SWNOVELXO Chapter 16: Are You Talking To Me...?
The bar exploded, sending debris flying in all directions!
A figure was thrown from the cloud of smoke and dust, tumbling to the ground. A long, deep wound marked his body, clearly inflicted by a slash of sword energy.
Out of the swirling smoke, another figure emerged.
This person had short black hair, yellow eyes as sharp as an eagle's, a short beard, and wore a black top hat adorned with white fluff. He was dressed in a wine-red patterned shirt and a black cloak that billowed behind him. But the most striking feature was the large cross-shaped sword strapped to his back.
"Hawkeye!"
Some people are simply impossible to ignore.
The moment he appeared, many in the crowd recognized him instantly. Just by standing there, his very presence radiated a powerful sword intent that made it hard for those nearby to breathe.
"The world's greatest swordsman, 'Hawkeye' Mihawk..." Tashigi recognized him immediately, her voice trembling with fear. "Why is he here?"
"Are you going to arrest him?" Finn asked, tilting his head to see how Tashigi would respond.
Tashigi was known for her kind-hearted, upright nature, and her disdain for evil. But to Finn's surprise, she shook her head. "He's one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea; we Marines have no authority to arrest him. Besides, he's dealing with a pirate—Mr. Mihawk is doing a good thing."
Finn rolled his eyes. He had been curious to see if Tashigi would boldly try to arrest Mihawk but had forgotten the nuances of her character.
Well, that was anticlimactic.
"Who is that guy? He dared to cause trouble in Logue Town." Someone in the crowd, who clearly didn't recognize Mihawk, asked.
After all, this was East Blue, and it wasn't uncommon for people who had never been to the Grand Line to be unaware of Mihawk's identity.
"You don't know Hawkeye? He's the world's greatest swordsman! It's said he can pierce mountains and split islands with a single sword! His strength is terrifying!"
Someone excitedly explained, eager to share their knowledge of the legendary swordsman.
"Look at that man! He's Dadaroyev, the captain of the Iron Dome Pirates! There's a 10 million bounty on his head!"
"That's him! He's infamous around Logue Town!"
"Exactly! If a child won't stop crying at night, just mentioning Dadaroyev's name will quiet them immediately!"
Many in the crowd quickly recognized the man who had been struck down by Hawkeye. The once feared pirate, who terrorized others with his ferocity, was now as helpless as an insect before the world's greatest swordsman.
Hawkeye paid no attention to the murmurs around him. He calmly walked over to the pirate he had slashed.
"Hawkeye, I have no quarrel with you! Why did you kill me?" Dadaroyev stammered, terror etched on his face.
"Do I need a reason to kill someone like you?" Mihawk asked casually as he raised his large black sword, bringing it down in one swift motion.
Dadaroyev's head rolled away.
In truth, Mihawk did have a reason. Moments earlier, in the tavern, Dadaroyev and his men had been bragging about a village they had recently plundered. Mihawk would have normally ignored such talk, but when the men revealed they had committed unspeakable acts against the remaining baby girls in that village, it stirred his disgust.
Of course, a lone wolf like Mihawk never needed to justify his actions.
He killed because it felt right.
After executing the pirate, Mihawk calmly sheathed his black sword, turned, and walked away.
The Marines present, including Tashigi, were alerted to the commotion. But as they watched Mihawk leave, none dared to stop him.
Finn turned to Tashigi and said, "Look at him—he's caused so much damage and he's just walking away without paying a cent!"
"Think of the tavern owner. That place will need to be completely renovated; it could take a month or even longer!"
"Even if he's one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, he shouldn't be so arrogant, right? If we Marines do nothing, won't that dishearten the common people?"
Tashigi, with her strong sense of justice, felt her heart ache for the common people.
Suddenly, her resolve flared up. "Stop right there!"
She stepped forward and shouted after Mihawk.
The square fell into stunned silence. Everyone turned to stare at the girl who had just spoken up, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Is she... insane?
The thought flashed through everyone's mind.
Oh no~~~
Even Finn was dumbfounded.
He had only meant to tease Tashigi, but he hadn't expected her to actually confront Mihawk.
It seems I've underestimated her!
The once quiet square had become eerily silent.
Tashigi watched as Mihawk slowly stopped and turned around. His hawk-like eyes fixed on her, shooting a piercing gaze that made her heart race.
Her hands clenched tightly in nervousness, sweat pooling in her palms.
It only took a moment of courage to speak up, but the fear that followed seemed endless.
Who am I?
Where am I?
Why did I stand up?
I…
Just then, Mihawk slowly approached, his eyes locked onto Tashigi.
"Are you talking to me...?"