Chapter 136: Mihawk's Contract
A light screen appeared.
[Beginner Iron Sword Lv.1 (White)]: A starter weapon produced by the Samsara Game. When equipped, Sword Qi +1.
Note: Contract Fruit holders can temporarily activate the player template.
[Dracule Mihawk]
Level: 1 (1/50 EXP)
Attributes: Strength 50, Agility 48, Constitution 45, Spirit 45
Equipment: Beginner Iron Sword
Skills: Pirate World Swordsmanship Lv.19, Observation Haki Lv.19...
Note: The base physical stats of an average adult male in the Pirate World is [3].
"Is this some illusion-type Devil Fruit ability?"
Mihawk eyed the sudden light screen. Though his face was serious, he remained calm.
No matter how strange a Devil Fruit's ability was, and no matter how refined its development, it could still be suppressed by superior Haki. That was an iron law of the Pirate World.
And Mihawk just so happened to be a top-tier Haki user.
"What crude craftsmanship…"
He narrowed his eyes, examining the Beginner Iron Sword in his hand.
He had wielded countless swords in his lifetime, and anything worthy of being called a "named blade" was a masterpiece forged by elite craftsmen using rare ores and unrelenting dedication.
This thing?
It looked like it came off an apprentice blacksmith's assembly line. It wasn't even worthy of being swung by him.
Suddenly—
Mihawk sensed something strange.
His expression turned grim. He gripped the rough sword tightly, then swung it.
Another massive slash tore through the sea, creating a huge wave.
He hadn't aimed at anything this time, so the remnants of Don Krieg's fleet merely rocked violently, tossed back several dozen meters by the ocean's surge.
"My slash got stronger?"
Mihawk was puzzled. He was sure he hadn't used any more strength or enhanced his Haki—yet the slash was clearly more powerful.
It was subtle, but nothing could escape the senses of the world's greatest swordsman.
Sword Qi +1…
Mihawk looked back at the floating screen, as if he'd just discovered a new continent.
Even now,
he still didn't believe in the so-called Samsara Game. He figured this must be an incredibly unique Devil Fruit user's ability.
Still, he had to admit—this Contract Fruit, and the mysterious figure behind it, were highly intriguing.
[Contract Quest (2/5)]
Quest Objective: Destroy five ships of the Don Krieg Pirate Fleet.
Quest Reward: Greatsword Mastery Lv.1 (White)
To Mihawk, the quest was nearly effortless.
Boom.
A horizontal slash, sharp as a crescent moon, split through the bellies of five ships. Dozens of Don Krieg's pirates plunged into the ocean like dumplings into boiling water.
[Quest Complete. Reward Granted]
Still no detectable aura or energy.
Even with Mihawk's Observation Haki fully active and on high alert,
the reward item appeared without warning.
Then—
a new memory surfaced in his mind.
It was a unique kind of technique.
[Greatsword Mastery Lv.1 (White)]: A swordsmanship technique refined over years by the greatsword warriors of Arad Continent. Increases physical and magical attack power when using greatswords.
Upgrade Requirement: 50 proficiency, 50 skill experience
The Arad Continent was renowned for its elite combat techniques. Whether fists or firearms, every adventurer honed their art to its peak.
Especially the legendary Four Sword Saints, whose paths inspired generations of warriors to become swordmasters.
This technique came from one of the Four Sword Saints—Aganos—and reflected his deep comprehension of greatswords.
"What a unique style…"
Mihawk furrowed his brow in thought. At first, he was puzzled. But once he absorbed the new knowledge, his confusion turned to admiration.
No flashy moves—just pure greatsword technique.
It felt like something born of countless life-or-death battles, honed into a kind of instinctual mastery.
But it was completely different from the swordsmanship of the Pirate World.
In the Pirate World,
strength and spirit were paramount!
Strength meant overwhelming power and speed—delivering devastating slashes.
Spirit represented willpower and Haki—allowing one to cut through steel, stone, and anything else.
Technique was just icing on the cake.
It helped optimize your form and drive back enemies more efficiently.
But the memory tied to [Greatsword Mastery Lv.1] was something else entirely—a strange kind of swordsmanship that emphasized extracting every bit of potential from the weapon itself through constant refinement.
In short:
Pirate swordsmen focused on body first, technique second.
Arad swordmasters were the opposite—technique first, body second.
Sure,
[Greatsword Mastery Lv.1] wasn't a deep or complex technique. It was only the most basic level of greatsword usage.
But to Mihawk, it felt like the opening of a whole new world.
He took a deep breath, digesting the information. "Whoever's behind this… a mere Devil Fruit ability couldn't possibly hold this level of swordsmanship insight."
He looked at the next task.
[Contract Quest (3/5)]
Quest Objective: Defeat members of the Don Krieg Pirate Crew (0/50)
Quest Reward: Greatsword Mastery (50 proficiency, 50 skill experience)
"This worthless pirate crew… seems they're good for something after all."
Mihawk's lips curled upward slightly. As a show of appreciation, he drew the black sword from his back.
One strike.
Dozens of pirates screamed in pain.
The slash tore through the wind and sea, slicing through ships and shredding the disorganized fleet—Krieg's flagship included.
He simultaneously completed the remaining two quests: destroy Krieg's flagship and defeat Krieg himself.
[Quests Complete. Rewards Granted]
The dual quest rewards upgraded [Greatsword Mastery] to Lv.3.
As Mihawk absorbed the increasingly refined techniques, his curiosity about the mysterious figure behind it all grew stronger.
The final reward for defeating Krieg was a strange stone.
[Whetstone (White)]: Used to sharpen bladed weapons. Increases sharpness by +1 on success.
Mihawk examined the newly appeared whetstone. It looked just like the coarse ones found in a third-rate blacksmith's shop.
But then he thought of the Beginner Iron Sword—and felt a flicker of anticipation.
Following the system prompt, he pressed the whetstone against his weapon, the black sword—Yoru.
[Inspection: Yoru is a Lv.10 Purple-Grade Weapon. Cannot use Whetstone (White).]
He didn't fully understand the Samsara Game's grading system,
but he got the idea: Yoru was too high-quality for the whetstone.
So...
He pulled out the small dagger from his necklace.
[Whetstone (White) Used. Success. Weapon sharpness +1]
"It actually worked…"
While the small dagger wasn't a named blade, it was still an excellent weapon—crafted by one of the few artisans capable of forging such fine work.
Even the best ordinary blacksmith couldn't have sharpened it further—likely would've ruined it.
Mihawk, intimately familiar with this dagger, could immediately tell that its edge was now sharper.
Slice.
He dragged the blade across the edge of his coffin ship and felt how smoothly it cut through the wood.
For the first time, Mihawk's composure faltered. Even he couldn't fully contain his surprise.
[Player has completed the contract. You have earned access to the Samsara Game and may now enter the Game House to purchase items. Enter now?]
Mihawk placed a hand over his chest, feeling his heart race from the unexpected rush of emotion—
Then, he burst out laughing.
A sword that strengthens your slashes.
A foreign sword technique.
And a whetstone that actually works.
These strange items… they were too real to be illusions.
"Then let me see for myself—just who is the mysterious figure spreading these contracts?"
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