One Piece: Getting Stronger by Writing a Diary

Buzz!

The previously clear sky suddenly manifested a second sun.

No, it wasn't a sun—rather, a glowing eye of lightning appeared high in the heavens.

As the Eye of Thunder materialized, the radiance of the actual sun seemed to be eclipsed, as if retreating before its presence.

Mihawk's expression turned solemn as he silently raised his black blade, Yoru, pointing it at the thunderous eye in the sky.

His sharp senses detected the immense threat concealed within the electrifying gaze.

"It's coming!"

Mihawk infused his blade with Armament Haki, the dark energy coalescing along the edge as he swung it sharply toward the sky.

At the exact moment of Mihawk's strike, Arton's blade descended from above with a force that seemed to cleave the very heavens.

Boom!

A deafening clap of thunder reverberated through the air.

The spectators instinctively covered their ears, trying to shield themselves from the earth-shaking sound.

Before they could even cry out, the ship's violent trembling threw them to the deck in disarray.

"What... what is that?!"

"You've got to be kidding, right?"

"The sea… the sea is splitting apart?!"

Zoro, reacting faster than anyone else, quickly stood and turned toward the clash between Arton and Mihawk.

The moment he caught sight of the scene, he froze in shock.

Arton's violet blade and Mihawk's Yoru were locked in a fierce collision.

From their point of contact, the ocean behind them had been split cleanly in two.

Behind Arton, the divided sea shimmered with emerald wind.

Meanwhile, the sea behind Mihawk glowed with violet lightning.

It was evident that their strikes, filled with monumental power, had passed through one another and extended to the waters behind them, carving them apart.

And this… was merely the residual energy leaking from their clash.

Conis: "The... the Thunder God!"

Raki: "A true Thunder God's blade—only this level of power can be called greatness!"

Tashigi: "Th-this is the swordsmanship of the world's greatest swordsman versus Arton's Raiden Shogun?!"

Charlotte Smoothie: "Dangerous... to so effortlessly slice apart the sea."

Whitey Bay: "The Musou no Hitotachi is truly fearsome. As long as it's executed, it's destined not to be weak!"

Gion: "It seems we need to reevaluate Nami. Her potential is terrifyingly immense."

Doll: "With the Raiden Shogun template and the way Nami racks up points from Arton, it's nearly impossible for her not to become stronger."

Kujaku: "Either way, Nami has given us a solid strategy. Even if Arton dislikes the Marines, if someone could win him over first, perhaps he'd slowly let go of his grudge."

Charlotte Galette: "But given the current situation, even if someone wanted to approach him, they'd have to break through the defenses of the women around him. That Carina is already wary of Nami, and if we approached Arton, Carina and Nami might join forces against us."

Charlotte Cinnamon: "No matter what, it's worth a try! If we sisters work together, we'll find a way to seize the opportunity!"

*

"Musou no Hitotachi, huh? Truly a remarkable strike," Mihawk said, smiling, as he pressed his Yoru against Arton's blade.

"Yet you still handled it with such ease. As expected of the world's greatest swordsman, Mihawk," Arton remarked, his sword locked in a clash of power with Mihawk's black blade.

Though Mihawk's attack appeared to be a deceptively simple swing, Arton could feel its devastating might. That single swing could likely shatter a meteor.

Had he not used the Musou Isshin, Arton might have found himself at a disadvantage.

"Haha, no matter. Just witnessing a strike like that is enough to satisfy me," Mihawk replied, his smile unwavering.

"I can tell, though—even you seem not to have fully unleashed the potential of that blade."

"How did you manage to use the power of that girl, Nami?" Mihawk asked curiously.

"Haha, that's a secret," Arton replied with a sly smile. "But rather than discussing that, shouldn't we continue?"

As he spoke, the electricity around his body began to crackle violently, surging toward the blade in his hand.

"Indeed," Mihawk nodded. "Let's continue speaking with our swords."

Powerful Haki infused Mihawk's black blade, swirling with intensity. Although he initially sought out Arton to witness his Unlimited Blade Works, seeing the Musou no Hitotachi had piqued Mihawk's curiosity about Arton's current abilities with the Raiden Shogun's power.

The two fighters simultaneously stepped back, a synchronized preparation for their next move. In the blink of an eye, their blades became streaks of light and shadow, hurtling toward each other with lethal precision.

The clash of their swords unleashed surging thunder and slicing wind, spreading outward like waves of destruction. The sea, already split from their previous strikes, roared and convulsed as massive waves began forming, rolling toward the Baratie.

"I really am just a frog in a well…"

"The world is so vast…" Zoro muttered, clenching his fists tightly, his eyes filled with longing and determination.