One Piece: Starting as a Marine Lieutenant, I Slack Off and Get Stronger

Back on the sea, the battle between the two had reached a fever pitch.

Countless flashes of sword light crisscrossed, weaving a dense net, and Karl and Mihawk were the weavers of that net.

As the swords clashed, they produced a crisp, resonant sound, and the figures of the two became ethereal and almost imperceptible to the naked eye.

Chapter 220 Two Days and One Night

“You have indeed earned the right to stand on equal footing with me, Karl.”

"Oh? Is that so? But there can only be one greatest swordsman in the world."

Mihawk's lips curled up slightly: "Let's see if I can retain my title as the world's greatest swordsman, or if you will dethrone me."

"It's a matter of life and death, too?"

"Hahaha, with your abilities, I can't kill you, but if I lose, I'll die without regret."

Karl swung his sword in a diagonal slash, which was blocked by Black Blade Night. He said, "Isn't it a bit too serious?"

"You're one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and I'm a Marine Hero. We're at least nominal allies! There's no need to be so serious, is there?"

Mihawk dodged Karl's Raven and launched a counterattack, slashing at Karl's shoulder. Karl was unable to use Raven to defend in time and had to draw Thunderstorm to block Mihawk's attack.

Although being holy can grant immunity to physical attacks, Mihawk's attacks are all fiery, cough cough, I mean, each strike imbued with Armament Haki, making them unstoppable, since Haki is a rather sinister thing.

“I’m not joking. I was prepared for this from the day I decided to become a swordsman.”

“You’re not a pure swordsman, you wouldn’t understand.”

He ascended to the throne of the world's greatest swordsman by stepping over the corpses of countless swordsmen, and every swordsman who died by his blade was prepared for this.

When Mihawk first met Karl, he didn't have high expectations for him. After all, swordsmen are lonely, and the sword is their only companion, but Karl was different.

But Karl is different. He is a Marine, he is a Devil Fruit user, and his purpose in taking up a sword is not to become the world's greatest swordsman and stand at the pinnacle of swordsmanship, looking down on the swordsmen below.

To him, the sword was merely a tool, a weapon, and a means of fighting the enemy.

For Karl to stand at the same level as him, it can only be said that God was begging him for food.

"Indeed, I am not a pure swordsman, but I have high hopes for a guy. Look, that green-haired guy over there, I really think highly of him. He is very pure."

Mihawk glanced at him, then chuckled softly, "He's a swordsman too! Too bad, too green..."

“I tested him a long time ago, and he’s quite good. You can try him yourself; he won’t disappoint you.”

"Stop talking nonsense, don't forget we're still fighting!"

Mihawk's tone returned to calm, but the knife still held a murderous intent.

......

Sea restaurant.

Nami brought Usopp here and noticed the tense atmosphere around them. She asked curiously, "Are those two people fighting someone important?"

The sycophantic Sanji immediately swayed over with strange dance steps: "That's right, Miss Nami, I heard from that green-haired guy that it seems to be the Marine hero Vice Admiral White Raven and the world's greatest swordsman, Hawkeye Mihawk. You must not get too close, or you will get hurt."

"However... Miss Nami, please rest assured, I, your loyal knight Sanji, will always be by your side, my princess."

Nami didn't answer, staring wide-eyed at the two people fighting in the distance, then covered her mouth in surprise.

Lieutenant General Bai Ya—she knew that name all too well. Wasn't this the man she wanted to meet?

“Karl…”

Sanji nodded: "That's right, it's that guy everyone's jealous of. Hmph, what's so great about being good-looking! Nami, don't you think so!"

Nami ignored him, quickly turned around and returned to the Going Merry, taking out her binoculars.

“It really is him! So many years have passed, and he seems to have not changed at all... no, he seems to have grown a little taller.”

Yes, Nami's observation is very keen. Now Karl is a man who is over two meters tall. That's right, 2.03 meters, definitely over two meters.

Seeing Nami's reaction, Sanji asked curiously, "Miss Nami, have you met him before?"

Nami nodded: "Yes, I was only ten years old at the time. It was Vice Admiral Karl and Mr. Smoker who defeated the pirates who occupied our village. I have always been grateful to them."

Sanji stopped, and then he was filled with regret and despair.

What a beast! Nami was only ten years old then, how could that despicable Karl do such a thing?!

Luffy looked puzzled and said, "Hey, Nami, did you see that Karl when you were little? I saw him too, hmm, let me think, it was about 7 years ago!"

Nami glanced at Luffy, feeling a little strange. Was it really such a coincidence?

However, she didn't say anything and continued watching the duel between Karl and Mihawk.

No one expected that the battle would last so long.

On the vast ocean, Karl and Mihawk moved swiftly across the waves, almost ignoring the ocean's existence. Their swords clashed, producing a series of piercing metallic clangs.

Mihawk's blade is sharp and swift, each strike a deadly attack, while Karl is known for his agility, each strike a surprise attack, like a viper's tongue, but this is only true when defending and counterattacking.

In direct combat, Karl also employed a wide-ranging and fierce style.

As time went on, the close-quarters combat became faster and more precise. Mihawk's attacks grew increasingly fierce, while Karl's defense tightened, only to suddenly switch sides, leaving the audience breathless.

Suddenly, Carl noticed a weakness in Hawkeye's defense. He seized the opportunity and slashed out with a sudden, almost time-traveling strike, which landed on Mihawk's shoulder in the blink of an eye.

Clang! A dull sound.

Although Mihawk blocked the attack, he was knocked back a few steps and lost his balance. Mihawk's eyes did not change. He simply used the momentum to take a step back on the sea surface and retreated all the way to the wreckage before he regained his balance.

Mihawk was not one to back down, and immediately launched a counterattack, crossing the sea to charge towards Karl.

For two people at the peak of their skills and physique, this battle was destined to be far from over.

But this also sealed Mihawk's fate.

Because in this world, no one can talk to Karl about the word "endurance".

the next day.

As the sun gradually sets, a golden afterglow spills across the sea, its surface shimmering and rippling with golden light, as if the ocean is welcoming the arrival of the sunset.

Karl and Mihawk each stood on either side of the "sunset falling into the sea," swords in hand.

The two were simply in completely different states.

Karl's breathing remained steady, and there were no marks on his body, only his clothes were now tattered rags.

Mihawk was breathing rapidly, large beads of sweat slid down his cheeks, his body was covered in wounds, and his feet were already stained red with blood.

This battle is about to end.

Chapter 221 The World's Greatest Swordsman Changes Hands

At this moment, Mihawk was filled with mixed feelings.

He had doubts about himself and couldn't understand Karl. In any case, the more he fought Karl, the more powerless he felt.

How to describe this feeling?

It's like being in a relationship where you put in all your heart and effort, but get no response in return.

In other words, he stabbed Karl hundreds of times, and the only result was that he tore Karl's navy uniform to shreds. He finally got some blood, and that was it.

The feeling of helplessness and loss made it hard for him to breathe.

If it was like this before the injury and it's still like this after the injury, then wasn't he just wasting his time hitting it?

Faced with such an unfathomable enemy, Mihawk only had one thing to say.

Tired, let's destroy it, hurry up and do it.

"Whoosh~" A sharp flying slash flew past Mihawk.

Karl said with a smile, "What's wrong, out of energy?"

Mihawk stared at Karl in silence for a long time before finally saying softly, "Yes, I'm almost at my limit."

"And you... I can't see where your limits are."

"Haha, so you're admitting defeat?"

Mihawk chuckled: "Admit defeat? No! Let's settle this with one move!"

After saying this, Mihawk's entire demeanor changed; the surrounding air seemed to freeze, and even the ceaseless waves stopped.

Karl dared not be careless and quickly buffed himself, transforming the raven in his hand into a dazzling "Sword of Holy Light".

Just as Karl was about to use his Observation Haki to foresee the future and peek into Mihawk's ultimate move, Karl froze.

In the future he saw, there was only darkness, no, there was no future.

Hua Hua Hua~

The sea in front of Mihawk suddenly split in two, revealing a deep abyss, and then Mihawk began to wield his black sword, Night.

The sword hasn't been drawn, but the aura has already arrived!

Karl's eyelids twitched wildly. With difficulty, he raised the raven and roared, "Raven Feather!!!"

The raven instantly transformed, layer upon layer of raven feathers covering the blade, the tip gradually turning into a bird's head, and the wings at the guard growing larger and wider, instantly doubling in size.