As the points of light continued to radiate from Arton's body, the Unlimited Blade Works world gradually disintegrated. Before long, everyone found themselves back at the floating restaurant, Baratie.
The ordinary diners, seeing the familiar surroundings again, erupted into cheers of relief. While the Unlimited Blade Works dimension had provided them with an awe-inspiring spectacle, it had also subjected them to an unprecedented sense of danger. Even though neither Arton's volleys of swords nor Mihawk's flying slashes were aimed at them, they couldn't shake the fear that they might become collateral damage.
Usopp: "Phew, we're finally back. I thought we'd never make it out."
Sanji: "Arton… something's changed about him."
He lit a cigarette, his gaze fixed on Arton standing nearby with darkened skin and holding two pistols. "And what's with the guns? Isn't he supposed to be about swords and bows?"
Luffy: "Hey, Uta, do you know what's going on with Arton now?"
He looked at her with curiosity.
Uta: "Even if you ask me, I'm not sure this time."
She shook her head, her eyes never leaving Arton. After confirming that there were no injuries on his body, she sighed in relief. Yet, the ominous aura emanating from him left her feeling uneasy.
Sanji: "There's definitely something different about him this time, and that vibe he's giving off… it's way more intense than before."
Usopp: "Yeah, but you gotta admit—Arton looks damn cool wielding those pistols!"
Luffy: "I wonder if we'll get to see the new power he's using now."
Despite the tension in the air, the crew couldn't help but marvel at Arton's striking transformation.
Zeff adjusted his sunglasses and spoke up. Zoro remained silent, his gaze fixed intently on Mihawk, who was now standing with four wounds carved into his back. Though the four blades responsible had disappeared along with the dissolution of Unlimited Blade Works, the scars they left on Mihawk's body were very much real.
At this point, Zoro was resolute—he didn't want Mihawk to fall just yet.
Mihawk: "It's been so long since I've experienced something like this."
He coughed up a mouthful of blood, then slowly stood, his body trembling slightly.
"You've pushed me to my very limits."
He glanced around at the now-familiar Baratie setting, his brow furrowing slightly as he noted the absence of the sword-filled battlefield.
"So… the world of swords is gone, is it?"
"Should I take that to mean that you too have reached your limit?"
He smirked faintly, adding:
"Well, that's fine. Let's see which of us truly reaches our limits first."
However, as Mihawk's eyes fell on Arton, now unscathed and sporting his new dark-skinned form, his smirk vanished, replaced by a deep scowl.
Mihawk: "Your wounds… they've healed again?"
"And your strength… it's completely restored?"
Arton gave a silent nod in response.
Mihawk: "This… this is truly an unfair ability."
"Are you sure you didn't eat some Devil Fruit like Marco's Phoenix?!"
For the first time, even the world's strongest swordsman seemed on the verge of mental collapse. He was battered, bloodied, and nearly spent, his stamina depleted to the point where even using Armament Haki or Observation Haki felt like a struggle.
But Arton?
Every time he reached his supposed limit, every time he suffered a mortal wound, he would somehow recover completely—his strength, stamina, and vitality renewed.
Mihawk both hated and appreciated this. On one hand, it allowed him to witness more of Arton's sword-based powers, something that excited the swordsman in him. But on the other hand, this level of regeneration tilted the scales unfairly in Arton's favor, making it a frustrating match.
As Mihawk's sharp eyes caught sight of the weapons Arton now held in his hands, his brows furrowed even deeper.
"Guns? Are these also your weapons?"
Hearing Mihawk's question, Arton first nodded, then shook his head.
"Guns are symbolic weapons for this particular form of mine.
While my essence remains rooted in swords, this version of me has taken up dual pistols in the pursuit of efficient slaughter."
Arton continued:
"The red-clad version of me with white hair, or the me in the school uniform you've seen before, didn't wield these guns."
Hearing this, Hina raised an eyebrow:
"Efficient slaughter? So that's why you've chosen pistols?"
Doll chimed in:
"For killing, guns are certainly more convenient than swords. Still, the current Arton feels very different from the one we've seen before."
Kujaku muttered to herself:
"Efficient slaughter... and yet..."
Mihawk's frown deepened as he processed Arton's words. While he didn't fully understand their implications, one thing was clear: Arton's abilities came with distinct forms, and with each form, his powers—and even his signature weapons—could change.
"So, if I were to fight you now..."
"Would you use those guns against me?"
Arton nodded slightly, confirming Mihawk's assumption.
"How dull."
Mihawk furrowed his brow in disappointment.
Arton's use of a bow—treating swords as arrows—was something Mihawk could reluctantly accept as still within the realm of swordsmanship. But now, seeing Arton wielding firearms, Mihawk couldn't consider this a duel between swordsmen anymore.
His desire to continue fighting dropped significantly. However, just as Mihawk was about to sheathe his black blade, something occurred to him.
"Can you still summon that world filled with infinite swords?"
Arton nodded, glancing at the pistols in his hands.
"I can, but the method is a bit... brutal."
"Brutal? Does it involve those guns of yours?"
"Yes. That's correct."
"Can you show me now?"
"It'll kill people."
Arton's voice carried an ominous tone. This was because the template Arton was now using was that of Emiya Shirou Alter, whose Unlimited Blade Works had evolved into a cruel and destructive form: compressing the entirety of the sword-filled world into a single bullet, which was then fired with devastating power.