Swordtism 003

Practicing the most basic foundational move in his toolkit, the Form I: Shi-Cho Ordinary Slash, Mihawk cleaved the air repeatedly trying to get the feeling of the Wolf Fang Fist. 

After more than three hours had passed, and a thousand slashes later, he had done it. A very small white wisp of energy clung to the edges of his blade before dissipating into the air. All around him, a small whirlwind spawned at that final slash, making leaves fall down all around him, and a fruit conveniently dropping into his hands. 

Taking a bite from the juicy food, Mihawk was quite energetic. His physical fitness was pretty good right now, probably around the same as Alabasta Luffy, and although such training was tiring, after eating some food, his One Piece body was already close to being full of stamina. Perhaps one day he might even do something exaggerated, like Luffy regaining a tooth after drinking milk? 

Jokes aside, Mihawk was quite refreshed, and decided to explore the other side of the island. Enjoying the sounds of nature within the forest, he had a peaceful 30 minute walk before coming across what looked like a factory. 

Smoke stacks rose into the air, and a dense layer of pollution blotted out the sky. A chain link fence wrapped around the facility, and at the front was a guardpost with about six guys lazily sitting around. What drew Mihawk's attention was that the same symbol that Vent wore was plastered on the building. Connecting the dots, he figured that this must be where the slave collars for the Celestial Dragons were manufactured. 

Although he admired the Revolutionaries, he wasn't particularly interested in becoming an enemy of the World Government so soon. That said, there was a great deal of free MP up ahead, and as someone who didn't consider himself a murderhobo, the exp gained this way was entirely justified. Finally, he did have a grudge against this crime family for indiscriminately targeting him. If he could bust their balls, then he would take every opportunity to do so. This grudge, he figured, would be like a time honored tradition, like how the French & English took every chance they got to stick it to the other. 

Scanning the building, he figured he could easily jump over the fence, and probably do some stealth, and destroy the factory by causing a chain reaction explosion with the bomb he had seized from Vent. That would be some poetic justice right there. However, in this case, he preferred the direct approach. After all, who knew if such mass slaughter with a bomb would kill any indentured workers, or if he had to personally defeat opponents to gain MP? 

Therefore, he chose the direct approach. 

Walking towards the gate, he was eyed by the guards lazily. Most of them were playing with some dice, and didn't even glance at him. 

“Johnny, you go take care of him.” The leader of the bunch-a gruff guy with a cigar-ordered. 

A sloppily dressed lanky guy stood up from the dice game, and casually walked out of the guardbox with a rifle in his hand. “Oi, turn back. We don't want to shoot you.” 

Mihawk remained expressionless as he kept marching forward. 

“Oi, I'm warning you!” The man said, raising his rifle, and taking aim. “Just because you have a refined look about you, doesn't mean, doesn't mean…those eyes!” 

Lanky guy started to stutter, and by the time he belatedly pulled the trigger, Mihawk's messer was already out of its sheath. Deflecting the bullet with the broadside of the blade, he thwacked the goon across the temple in the same motion, knocking him out cold. 

The sound of tables scraping against a wooden floor rang in Mihawk's ear, and he heard much scrambling & cursing as the guys inside the guardhouse scrambled to arm themselves. 

Taking a deep breath, Mihawk pulled upon that feeling he had learnt from Wolf Fang Fist, and executed an attack. 

Form I: Shi-Cho Ordinary Slash 

Striking at the wall opposite the door to the guardhouse, he cut it into perfect cube-shaped pieces, exploding pieces of plaster inside the room. 

The gangsters were all facing the door when this happened, and the concussive blast sent them flying. Mihawk didn't give them a chance to raise their weapons at him, and slashed at their backs as he passed them by. 

His entrance must've caused a commotion, because an alarm started to ring throughout the factory, and the sound of men shouting in a panic & boots running all over the place became readily apparent. 

Just as he was about to advance into a wide open, barn-sized door, an explosion rocked the other side of the factory, and countless gunshots were going off. Mihawk instinctively jumped back, preparing himself for a tough fight, when another explosion rocked the distant section of the factory, and the gunshots very clearly were some distance away. 

A voice suddenly crackled over the PA system, confirming his doubts. Mounted on a nearby wall, a Den Den Mushi was screaming in some man's voice: “Catch that blonde hulk, kill him!” 

Mihawk furrowed his brow, as the only ‘blonde hulk’ he could think of was Edward Newgate…but he shouldn't be here in West Blue, right? By this point the guy was in his 30's or even almost 40, and a genuine legend. Having been a member of the Rocks Pirates, Whitebeard had already made a name for himself. 

However, based upon the fact that the factory wasn't instantly destroyed, or there weren't rolling laughs of “gurararara” in the distance, he could rule out Whitebeard. 

That begged the question…who else was making trouble here? 

Curious to see who was stealing all his MP, Mihawk dashed into the factory. Anyone he saw holding a weapon, he gave the old tried & true chest slash. Defeating goons one by one, it was particularly easy, as they were either running away in a panic from whatever had caused that explosion, or had their backs to him, intent on facing that ‘blonde hulk.’

50 MP richer, Mihawk eventually made his way to the factory floor. There he witnessed the protagonist of the hour slam through rows of men, and wield a giant steel beam to clobber them into submission. 

Raging like a man possessed, the large blonde man had muscles on muscles, hands bigger than a gorillas, and a wild look in his blue eyes. Wearing a pair of fingerless gloves, military camo colored pants, big black boots, and a red bandanna straight out of Rambo, Mihawk recognized the man. It was none other than Alex from the Street Fighter series. 

His mind went blank as he considered the implication. That perhaps there were other characters from SF in the world too? 

Whilst he was processing this thought, Alex had gripped some bespectacled man who looked like he was in charge, and held him up in the air by the throat. 

“WHERE IS SHE?!” Alex roared. 

The glasses wearing owner glanced at Mihawk, and seemed to recognize him-or his eyes at least-and he lifted a trembling hand, pointing at him. 

‘Oh this sonnuvabitch.’ 

Alex tossed the guy away like a sack of potatoes, sending him cluttering into some machinery. 

“Don't you look like a rich young noble? Stolen my sister to play with her, huh? Staring at me with those cold eyes as if I'm dirt? I'll tear you limb from limb!” Alex said working himself up until he charged at Mihawk with the force of a rampaging bull. 

For the first time, Mihawk cursed his calm countenance and dapper attire. Who knew playing it cool would turn him into such a hatred magnet? Seeing that the time for words had passed, he could only resolve this misunderstanding with the sharpness of his blade! 

Leaping over an assembly line with his massive paws outstretched, Alex went in for a bone crushing grappler's hug, intent on ending it all with one big burst of speed. Perhaps he was expecting Mihawk to be some pampered noble, and didn't foresee that he would be met strength with strength! 

Form V: Djem-So Power Slash

Before the blonde hulk could close his arms to crush the dapper gentleman, a thick slab of metal came flying at his chest. Tilting his body sidewise, the wrestling expert caught a glancing blow across his ribs, whilst he was forced to roll forward. A large furnace ‘cushioned’ his impact, and he crushed through various sheets of metal, showcasing just how strong & durable his body was. 

Alex wiped blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, and eyed Mihawk seriously. "You're pretty damn good with that thing."

Mihawk tilted the long black blade slightly, encouraging him to come forward. “I did not kidnap your loved one, but I see reason has been replaced with doubt. Let our fists do the talking, and whoever is left standing is correct.” 

“Fine by me.” Alex grinned.

Rushing forward, Alex crossed the distance between them like a runaway truck. For a man built like a heavyweight wrestler, he moved with startling speed. His boots hammered against the concrete, shoulders lowered, and arms spread.

Mihawk tried a repeat of last time, lashing out at the big man's chest. Alex was ready this time though, as he blocked the incoming attack with his specially reinforced gloves. 

Punching forward with a jab, Alex feinted, making Mihawk swipe at air. He then came in close, a yellowish type of ki gathering around his elbow. 

Alex's right arm swung down, and he unleashed a secret technique, Slash Elbow. 

The elbow smashed across Mihawk's guard, forcing him to meet technique with technique. 

Form III: Soresu Still as the Mountain

Mihawk slid backward nearly ten feet due to the powerful force. To date this was the strongest person he had encountered. 

Alex immediately followed up with a combination of attacks that had Mihawk's eyes open wide in admiration. 

A second elbow came with a hook, knee, then backward kick. 

Mihawk slipped under the first, caught the hook on his sword's guard, twisted away from the knee, and was kicked square in the chest by the backwards kick! 

Blood dribbled out of his chin, and he slammed the sword into the ground to stop his momentum, creating a large furrow on the factory floor. 

Alex then ran at him, tossing several miscellaneous pieces of steel & factory parts along the way. Chest burning in pain, Mihawk parried aside everything that came at him, preparing a counterattack. However, when a thrown piece struck something above him, a large hanging steel beam suddenly started to fall at him. Just as he cut it in half, Alex had managed to close the distance, and gripped him by the shoulders. Jumping high into the air, yellow wisps of energy coated his form as he began to corkscrew at incredible speeds, intent on slamming Mihawk into the ground. 

This was one of the wrestlers signature moves: Power Bomb. 

For an instant Mihawk was upside down, and his head was spinning. Yet throughout it all, his grip never lightened, and the messer remained in his hand. Just as they were about to collide with the floor, Mihawk used the blade like a pole, redirecting himself just enough that instead of landing squarely on his neck, he struck shoulder-first and rolled.

Stars met his eyes, and agony spread across one of his arms, effectively making it useless. 

Alex lunged after him, not wanting to give him a moment of breathing room. 

“Wolf Fang Fist!” Mihawk shouted out. 

A subtle white aura coated him, and just as Alex instinctively raised an arm to block, Mihawk kicked him straight in the balls. 

Alex stumbled backward with a grunt, and crossed both of his forearms as the sword descended for the crown of his head. Alex crossed both gloved forearms, blocking with his gloves. The impact threw sparks across his face, and Mihawk attacked again.

Throwing out an endless combo swinging with one hand, Mihawk got into a good tempo of cuts, stabs, feints, and heavy slashes. 

Blood pumping, sweat accumulating at his temples, Mihawk went unblinking as he fought. This fight. This feeling…this was what living felt like! 

The sword became a shining silver streak of steel as his once clumsy movements became more and more cohesive. 

Form I: Shi-Cho Ordinary Slash 

He made the big man retreat. 

Form II: Makashi Fools Parry 

He parried aside a fist, then reverse gripped his sword, driving the pommel into Alex's chin. 

Form III: Soresu Still as the Mountain

Minding his positioning, Mihawk danced amongst the rubble, tiring the big man out with efficient movements. 

Form IV: Ataru Speed is My Life

Spotting an opening due to Alex's fatigue, Mihawk stabbed forth, opening a wound on his forehead. Blood now spilled into Alex's eyes, half blinding him. 

Form V: Djem-So Power Slash

Finally for the coup de grace, Mihawk met power with power, channeling every last ounce of ki into one final big bang attack. 

Alex caught the sword with his gloves, but was forced to kneel. A giant impact crater formed underneath him, and many different tools in the factory scattered under this fierce assault. 

Kneeling, and breathing heavily, Alex tried to stand, but his limbs trembled. 

Mihawk, meanwhile, was feeling quite weak on the inside, but his face didn't show it, as if he were fresh and ready to resume fighting at any time. 

"Come on. Do it.” Alex began in a whisper, staring Mihawk in the eyes. “Come ON, I'M RIGHT HERE, DO IT, KILL ME, COME ON!” 

"No. And I didn't kidnap your girlfriend.” Mihawk blankly replied, sheathed his sword, and then he walked away.

Just like that. 

Alex stared after him, rapidly blinking his eyes. 

"...Son of a bitch.”