“Huh?”
Krieg stared blankly at what had just happened.
For some reason, the sight of Bane diving overboard felt oddly familiar.
Bane, meanwhile, had only one thought.
Damn it!
If I don’t get away now, it’ll be too late!
Mihawk had drawn his sword.
Dracule “Hawkeye” Mihawk—the World’s Greatest Swordsman—had been perfectly willing to ignore Krieg’s shouting.
But the moment Krieg ordered his ship to ram Mihawk’s tiny vessel, the situation changed.
Mihawk responded.
He drew Yoru.
Swish!
A brilliant flying slash tore vertically across the sea.
The ocean itself split apart beneath its path.
Then the slash reached Krieg’s ship.
There was almost no resistance.
The massive pirate vessel was cut cleanly down the middle.
Crack!
The two halves separated as the hull collapsed into the sea.
The impact sent violent waves rolling outward.
When Bane finally surfaced, gasping for air, the first thing he saw was Krieg’s ship breaking apart behind him.
His face twisted.
“Of all the people you could’ve picked a fight with, you chose him?!”
Bane continued cursing.
Krieg had nearly dragged everyone on board into a watery grave because he couldn’t tolerate a stranger refusing to move aside.
Big Brother or not, Bane wasn’t letting that slide.
Did Krieg really think the Grand Line was just another East Blue, where he could throw his weight around without consequences?
He had picked a fight with the worst possible opponent.
“Save me! Save—!”
Bane turned.
Krieg was still alive.
Whether Mihawk had only intended to destroy the ship or had simply swung without caring what happened to Krieg, the pirate admiral had somehow survived the slash.
For the moment.
Krieg was struggling desperately in the water.
His heavy armor was dragging him down, while the sinking wreckage created a current that pulled at his body.
The pirates aboard the two remaining ships were terrified.
They had just watched one man split an entire ship apart with a single slash.
None of them dared approach.
What if Mihawk attacked again?
No one wanted to be cut in half alongside Krieg.
They avoided looking in his direction, each pretending not to notice their captain drowning.
Bane was already considering doing the same.
At this point, finding a new Big Brother sounded increasingly attractive.
Preferably one with a functioning brain.
Then the System appeared.
[Quest Triggered: Disaster at the Outset]
[Description: Your Big Brother, Krieg, has accidentally provoked the World’s Greatest Swordsman. Save him.]
[Objective: Help Krieg escape Hawkeye’s pursuit.]
[Reward: 10 Attribute Points]
[Reward: Trust Value +30]
Bane froze.
Ten Attribute Points.
Ten.
The reward was absurdly tempting.
Unfortunately, such a ridiculous reward also told him exactly how dangerous the quest was.
If this were happening on land, Bane wouldn’t even consider it.
But they were already in the sea.
Maybe there was still a chance.
Bane clenched his teeth and started swimming toward him.
“Big Brother! Hold on! I’m coming!”
Krieg sputtered between mouthfuls of seawater.
“Bane… cough… I… cough, cough… wait…”
“Big Brother, stop talking.”
“Okay.”
Bane reached him.
While pulling Krieg up, he somehow managed to “accidentally” shove him underwater several times.
Krieg swallowed several mouthfuls of seawater before Bane finally got him under control.
If Krieg had simply drowned there, perhaps Mihawk would have lost interest.
Unfortunately, Bane had chosen to save him.
Mihawk silently raised Yoru again.
Bane’s entire body went rigid.
His Observation Haki screamed danger.
The pressure was overwhelming.
Even when facing Garp, Bane hadn’t experienced anything quite like this.
One certainty filled his mind.
If that slash hits me, I’ll die.
And worse—
He didn’t think he could dodge it.
Bane stared at Mihawk.
Ten Attribute Points.
Thirty Trust Value.
He gritted his teeth.
Fine.
He would gamble.
“Hawkeye!”
Mihawk’s gaze shifted toward him.
Bane kept one arm around Krieg and shouted across the water.
“One strike!”
“If I survive one strike from you, let what happened just now end here!”
Bane knew enough about Mihawk to understand one thing.
The man didn’t behave according to ordinary expectations.
He had pursued Krieg across the sea after being provoked, yet he was also capable of losing interest the moment he decided someone was no longer worth his attention.
If Bane could give Mihawk a reason to accept this wager, there was a chance.
And if Mihawk refused and simply decided to attack Krieg again?
Then Bane was done.
Quest or no quest.
Krieg?
Never heard of him.
Mihawk looked at the soaked young man supporting Krieg in the water.
Something shifted slightly in his hawk-like eyes.
For the first time since appearing, he spoke.
“Are you certain?”
His voice was calm.
“Even if you die, I will not spare him.”
Bane immediately caught the implication.
“So if I survive, this ends here?”
Mihawk gave a quiet chuckle.
Then the atmosphere around him changed.
His expression became serious.
“You know who I am, yet you still propose such a wager.”
“That takes courage.”
“But courage does not make this a wise decision.”
“I won’t weaken my strike for you.”
Mihawk’s gaze sharpened.
“I will attack with my full strength.”
“If you are afraid, withdraw now. For your loyalty and courage, I will allow you to leave.”
Krieg’s eyes widened.
For one brief moment, he clearly wished Mihawk had offered that deal to him instead.
Then panic took over.
“Bane!”
Krieg grabbed at him.
“You have to save me!”
“I can’t die here! I haven’t conquered the Grand Line yet!”
His voice became increasingly desperate.
“Take this attack for me! Once I rebuild my fleet, I’ll make you my heir! Everything I have will be yours!”
Bane stared at him.
Heir?
What a joke.
At this point, Bane only wanted to get one last reward out of Krieg before putting as much distance between them as possible.
“Enough talking.”
Bane turned back toward Mihawk.
“One strike. Come on.”
Krieg’s face brightened.
He immediately released Bane and swam away as quickly as he could, putting as much distance between himself and the upcoming attack as possible.
Bane watched him go.
What a wonderful Big Brother.
Always ready to leave his loyal subordinate alone the moment things became dangerous.
Mihawk glanced toward Krieg, then back at Bane.
He shook his head slightly.
Perhaps he found the young man’s loyalty wasted on someone like that.
But he said nothing.
It was Bane’s decision.
Mihawk raised Yoru with both hands.
“Young man.”
His voice carried clearly across the water.
“If you survive this strike, then you will have earned the right to tell me your name.”
Bane didn’t answer.
His entire focus was on Mihawk.
The Black Blade rose.
Then fell.
Slash!
A flying slash erupted from Yoru.
It was sharper.
More concentrated.
More dangerous than the strike that had split Krieg’s ship apart.
Mihawk hadn’t lied.
He was not holding back.
The slash tore across the surface of the sea toward Bane.
Death rushed straight at him.
Bane activated his only defense capable of giving him even the slightest chance.
Thorn Jade Hardening!
Pale purplish-red jade armor instantly spread across his body.
This was exactly why Bane had insisted on one strike.
His defense could block one attack.
Only one.
And Mihawk’s slash was already upon him.