Chapter 628 The Evening Bell

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In earlier years, a fierce battle had left this floating Sky Island permanently scarred, its terrain dotted with twisted and towering chunks of Island Cloud. After a brief survey, it was clear the island would never return to its original state, so Gan Fall decisively abandoned it. 

Rather than undertaking a costly restoration of a ruined sky island, it was far simpler to haul soil from G-10 and create a new landscape. Given the Skypiean reverence for "Vearth," or earth, there was no question which option they would choose.

Now, as Mihawk stepped onto the deserted island, he did not see Rowen. Instead, he found an older, blind man with a dignified presence, dressed in a light purple yukata with a dark purple belt and wearing a purple cape, standing beside an Island Cloud remnant shaped like a lion's head.

"Benevolent Hero" Fujitora!

The head of Century City, one of the two most extravagant entertainment complexes in the world!

"To think it would come to this..." Mihawk was proud but not foolish, and he knew Fujitora's strength well. He had won the title of Shichibukai years ago by taking on two Admirals at once, and his power was not to be underestimated.

With a scraping sound, the World's Greatest Black Blade, "Yoru," left its sheath and rested in Mihawk's hand. Mihawk stepped forward with his left foot, held the Black Blade back slightly with his right hand, and prepared for a thrust.

"Where is Soryu (Azure Dragon)?"

"I'm right here…"

'Zii Zii!'

In the buzz of crackling electricity, Rowen's figure materialized from the void, holding the massive, over-three-meter-long black halberd, the "Thunder Dragon Crescent Halberd." He stood behind Mihawk with a blank look on his face.

At ten thousand meters high, the wind howled, whipping his Justice cloak into a fierce flutter.

"Why?" Mihawk's gaze held neither anger nor fury, only a profound confusion.

It was too late for anger to serve any purpose, yet Mihawk could not fathom Rowen's reasons for orchestrating such a setup.

'Zii… Zii Ziiii…'

Rowen gave no answer to Mihawk's question. Instead, Fujitora, standing before Mihawk, slowly unsheathed his staff blade, holding it in a reverse grip against his chest.

"Let it go, Mihawk," Fujitora advised. "From here on, all we need to do is watch… This is my final warning."

"So, you think we shouldn't resist either, Benevolent Hero?" Mihawk asked, his expression darkening.

Fujitora shook his head, unfazed by Mihawk's mocking tone. Opening his eyes, the sightless, pale gray irises somehow gave off an unyielding strength.

"Your resistance has only brought suffering and war to this world," Fujitora replied calmly. "I wish to prevent further unnecessary sacrifice."

"Hmph, as expected from the 'Benevolent Hero'… but how can you be so sure you'll succeed?"

Mihawk gave a cold laugh, not bothering to defend himself against the accusation.

Then, with a grave look, he spoke: "If you're capable, then go ahead! Let me see… how far you can go!"

'Boom! Crack!'

''Heaven-Resisting Thunder Cry: Third Style!''

''Cloud Dragon Slash!''

Rowen's thunder halberd surged, dragging a storm of lightning across the sky, forming a violent thunderstorm. Rowen floated in mid-air, his body becoming a dark streak, charging forward to strike.

In that brief exchange of words, they had grasped each other's resolve; with conflicting ideals, only one path lay before them.

'Clang!'

'Ding! Clang!'

Mihawk, the World's Greatest Swordsman, didn't falter. Though Fujitora's deadly intent locked onto him from the front, Mihawk swiftly turned and intercepted, slashing at Rowen's halberd with a precise, angled strike, halting the fatal attack with the mere millimeter-wide tip of his sword.

"Slash!"

There was no flourish, no excess; only the pure, searing essence of a sword strike stripped back to its raw power.

''Those sharp, hawk-like eyes fixed intensely on Rowen's form, as if… no, as if he had already seen through him!''

During the Paramount War, Mihawk evaluated Luffy, noting that it wasn't his power or skills that allowed him to turn others into allies one by one. This "Hawk-Eye" insight is Mihawk's innate talent in swordsmanship, granting him the ability to perceive the essence of things, and embodying his capacity to stand against any enemy.

The exaggeratedly large black blade sliced through the air, forcing Rowen to abandon his pursuit and raise his halberd to block it.

'Clang!'

The electromagnetic barrier served as the first layer of defense, yet this layer— which could withstand cannon fire— was pierced in an instant. The cold, emerald sword energy shredded the stormy current around it and clashed directly with Rowen's thunder halberd at point-blank range.

'Shhh!'

A gash appeared on Rowen's shoulder, a handspan long. Although he blocked the strike, he was still grazed by the razor-sharp sword energy.

At the same time, Rowen noticed a faint white scratch on his Thunder Dragon Crescent Halberd and couldn't help but feel admiration.

"The Greatest Swordsman in the World… sure lives up to his name!"

Not even BIG MOM had managed to damage his Thunder Dragon Crescent Halberd under the protection of his Haki. While it was partly due to BIG MOM's raw strength being less focused than Mihawk's, the main difference was Mihawk's sword intent, the piercing sharpness derived from the pure resolve of a swordsman.

Born as a man, yet accompanied only by the sword.

"Impressive!"

With a cold huff, Rowen widened his eyes suddenly, unleashing an overwhelming surge of Haoshoku Haki.

In an instant, alarms went off in Mihawk's mind. The terrifying pressure made his eyelids twitch. He immediately retreated, slashing repeatedly as he moved back.

'Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!'

'Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!'

The sounds of slicing wind and clashing metal rang out one after another. A barrage of meteoric strikes fell like rain, each one shattered by Mihawk's blade, bursting into flashes of lightning that scattered into thunderous white blooms.

After retreating several steps, Mihawk's Hawk Eyes showed no hint of wavering. Then, all of a sudden, he turned and slashed diagonally.

'Boom…'

'Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!'

A pillar of purple light was cleaved apart by the Black Blade, yet instead of the screeching sound of something being cut, the dispersed purple light merged into the air, emitting a series of buzzing sounds.

"Gravito - Gravity Blade…"

Fujitora, slightly hunched, held his scabbard in his left hand and his sword in his right, slowly pressing down, and finally closed them with a sudden snap.

'Clang!'

"…Moko - Fierce Tiger!"

'Boom… rumble…'

Along the path of the dispersed light, everything in a straight line— stones, the ground, even the air— fractured like glass.

A terrifying gravitational force descended, and amid the deafening explosion, the entire sky island trembled. Mihawk, standing at the center of the Gravity Blade, felt his feet sink into the ground, pinned like two nails driven into solid rock. The intense gravity tore his wine-colored cape to shreds, revealing his iron-forged, muscular upper body.

Resisting the oppressive force, Mihawk remained calm. His Hawk Eyes had already seen through everything.

"Using this technique to pin my feet down and create an opening for Soryu (Azure Dragon)… interesting!"

'Clang!'

With this thought, the next second saw Mihawk's blade cut through the void, sparking as it met Rowen's incoming Thunder Halberd. 

With a countering motion, Mihawk braced his "Black Blade" Yoru on his shoulder, taking the force of Rowen's strike head-on. A strange force traveled up Rowen's halberd, causing it to veer off course uncontrollably.

If Rowen allowed himself to be carried along with that force, Mihawk would easily follow through with a swift slash of the Black Blade, cutting him in half.

So, Rowen gave a faint smile and withdrew.

Raising a single palm, he conjured a small, ominous black ball in his hand—a 'Raigo - Thunder Greeting'.

''Raigo - Thunder Greeting: Confounder!''

No matter how strong your parries and counters are, let's see you deflect an explosion.

'Boom!!'

(End Of Chapter)