Chapter 60: Battle Against Hawk-Eyes
With a *whoosh*!
Lister instantly disappeared from in front of Hawkeye.
Then he turned into a streak of light, stabbing from behind Hawkeye.
Lister's speed was extremely fast, but how could it be hidden from Hawkeye?
Observation Haki activated.
Lister's figure was instantly revealed.
The corner of Hawkeye's mouth curled up. He swung his large black blade and hacked at Lister.
*Clang—!*
A circle of airwaves rapidly expanded.
Lister was sent flying dozens of meters.
If he hadn't reacted quickly and used Geppo, he would have fallen into the sea.
"Observation Haki??"
Just now, Lister had observed something from Hawkeye.
It was formless, yet it truly existed.
He knew that must be Observation Haki.
This time, he observed it more clearly.
Lister descended to the surface of the sea, stepping on the water, and moved at high speed around Hawkeye's small boat.
*Whoosh whoosh whoosh——————!*
A series of sharp, air-breaking sounds emerged.
Obviously, after his Physique and Spirit reached 20.
In overclock mode, Lister's speed had reached the speed of sound.
Therefore.
The sea beneath Lister's feet was like solid ground.
He wouldn't just fall into the sea while running.
"Supersonic?? The Marines' bounty was set a bit low!"
Hawkeye stood on the small boat, meeting all changes with no change.
*Whoosh————!*
In an instant, Lister shot towards Hawkeye like an arrow.
Hawkeye's expression flickered, and he suddenly took a step back!
At the same time, a cold light grazed past Hawkeye's nose.
Lister's stab missed. Without staying, he chose to retreat.
However, at this moment, Hawkeye swung his large black blade at an extremely fast speed, swatting at Lister's back.
Lister's pupils shrank.
He was in his overclocked state.
The speed of all things should become extremely slow in his vision.
But at this moment, the blade Hawkeye swung was still *that fast* in his vision.
Lister used all his strength, dodging Hawkeye's strike at the last second with an extremely strange, ungraceful posture.
He rapidly retreated to the Money.
When he looked at Hawkeye, his expression was extremely grave.
A trace of surprise also flashed in Hawkeye's eyes.
He didn't expect Lister to dodge his attack at that exact moment.
"A bit interesting!!" The corner of Hawkeye's mouth curled up slightly. His gaze towards Lister held a new trace of appreciation.
"I've seen the previous user of the Kuài Kuài no Mi. He was indeed fast, but it was just simple movement speed. You are different. Besides simple movement speed...
...your reaction time also seems to be extremely fast!
It seems you have developed the Kuài Kuài no Mi ability quite well!" Hawkeye praised.
"Developing a fruit requires brains. I like to think I have some ideas!" Lister said faintly.
"Indeed."
Hawkeye nodded.
He then pointed his sword at Lister and said, "Well then, let's continue!"
"Try your best to please me. If you do, I might let you live!"
"As you wish!" As soon as Lister's voice fell.
He appeared several meters above Hawkeye's head.
Raising his sword with both hands, he slashed down!
"Getsuga Tenshō!"
*Whoosh—!*
In an instant, a ten-meter slash wave shot out.
Like a falling meteor.
It hacked towards Hawkeye!
Hawkeye looked at Lister's strike without any expression.
This kind of attack... countless people in the Grand Line and the New World could unleash.
To Hawkeye, who had seen it all.
It was not stunning.
Hawkeye gripped his large black blade with both hands and swept it horizontally at the incoming flying slash.
*Bang!!*
Just a simple swing, and it directly blew Lister's Getsuga Tenshō apart.
The slash wave turned into a chaotic torrent, dissipating in the storm.
[Observing Hawkeye's slash. Within its simplicity, it carried a sharpness, as if it could sever all things in the world!]
[Entering deep enlightenment!]
[Keenly sensing the breath of all things!]
[Comprehending the Art of Cutting Steel!]
"So that's how it is!"
A bright light flashed in Lister's eyes. His figure, with a *whoosh*, instantly disappeared.
He then stabbed at Hawkeye from another angle at high speed.
Unfortunately, Hawkeye's Observation Haki was still locked on.
He easily neutralized his attack.
Finally, he counter-slashed at Lister.
Forcing Lister into a very difficult position.
At this time, Lister also realized that assassin-style tactics were useless against Hawkeye.
Although Hawkeye's movement speed couldn't compare to his.
His reaction speed was not at all slower.
Hawkeye met all changes with no change.
No matter how Lister struggled, he couldn't hit him.
He would even be caught by Hawkeye for a counter-attack.
Realizing this, Lister decided to change strategies.
At first, nothing changed. Like before, Lister circled Hawkeye rapidly.
After finding an opening, he quickly attacked Hawkeye.
After Hawkeye blocked his attack...
Lister did not retreat as he did before. Instead, he accelerated into a new round of attacks.
"Mad Demon's Wild Dance!!"
In an instant, Lister unleashed hundreds, even thousands, of strikes!
Hawkeye initially thought Lister would retreat after one failed strike, just like before.
He didn't expect Lister to do the opposite this time.
For a moment, he was caught off guard.
But even so...
Hawkeye blocked all of Lister's attacks.
But in the exchange, he was a step slower than Lister, feeling as if he was being suppressed by Lister.
Regarding this, Hawkeye was not angry, but instead became even more excited.
Lister's offense was completely free-form, with no absolute routine. It suited his taste.
Hawkeye and Lister madly clashed at close range!
The two high-frequency-bombed each other for about a minute.
*Kacha!*
The katana in Lister's hand finally couldn't take it and broke in two.
This caused Lister's slash to hit empty air, and he was cut by Hawkeye's follow-up.
*Puchi————!*
A large amount of blood instantly gushed from Lister's body.
"It seems you are lacking a good sword!" Hawkeye did not press his advantage, but stopped, looking at Lister and speaking faintly.
"Wait for me a moment!" Lister glanced at Hawkeye.
He quickly rushed back to the Money!
"Go get me a sword!" Lister said gravely.
"Captain, use this sword!" Akame offered Koye Shigure to Lister.
"Good!" Lister glanced at Akame and accepted Koye Shigure without ceremony.
Koye Shigure was also a famous sword. Although it couldn't compare to Hawkeye's large black blade, as long as Hawkeye didn't use Armament Haki, it would be difficult to cut.
"Go, get me more meat!" Lister glanced at the wound on his body and said faintly.
"Yes!"
Michelin quickly led a few people into the kitchen and soon came out with several plates of cooked meat.
Lister didn't hold back, grabbing a piece and gnawing on it.
Simultaneously activating Six Treasury Sage Thief and Super-Speed Regeneration.
Lister's wound healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"Lister, rest first. I'll be Hawkeye's opponent next!!" At this time, Zoro spoke up.
"You??" Lister glanced at Zoro.
"You should have seen how strong Hawkeye is. Are you sure you want to go??"
"I'm sure. Even if I fail, I have to go. Only by personally experiencing his strength can I know how to catch up!" Zoro said with a solemn face.
"Then go ahead," Lister said nonchalantly.
He knew Zoro's goal was to be the World's Number One Swordsman.
He went to sea to defeat Hawkeye.
Now that he had finally encountered Hawkeye.
He was already eager to fight.
If Lister didn't let him go.
He would probably hold a grudge.
In that case, Lister didn't need to be the bad guy.
He could also take this opportunity to replenish some energy.
"Alright!!" After responding, Zoro was suddenly stumped by a problem.
How to get there.
This wasn't the East Blue.
It wasn't like the original story.
Where the broken planks of the Krieg Pirates' ship provided a battlefield.
Now, the wind was strong, the waves were big, and the rain was heavy.
The only thing that could possibly be used as a combat platform was the Old Money, which had just been split open by Hawkeye.
But unfortunately, the Old Money had long been swallowed by the giant waves and sunk to the bottom of the sea.
If he paddled a small boat to challenge Hawkeye, he might be sunk by the big waves. Even if he reached Hawkeye's boat, it seemed he couldn't fight properly.
After all, just now, when Lister and Hawkeye fought.
Hawkeye rarely moved.
Lister was the one moving almost the entire time.
"What's wrong??" Lister glanced at Zoro, asking in confusion.
"Hawkeye's boat seems too small. If I go, I don't think I can fight properly!" Zoro said, a little embarrassed.
Then he made a very absurd suggestion:
"Why don't we just let Hawkeye come aboard? The deck of our New Money is so big, it's enough for me and Hawkeye to fight!"
"Hell no! That guy just cut my Old Money! You want my New Money to follow in the Old Money's footsteps!?" Lister rejected Zoro's proposal without even thinking.
Zoro heard this and immediately shut down.
However, at this moment.
A voice sounded in everyone's ears.
"Pardon me! I'm here!"
It was Hawkeye, who, at some unknown time, had suddenly appeared on the New Money.
"Hawkeye!!"
Everyone on the New Money drew their swords, wary.
Only Zoro grinned.
Hawkeye was here, and he wasn't invited.
This time, even if the New Money was crippled, Lister couldn't blame him.
*Shua*, Zoro instantly tied his bandana and drew his three swords.
"Hawkeye, next, I will be your opponent!" Zoro said, clenching his sword in his teeth.
"And who are you??" Hawkeye's eagle-like eyes swept over Zoro as he asked coldly.
"Roronoa Zoro. I've been looking for you for a long time, Hawkeye!" Zoro said.
"Roronoa Zoro?? So, the Pirate Hunter with a 20 million bounty!" Zoro was also a somewhat famous figure now.
Hawkeye had seen Lister's bounty poster, so he naturally saw Zoro's.
Zoro hadn't mentioned it before, so he didn't think of it. Now that Zoro announced his name, he naturally remembered.
"So, you've been looking for me for a long time? Why?"
"Because my dream is to become the World's Number One Swordsman. You are the man I must defeat, so I went to sea to find you!" Zoro said gravely.
"So that's how it is!" Hawkeye looked deeply at Zoro.
"In that case, I have a question to ask."
"A question?" Zoro asked.
"Have you defeated 'Speed Demon' Lister?" Hawkeye asked.
Lister had just mentioned not to call him 'Butcher'. In that short battle, Lister had won his respect.
So he no longer called Lister 'Butcher', but directly 'Speed Demon'.
"No!" Zoro shook his head.
"He is also one of the targets I must defeat!"
"Then the World's Number One is too far from you. Wait until you've defeated 'Speed Demon' Lister, then you can challenge me!" Hawkeye shook his head, refusing Zoro's challenge.
"I want to see the strength of the World's Number One!" Zoro said, unmoved.
Hawkeye glanced at Zoro.
"The consequences of your stubborn entanglement will be severe!"
"I just want a fight right now!" Zoro said again.
"Fine. I accept your challenge. But if you die, don't blame me!" Hawkeye glanced at Lister, who was frantically eating, and figured he would need some time.
So he agreed to Zoro's challenge.
Everyone on the Money retreated to the edge of the deck.
Hawkeye and Zoro stood in confrontation.
"Won't you draw your sword?" Zoro, seeing Hawkeye had no intention of drawing his sword, had a flash of displeasure in his eyes.
"A sword!! Well..." Hawkeye heard this.
He sighed, and drew the small knife hanging from his neck, which he usually used to cut fruit.
"Are you looking down on me??" A flash of anger appeared in Zoro's eyes.
"But in my view, this knife is enough!" Hawkeye said faintly.
"In that case, I won't be polite!" Zoro was angry.
But he didn't insist on Hawkeye drawing his large black blade.
Since words were useless, he would use his strength to make Hawkeye draw his sword.
"Silent Flash Step!"
In an instant, Zoro moved.
He appeared in front of Hawkeye as if by teleportation, his three swords swinging out rapidly.
Hawkeye saw this, and his eyes lit up slightly.
Although not as good as Lister, he still had something!
The fruit knife in Hawkeye's hand, quick as lightning, thrust forward.
At the moment Zoro's three swords converged, he tapped the outermost blade.
Forcing Zoro to be unable to advance half a step.
"Nani??"
Zoro was shocked.
He didn't expect Hawkeye to break his attack so easily.
Just as he was preparing to retract his katanas and retreat...
The fruit knife in Hawkeye's hand, quick as lightning, tapped his chest.
*Pfft—!*
Blood quickly gushed from Zoro's chest.
"With that last strike, I left you room to retreat. Why didn't you??" Hawkeye looked at Zoro, a little surprised.
"I don't know! It's just... in that moment, I felt that if I retreated, I would lose something important!" Zoro said gravely.
"Ho!!" Hawkeye's eyes brightened.
He felt that Zoro was also a man of great potential.
Perhaps his talent was not as good as Lister's.
But he was definitely a pure warrior.
Courage, honor, pride, honesty... it seemed all could be seen in Zoro.
His purity was high!
"Roronoa Zoro, a fine warrior. Using a small knife against you is indeed a bit of an insult!
"In that case, next, I will use my full strength. Be careful not to die!"
Hawkeye put away his fruit knife, drew the large black blade from his back, and said to Zoro.
"I couldn't ask for more!"
Zoro's eyes lit up.
He then stepped with Silent Flash Step and charged at Hawkeye again.
Hawkeye didn't instantly defeat Zoro.
He continuously clashed with Zoro.
The two fought faster and faster!
As time went on, Zoro gradually couldn't keep up with Hawkeye at all, and was finally cut on the chest by Hawkeye's sword.
*Puchi————!*
Blood gushed madly from Zoro's body.
"I... lost!!"
Zoro glanced at the wound on his chest, then at Hawkeye, and admitted defeat, convinced. He held on for a while, then finally collapsed.
"Roronoa Zoro, that phrase just now, 'World's Number One'... for you right now, it's too early. First, try to defeat 'Speed Demon' Lister.
"After you defeat him... I will be waiting for you on the throne of the World's Number One!!" Hawkeye said.
"That day... I won't keep you waiting long!!" Zoro, lying on the deck, responded to Hawkeye in an incredibly firm tone.
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