Chapter 22: did....he lose....

In Hawkeye's opinion, Kaido's strength surpasses everyone he has fought before, including Red-Haired Shanks.

Of course, this is also because Hawkeye has not fought with Shanks for many years.

But Hawkeye is confident that his growth rate has not been slow.

He believes that his current strength is still comparable to Shanks.

Yet, even with this strength,

after a round of confrontation with Kaido, he found himself at a disadvantage.

Hawkeye's usually calm eyes showed a rare glint of surprise.

Hawkeye assessed Kaido's strength.

Kaido, in turn, was assessing Hawkeye.

"The attack power is quite strong."

Kaido evaluated secretly: "The attack power is likely emperor-level. After all, the casual slash just now had top-level power."

"The defense and vitality are not strong; they may not even be top-level."

"His body is quite fragile and could be killed after just a few hits."

"But it won't be easy to make Hawkeye take a few hits."

"Attack speed is probably top-level x2—not emperor-level but faster than a normal top level."

"Movement speed isn't fast, possibly not even top level."

"Haki, it seems he lacks Conqueror's Haki."

"Even if he has it, it's not to the extent where it could coat his attacks."

"Observation and Armament Haki should both be top-level, not emperor-level."

"Because my own Haki is top-level."

"And his Haki clearly doesn't surpass mine."

"As for Devil Fruit powers, he appears to have none."

"His weapon, the Black Blade Yoru, should be an emperor-level weapon."

"After all, my Hassaikai is a top-level x2 weapon. Even when coated with Conqueror's Haki, it had no clear advantage against his Black Blade Yoru."

"In other words, Hawkeye's attack power and weapon are both emperor-level."

"Two emperor-level attributes."

"But there's another variable…"

"It's his swordsmanship."

"The World's Strongest Swordsman."

"My swordsmanship is emperor-level, so there shouldn't be any problem, right?"

"That means he's actually a person who possesses three emperor-level abilities!"

Kaido was secretly surprised.

Because, before gaining his current power,

Kaido only had defense and vitality reaching emperor-level.

So, was Kaido actually weaker than Hawkeye before?

But combat effectiveness isn't always so straightforward.

The reality isn't just about numbers; it's far more complex.

Having more or fewer emperor-level strengths doesn't necessarily determine the outcome of a battle.

For example, Kaido's defense and vitality are both emperor-level, making it extremely difficult for Hawkeye to kill him.

On the other hand, Hawkeye's defense and vitality are not as strong.

Kaido has a relatively easier time defeating him.

So, in a duel, Hawkeye, with his three emperor-level strengths, might still lose.

It all depends on the actual performance in the fight.

"That was Kaido before."

Kaido thought to himself, "Now, after receiving the system rewards, I've upgraded many aspects to emperor-level or even emperor-level x2. It won't be a problem to defeat a Hawkeye who has three emperor-level strengths."

At this point,

Hawkeye made his next move.

He looked at Kaido with sharp, focused eyes.

Then,

Hawkeye swung his sword again. "Kaido, you're very strong."

"I will also use my full strength."

"Black Blade, Twelve Styles!"

Hawkeye was completely serious.

Just before, he only intended to have a big fight with Kaido.

But now,

Hawkeye genuinely wanted to settle the score.

There was even an air of finality, as if only one of them would walk away.

For the first time, Hawkeye used a named technique.

As the Black Blade Yoru sliced through the air, three massive waves of sword energy appeared. Wherever they passed, they left deep gouges in the ground. The sword lights were larger than typical two-story houses. If this move were used in a town, a whole row of buildings could be cleaved or even leveled.

The sword energy not only looked overwhelming, as though it could slice through anything,

but it was also blindingly bright, making it difficult for many onlookers to keep their eyes open.

Cries echoed from the nearby Marines. Some were shocked by the sheer force of the attack, while others were momentarily blinded by its light.

In the battlefield where Hawkeye and Kaido fought,

elite Marine officers near the path of the sword light screamed and scrambled aside, narrowly avoiding disaster.

"The strongest swordsman in the world—one strike from him seems like it could destroy a town!"

Countless onlookers stared at the three waves of sword energy in awe.

In front of these sword waves, ordinary people felt like children standing before towering walls.

"So, this is Hawkeye's move? This is the first time I've seen it."

Kaido's eyes lit up. "This guy rarely uses named techniques, and even a basic slash can cut through a ship."

If he's making Hawkeye unleash a named move,

it's clear

Hawkeye genuinely wants to settle the score with him.

It's no longer just a simple clash.

Kaido became serious as well.

Kaido swung his Hassaikai.

Along with his swing, a massive blast of energy erupted from Kaido's weapon.

Just like Hawkeye's sword wave, it formed a long-range attack.

This column of energy was equally terrifying. As it flew through the air, the aftermath kicked up a storm of gravel, even tearing up stones from the ground and dragging them along with the energy blast.

The resulting sound was thunderous.

The two formidable attacks,

each carrying immense power,

collided the next moment.

People braced themselves for an evenly matched, spectacular battle. They were prepared for the explosion when Kaido's blast collided with Hawkeye's sword energy.

However, what happened next was something almost no one expected.

It defied the expectations of nearly everyone.

When Kaido's energy blast met Hawkeye's sword energy, it was like a stone hitting tofu.

The sword energy…

As the stick energy tore through the air, it pierced and shattered the sword light, disintegrating it as if it were nothing more than fragile glass. The towering waves of sword energy that Hawkeye had unleashed crumbled in an instant, breaking apart like tofu.

Kaido's attack didn't just neutralize Hawkeye's assault; it overwhelmed it.

The first to react was Hawkeye himself.

"How is this possible?!"

His face, typically composed, shifted in shock.

For someone like Hawkeye, who prided himself on being the world's greatest swordsman, this outcome was beyond comprehension. His strongest technique, honed over years of combat and perfected through countless battles, was rendered ineffective. The sheer power of Kaido's strike had dismantled his sword energy entirely—something he had never experienced, not even when sparring with Shanks. For the first time, he felt his attack crumble before a force that outmatched his own.

Hawkeye was stunned.

This result, however, wasn't difficult to explain.

After Kaido's recent upgrade from the system reward, his attack power had reached emperor-level x2, surpassing even the strongest of ordinary emperor-level attacks.

In contrast, Hawkeye's attack power was emperor-level, and though his swordsmanship was also emperor-level, the Black Blade Twelve Styles wasn't even his strongest move. Even when factoring in his mastery of swordsmanship, the combined attack power of this technique, alongside his basic emperor-level strength, was still not enough to rival Kaido's overwhelming force.

Kaido's attack was further enhanced by his top-level x2 weapon, the Hassaikai, and the bonus from his "Vajra Dysphorus" technique, stacking multiple layers of strength.

In terms of raw power, Kaido had the advantage.

So, it was inevitable that Hawkeye's sword energy would be shattered.

As the stick energy advanced, it closed in on Hawkeye.

Hawkeye quickly raised the Black Blade Yoru to block the attack.

Boom!!

A deafening explosion erupted.

The impact sent shockwaves rippling outward, the air itself seeming to ripple as if struck by a physical force. The blast wave spread from Hawkeye's position, knocking back the elite Marines nearby and destabilizing their footing. The sheer force of the explosion made it difficult for anyone to maintain their balance.

Hawkeye was caught in the center of it all, his figure obscured by the chaotic blast.

"Hawkeye... is he...?"

"Did he lose?"

People stared, eyes wide with disbelief.

The mighty swordsman's once-dominant sword energy had been obliterated by Kaido's attack. Now, Kaido's raw power had forced Hawkeye onto the defensive, his stance visibly shaken. For a moment, it seemed as if Hawkeye—the world's greatest swordsman—had met his match.

Had Kaido truly overwhelmed even Hawkeye?