One Piece: I'm Invincible

"Oh? You're not a swordsman, are you?"

Dracule Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman, scrutinized Clover Benson's stance. Clover's grip on the sword betrayed his lack of formal swordsmanship training. Yet, his aura was undeniable.

"You have an impressive presence, stronger than anyone here," Mihawk remarked, his sharp gaze narrowing.

"Thanks for the compliment," Clover responded coolly.

Mihawk stared at him intently, as though recalling a distant memory. After a pause, he muttered quietly, "It is you." The words were so faint, only he could hear them.

"Let's change the location. It seems they have other business to attend to." Mihawk cast a glance at Don Krieg, who had just crawled out of his wrecked ship.

"Agreed," Clover nodded. He didn't want Monkey D. Luffy and his crew to witness his true strength. "Luffy, I'll leave this to you."

"You got it!" Luffy replied confidently, turning to face Krieg.

Mihawk then motioned for Clover to board his small boat, and the two sailed off.

---

On the boat, Mihawk reclined in his chair, his voice calm and measured, "You're the man who killed a Celestial Dragon, defeated Kizaru, and escaped unharmed."

Clover, slightly taken aback, raised an eyebrow. "You recognized me? I've changed my appearance since then."

"Your eyes give you away," Mihawk replied. "I didn't think anyone in this world would dare kill a Celestial Dragon."

"It was a... mistake," Clover shrugged. "And I'm sure there are plenty who would, given the chance."

Clover stood at the edge of the boat, gazing at Mihawk. As one of the Shichibukai, Mihawk had clearly learned of Clover's identity. That meant others—Crocodile, Doflamingo, and the Marines—would likely know as well. He would now be hunted not only by the Marines and World Government but also by other Shichibukai.

While Mihawk didn't care about such matters, others might see an opportunity to claim Clover's head in exchange for favor with the Celestial Dragons. Clover feared for Luffy's safety and knew that staying with the Straw Hat crew would only put them at greater risk.

---

Their boat soon reached an uninhabited island. The place was eerily familiar—perhaps it was the same island where Sanji and Zeff had once been stranded.

The two stepped ashore and faced each other. Mihawk unsheathed his famed black blade, Yoru, signaling that he was taking Clover seriously.

"So, I'm worth your full attention, huh?" Clover grinned, his own blade now imbued with Armament Haki, turning it jet-black.

"You wield Haki well," Mihawk acknowledged, a rare smile crossing his lips.

"Enough talk, let's go!"

Clover charged at Mihawk, the ground splintering beneath his feet from the force of his movement.

If it were anyone else, they would have braced for defense. But Mihawk, as the greatest swordsman, met Clover head-on.

Mihawk's advantage was his reach. As the two neared each other, Mihawk swung his longer blade, forcing Clover to defend and position his sword to block.

Clang!

The clash of their swords rang out, sending shockwaves through the air. The force seemed to warp the surrounding atmosphere.

"Ryou?" Mihawk muttered, surprised. "I didn't expect someone from the East Blue to have mastered such advanced Armament Haki."

Both their blades were coated in Haki, but Mihawk had planned to overwhelm Clover with one decisive strike. Now, it seemed the fight would not end so quickly.

"Heh," Clover smirked, pushing against Mihawk with a sudden burst of strength. Mihawk was forced back, flipping midair to land gracefully.

"Impressive," Mihawk admitted, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "It's been a while since I had a real challenge."

Since the day he dueled Shanks, Mihawk hadn't taken a fight seriously. But now, Clover presented a chance to unleash his full power.

Mihawk swung his sword, sending a sharp green wave of sword energy toward Clover. Clover, with his Armament Haki, blocked it, mimicking the same technique that the Marine Admirals used to defend against Whitebeard.

However, when Clover swung his own sword, no sword energy appeared. He hadn't yet mastered the skill of creating air slashes.

Mihawk's smile faltered as he instinctively raised Yoru to block. To his surprise, Clover's strike hit with a force that sent him sliding back.

"Just raw power, huh?" Mihawk mused, understanding the situation.

Clover, now more invigorated, began swinging his sword wildly. Dozens of powerful air blades shot toward Mihawk.

Mihawk deflected them effortlessly, his movements precise and fluid. In an instant, he leaped high, bringing his blade down in a deadly arc aimed at Clover's head.

Clover tried to sidestep, but Mihawk's blade changed direction mid-air, forcing Clover to defend. Only then did he realize Mihawk's advantage: Observation Haki.

Reacting swiftly, Clover raised his blade to block, the impact of Mihawk's strike shattering the ground beneath his feet and forming a deep crater.

Mihawk wasn't done. Using the momentum from the clash, he spun midair, flipping again to deliver a second strike from a new angle.

Clover hastily covered his hand in Armament Haki and grabbed Mihawk's sword, stopping the attack.

Landing gracefully, Mihawk pulled back his blade and lunged forward, aiming a direct thrust at Clover's heart.

Clover enveloped his entire body in Armament Haki, and when Mihawk's blade struck, the sound of metal on metal echoed, leaving no scratch on Clover's body.

"What incredible defense," Mihawk commented, clearly impressed.