The Dreadnaught Sabre being split in two shocked almost everyone at the Baratie.
Luffy and Zoro included.
After all, the two of them were still just rookies in the East Blue. They hadn't entered the Grand Line yet, and no one had ever really explained to them just how vast the world was.
Right now, both of them were still frogs in a well.
Luffy's grandfather, Garp, might have been one of the strongest people in the world, but he was usually too busy. Every time he returned to Foosha Village, he was either busy training Luffy or busy training Luffy.
He had absolutely no interest in explaining those kinds of things.
As a result, neither of them had any real concept of just how powerful the world's true monsters were.
So when they saw the massive Dreadnaught Sabre get cut clean in half, their first reaction was shock, not some calm sense that this was only natural.
Then a small boat slowly entered everyone's view.
Standing on the deck of the Baratie, Zoro's whole body started trembling.
Because he had seen it.
The ultimate goal he had sworn to challenge.
Dracule Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman.
Without a moment's hesitation, before his brain had even finished thinking, Zoro's body moved first.
In the blink of an eye, he had rushed straight in front of Mihawk.
"I challenge you, Hawk-Eye."
Mihawk's first reaction to this young man trying to challenge him was simple enough:
What kind of clueless idiot had just crawled out of nowhere?
He had seen plenty of people like this when he was younger and just starting out.
But as his fame rose and he took the title of the world's greatest swordsman, people that foolish had become fewer and fewer.
He truly hadn't expected to run into one in the East Blue, the weakest sea.
To be honest, Mihawk had no intention of taking this kind of fool seriously.
But since he was a little bored right now, he figured he might as well amuse himself.
Mihawk rose to his feet and looked down at Zoro from above.
"Pathetic weakling. If you really are a swordsman, then you should already understand the gap between us without even crossing blades."
"I'm curious. Is it courage or stupidity that made you challenge me?"
Zoro didn't react at all to Mihawk's mockery. He drew one sword and clenched it in his mouth.
"This is my dream. And a promise I made to someone precious to me."
His other two hands each gripped a katana.
Three-sword style Zoro had arrived.
Faced with a Zoro who was going all out from the very start, Mihawk expressionlessly took the tiny blade hanging from the cross on his neck.
And just like that, Rowan got to witness one of One Piece's most iconic scenes with his own eyes.
"Unfortunately, I don't have a smaller blade than this."
Rowan almost burst out laughing when he saw it.
It was too good.
Way too good.
When he'd read the manga, he had already thought this scene was great.
But seeing it happen live was even better than he had imagined.
Naturally, Zoro was furious at being looked down on like that.
But sometimes, the rage of the weak does nothing to change reality.
Even though Zoro gave it everything he had and unleashed the strongest slash he had ever thrown in his life—
Mihawk still blocked it casually with that tiny little knife.
The gap between them was just too great.
And so, the second iconic scene arrived right on cue.
"A swordsman never lets scars on his back be his shame!"
That line naturally moved Mihawk as well. After asking Zoro his name, Mihawk then gave him the words that would define the moment:
"No matter how many years pass, I will remain here, at the top, waiting for you. Surpass this sword. Surpass me, Roronoa Zoro!"
And after that came Zoro's vow to Luffy—that he would never lose again.
Watching it all unfold, Rowan couldn't help sighing.
"No wonder it's a hot-blooded shonen. This stuff really gets your blood pumping."
Robin nodded. "It really does. So then, with your blood all fired up, Rowan, aren't you going to step in and have a match with Hawk-Eye Mihawk?"
"A match? Why would I?"
Rowan looked at Robin in surprise, his expression practically asking, Why on earth would I fight Mihawk?
Robin smiled. "Aren't men supposed to be passionate and eager to fight? The moment they see a powerful man, they start speaking through fists, feet, blades, and blood, then come to admire each other, end up happy, become friends, and roll straight into a huge banquet."
"This is the Baratie, after all. If there's going to be a feast, the chefs and ingredients are all right here."
"It would absolutely be a grand one."
"Great food, fine drinks, bold new friends, and a lively atmosphere."
"Isn't that a wonderful thing?"
Rowan rubbed his chin, imagining the picture Robin had just described, and found himself nodding along.
"Well said. Please never say it again."
"Didn't I already tell you? All I want is to travel around, eat good food, and see sights I've never seen before. I'm not interested in fighting and killing at all."
"If you want to throw a feast that badly, why not go challenge Mihawk yourself?"
"If you win, we'll throw a party. If you lose, we'll attend your funeral."
Robin smiled faintly, rose from her seat, tied her hair back into a ponytail, and started walking toward Mihawk.
Rowan: "???"
No, wait. I was just joking. I was kidding. You're not actually going to challenge Mihawk, are you?
Sure, Robin had been extracting chakra and training in ninjutsu every day lately, and her strength had improved enormously.
But wasn't it a little too early to go challenge Mihawk?
"Whoa, whoa, hold on."
Rowan hurried to his feet and grabbed Robin. "Calm down, calm down. You're still not Mihawk's opponent. Don't go throwing your life away."
Judging from Mihawk's performance in the manga, he was absolutely at least near-Admiral level, if not outright Admiral-class.
Challenging someone like that was not a good idea.
Robin rolled her eyes. "Rowan, do you think I'm an idiot? I just have a few things I want to ask Mihawk. Why would I actually challenge him?"
Hearing that, Rowan laughed awkwardly a few times and muttered, "The second I said it, you started walking straight toward Mihawk. Of course I thought you were actually going to challenge him."
Seeing Robin's speechless expression, Rowan quickly changed the subject.
"You're not trying to recruit him, are you? To join forces against the Celestial Dragons?"
Robin nodded.
She really was thinking that.
Because later in the story, after the Warlord system was abolished, Mihawk and Crocodile formed the Cross Guild, put bounties on Marines in reverse, and openly provoked the World Government.
That alone showed that Mihawk was not on the World Government's side.
And if she wanted to overthrow the World Government, then she had to unite everyone who could possibly be united.
~~~
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