How can I become the Pirate King if you don’t work hard?.

Chapter 298 Offensive and defensive changes
The sound fell to the ground.

Gao Wen's figure then vanished into thin air.

When he reappeared, the tip of Kanze Masamune's sword was already touching the blade of the black sword Yoru.
The exaggerated force propelled Hawkeye nearly 100 meters away, completely tearing open the already bleeding tiger's mouth!

"interesting!"

"interesting!"

“It’s so much fun!”

Hawkeye casually flicked the blood off his knife, but his eyes showed no sign of backing down; all he saw was the purest desire to win!

Like a long-awaited rain falling on parched land, his soul almost burned at that moment!
I want to win!
I really want to win!
Hawkeye had forgotten how long it had been since he had a similar thought.

All he knew was that ever since he took the title of the world's greatest swordsman, what awaited him was one boring victory after another.

Yes.

boring.

The same thing, the same result, endless repetition—anyone would get bored, even Hawkeye.

In recent years, he has rarely fought against the swordsmen who come to Kranai Island to challenge him.

The vast majority of confident newcomers fail at the human imitator stage.

Even the few exceptionally talented swordsmen who manage to stand before Hawkeye lose the courage to draw their swords when facing Black Blade Yoru.

But Gawain is different!
This guy is an absolute anomaly, an anomaly that cannot be judged by common sense!

His physique, swordsmanship, domineering presence, and fighting spirit are all among the best in the world.

Even Hawkeye had to admit that he was no match for the young man in front of him.

But it was precisely because of this that the desire to win, which he had almost forgotten...

Do not!
The feeling that the summit was right in front of me, waiting for me to climb it, became increasingly clear at this moment.

So much so that even his soul trembled!
"Gawain!"

Hawkeye roared, gripped his knife with both hands, stomped his feet, and sped towards Gawain like a streak of light!

He unleashed a ferocious and powerful kasaya slash from top to bottom!
laugh!
The blade's energy sliced ​​across the earth, cutting everything in sight.

The gnarled tree roots, the churning seawater, and the clouds at the edge of the field of vision were all split in two.

It seemed as if the heavens and earth were being completely cleaved apart by his single strike.

No one can withstand this blow head-on!

At that moment, not only Hawkeye himself, but everyone present made this judgment.

However, their faces were also filled with some kind of indescribable emotion.

"The title of world's number one is no accident. In our time, there was no one who could achieve this level solely through swordsmanship."

Rayleigh exclaimed in admiration:
"Roger and Whitebeard are undoubtedly stronger overall, but they are far inferior in swordsmanship, and even that monster Redfield is not as good as him in this respect."

"only……"

Kizaru glanced at Rayleigh, then turned to look at the battlefield in the distance.

He pretended not to hear certain key words in Rayleigh's words, and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise as well:
"Hawkeye has lost."

"They were defeated by younger, more powerful monsters."

The world fell silent for a moment, with only the distant waves still rising and falling, lapping against the tree roots on the beach.

Seabirds flew across, gliding close to the water's surface, only to be startled and take flight again in the next moment.

puff--!
A line of blood burst open on Gawain's shoulder; Hawkeye's sword had broken through his defenses, leaving a wound on his shoulder.

Gawain's arm remained in the grip of his sword, and Masamune Kanze's blade was lightly pressed against Hawkeye's throat. One inch more and he would have severed the head of the world's greatest swordsman.

"Did you lose?"

Hawkeye let out a reluctant murmur, and the buzzing of Black Blade Night slowly subsided at that moment.

His gaze fell on Gao Wen's wound, and his expression became somewhat complicated.

"The same location?!"

"Ah."

"It's really ironic."

After a sigh, Hawkeye looked up at Gawain, his eyes filled with unspoken admiration:

“I anticipated that one day a young swordsman would step on my shoulders to reach a higher level in swordsmanship, but I never imagined that day would come so soon.”

"That piece of gold, which was once full of impurities, is now a lion with its jaws wide open, ready to devour the world."

"From a former Marine Admiral, to slaying the legends of Water 7, and now to becoming the world's greatest swordsman, where... is your final destination?!"

"Who knows about things like that?!"

Gao Wen responded, turned his head to look at the wound on his shoulder, and his eyes also showed an indescribable surprise.

He won this battle.

They lost too.

It should be noted that after Gawain awakened the Grandmaster title, even his physical combat strength had firmly established him as a mid-legendary. He once thought that his swordsmanship was almost invincible in this world.

But it was only then that he realized.

Hawkeye's skill in swordsmanship is no less than his own, and may even be slightly better.

Hawkeye was not defeated by swordsmanship, but by Gawain's almost flawless attack panel.

The fact that he could fight Gawain to this extent despite being at a complete disadvantage in terms of physique and domineering presence is enough to speak volumes.

Based on this, Gao Wen also made a general assessment of Hawkeye's combat capabilities.

Legendary mid-ranking player.

He was stronger than he was before he reached Water 7, and his strength was comparable to his strength when he defeated Shiki.

Without relying on Devil Fruits, there are probably no more than a handful of beings in the entire world who can achieve this level of skill.

"Humph."

Hawkeye gave a soft hum and slowly closed his eyes.

Life and death are beyond his control, yet a slight smile appeared on his lips.

The battle he had just fought had given him immense satisfaction, and the loneliness he had felt at the top had vanished.

Hawkeye was prepared to face death, but the chill on his neck dissipated at that moment.

At that moment, Gao Wen's voice also reached his ears:
"Zoro is a rough gem that needs polishing, I am gold with impurities, and you are a jewel that has fallen from its pedestal."

“Mihawk, from now on, you are the challenger.”

"I'm waiting for the day you come back to me and please me!"

Hawkeye's expression froze. He slowly opened his eyes and saw Gawain's mocking expression.

He never imagined that this day would come, but the feeling was indescribably wonderful.

There is a road ahead, and the mountains are high and have peaks.

No longer is he alone standing at the highest point, looking down on everything.

I have a goal again, a path I must take, and a peak I must overcome.

Hawkeye's body completely gave way in the next moment, and he slowly fell backward.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha--!"

With Hawkeye's unrestrained laughter, the battle came to an end.

There was silence all around.

Only the passing sea breeze howled incessantly, bringing with it a chill.

Standing to the side, Zoro watched the two figures in the arena and quietly gripped the long sword in his hand.

He could sense Muramasa's unusual excitement.

No.

It wasn't just the knife that was exciting.

And himself.

"One day, I will stand before you, no, I will stand before all of you!"

"At the pinnacle of swordsmanship, there should be, no, there definitely will be my name!"

"I will make my name resound throughout the seas, and even in heaven and hell!" *Thud!*
Zoro pressed the restless Muramasa back into his sheath.

He was equally restless and eager to fight the two swordsmen who represented the world's top two.

But he knew even better that he was not yet capable of intervening in a battle of that magnitude.

I still have a long way to go.

"You have very good eyesight too~"

"Young people~"

Rayleigh took a sip of the strong liquor in the pot, glanced at Zoro, and couldn't help but speak.

Physical potential cannot be seen with the eyes, but beliefs and will are revealed in every word and deed.

He had seen many young men with eyes like Zoro's over the years.

Most of them perished in the continuous battles, but as long as they survived, they could gain a foothold in the new world and make a name for themselves.

"Is the era Roger predicted about about to arrive?!"

"This is so exciting!"

"That name buried in history will also emerge in the future and bring about change to this world..."

"No!"

Rayleigh suddenly looked up at Gawain, his lips gradually widening into a grin as he became increasingly excited:
"If there really is a divinely ordained savior in this world, that would be the greatest insult to these people."

"The most beautiful thing about this world is precisely its uncontrollability. In the midst of free will and free tide, endless variables will inevitably emerge."

"This is the future that Roger envisioned!"

"We need more people like Knight Gawain!"

"History should not have set rules, nor should it be rewritten by any one person. This world does not need a savior; it needs a group of people who can save themselves!"

Rayleigh raised his sake jug towards Gawain, Mihawk, Zoro, and even Kizaru beside him:
"cheers!"

After saying that, he drank all the strong liquor in the pot in one gulp.

The strong liquor burned like a flame from his mouth all the way to his stomach, warming him up completely.

"Grandpa~"

"Don't do something so unnecessary for yourself!"

Kizaru gave Rayleigh a deep look, then took out a Den Den Mushi from his pocket and sent the news of the end of the battle back to Marine Headquarters.

"Is the battle over?!"

On the other end of the phone, Sengoku's tone visibly relaxed.

The Sabaody Archipelago is located near the Navy Headquarters. If something were to happen there, it would undoubtedly be a slap in the face to the Navy.

It's fortunate that the problem was resolved ahead of schedule.

But Kizaru's next words made him stand up from his seat.

"However, the title of the world's greatest swordsman will change hands from today onwards."

"What's the meaning?!"

"That Hawkeye was defeated by Knight Gawain, and that was without Gawain using his Devil Fruit powers. In other words, if it were a life-or-death battle, the outcome would have been decided long ago."

"Knight Gawain's combat power is completely out of control."

"If headquarters decides to take action against him later, they will at least send two or more general-level combatants."

The Warring States period was momentarily breathless.

He still remembered that the last time Gao Wen's bounty was placed on his desk was more than a year ago.

At that time, Gawain was just a pirate who had just made a name for himself, and the Navy Headquarters could easily have eliminated him if they really wanted to.

But no one could have predicted that, just two years later, the other party's threats would have reached this point.

simply……

"Are you kidding me? That Hawkeye... do you know how strong he is!"

"Lord Sengoku!"

Kizaru's emotionless voice calmed Sengoku down.

"Hawkeye and Knight Gawain should have some connection. Although he is currently in the G5 branch in Water Seven, he also has a close relationship with Knight Gawain."

"In other words, if he wanted to, he could easily achieve what Rocks did back then."

"It's no longer that Knight Gawain needs the Shichibukai title; it's that we need to use that title to keep him in check."

"To put it another way, starting now..."

"Offense and defense have shifted."

Sengoku felt a tightness in his chest, and thinking of the situation at the Navy Headquarters, he felt even more pressured.

Zephyr didn't take any personnel from Marine Headquarters, but some people might volunteer to be transferred to his command.

Newcomers who have risen to prominence in the last two years, such as Smoker, Black Cage Tina, and even Aokiji, have all followed Zephyr. Zephyr has even found another newcomer whose combat power is comparable to that of a General of the Headquarters.

In other words.

In just a few months since Zefa took over the G5 branch, its top-level combat strength has become almost on par with the headquarters.

This was something the Warring States period had not anticipated.

He needed another voice within the Navy as a tool to check the World Government, but he didn't expect that Zephyr could actually do this!
Now, Gawain's power is almost out of control again...

Sengoku looked back at the words "Justice" behind the marshal's seal and for the first time had the thought of retiring.

The crucial issue is that Aokiji, who was originally the most suitable candidate to succeed as Fleet Admiral, was lured away by Zephyr, and Akainu, the second choice, is now demoralized. As for Kizaru...

Just don’t mention it!

hiss--!
Warring States period took a deep breath:

"I understand. Once you've finished dealing with things over there, come back."

beep--!
The Den Den Mushi hung up.

Kizaru slowly put it back into his pocket.

Sentomaru and his group also rushed to the battlefield at this moment, and captured a few pirates along the way, intending to slack off and get by like Sentomaru.

"Uncle, is the battle over?!"

Sentomaru slung his battle axe over his shoulder and walked a few steps to Kizaru.

"Ah, Knight Gawain has won. From today onwards, the title of the world's greatest swordsman has changed hands."

"That rascal……"

Sentomaru turned to look at Gawain.

What came into view was a young man with a calm demeanor, handsome appearance, and an indescribable air about him.

I couldn't help but feel a little curious.

"Is he the man who defeated Hawkeye?"

"Stop being curious."

Kizaru waved his hand and turned to leave.

Seeing this, Sentomaru didn't linger any longer. He glanced at Gawain again and then followed Kizaru away.

He couldn't help but mutter to himself:

"I thought that guy would be a good friend of Mr. Vegapunk."

"maybe."

Kizaru responded.

The sun cast a blinding golden light, shining on his sunglasses and obscuring his eyes.

Kizaru muttered:

"They both possess the same quality: a profound and unusual understanding of the world that goes beyond the norm. In a way, they would have a lot in common."

"However, none of that matters. Hawkeye's defeat... the world..."

"It's about to boil!"

(End of this chapter)