Chapter 164 – Can you keep up this pace?

Considering this, Arton continued.

"Unlimited Blade Works contains more than just swords."

"While my essence is rooted in swords, I can also craft other weapons, such as spears or halberds."

"Though it takes more effort, creating weapons with unique abilities that aid in battle is worth the trouble."

"And by the way, the shield you broke earlier is also part of this world."

"Prepare yourself, Mihawk. If your stamina falters too quickly, I'll be quite troubled."

Hearing this, Mihawk thought back to the effort he had expended to shatter that shield.

"That six-petaled shield required a fair bit of effort," he admitted.

"But it wasn't too much to handle."

"Surely you don't think I used up all my energy, Arton?"

"If that's the case, you're underestimating me." Mihawk raised his black blade and pointed it at Arton with a sharp gaze.

"That shield, named Rho Aias: The Seven Rings that Cover the Burning Heavens, true to its name, it consists of seven petals."

"The final petal is far sturdier than the first six."

"So, I hope you won't dismiss it lightly," Arton remarked, shaking his head.

Hearing this, Mihawk furrowed his brow.

He clearly understood the shield's immense defensive power from earlier. If Arton wasn't exaggerating, shattering the complete Heavenly Sevenfold Ring would indeed be a formidable challenge.

At the same time, Arton's mention of the seven petals caught the attention of Gion, Charlotte Smoothie, and others, who etched this information into their minds.

"If there are seven petals, why not show them all?" Mihawk questioned.

"Do you doubt my ability to break through them?"

Arton grinned slightly and responded,

"Not at all, Mihawk. I have no doubt about your skill or the power of your blade."

"But Rho Aias isn't a weapon I can simply use at its full capacity without considering the toll it takes on me."

"Unleashing all seven petals requires significant magical energy, and it's a resource I must manage wisely."

Mihawk narrowed his eyes, his interest clearly piqued.

"Is that so? You're saying the last petal is even harder to break than the previous six?"

Arton nodded.

"Correct. The final petal isn't just a test of a blade's sharpness, but also of the will and precision of its wielder. Breaking it requires more than brute force—it demands perfection."

Hearing this, Mihawk's grip on his black blade tightened, and his signature smirk returned.

"Good. Then let me see this perfection you speak of, Arton. Show me the full extent of your shield's power!"

Meanwhile, the diary copies holders, keenly observing the exchange, couldn't help but react with a mix of intrigue and excitement.

Charlotte Smoothie: "So there's more to that shield than we've seen? If the seventh petal is as Arton says, I'd love to see if even Mihawk can shatter it."

Gion: "A shield of such strength and complexity… It's no wonder it took Mihawk significant effort to break just six petals earlier."

Tashigi: "The shield's name is so fitting— 'Seven Rings that Cover the Burning Heavens.' But what happens when the final petal is broken?"

Kozuki Hiyori: "I doubt Arton would let it break so easily. That last petal must have something special about it."

Arton chuckled at Mihawk's enthusiasm, then raised his hand toward the ground of the Unlimited Blade Works.

"Let me grant your wish, Mihawk."

The shattered fragments of the shield began to glow, slowly reforming before their eyes. The six petals materialized once more, gleaming like freshly polished jewels.

As Mihawk watched the final petal take shape, his eyes sparkled with a mix of determination and admiration.

"Arton," Mihawk said, lowering his stance and gripping his sword tightly, "this duel is becoming more interesting by the second."

"Come—show me the limits of your blade, shield, and skill!"

Mihawk furrowed his brows, gripping his black blade tightly as he muttered,

"So this is... the Unlimited Blades Works!"

His keen eyes reflected the countless swords that filled the darkened sky, each poised and ready to strike him down. The oppressive sight of thousands—no, tens of thousands—of blades looming above seemed to darken the world even further. Yet, instead of fear or trepidation, Mihawk's lips curled into an excited smile.

"Interesting. This is exactly what I wanted to witness!"

Arton stood his ground, his right hand still raised toward the heavens.

"As you said, Mihawk, your Black Blade Yoru is unparalleled when wielded by someone of your skill."

"But against the sheer quantity of these swords... can even you hold your ground?"

With those words, the swords began to descend. Like a torrential rainstorm, they fell upon Mihawk with unrelenting precision, each blade imbued with a sharpness that could slice through steel.

"Let's find out!" Mihawk declared, his voice cutting through the chaos like his blade through the storm.

He swung his black blade in wide, powerful arcs. Green, crescent-shaped slashes erupted from Yoru, cleaving through dozens of swords at a time. Despite the overwhelming numbers, Mihawk's movements were steady, calculated, and unyielding.

Gion: "Such an elegant and deadly dance… Even when surrounded, Mihawk maintains absolute composure. Truly the world's greatest swordsman."

Tashigi: "I've never seen anyone face such an overwhelming attack and not falter. Mihawk is truly in a league of his own!"

Smoothie: "And Arton, manipulating this world of swords… both of them are extraordinary."

The clash of blades and the resounding hum of Mihawk's powerful slashes filled the battlefield. Arton, standing amidst the chaos, calmly observed Mihawk's every move, a faint smile on his face.

"You're doing well, Mihawk. But how long can you keep up this pace?" Arton called out, his voice unwavering.

Mihawk didn't respond immediately. Instead, he parried another wave of descending swords, his strikes cutting through the air like whispers of death. When the storm of blades paused momentarily, he glanced at Arton.

"As long as it takes," Mihawk said with a smirk, "until you show me the limits of your Unlimited Blade Works."

Arton chuckled, lowering his raised hand.

"Very well. If you want to see the true extent of this world, Mihawk, I'll oblige."

The ground beneath Mihawk began to shift, and new swords rose from the earth, as if summoned by the very land itself. Above and below, blades now surrounded him in an endless tide.

"This... is the true Unlimited Blade Works!" Arton declared, his voice echoing across the battlefield.

Mihawk's grin widened, "Then come, Arton. Let's see whose will is sharper!"

Mihawk's lips curled into an exhilarated grin as he swung his black blade at the countless swords descending upon him from the sky.

Though Arton's tactics differed significantly from conventional swordsmanship, the challenge of facing an endless swarm of swords, each surpassing the quality of the Supreme Grade swords, filled Mihawk with excitement.

Boom!

A resounding hum echoed as Mihawk unleashed a massive green blade of energy from his black blade, slicing through the oncoming swords.

Crash! Boom! Boom!

The wave of swords collided with Mihawk's flying slash, creating a cacophony of clashing metal. The colossal energy slash, capable of easily cleaving through meteors, began to falter under the relentless impact of countless swords.

As more swords struck his attack, the once unstoppable slash began to waver, gradually being pushed back. Soon, some swords broke through the energy slash and closed in on Mihawk himself.

"These swords… they're no ordinary weapons!" Mihawk muttered, his keen eyes narrowing as he swiftly parried and deflected the incoming blades with his black blade.

If these were ordinary swords, they should have shattered the moment they collided with his flying slash. Yet, Arton's swords not only endured but managed to slow and eventually halt his attack. Although some swords were shattered in the process, the tide of battle still leaned in Arton's favor.

Mihawk couldn't help but compare the current situation to his last duel with Shanks.

"The last time I bled in battle... it was against Shanks," Mihawk remarked with a chuckle, raising his black blade high once more.

As a more intense layer of Armament Haki enveloped Yoru, Mihawk swung his blade again, sending another devastating green energy slash toward Arton.

But this time, Mihawk didn't stop at one attack. With rapid, consecutive swings, he unleashed dozens of massive green slashes, each one surging toward Arton like a relentless tide.

The deafening roars of the collisions echoed through the battlefield, shaking the very air.