Although Kuro used a little trick in the end, that killing blade still possessed combat intelligence; he couldn't fight like a wild beast.
Kuro's killing intent is a characteristic of Ragi, just as Mihawk's sword can combine both hardness and flexibility. This is a characteristic of swords used by swordsmen, and it exists implicitly.
Under the same conditions, Kuro forced him to retreat from the boundary, which shows his strength, and he won.
He is very arrogant, but when facing Kuro, who is at the same level or even higher than him, he can treat him as an equal, because even if they release their full power, it is actually about the same. So, the result of such a contest where strength is suppressed is the same.
Mihawk was very clear about this, so he conceded defeat very decisively.
As for Kuro...
"???"
Three question marks first appeared above Kuro's head. He stood there stunned for a while before suddenly realizing what was happening.
yes!
Damn it...
It seems he accepted Mihawk's invitation to the duel, which was wagered on the title of the world's greatest swordsman.
"Wait, wait..."
Kuro rubbed his temples, looking quite troubled, and said, "How about we forget about it? Look, neither of us used our full strength, so we won't fight. You can stay in this position; I'm not interested in this."
Mihawk's eyes narrowed upon hearing this, and he suddenly swung his black blade, his fighting spirit surging. "You mean you want to fight a battle without any distinction? I'd be happy to!"
Kuro wanted to slap himself, and quickly denied it: "No, no, no! Forget I said anything, I am now the world's greatest swordsman!"
Mihawk smiled and said, "Please take a seat first, I'll come back for more later."
His long-cherished wish has been fulfilled. Mihawk is invincible among swordsmen, but he wants others to surpass him so that he will have the motivation to keep moving forward.
Therefore, even though he was the world's greatest swordsman, he never refused any challengers and was frantically searching for qualified challengers.
Until he met Kuro, the man closest to his throne, he finally surpassed himself and took that position.
This means that Mihawk has a new goal.
"It's...a long-lost feeling of passion." Mihawk smiled faintly.
"Wait, wait a minute, wait a minute."
Seeing that Mihawk seemed a bit persistent, Kuro said with a headache, "I remember I won. You have to grant me a few requests."
“Isn’t it one?” Mihawk asked.
"Okay, one it is."
Kuro readily agreed, "My condition is simple: you must announce to those swordsmen that before they can challenge me, they must first challenge you, and only those who defeat you are qualified to challenge me."
Unlike Mihawk, who was constantly looking for challengers, Kuro found this thing extremely annoying, and the best solution was to find a scapegoat.
Mihawk is a ready-made shield. Although the position has been given to him now, his strength is undeniable. He is, after all, the 'second greatest swordsman in the world'. By having him defend against challengers, I can be quite free and not have to deal with those who are after the world's greatest swordsman.
As for who can defeat Mihawk?
As far as swordsmen are concerned, they basically don't exist.
When that one person truly emerges, Kuro won't care. If he's that powerful, he'll simply give up his position to him.
Moreover, he and Mihawk fought purely with swordsmanship, but that doesn't mean that a skilled swordsman isn't a swordsman. A pure swordsman is a pure swordsman, and an impure swordsman is also a swordsman, like Daz Bones, whom Mihawk remembered.
Once you use your abilities, no one can truly defeat you.
Upon hearing this request, Mihawk nodded thoughtfully. "I see. You are indeed a proud man, not wanting the weak to get close? Fine, I agree."
Kuro: "..."
"Interpret it however you like."
He sighed.
To be honest, he's become increasingly indifferent to these kinds of things lately.
He had plenty of lice to worry about, and he had plenty of work to do. Whether it was titles or reputation, he was already famous far and wide.
In terms of power, he has the authority to coordinate and select the Seven Warlords of the Sea, as well as command the Navy's intelligence and espionage agency 'Sword'. He is also a Vice Admiral, an Admiral candidate, and directly under Kizaru.
In terms of reputation, it doesn't matter if he's the nemesis of the old era, undefeated against the Four Emperors, defeated Blackbeard, or even the title of the world's greatest swordsman.
He used to be neither famous nor unknown, and people kept him in their thoughts. Now that he's famous, fewer people keep their eyes on him.
The most important thing is that he is not yet a general. As long as he is not a general, it's fine. If he is not a general, he will definitely not be the first one to be eliminated when facing a dangerous opponent like the Four Emperors.
If the old man can hold on for another twenty years, and in another twenty years, given the current turbulent world situation, the world will definitely have changed long ago.
If things continue as they are, it certainly won't be as intense as it is now. What good will it do me to become a general then?
As long as the core plan goes smoothly, he's fine with whatever he does now.
The main issue is that things have already come to this point; thinking about demotion or anything like that is probably impossible.
Too lazy to continue talking to Mihawk, Kuro reached out and sent golden dust falling from the sky to wrap Luo Gui up again. He then summoned Shusui and tucked it into his waistband. With a flick of his wrist, he flew to the harbor.
Kuro looked at Shanks and asked, "Hey, what are you still doing here? Waiting for me to treat you to dinner?"
"Oh? Are you going to treat me to dinner?" the redhead laughed.
"I'll treat you to braised pork belly, will you eat it?" Kuro asked through gritted teeth.
"Is it good?" Shanks asked with a smile.
“Shanks, he meant he was going to stab you with a knife,” Ben Beckman said.
Shanks paused for a moment, then scratched his head and laughed, "Hahaha, no need for that then, guys, let's go."
With that, he waved his hand, and the Red-Haired Pirates' officers left with him.
"Hey, Mihawk, wanna go for a drink?" Shanks suddenly paused and looked at Mihawk, who was still on the island.
"He doesn't need you to ask him."
Kuro retorted, "If I didn't see it, that's fine, but if I did see it, that's unacceptable. How can a dignified Shichibukai mingle with pirates?"
"Haha, you're right. Then I won't make things difficult for you. Let's drink next time, Mihawk."
Shanks shrugged, waved at Mihawk, and left on his own.
On the way, Ben Beckman asked, "Hey Shanks, is this really okay? We're being used."
“There’s nothing wrong with that. I think I know who’s using me now. Those navy people want this prestige. They want Jin Ni to become an admiral. Coincidentally, I want that too. Once he’s in that position, his focus won’t be on just one thing.”
Shanks smiled. "Admiral, you're very busy."
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