Settsetse! The Pirate Nemesis

"What are you looking at?"

Let's see who's stronger!

Upon hearing Urouge's words, Sett stroked his chin and then said with a hint of amusement, "Are there other people on the island?"

--------------

There's still 2k more tonight, I'll post 8k more tomorrow... The holiday is finally over. I always update less during holidays because I need to spend time with my family.

·176· A Smile Again

From Urouge's words, Sett vaguely sensed that there seemed to be more than just himself and Hawkeye, the two outsiders, on the island. Was there also a Qinghai man who had given Urouge a hard time?

Uroki nodded in response, then turned around with a smile and said, "Come with me. That gentleman is also looking for opponents to train with, and he shouldn't refuse any challenges."

Upon hearing this, Sett didn't say anything more; he was never afraid of challenges.

Perhaps because they had defeated Urouge, the surrounding monks didn't say a word when they saw Urouge enter the temple with Sett and Mihawk, swords in hand. Whether on Skypiea or the Blue Sea, strength was paramount. For example, the reason their temple didn't pay taxes to the "god" of Skypiea was because Urouge possessed sufficient power and had received a genuine "divine blessing"—well, just a Devil Fruit.

The temple's architecture doesn't feel much different from other places. According to Sett's guess, it was probably plagiarized by the Skypiea people, including the temple's decorations, which are likely imported from Qinghai.

After they went inside, Urouge said, "Mr. Yixiao! A powerful expert has arrived!"

Upon hearing Urouge's words, Sett's previously relaxed expression paused slightly, then a hint of amusement appeared on his face; "A smile?"

Not only Sett, who was standing to the side, heard this, but even Hawkeye, who was standing nearby, showed a hint of amusement. He looked at Sett, and although he didn't speak, Hawkeye's gaze clearly asked, "Is it the one you're talking about?"

Sett shrugged at this: "The names are the same, but whether they are or not, I don't know."

Hearing this, Hawkeye nodded, but didn't say anything more. He just looked at the gate with curiosity in his eyes. Hawkeye had been curious about the powerful swordsman that Sett had mentioned for a long time.

Despite being blind, he possesses power capable of even defeating Sett.

As I pondered, the wooden door creaked open, and a broad-shouldered man in a kimono and wooden clogs stepped out. His eyes were closed, but his steps were unhindered, as if he had memorized the surroundings.

Before Fujitora could speak, Sett burst into laughter upon seeing Issho's signature pose: "Hahahaha! I can't believe it really is you! Issho! Long time no see!!!"

Upon hearing the voice, the man, who had been walking steadily with a smile, paused slightly, a hint of surprise flashing across his face. He quickly recovered and exclaimed, "You're Mr. Sett? What are you doing here?!"

“I should be the one saying that!” Sett said with amusement. “Didn’t you say you were going to travel around the New World?”

"The journey is over." Hearing Sett's question, he opened his eyes, revealing lifeless, grayish-white pupils. A hint of melancholy lingered in Yi Xiao's voice beside him; people change, especially from Yi Xiao's perspective.

Through observation, one can most directly observe changes in a person's appearance. Having lost his sight, he saw much more, such as the colors of emotions and spirit. And now, although more than a year has passed, Sett's appearance remains exactly the same as before, without any change.

"Do you know?"

Seeing this scene before him, Urki's eyes were filled with surprise.

In response, Yixiao nodded with some emotion: "Of course I know him. Back in the West Sea, I even lost to Mr. Sett."

Upon hearing this, Urouge's eyes were filled with surprise. As someone who had fought Issho, Urouge knew exactly how powerful Issho was.

Without a doubt, given Issho's power and the extent to which he has developed his fruit, even if Urouge were to join forces with him, they would only be defeated. The destructive power of the Gravity Fruit is simply beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

In contrast, Urouge didn't have a clear understanding of Sett's power; in his mind, Sett might not even be as strong as Urouge. But now, hearing Yixiao's words, Urouge realized that the power Sett had just displayed was merely a drop in the ocean.

"Speaking of which, how's your travels going? You promised to come back to the West Sea with me as a henchman after you finished your travels, right? I even saved you a position as a Double Flower Red Stick!"

With a beaming smile, Sett showed no sign of awkwardness. Seeing this, a hint of emotion appeared on Sett's smiling face, and he said, "Although we're friends, I never said I wanted to work for Mr. Sett. Rather, you're still in my probationary period, Sett."

"Hahaha, my probationary period? It must be a perfect score!!!"

Upon hearing Sett's oblivious words, Yi Xiao surprisingly didn't say anything more. Instead, a touch of emotion appeared on his mature face, as if he had been savoring the memories of the past few days, before he said, "Although it sounds a bit strange, it seems to be true."

Having witnessed firsthand the chaos of the New World—a lawless land and a pirate paradise—with a touch of melancholy, Issho's hatred for pirates deepened, and his feelings towards the Navy and even the World Government rapidly diminished. In contrast, the reputation of the Armor Casino in the West Blue had been soaring, and the residents' happiness levels were rising faster than anyone had imagined.

It's just that this world is constantly undergoing changes, otherwise, Antuo Island would definitely be on the list of most habitable islands.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Upon hearing Yi Xiao's words, Sett said directly, "We happen to be short-handed right now, so count you in as one of the future Double Flower Red Sticks!"

"It's too early." Faced with Sett's favor, Yixiao shook his head with a sigh, then calmly said, "I still need to see more."

Yi Xiao isn't the kind of guy who would blindly join someone just because of their personal charm.

Or perhaps, more than a person or an event, what Yixiao wants to see is a certain belief.

While Sett and Yixiao were still talking, Hawkeye took a step forward, his fighting spirit almost bursting out of his body, startling Urouge who was standing next to him. He never expected that this inconspicuous little guy would have such a clever spirit!

As Urki pondered this, Hawkeye, standing beside him, raised his head and looked at Yixiao.

"You're the blind swordsman Sett mentioned, aren't you?"

177. Exchange and Discussion

Looking at the smile in front of him, Hawkeye's eyes were filled with fighting spirit.

Without a doubt, the guy in front of me is a swordsman.

While others may not know, the sword masters do. The way of the sword is a combination of mind, body, and technique, making one a legendary figure among martial artists—although these elites are often easily defeated by a group of mere, talented but brutish barbarians.

But that doesn't matter, because each swordsman has their own will and their own way of the sword. Therefore, when swordsmen meet again, they can clearly feel the sharp sword intent emanating from each other.

Sword masters are attracted to each other!

Sensing Hawkeye's imposing presence, Yi Xiao slightly tilted his head, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes—though blind, it didn't prevent Yi Xiao from sensing the aura of others. Those lifeless, withered eyes didn't hinder the transmission of emotion.

"This... must be the legendary Mr. Hawkeye, right?"

"Have you heard of me?"

"of course."

Upon hearing Hawkeye's words, Yixiao nodded and said, "I've been paying close attention to Mr. Sett's voyage... It's truly a magnificent journey." As he said this, a touch of emotion appeared on Yixiao's face.

Things like the Germa Kingdom are one thing, simple conflicts, and Ichisho doesn't care. But other things, like the Flevans incident, make Ichisho feel a sense of peace every time he sees them—it's exactly the kind of thing Sett he knows would do.

He'll intervene if he sees something he doesn't like, regardless of whether it concerns him personally. He'll stand up for what's right, his sense of right and wrong is simple and straightforward, yet filled with an undeniable resolve. Especially after seeing him again, Yixiao became even more certain of his thoughts—even after nearly two years, Sett hadn't changed at all—his heart, rough yet pure, remained unchanged from beginning to end.

Thinking this, Yixiao continued, "Sett's personality means he won't communicate with those who don't agree with him. So, even though we haven't met him, someone who can gain Sett's approval must be a peerless hero."

As she said this, Yixiao raised her head and looked at Hawkeye, her lifeless eyes filled with a hint of amazement: "Although I can't see people's faces, I can only see their outlines. But even so, I can clearly feel your sharp will... like a sharp sword, straight and sharp."

Hearing Yixiao's words, Hawkeye nodded without saying a word. Sett, stroking his chin, said to Urouge beside him, "Don't let this quiet guy's silence fool you; he's probably ecstatic to be praised like this!"

As they were talking, Hawkeye's eyes flashed, and in a flash, Black Blade Night slashed through the air between Sett and Urouge—"See, you've got your secrets out, haven't you?"

Sett shrugged nonchalantly. Hawkeye glanced at Sett with a hint of helplessness, then finally sheathed his sword—against a tough nut like Sett, Hawkeye was powerless to do anything.

The key problem is that we can't beat them...

And more importantly, Sett was telling the truth… Compared to being praised by Sett or Urouge, those fleshy barbarians who only know how to train their bodies, being praised by Issho, a great swordsman whose strength is clearly extraordinary, is undoubtedly more fulfilling. But the feeling of accomplishment is something that feels shameful once it's said aloud…

In contrast, after seeing the scene before him, Yixiao's expression showed some surprise: "This knife... is it a black knife? No, not just a black knife, is it the legendary 'Night'?"

"Ah."

Hawkeye remained as taciturn as ever.

To this, Yixiao nodded in surprise: "That's truly astonishing..."

"You can see it?" Sett asked curiously. Wasn't Yi Xiao only able to see the outline of an object? Could he really tell the species just by looking at the outline? That seemed a bit unlikely.

Just then, Yixiao said, "The swordsmith is someone who is even more devoted to the sword than the swordsman. Every Supreme Grade Sword has its own unique style and color. Moreover, a blade as black as ink like this is absolutely impossible for a sword lover to ignore."

As she said this, a hint of emotion appeared between her smiling brows.

"Such fierce sword intent, coupled with the assistance of the Supreme Grade Sword... Your strength is probably far beyond what is rumored."

Upon hearing this, Sett nodded and said, "Before, Hawkeye only managed to cut through 20% of my bones. Now, the logistics support should be available."

After all, it wasn't just Hawkeye who was constantly getting stronger; Sett's body was also growing more powerful every day. Of course, this was based on the premise that Hawkeye and Black Blade Yoru weren't yet fully familiar with each other. Once they were familiar, and their mind, body, and techniques became one, the power of Hawkeye's strikes would increase exponentially. At that point, even Sett would probably have to dodge a few times when fighting Hawkeye... otherwise, being struck in a vital spot would be no joke.

Hawkeye glanced at Sett and shook his head—to be honest, defeating Sett with sheer power of a slash alone was absolutely impossible. That slash, enough to instantly shatter a person's leg, was a brutal slash with speed and distance several times greater than a normal slash; in battle, it was a terrifying technique capable of turning the tide of battle.

Even Sett's self-healing ability cannot be used continuously at a high frequency, which shows how difficult and fast it is.

Based on this, Hawkeye has no chance of winning until he can counter and capture that speed... Speed ​​is simply too important in combat. Whether it's attacking or kiting, speed is indispensable.

"I've been hearing about you from Sett... Let's have a spar."

Hawkeye, usually so taciturn, smiled, his eyes filled with seriousness: "To perfectly integrate the fruit with my swordsmanship... I'm sure that my battle with you will allow me to make a leap forward in my understanding of swordsmanship!"

Upon hearing this, a hint of helplessness appeared on Yixiao's face—he had already guessed this would happen. After all, Hawkeye had never concealed his fighting spirit from the beginning.

Even Urouge, who was standing to the side, could clearly sense this, let alone Ichisho, who had an even more acute sense of perception.

Looking at Hawkeye in front of him, after a moment, Yixiao nodded and said, "Since that's the case... very well, I am also currently in the midst of cultivation."

He didn't refuse. As a swordsman, seeing a master swordsman like Hawkeye, even someone with Ichisho's personality couldn't resist the urge to spar. Swordsmanship honed through combat is far sharper than swordsmanship developed in seclusion through self-comprehension. Unless, of course, the one who achieved that comprehension had already experienced countless battles.

Now, looking at Hawkeye in front of him, he took a deep breath and smiled, his entire demeanor shifting from initial leisurely calm to intense and surging.

"This isn't a good place to spar, let's go outside first."

Hearing Issho's words, Hawkeye nodded, then drew his black sword, Yoru, from behind him and followed Issho out. Seeing this, Sett and Urouge exchanged a glance and followed. Sett didn't have much expectation, as he was well aware of their strength. And more importantly, swordsmen's battles often ended in an instant.

In contrast, Urouge seemed much more interested. His broad face was full of smiles, as were his bull-like eyes, as he stared at the two, trying to figure out who was stronger.

Arriving at the sparring area, Sett smiled as he looked at Hawkeye and drew the rapier hidden in his hand. The next moment, before Sett and the others' eyes, the two became afterimages in an instant, their black and purple blades clashing in the air.

Clang!

The crisp sound flashed by in an instant. Although it was only a brief test, Hawkeye could clearly sense Yixiao's power. The seemingly light staff-sword felt incredibly heavy the moment it was swung. That disproportionate heaviness, along with its inexplicable sharpness, gave Hawkeye's first impression of it as... a sharp, blunt sword!

It may sound strange, but it's true. The seemingly light staff-sword is sharp, which is to be expected. But its heaviness makes it feel more like an unsheathed heavy sword, or even a heavy hammer.

So that's how it is... Is this what Sett meant by "Gravity Blade"?

By perfectly fusing the Devil Fruit's power with his swordsmanship, Issho's seemingly light attacks actually carry an unbearable pressure with every strike. Even with distance between them, Hawkeye could clearly feel the pressure emanating from Issho. In particular, the deep purple hue coiled around his blade exerted an unparalleled pressure.

"Gravity Blade, Fierce Tiger!!!"

With a single swing of his sword, an invisible pressure surged violently outwards along the blade's energy. In an instant, Hawkeye could clearly feel his body become more than twice as heavy. In a daze, it felt as if an invisible mountain was pressing down on his chest, making even breathing feel suffocating.

Along with the pressure, Hawkeye's blood pressure became abnormal. But he quickly realized it. Armament Haki fused the black sword with Hawkeye, and he swung it in a slash, the blade leaving a piercing whistle in the air.

The connection of the immense pressure was severed, and the black blade clashed with the gravity blade once more. The erupting storm forced Urouge to retreat several steps to avoid injury. In contrast, Sett stood calmly in place, his eyes showing little surprise.

Swordsmen fight very quickly, especially after they have figured out their opponent's moves and habits. It can be said that, apart from the initial probing attacks, every subsequent strike is aimed at ending the fight.

Just like now, accompanied by intersecting afterimages, they stood back to back, a downward-sloping slash mark appearing on Yi Xiao's chest. On the other side, Hawkeye's body appeared extremely disheveled, even his forearms trembling under the immense gravity.

"So, who really won?"