthful of air. One could hear small thunder sounds that were expelled from the body of Zoro.

"Kaminari no Kokyu ichi no Kata : Hekireki Issen"

(Thunder breathing first form : thunderclap and flash)

Mihawk's eyes opened wide and the next moment he saw Zoro vanishing from his spot. No he didn't vanish!! He moved so fast that it felt like he had vanished.