"Only ninety million after five years at sea? Pathetic."
Aeridar curled his lip in disdain at Arlan's reply.
Sure, ninety million Berries was a high bounty on the Grand Line, excluding the Worst Generation, but taking five whole years to rack that up? That was just sad. Someone like that couldn't even carve out a name in Paradise, let alone leave a mark in the New World. A pirate's early bounty usually hinted at their potential. Especially once they entered the New World, if your bounty wasn't at least a hundred million, it was nearly impossible to survive solo.
Just look at Rockstar from the Red-Haired Pirates; he was just a newbie when he delivered that letter to Whitebeard, and he already had a bounty of ninety-four million. Now compare that to this guy, who's been stumbling around the Grand Line for years and only has ninety million, most of which he earned by raiding towns and killing civilians. Total garbage.
Bounties are generally based on a pirate's strength and the severity of their crimes. The more powerful and dangerous they are to the people and the government, the higher the bounty. Pirates like Eustass Kid and Monkey D. Luffy are prime examples: both powerful and criminally prolific.
This guy probably tried stepping into the New World and got his ass handed to him, maybe even dragged back out of it. Or maybe he heard rumors and got too scared to go in at all. Either way, if he's still loitering around Paradise after all these years, that says it all.
"D-Damn brat… I hate your kind the most, arrogant little shits who think they're untouchable."
The disdain in Aeridar's eyes cut deep. It stabbed right at the heart of Sawa's trauma, two years ago, right at the New World's doorstep, he and his entire crew had been wiped out by a kid barely in his twenties. Even the Sea King monster he used to command, one strong enough to crush a battleship, had been nearly beaten to death. They hadn't lasted a day in the New World before they were forced to crawl back to the first half of the Grand Line in disgrace.
"What, you think strength has anything to do with age?" Aeridar sneered, a sharp grin tugging at his lips. "In this world, only power matters, dumbass. I love the look on your face right now, you hate me, but there's not a damn thing you can do about it."
"Pfft! Puahahahaha!"
Arlan and Gorbo burst into uncontrollable laughter. They doubled over, wheezing and teary-eyed.
"You bastard!" Sawa's face turned beet red, veins bulging as he spat out two venomous words: "KILL HIM!"
Frothing with rage, Sawa lunged forward, snatching a twin-bladed axe from the ground. The rest of the Giant Fish Pirates, seeing their captain charge, roared and surged forward with blades and guns raised.
Far above, on a rooftop, a lone figure stood straight-backed against the sky, a massive black cross strapped to his back, or so it seemed.
But his most striking feature? His eyes, piercing yellow, sharp as a hawk's, daring anyone to meet his gaze and survive the moment.
He had close-cropped black hair, a neat goatee, and wore a black hat trimmed with white fur. His outfit, a wine-red patterned shirt over a black vest and white trousers, left his chest bare, revealing a chain necklace with a small royal crest.
That "cross" on his back? It was no cross. It was a sword. A massive black blade inlaid with jewels, the Supreme Grade sword, one of the twelve Supreme Grade blades: Yoru. Its signature pattern? Its chaotic, richly detailed, flower-like pattern on its cross-guard.
He was none other than Dracule Mihawk—Hawk-Eyes, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and the newly crowned world's greatest swordsman.
"So that's the new Warlord who took down Syrons and Moria…" Mihawk murmured, arms crossed. "No small feat. A monster in the making, no doubt. Might be worth keeping an eye on once he hits the New World."
He glanced up toward the clouds. "Well, nothing pressing at the moment. Maybe it's time for a little visit to Marineford."
BOOM—
Down on the street, Aeridar swept his arm, and unleashed a fierce gust of wind that sent several pirates flying.
"DIE!!"
Sawa leapt high, axe raised, aiming a crushing blow toward Aeridar's head.
CLANG—
The strike landed. The ground cracked beneath Aeridar's feet. Wind screamed in every direction.
"Huh... Not bad," Aeridar raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised. "You're stronger than I thought."
"D-Damn it...!"
Sawa gritted his teeth and pulled hard, trying to retrieve his axe, but it wouldn't budge.
Aeridar had caught the blade. With one hand. Effortlessly.
Sawa's eyes twitched. Sweat poured down his face as he pulled with all his might, veins bulging in his neck.
No way… He caught the axe barehanded? And that black stuff on his hand, what the hell is it?
"Here, then, if you want it that bad, take it!"
Furious and humiliated, Sawa released the axe and lunged with a dagger instead, aiming for Aeridar's heart.
TING!
The blade struck his chest, only to bounce off with a metallic clang, like it hit steel.
"What the hell?!" Sawa's eyes widened. He struck again.
TING! TING! TING-TING—!
The dagger scraped uselessly against Aeridar's chest over and over.
"Yo, you done playing Assassin's Creed yet?" Aeridar sighed, unimpressed. "That little toothpick of yours ain't gonna do shit."
"DIE, DAMN YOU!!"
Enraged, Sawa roared and went for his eyes, three rapid stabs in succession.
CLANG—
Aeridar's left hand shot up, encased in hardened Armament Haki, and caught the dagger mid-air.
"I let you poke at me long enough," he said coldly. "Now it's my turn."
His right hand tossed the axe lightly in the air, caught the handle, then swung it with deadly force toward Sawa's neck.
The wind pressure alone forced Sawa's eyes shut.
SPLAT—
Blood sprayed across the cracked pavement as a severed arm thudded to the ground.
"AARRRGHH!!"
Sawa collapsed to one knee, screaming in agony. He clutched the stump where his right arm used to be. Blood poured like a fountain, his face drained of color, on the verge of blacking out.
He'd sensed something was off at the last second and abandoned his blade, but it was too late. Aeridar's swing was just too fast. He'd narrowly avoided decapitation, but lost an arm instead.
"Quick reflexes," Aeridar muttered, flicking blood off the blade. His voice was like ice. "But next time… your head's coming off."
To Aeridar, anyone dumb enough to challenge him like that didn't deserve mercy.
"N-No, please! Don't kill me!" Sawa's face had gone deathly pale as he stumbled backward, eyes wide with terror.
"I-I'll pay you! Everything on my ship, it's yours! Just spare me, I beg you!"
But Aeridar's expression didn't change.
"Die."
His axe came down in a flash of steel.
A moment later, the pirate's head hit the ground.
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