Chapter 424: Those Are All My Words!

Another... monster from the Round Table Knights facing off against a top-tier sea tyrant, and this time the opponent is none other than the former strongest swordsman in the world!

Hawkins’ gaze sharpened, convinced he had already guessed the man’s intent:

“Britannias intends to climb to power by trampling the very strongest on the seas, forging an unrivaled prestige?!”

“In other words.”

“Sir Gao Wen’s goal is to rule the seas and challenge the World Government?!”

“Even the Pirate King Roger himself never achieved this!”

Hawkins’ heart surged with excitement.

What was One Piece? What was the Pirate King? Compared to this kind of audacity, they were nothing but childish games!

The World Government had ruled for eight hundred years; countless figures had sat upon the Pirate King’s throne, yet none had ever reached this level!

“Drake!”

“Do you still have the courage to compete against a man like this?!”

Drake opened his mouth, then fell silent.

The roar from the audience seats rose higher and higher!

The previous battle had been brief, its outcome utterly unexpected.

A lowly soldier from Sir Gao Wen’s ranks—unknown, with no bounty to his name—had effortlessly defeated the dominant lord of the West Blue!

He could almost be called the greatest dark horse in the history of this Martial Arts Tournament!

And now.

The exact same scenario was unfolding again.

Another obscure swordsman, directly facing a long-established powerhouse from the New World!

Every spectator in the stands now had their appetite fully whetted!

“Roronoa Zoro?! If I remember correctly, he’s also a member of the Round Table Knights!”

“Will he repeat the miracle of Sanji the Blackfoot?!”

“Climb to the pinnacle by stepping over the former strongest swordsman in the world?!”

A fat nobleman, standing on the backs of his servants, strained to rise and gaze across the empty arena.

Heavy breathing, eyes blazing with fervor!

He was one of the tournament’s most veteran fans, his blood thrumming with bloodlust and longing.

Yet never before had he been so utterly, completely satisfied—as he was today!

“It’s truly...”

“Just imagining that scene makes one tremble all over!”

Beside him, a slender nobleman held himself with disdainful poise:

“What kind of fantasy are you dreaming?!”

“If your opponent is that man, even a Marine Admiral or a Four Emperor would have to take him seriously!”

“Eagle Eye—Mihawk!”

“Don’t forget his former title: the Marine Hunter!”

“Alone with a single blade, he hunted Marines across the New World, forcing the World Government to bow its head and offer him a Warlord position to make peace!”

“He and Germa 66 exist on entirely different planes of existence!”

“The former will be drowned by the tide of the new era; the latter never will.”

At these words, even the fat noble’s face flushed crimson—he had no retort.

Because the slender noble spoke an undeniable truth!

Eagle Eye...

Merely that name alone was enough to make the Marines and the World Government wary!

No one even knew how strong Eagle Eye truly was!

For them, the point of this fight was never who would win—but how Eagle Eye would win!

And how far that man from the Round Table Knights could go!

The moment Eagle Eye’s name was spoken, no debate was needed, no approval required—simply by existing, he represented the pinnacle of swordsmanship!

At least, the pinnacle of the past!

Even so, the cheers from the crowd surged louder and louder, higher and higher!

The battle between Sanji and Geppo had utterly ignited the atmosphere!

In the front rows of the audience seats,

Eagle Eye slowly rose to his feet and walked steadily toward the arena.

Katakuri crossed his arms, leaning against the railing, his lower face hidden beneath his scarf, his tone calm yet teasing:

“Looks like your luck’s better than we expected—this locks you in a spot for advancement.”

But—

Before Eagle Eye could respond, the black blade on his back, Yoru, could no longer contain its instinctive agitation!

Hum—!

The blade’s hum spread through the contestants’ seats.

Katakuri’s eyes snapped open, a flash of sharp light vanishing instantly:

“Is that guy truly worth this much of your attention?!”

He had already sensed the rising battle aura emanating from Eagle Eye.

Even now, with his blade still sheathed, Eagle Eye was already gathering momentum—each step forward intensified his presence by another degree!

Ordinary swordsmen at this moment could not even draw their own blades!

This was a pressure akin to an overwhelming tide!

Since joining the Cross Guild, Katakuri had fought Eagle Eye more than once—but he had never seen him adopt this posture before!

Nearby, Rydfield also stared at Eagle Eye, his expression stunned, filled with complex, indescribable emotions!

“Such a man... such a blade...”

“If you weren’t born in this era, you’d be the strongest in the world!”

All fell silent, deeply agreeing.

At the same moment,

At Marine Headquarters, countless eyes watched the Round Table Arena through projection screens!

Hiss—!

Akainu, seated on the Admiral’s chair, crushed the cigar in his hand, staring at the screen as Eagle Eye walked step by step into the arena, his expression cold and hard:

“That arrogant Eagle Eye actually entered this boring tournament?!”

“Has he developed an interest in One Piece?!”

“No!”

To Akainu’s left, Aokiji, legs propped on the table, spoke lazily:

“He’s probably just seeking a worthy opponent.”

“After all, we’ve all fought that monster before—his strength is unquestionable. Even you couldn’t possibly hold him back.”

“Besides, it’s been two years—no one knows how much stronger that monster has become.”

“The only thing we’re grateful for is that the resolution to abolish the Warlords was suppressed by the Five Elders—we don’t have to clash directly with that monster yet.”

“Senior Kuzan, I cannot accept your philosophy!”

Across from Aokiji,

Green Ox, whose real name was Huangmu, with emerald-green hair, couldn’t help but retort:

“Justice is absolute—it must be enforced to the end, even at the cost of one’s life!”

Aokiji lifted his eyelids slightly and glanced at him.

Green Ox was, without doubt, the brightest new star in the Marine ranks today.

During the Marineford War months ago, countless Marine officers died, leaving severe manpower shortages.

Immediately after taking command, Akainu began recruiting across the Four Seas.

Green Ox was the monstrous newcomer who rose to prominence during this recruitment drive.

His strength rivaled even veteran Marine Admirals—and worse, he was a fanatical loyalist to the World Government!

His version of justice...

It wasn’t justice at all—it was pure, unadulterated jungle law!

Survival of the fittest, and the World Government’s Celestial Dragons were heaven itself!

Everything else was merely expendable!

If Akainu hadn’t been influenced by T Gu and begun rethinking the essence of justice from another perspective, Green Ox would have been the even more extreme, more fanatical version of Akainu!

Worse still, Green Ox had now become the World Government’s de facto spokesperson within the Marines.

Aokiji found himself constrained in his actions because of him.

“Tch~”

Aokiji smirked:

“Today’s youth are really~”

"Ko~wa~i~ne~~"

The familiar tone made Akainu’s mouth twitch; he quickly interrupted Green Ox, who was about to continue arguing:

"Be quiet."

"Nearly half the fighting strength of the Round Table Knights of Britannias will attend this World Martial Arts Tournament."

"It’s also our chance to learn just how many high-end fighters Britannias has accumulated."

Upon hearing this, Green Ox shook his head and said: