"Oh, oh."
Robin nodded slowly, her expression reflecting a partial understanding. Some things made sense to her, but others didn't—after all, she hadn't reached that level of strength or experience yet. Still, her desire to become stronger was growing.
She knew better than most the harsh realities of the world. Her past had shown her that strength was the best way to protect herself and those around her.
"Erica, can you teach me how to become stronger?" Robin asked, her voice filled with earnestness.
Hearing this, Erica looked at Robin with a gentle smile and shook her head. "My strongest ability is swordsmanship. It's not really suitable for you."
"Why? Do I not have talent for swordsmanship?" Robin asked curiously.
"No, that's not it," Erica replied, shaking her head. "Master told me that you're a Devil Fruit user. For someone like you, the best path to strength is mastering your fruit's abilities. If I teach you swordsmanship, it would actually interfere with your growth and waste your potential."
Robin's Devil Fruit was the Hana Hana no Mi—the Flower-Flower Fruit. Indeed, its abilities were fundamentally different from the direct and precise nature of swordsmanship.
Unlike Mio and Lilith, whose Swap Fruit abilities paired well with swordplay, Robin's power leaned more toward strategy and control.
Besides, Robin had the habit of reading every day—a lifelong routine she had no intention of giving up. Training her in swordsmanship would not only be mismatched with her powers, but she wouldn't have time to truly dedicate herself to it.
"However," Erica added with a smile, "I can teach you Haki. Master said that in the New World—the second half of the Grand Line—Haki is a necessity for all strong fighters. It's an ability everyone must learn."
"Really? Thank you!" Robin's face lit up with gratitude.
"My Haki isn't that strong, so please don't mind that," Erica chuckled modestly.
"Not at all. To me, you're already incredibly powerful," Robin said, shaking her head with a sincere smile.
Meanwhile, on the island…
The battle between Mio and Dracule Mihawk, the man who would become the world's greatest swordsman, was about to begin.
Facing Mihawk, Mio knew he couldn't afford to hold back. Before the first blow was struck, a powerful aura erupted from his body. His presence alone was enough to make those with weaker strength—like Robin—feel oppressed by the sheer pressure.
"Please guide me."
Mio's voice was calm but serious. With that, he stepped forward and rushed toward Mihawk in an instant, blade swinging.
"One Sword Style: Black Crow!"
A wave of black sword energy erupted from Mio's swing, transforming into a ferocious slash that tore through the air toward Mihawk.
"Hm, strange sword energy…" Mihawk muttered as he raised an eyebrow. He casually lifted his black sword, and in a blink, a gleaming green slash cut through the black wave.
He blocked the attack with ease.
Mihawk then pulled back, watching Mio closely. "This is the first time I've seen sword energy like yours. I've never encountered black sword energy before… But your swordsmanship itself, as you said, is quite ordinary."
"Yeah, I know… but hearing it so bluntly still stings," Mio muttered with a twitch in his expression. He was clearly resigned to the truth.
What an honest guy…
"As a swordsman, why care about such things?" Mihawk replied calmly.
He then took a step forward, appearing in front of Mio in an instant, swinging his black blade downward.
Clank! Clank! Clank!
Mio parried the incoming blow. The two clashed again, exchanging rapid strikes. Every movement generated sparks, and the gleam of blade against blade lit up the air between them.
Swish!
A powerful slash from Mihawk tore across the ground, leaving a deep, jagged wound in the earth. Mio leapt back just in time, barely avoiding the deadly attack.
In return, he launched a full-powered slash of his own. Black sword energy condensed and surged forward like a rampaging beast, carrying with it a savage, primal roar.
Boom!
But Mihawk effortlessly dispersed the attack with a single swing.
The two resumed their fierce exchange, blades dancing under the sunlight.
However, after a few minutes of intense battle, they separated. Mio was noticeably winded, his breathing heavier.
Mihawk, on the other hand, stood tall with a calm expression, barely winded. It was clear the gap in physical strength between them was immense.
Still, Mio wasn't completely exhausted. Thanks to Hanba's gene, his physical endurance had improved drastically. Had this been earlier in his journey, he would've collapsed by now. But now, he was merely catching his breath.
Even so, Mio fully realized the difference in strength between them—both in sword skill and raw physicality.
What's more, neither of them had used their special abilities yet. Mio hadn't used his Swap Fruit, and Mihawk hadn't touched his Haki.
Clearly, Mio's experience still lacked the depth of a true warrior.
Yet, despite knowing all this… Mio grinned.
There was still something he had to do before this fight ended.
He stepped forward and met Mihawk once more. Their blades swung—and they passed by each other in an instant.
Mihawk suddenly frowned slightly, then nodded subtly. His eyes flicked briefly to Erica, who was watching from the ship.
The exchange had happened so quickly it was easy to miss, but Mihawk had clearly noticed something… and acknowledged it.
The two combatants turned to face each other again.
Mihawk raised his sword with both hands. "Are you ready?"
Mio exhaled and grinned. "Of course. I've been ready for a while… though I hope I don't regret it."
His final words were whispered to himself, too soft for anyone else to hear.
"If that's the case… then—"
Mihawk's tone turned sharp. In the blink of an eye, killing intent erupted from him—raw, suffocating bloodlust accumulated from countless battles and deaths over his years as a swordsman.
Everyone on the ship felt it. Even Robin turned pale under the pressure.
Erica's expression changed instantly. Her instincts flared—was Mihawk planning to kill her master?
The thought alone filled her with panic and fury. She prepared to leap toward the island.
But Warwick and Lilith stayed still. Though concerned, they seemed to know something. Neither moved from the deck.
Then—Mihawk vanished.
In an instant, he appeared before Mio, his black sword raised high.
"This slash… is my respect to you, Captain!"
Swish!
The blade came down in a blur.
A deep gash opened across Mio's chest. Blood gushed out like a fountain, splattering onto the ground.
"Master!!"
Erica's voice trembled with rage and fear. Her entire body trembled as her emotions exploded outward.
A terrifying momentum erupted from her.
The air changed. The calm sea turned turbulent beneath the weight of her fury.
Silver-colored energy surged around Erica, pulsing with raw power.
Conqueror's Haki.
It was immense. So dense and powerful that even Mihawk, for a brief second, felt his spirit tremble under its weight. Though not overwhelming to him, it was enough to make him pause.
This wasn't normal Conqueror's Haki either.
Erica was no ordinary person. She was an animal-type being—a mutant ant queen.
Her Haki was written in a different language entirely—wild, primal, and ancient.
And at that moment, Mihawk realized something:
This woman's fury… was not to be underestimated.