Duel

"Epaule Shoot"

"poitrine"

"poitrine shoot, aagh... damn it, slippery eel stay still." Sanji shouted, and relentlessly kicked Vash who was now dodging every blow.

"Hey curly brow. Your attacks are really slow that I don't even feel like defending. So, I'll just avoid. Hit me if you can." Vash said in taunting manner.

"You... take this, Mouton shot." Sanji rotated on front feet kicking with other. He used momentum of his body to deliver powerful blow. Vash shifted his body sideways just as Sanji moved. He didn't even need color of observation to predict the obvious offence style of his challenger. Sanji crashed behind Vash due to missing his target. He got up and again attacked Vash with flurry of kicks.

"Why aren't you using your hands? Maybe you can force me defend if you used them." Vash said not understanding why Sanji fights like that.

"Hmph... I use my hands to cook not to fight. My kicks would be enough to make a mincemeat out of you." Sanji tried provoking Vash. So he could find any opening on his opponent.

Vash looked at Zoro with raised eyebrow as if asking 'Is he always like that?' and Zoro just shrugged, probably in affirmation.

"Curly brow guy, I only have one word for you and that is 'idiot', 'stupid' and 'retard'. I'm sorry, make that three words." Vash said with a smirk like he was looking down on Sanji.

"aaaagh, You piece of shit, I'll kill you."

"Basse Côte, Longe, Tendron, Flanchet, Quasi, Queue, Cuisseau, Jarret, and Veau Shotto" Sanji attacked with his best combo. He felt like this was his worst day, he thought he would die of anger first before his opponent would make any move.

"You don't bring your honor in the battle. Fights are not joke, you have to give it your all to at least not get killed. You won't even win against an opponent weaker than you if you handicap yourself like this. And a strong opponent won't care about your honor, he will just kill you without giving you a chance. Let me give you an example so that you'll remember it for lifetime." Vash said avoiding every blow, then he jumped lightly; doing handstand on Sanji's shoulder and pinched softly.

Sanji's limbs dislocated from his shoulder from the pinch and he started crying in pain. And Vash didn't forget to rub the salt on his wounds, "You feel that. Tell me, how are you gonna make dishes for your girlfriend over there now? And what will you do with your uninjured arms when you will be dead."

Luffy woke up during the commotion. He saw Sanji on his knees with his hands looking lifeless, then he saw the person who beat them up previously. Luffy once again attacked Vash without thinking much, which only got him a chop on his head that took him into the dreamland.

Sanji was still shouting in unbearable agony, so Vash fixed his limbs like he was putting a plug in the socket, eliciting another cry of pain from Sanji.

"What I mean is, having honor is good, but showing it on wrong time and wrong place can be life threatening for you and your friends. Why don't you just present your neck to the enemy if you're so chivalrous, why even bother fighting." Vash said in lecturing tone. He hauled the now unconscious looking Sanji and put him in front of Crocus for the treatment, only if he needed any. Sanji just seemed tired. There wasn't any apparent wound on his body because Vash never attacked except when he dislocated Sanji's shoulder.

"Mihawk, you can continue. Now that we have finished here." yelled Vash looking toward Zoro and Mihawk, asking them to start.

This whole time, both swordsman were just watching Sanji and Vash's fight. Zoro was now really frightened. He knew Vash was strong, as he had knocked them out in one blow when they were inside whale. But he didn't know the disparity was as wide as a gulf. Zoro and Sanji had similar level of strength. So when he saw Vash was just playing with Sanji in that manner. He was flabbergasted. It was the first time for him to encounter such strong opponent, and he started thinking about his chances of defeating Mihawk, which now almost seem negligible.

"You can start young one. Let's see how much skill you got. Show me the sharpness of your swords." said Mihawk beckoning Zoro. He untied the cross shaped neckless which was hung on his chest. Taking out a small knife hidden within.

"Are you underestimating me, take out the sword on your back." said Zoro. By now he knew the difference of power between them but still chose to fight and accept death rather than cower and forget his dream.

"Hmm... to tell you the truth, it's me giving you respect by taking out a blade, however small it may be. Otherwise, you still won't be able to defeat me even if I'm barehanded." Mihawk said.

"You..., fine. I, Roronoa Zoro challenge you to a fight, Hawk eyes Mihawk." said Zoro running toward him.

"Oni-Giri" Zoro crossed his arms and speedily swung his three swords simultaneously for the swift cut but Mihawk just blocked it by the tip of his knife. His blade stuck at the convergence of the three blades, stopping Zoro's technique halfway.

'No one has ever seen through this technique, but he blocked it casually.' thought Zoro.

"Tora-Gari" Zoro used another technique, He put his hand swords over his mouth blade and swinged forth a forward descending slash with them. This technique would be very fatal if the opponent wasn't Mihawk. He deflected all of Zoro's slashes.

"hmm... Your swings are ferocious, you are a sword wielder just below master level but the strength of your body is too weak. You should practice more to improve that." Said Mihawk as he flicked Zoro away. He put a little more strength through the small blade this time. Zoro crashed some distance away.

Zoro got up and refused to admit defeat. He swung his swords wildly in hopes of at least scratching Mihawk.

Mihawk had determined the skill and power level of Zoro and decided to end it.

"Roronoa Zoro, you were ready to die for your ideals and chose to fight unwinnable battle. I'll remember you. But that's it for now. You also take a nap." said Mihawk, he stabbed Zoro in midsection and hit him in the head using the blade pommel. Zoro fainted with blood leaking from his mouth and abdomen. Then Mihawk put his blade in the scabbard and tied it back around his neck.

Mihawk was a master swordsman with great strength. To him every offence of Zoro presented an opening. He just didn't bother exploiting it previously. So now when he got bored he ended the duel in a heartbeat.

Vash saw the conclusion of the duel, more like it was one sided beating. He looked around the island shore. He saw bodies lying everywhere, of them two were faking unconsciousness. Whom he presumed were weirdos trying to kill whale when he was inside exploring it. He hauled them each and laid them on floor and asked Crocus to fix them.

"They are a bunch of interesting kids, aren't they? Now, what are your plans? And I forgot to ask you in the meanwhile, Why are we here actually?" asked Vash walking back to Mihawk.

Mihawk just facepalmed hearing him.