Sailing: I was falsely accused of watching Nami bathe, but I'm blind.

Therefore, Kai's Observation Haki is an eternally frozen world that can encompass everything, devour everything, and freeze everything!

The silent "sword intent" and the invisible "domineering aura" collided in the void between them in a terrifying way that was beyond the comprehension of mortals!

There was no earth-shattering roar, nor any cataclysmic energy burst.

But Kai and Hawkeye Mihawk, who was far away in the castle, both felt as if their souls were being torn apart and struck by an invisible force!

Kai's face paled slightly, and a trickle of bright red blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

He felt a sharp, piercing pain in his brain, as if countless steel needles were stabbing his nerves.

Even Hawkeye Mihawk, deep within the ancient castle, couldn't help but narrow his usually sharp and deep golden eyes slightly.

His hand, with its distinct knuckles, holding the wine glass, trembled slightly, causing a ripple to appear in the red liquid inside.

"Oh? An interesting fellow..." Hawkeye Mihawk's deep, hoarse voice slowly echoed in the empty, eerie castle hall, carrying a hint of... barely perceptible surprise and... a touch of admiration? "To actually withstand my sword strike... and he's just a vice admiral?"

He could clearly sense that the Vice Admiral who had just engaged in a "sensory collision" with him possessed Observation Haki of a level far exceeding that of an ordinary Admiral! In fact, he had reached the level of a true top-tier powerhouse, almost on par with himself!

When did such a monster appear in this world?

Hawkeye Mihawk put down his wine glass, slowly stood up, and walked to the huge French windows of the castle, which were covered in dust and cobwebs.

His gaze seemed to pierce through the thick fog and the vast distance, revealing the massive naval fleet anchored on the sea, and the young, cold figure standing at the bow of the flagship, draped in a white cloak of justice.

"The Navy... in order to abolish the Seven Warlords of the Sea system, they actually sent a monster of this caliber to deal with me?"

Hawkeye Mihawk's lips curled into a mocking and disdainful smile. "This is getting...more and more boring."

He was not too surprised by the World Government's decision to abolish the Seven Warlords system.

He never had much attachment to his status as a Shichibukai.

To him, it was just a convenient "title" that would allow him to avoid harassment from the navy and focus on practicing his swordsmanship.

Now that this "title" has been stripped away, it doesn't really bother him.

He just felt that the Navy was making a mountain out of a molehill and wasting time by sending out such a powerful force to hunt him down, even deploying a young vice admiral with terrifying Observation Haki like the one from earlier.

He did not want a large-scale conflict with the navy.

Because that's troublesome.

Moreover, it makes no sense.

His pursuit is the ultimate in swordsmanship.

It is a life-or-death duel with a true powerhouse.

Instead of playing this boring game of hide-and-seek with these... in his eyes, as weak as ants, naval soldiers.

"Perona."

Without turning his head, Hawkeye Mihawk spoke in a low, hoarse voice.

"Huh? What's up, Uncle Hawkeye?"

A cute ghost girl, dressed in a Gothic dress and holding a pink parasol, floated in mid-air, lazily poked her head out from the shadows of the castle, yawned, and asked.

"Pack your things, it's time for us to leave."

Hawkeye Mihawk said calmly.

"Huh?! Leave here?! Why?!"

Upon hearing this, Perona was instantly wide awake, pouting in dissatisfaction. "I've only just started to make this place feel a bit like home! Besides, the ghosts here are really interesting! I don't want to leave!"

Chapter 144 Instant Kill of Hawkeye! The World's Greatest Swordsman Can't Withstand a Blind Man's Sword?

"The navy is coming."

Hawkeye Mihawk put it succinctly.

"The Navy?! Pshaw! Just a bunch of annoying flies! Let them come! My negative phantom will make them cry their way back!"

Perona waved her hand dismissively, revealing a confident expression.

"The navy that came this time is a bit different."

Hawkeye Mihawk's tone remained calm, but Perona detected a hint of something unusual in his words.

She knew that a Navy officer who could make Hawkeye Mihawk say "a little different" was definitely not an ordinary person.

“Okay, okay… this is really troublesome…” Perona was somewhat reluctant, but she also knew that once Hawkeye Mihawk made a decision, it couldn’t be changed.

She could only shrug helplessly and began directing the various strangely shaped ghosts floating around her to gather up her precious dolls and snacks.

On the flagship "Ice Age", Kai also fell into a brief silence after a silent clash of "sword intent" and "dominance" with Hawkeye Mihawk.

He could clearly sense that Hawkeye Mihawk's "Sword Intent Slash" just now, although it was only a test, contained terrifying power that was enough to make him tremble with fear.

If a full-scale conflict were to break out, he was confident that he could use the fleet's advantage to cause some trouble for Hawkeye Mihawk.

However, it is almost impossible to easily subdue, defeat, or capture the opponent.

Even if Hawkeye Mihawk were to launch a counterattack regardless of the consequences, his fleet would likely suffer extremely heavy losses.

Moreover, Kai also keenly sensed that after that "sensory collision," Hawkeye Mihawk's sword intent, which was as powerful as an abyss, seemed to be slowly dissipating.

No, not dissipated.

Instead... it's moving?!

Kai raised an eyebrow slightly.

He could clearly sense that Hawkeye Mihawk's presence was rapidly moving away from the castle and heading in another direction from Kraigana Island.

Is he... trying to run away?!

No, that's not right.

Given Hawkeye Mihawk's personality and strength, he would never use the word "escape" to describe it.

Is he more like... actively avoiding battle?

Is it because they find getting entangled with the navy troublesome? Or is it because they disdain fighting with them?

A complex emotion flashed through Kai's mind.

There was relief, but also... a slight sense of loss?

He had originally hoped to have a real, exhilarating life-or-death duel with the world's greatest swordsman.

But it seems that this wish cannot be fulfilled for the time being.

Just then, he sensed a commotion coming from the ancient castle.

It seemed that Perona was frantically packing things up, muttering something under her breath.

Immediately afterwards, a powerful energy fluctuation filled with ghostly energy emanated from the direction of the castle.

Then, Kai "saw" a small, coffin-black, eerie boat without any sails or oars, propelled by Perona's Ghost-Ghost Fruit ability, speeding like an arrow from the other side of Kuraigana Island into the vast ocean, heading towards an unknown distance.

Two figures stood on the boat.

One is Hawkeye Mihawk, who is dressed in a black suit and carries the huge black sword "Night" on his back, as aloof and cold as the Grim Reaper.

The other is the adorable Princess Perona, who is holding a pink parasol and constantly complaining and muttering to herself.

They... just left like that?!

A look of mixed amusement and exasperation crossed Kai's face.

He originally thought he would face a tough and arduous battle.

Unexpectedly, the other party left in a way that was almost like "subduing the enemy without fighting".

This gave him a feeling of powerlessness, like punching cotton.

"Lieutenant General...should we...continue the pursuit?"

The adjutant standing nearby asked cautiously.

He was also somewhat at a loss due to this sudden change.

Kai was silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head.

"No need."

His voice carried a barely perceptible hint of weariness and... a trace of regret, "At our speed, we can't catch up with them."

And even if we catch up, so what?

He knew that since Hawkeye Mihawk had chosen to leave, it meant he did not want to clash with the Navy.

If you persist in pursuing the matter, you might anger the other party and cause unnecessary trouble.

Moreover, his main purpose for this trip was to "hunt down" Hawkeye Mihawk, not to "kill" him.

Now that Hawkeye Mihawk has voluntarily left his secluded place, in a sense, he has completed part of his mission—to put this former Shichibukai back under the Navy's "surveillance" (although this surveillance is more symbolic).

More importantly, through that brief "sensory collision," Kai has gained a general understanding of Hawkeye Mihawk's strength.

He knew that with his current strength, it was almost impossible for him to take down Hawkeye Mihawk alone.

Unless he can break through to the level of a Navy Admiral, or find a special way to counter Hawkeye Mihawk's swordsmanship.

"Order the fleet to rest and regroup on Kraigana Island for the time being."