So Mihawk wanted to see his strength?
Fine.
Moria would show him!
...
The whole thing was over in an instant.
Moria stared in disbelief at the broken blade in his hand, blood running from the slash across his chest as his body swayed unsteadily.
He slowly raised his head toward Mihawk.
This made no sense.
How was the man this strong?
Before coming here, Moria had assumed Mihawk might be somewhat stronger than him, but the difference should not have been overwhelming.
Moria had also recovered much of his old strength, so he had expected them to be roughly evenly matched.
After all, an alliance worked best when both sides were close in strength.
But now…
Mihawk had drawn his sword once. After cutting through Moria's weapon and chest, he calmly returned Yoru to his back.
"You aren't strong enough. And you expect to challenge Whitebeard?"
Moria had been furious when Mihawk said it earlier.
Now, he had no reply.
"Leave."
Mihawk walked straight past him without another glance.
"That bastard…"
Only after Mihawk disappeared did Moria grit his teeth and curse.
The wound across his chest was not serious. His powerful body had already tightened the muscles around it and stopped the bleeding.
The blow to his confidence was far worse.
Mihawk had challenged Whitebeard and lost, and the fight had apparently not lasted very long.
Yet Moria could not even withstand one slash from Mihawk.
Could gathering a few allies truly be enough to defeat Whitebeard?
"Captain?"
Hogback glanced at the wound on Moria's chest and cautiously called out to him.
"Come on. We'll find someone else."
Moria's doubts did not last long.
Whatever happened, he still had to try.
If Mihawk refused to cooperate, there were plenty of other people on Sky Island.
Mihawk paid no attention to where Moria went next.
He left the residence and headed directly toward the Hunter Guild's town outside the examination grounds.
...
"Zehahaha! This place really is lively!"
Before Mihawk reached the town, a strange laugh rang out nearby.
He turned toward it, and his pupils immediately contracted.
"I never expected to meet you here."
The blind swordsman with rolled-back white eyes smiled and turned toward Mihawk's position.
"Issho."
Mihawk held considerable respect for powerful swordsmen.
Issho's swordsmanship might be enhanced by his Devil Fruit, but strength was strength.
"Our last battle ended before either of us could truly enjoy it. I hope we have another opportunity to fight."
Mihawk fixed his hawk-like eyes on Issho.
"I have no objection, but this isn't the right place. Neither of us could fight freely here."
Issho shook his head and gestured toward their surroundings.
"The world's greatest swordsman!"
Teach, who was walking behind Robin and Issho, stared eagerly at Mihawk.
"I'm no longer the world's greatest swordsman."
Mihawk glanced at him and shook his head.
"Cyrus may be stronger than you, but his strength doesn't come from swordsmanship," Issho pointed out.
"It makes no difference."
Mihawk's expression remained serious.
"Would you care to join us, Mr. Mihawk?"
Robin smiled and extended an invitation.
She could tell he was also heading toward the Hunter Guild's town.
"Very well."
Mihawk nodded.
"I heard Pops is here too?"
Teach seemed fascinated by Mihawk and struck up a conversation as they continued walking.
"He is."
Mihawk nodded, though his expression changed slightly.
'Pops?'
Was this man one of the Whitebeard Pirates?
Mihawk turned his gaze toward Teach, his intimidating eyes moving slightly as he studied him.
The man did not appear weak.
"Our crew ran into Chairman Cyrus in the New World," Teach explained. "After a huge battle, we lost and Pops was taken away."
Teach already understood Robin and Issho's personalities, so he made no effort to hide the truth.
"Never thought I'd reach Sky Island and hear Pops was here. Marco and the others will be thrilled when they find out."
Teach sounded perfectly sincere.
Mihawk, however, could sense that the emotion in his voice, expression, and words was not entirely genuine.
Whoosh!
Before Mihawk could respond—and just as Teach prepared to continue—a violent gust swept past them.
All four raised their heads slightly.
A long-haired woman in a tight-fitting qipao streaked past like a hurricane and vanished into the distant town.
They stopped and turned around together.
Two more figures were approaching from behind.
The man in front had long silver-white hair, a bottle of liquor in one hand and a sword in the other.
Behind him walked a woman with a cigarette between her lips.
"Dark King Rayleigh!"
Teach called out in an exaggerated voice.
"Come now. I'm only a retired old man these days."
Rayleigh had made no effort to hide his approach. He smiled when he reached the group.
"You can say that all you like, but no one is going to underestimate a legendary pirate like you."
Teach sounded almost excited.
"You're from Whitebeard's ship, aren't you?" Rayleigh asked after studying him. "Why are you travelling with these two?"
"Cyrus put him on our ship."
Robin shook her head.
She did not fully understand what Cyrus intended, but she saw no reason to question it.
Cyrus must have had his reasons.
"We should keep moving. Hancock heard Cyrus was here and refused to wait for the rest of us."
Rayleigh sighed helplessly.
Robin narrowed her eyes slightly, nodded, and resumed walking toward the town.
Her pace quietly quickened.
"Miss Robin!"
The Hunter guarding the entrance immediately straightened when he recognized her.
"Where's Cyrus?"
Robin went straight to the point.
"He's inside the branch office."
"Thank you."
Robin nodded and walked even faster.
…
Inside the branch office, Cyrus watched a figure rush toward him with a gust of wind behind her, clearly intending to crash into him chest-first.
Tap!
He raised one hand and planted a finger against Boa Hancock's forehead.
The Pirate Empress's head snapped backward, and her entire body came to an abrupt stop.
Fortunately, she was accustomed to leaning absurdly far back whenever she looked down on others.
Even with her neck bent almost to its limit, she suffered no injury.
Hancock straightened and gazed at Cyrus, her cheeks flushed bright red.
"Lord Cyrus, I have finally been blessed with the sight of you again."
Cyrus looked at the infatuated woman before him. His Observation Haki had already detected the others approaching.
"Take a seat."
He gestured casually.
Hancock glanced toward the nearby chair and obediently walked over.
Just as she was about to sit, she looked back at Cyrus's unguarded back and suddenly leapt.
Cyrus sensed the movement too late.
This time, Hancock's chest-first charge succeeded.
She clung to him like a koala, wrapping both legs around his waist and both arms around his head.
With her eyes closed and a blissful expression on her face, she breathed in his scent.
Cyrus's nose was filled with a sweet fragrance.
He grabbed Hancock by her slender waist and tried to pull her off.
She had clearly put every ounce of strength into holding on, even reinforcing herself with Armament Haki.
"Lord Cyrus, if you truly didn't want this, there's no way I could ever get this close to you."
Feeling his hands around her waist, Hancock whispered into his ear.
Tiny hearts seemed to shine in her eyes.
Cyrus's eyes widened where his face was pressed against her.
"Ahem."
Robin's cough came from the doorway.
Hancock's expression shifted. She released her legs and arms on her own and dropped lightly to the floor.
Turning around, she found several people standing outside.
"My apologies. It seems we interrupted you."
Robin spoke without expression, then walked up to Cyrus and opened her arms.
Cyrus smiled and pulled her into an embrace.
"I believe the rest of us should probably leave."
Issho smiled as he made the teasing remark.
"You too?"
Cyrus shook his head.
"Sit down."
His left hand was still around Robin's waist. He gave her a gentle pat, and Robin released him.
Rayleigh looked from Robin to Hancock, whose eyes remained locked firmly on Cyrus, then exchanged a glance with Shakky.
Both wore the same helpless expression.
Their daughter was completely hopeless.
The real problem was Cyrus.
Rayleigh could not beat him, so even if he wanted to defend Hancock's honor later, there was nothing he could do.
Still, Cyrus was not a bad man.
"I heard from Crocodile on Sabaody that all of you were travelling to Sky Island together. I didn't expect you to arrive so quickly."
Cyrus looked around the group, his gaze lingering briefly on Rayleigh.
"We travelled at full speed," Issho explained. "Robin had me use my ability to keep accelerating the ship. It was exhausting. Looking back, I suspect she believed she would find you here."
He smiled faintly.
"It appears she was correct."
"Hancock was much the same," Rayleigh added. "The sea beast pulling our ship nearly died from exhaustion."
"A sea beast?"
Issho turned his smiling face toward him.
"A Sea King we caught in the Calm Belt and put to work pulling the ship."
Rayleigh shrugged.
"If it meant seeing Lord Cyrus one day sooner, then even dying from exhaustion would have been worth it!" Hancock spoke without hesitation.
Rayleigh's expression stiffened.
He gave her a speechless look, then decided not to say anything more.
Forget it. There was no saving her now.
And if the man was Cyrus, at least she had chosen someone decent.
"We saw Morgans's newspaper before arriving," Issho said, turning his pale eyes toward Cyrus. "You erased Wano?"
"Yes."
Cyrus had no reason to deny it.
"Was that truly necessary?"
Issho and Rayleigh asked almost simultaneously.
"All the normal people there had already been evacuated. The only things left were demonic monsters. I didn't feel like clearing them out one by one, so I erased the island."
"Whatever Lord Cyrus did, he must have had a good reason."
Hancock nodded with complete seriousness.
"Of course I had a reason."
Cyrus nodded in agreement.
"Then was the ship that surfaced afterward truly Pluton?" Robin suddenly asked.
"Oh? You already know about that?"
Cyrus looked surprised.
"Morgans printed photographs of it."
Seeing that he had not heard, Robin explained.
"That damned bird…"
Cyrus frowned briefly before relaxing again.
Perhaps this was for the best.
Pluton was now in the Marines' hands. Given the World Government's usual behaviour, they would certainly try to seize it.
But the Marines…
Cyrus remembered his conversation with Sengoku.
That man would not surrender it easily.
Even if he did, Pluton was ultimately only an enormous weapon capable of intimidating ordinary people.
It posed little threat to Cyrus.
Besides, after sitting underground for so many years, it would not be ready for use anytime soon.
"We saw creatures like those demons once before."
Rayleigh hesitated briefly before speaking.
"God Valley, right?"
Cyrus smiled as he sat down.
Under Robin's watchful gaze, Hancock naturally moved to sit on Cyrus's lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Even Cyrus had not expected her to do it so casually.
He placed his hands beneath her and lifted her back to her feet.
"We'll deal with our personal matters later. I need to discuss something important now."
Hancock nodded obediently, every trace of her usual imperious manner gone.
Mihawk, who had remained silent until then, watched with the corner of his mouth twitching violently.
Even Cyrus could not escape this sort of trouble?
A swordsman was supposed to devote himself entirely to the blade.
Rayleigh glanced at Hancock and gave a bitter smile.
"You truly know a great deal. Yes, it happened during the battle at God Valley. Rocks, the dominant pirate of that era, became one of those monsters. That evil power could also spread to others."
His expression became solemn.
"Roger was still shaken whenever he spoke about it afterward."
"That's right. For ordinary people, the power is terrifying."
Cyrus nodded.
"And it hasn't been completely eliminated. Some of it escaped from Wano before I arrived. The Marines destroyed part of it, but they couldn't possibly have found every last trace."
"Isn't that a disaster?"
Teach had remained silent while listening to the discussion.
Now that he understood the situation, his expression changed sharply.
Anger also flashed deep within his eyes.
Everyone turned toward Cyrus.
"Why are you all looking at me?"
Cyrus knew exactly what they wanted, but he merely spread his hands.
"A small number won't cause much damage for now. I have other matters to deal with."
"So whatever is happening here is more important?"
Rayleigh's tone became serious.
"There's a source behind all of this. Until that person is dealt with, clearing away individual demons has little meaning."
Cyrus shook his head.
"The one hiding behind the World Government?" Issho asked.
He had heard Cyrus mention that person several times.
Cyrus did not seem worried about the threat to himself.
But a danger that meant nothing to Cyrus could still be devastating to everyone else.
"My conflict with the World Government is far from settled. Even after the government itself is defeated, the person behind it will still need to be dealt with."
Cyrus's expression became more serious.
"That one is genuinely dangerous."
If Imu had not been so troublesome, Cyrus would have killed her already.
Everyone understood the meaning behind his words.
After a short silence, Rayleigh sighed and stood.
"Fine. What did you bring me here to do?"
He looked utterly exhausted already.
"Let me warn you now: if it involves hard work, don't bother asking. I've been retired for years."
Seeing Rayleigh's lazy expression, Cyrus thought for a moment.
Then he raised his right arm and wrapped it around Hancock's waist.
Rayleigh's eyes widened as he glared at him in displeasure.