Chapter 186: Limitless

Claudius explained the Seven Warlords of the Sea program to Mihawk in detail, laying out the benefits and purpose behind it. Mihawk listened, his expression neutral, but it was clear he understood.

"So, in short," Mihawk said, frowning slightly, "your World Government wants me to become one of these Seven Warlords of the Sea and, in exchange, work for you? To fight pirates?"

Before Claudius could respond, Mihawk shook his head and said firmly, "Not interested."

Claudius didn't look discouraged. Instead, he smiled and said, "Don't be so quick to refuse. Isn't it a good deal?"

"It might be good for your World Government, but what's in it for me?" Mihawk asked, his frown deepening.

"The first benefit," Claudius said with a grin, "is that you won't end up in Impel Down."

Mihawk froze for a moment before narrowing his eyes. "Why would I end up there in the first place?"

"Come on, don't tell me you think you're a model citizen. Let me remind you, in addition to being a Celestial Dragon, I'm also part of CP-X. It's literally my job to catch pirates. You've got a bounty of 200 million berries on your head. If it weren't for the fact that you're more of a sword fanatic than a real threat, I might've taken you down yesterday."

Claudius said all this with a casual smile, but Mihawk's eyes sharpened as he regarded him warily. Before he could respond, Claudius continued, "That's just the first point.

"The second is this: if you agree to join the Seven Warlords of the Sea, no one from the World Government will bother you again. No Marines chasing you down, no more annoying interruptions when you're busy challenging swordsmen. Wherever you go, whatever you do, the World Government's protection will cover you."

Mihawk leaned back slightly, his expression thoughtful. While he was confident the Marines couldn't capture him, he couldn't deny they were a constant nuisance. Every time he docked somewhere, someone would inevitably "call the authorities," leading to Marines showing up to bother him, sometimes even trying to fight him. It was exhausting.

In truth, this alone was enough to pique Mihawk's interest. Without Claudius, Mihawk likely would've joined the Seven Warlords eventually, simply out of frustration with the Marines.

"And the third point," Claudius said, leaning forward slightly, "is that the Seven Warlords of the Sea is an organization. Working with us gives you access to something you don't currently have: information.

"You have no way of knowing how many hidden master swordsmen there are out there, people like Koshiro, living in seclusion. But the World Government's intelligence network is unmatched. If you become a Warlord, you can use that power to find more swordsmen to challenge, to sharpen your skills. Doesn't that sound like it's worth considering?"

Mihawk's eyes flickered, betraying a hint of interest. After a long pause, he asked, "Are you serious about that?"

"Of course," Claudius replied confidently.

Mihawk fell silent again, his gaze distant as he weighed the proposition. "It does sound like a good arrangement," he said at last.

Unlike many other pirates, Mihawk wasn't particularly concerned with morality or the idea of becoming a "dog of the World Government." His alignment was neutral at best, and he killed or spared people as he saw fit. Joining the Seven Warlords held no stigma for him. His earlier refusal was mostly due to the hassle of having to fulfill certain obligations.

But if the benefits outweighed the inconveniences, Mihawk had no reason to refuse.

"Under normal circumstances, you wouldn't be bothered. The World Government would only summon the Seven Warlords during major crises. Aside from that, you'd be free to do as you please, including keeping a share of whatever bounty or loot you acquire," Claudius explained, pausing for a moment before adding, "And let's be real: with the seas crawling with pirates these days, you're bound to encounter them when you're out looking for worthy opponents. Take them down with a single slash, keep whatever you want, and it still counts as fulfilling your duties. Not a bad deal, right?"

Mihawk mulled it over before saying, "That does sound reasonable. I was already thinking about challenging some of the strong Marines. I've heard there's a woman among them—Gion—who's supposed to be a formidable swordsman. If I join the Seven Warlords, will I be able to challenge Marine swordsmen legally?"

Claudius didn't hesitate. He immediately nodded and said, "Of course. If you want, I can even drop you off at Marineford myself."

Mihawk's eyes lit up slightly at the suggestion. "In that case, we have a deal."

"Well then, I look forward to working with you, Mr. Seven Warlords of the Sea—Dracule Mihawk," Claudius said with a smile.

"Likewise," Mihawk replied, giving a small nod.

Claudius felt satisfied. The negotiation had gone almost exactly as he'd expected. Mihawk had no strong feelings against joining, and as long as the benefits were clear, there was little reason for him to refuse.

With this matter resolved, Claudius turned his attention to the last loose end in East Blue: Kuina. He still needed to convince the girl to leave with him, but first, he had to speak with Koshiro again.

Claudius had already brought up the idea to Koshiro before, and though the man had been hesitant, he hadn't outright refused.

As much as Koshiro believed that Kuina, as a girl, couldn't reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship, she was still his only child. Beyond his traditional mindset, he also deeply cared for her. The fact that he had passed on the treasured sword Wado Ichimonji to Kuina showed how much he valued her.

Koshiro had even decided that Kuina would inherit the Isshin Dojo after his death, despite his reservations about her potential. It was a conflicted position: while he claimed girls couldn't reach the top in kendo, he still poured his teachings into her.

Claudius had made his case, promising to train Kuina and prove to Koshiro that she could become one of the greatest swordsmen in the world. Deep down, Claudius suspected Koshiro wanted to see Kuina succeed but was held back by his own beliefs.

After much discussion and reassurances, Koshiro finally agreed, though reluctantly. Claudius had also promised that he wouldn't restrict Kuina's freedom. if she ever wanted to return to Shimotsuki Village, she would be free to do so.

This promise had been easy for Claudius to make, as he didn't plan to keep her against her will. Now, all that remained was to convince Kuina herself to leave.

That part, Claudius thought, wouldn't be too hard. Kuina had always wanted to prove herself to her father and show that girls could become top-tier swordsmen. By appealing to that desire, Claudius was confident he could persuade her to come with him.

"What are you looking at?" Mihawk asked curiously, noticing Claudius's thoughtful expression.

Claudius smiled. "I'm looking at the future of female swordsmanship."

Mihawk followed his gaze toward Kuina. "Koshiro's daughter?" he murmured. After a moment of observation, he nodded and said, "Indeed. She's very talented. Her future is limitless."