One Piece: Gambling to The Top
Chapter 156 - 156

The smirks finally vanished from his face. Mihawk never thought he would replace a worthy opponent. He had never thought he would misjudge a swordsman. Josh's swordsmanship doesn't lack spirit. That spirit alone is too dangerous for both of them.

Josh and Mihawk continued clashing for about one hour.

During this hour, they exchanged more than a thousand attacks.

During those thousand attacks, both Mihawk and Josh had the same chance of death.

Mihawk jumped backwards, creating distance between him and Josh.

If one looked carefully from the sky, one would notice the new shape of this island. It was now full of cut marks.

"I think you should stop holding back and use all of your power. Because I am going to use mine." Mihawk declared as he squatted and took an attacking stance. "Use your powers, the real ones."

Black lightning started wrapping the black sword. Although, it wasn't really lightning. But felt more dangerous.

'The strongest warlord… and I'm facing him.' Josh points his sword toward Mihawk, his left palm on the top of his sword.

Josh height grew to 2.7 meters as he turned into a demon.

Red demonic energy made an appearance, and, a black aura wrapped Josh.

Light, a yellow one, covered him. From Josh's body, an aura of pride and wrath left him. The marines who were standing far could feel their breaths almost being taken.

Mihawk observed as hellish hot flames wrapped Josh's sword, so another layer of light. The heat was monstrous, and it could be felt from him. Moreover, they were enhanced by Armament Haki.

"Your Haki is so strong," Mihawk said, the black lightning around his sword getting stronger.

"Yours too," Josh said.

Josh had a strong Haki for three reasons. The first one was because he was a transmigrated. The second was the death experiments he had gone through, despite being weak. They had rewarded him. The last reason was some item from a system that enhanced his spirit -- Samurai Will -- and not to mention his talents.

"Fine. Let's end this."

The doppelganger that held Katana stood up next to Josh. He didn't change the form, but one can feel it got stronger, just as Josh's spirit. It entered Josh and vanished.

Both Mihawk and Josh smalled their swords down at the same time.

The pressed air formed two black giant arcs.

If one could compare their sizes, then a mountain would be a little bit short.

The sword energies clashes. One was wrapped by light and fire. The other one was wrapped by dark lightning.

Once the two clashed, a big disaster occurred.

The early damage that had followed this place was nothing.

Now, hills and the forest were getting cut in pieces.

Strong wind surged everywhere.

Even far, where everyone was watching from a relatively safe distance, the attacks reached them.

Akainu, who was watching this battle with focus, took a step forward.

The ones with advanced Haki could tell that this place would be caught in the battle.

Akainu was frowning. 'At least, this battle had taught me the extent of his power… both Josh's and Mihawk, someone who never had been serious.'

Facing the pressed air that continued sharp sword arcs within it, Akainu extended his arms furiously.

A barrier, invisible, appeared. The wind stopped. The building behind him survived.

"That fire. Akainu, it is so hot." Tsuru said, waving her hand in front of her face.

Despite only the winds coming toward them, it wasn't less hot than fire. The grass beneath their legs was vaporising.

"The Gambler, he held back…"

Blackbeard smirked as if he figured out something. "Zehahahaha… great devil fruit."

Meanwhile, where Josh and Mihawk were fighting.

A big explosion appeared where the two swords energy clashed, dust flying everywhere.

Light exploded, and flames covered the remains of the forest that fell on the ground.

Josh and Mihawk were standing in their places. Mihawk had a cut mark appearing on his shoulder, blood gashing. Josh, on the other hand, had a few small cuts on his body. But they were healed in instant.

"You have great Devil Fruit. Can't believe I lost in clash of strength." Mihawk said.

If one looked at the best swordsman in the world, to his arms, he would notice that they were red and burned. Despite having high heat tolerance, Mihawk was caught by the fire. He knew it was hot, and he knew that Josh could defeat him.

"So you figured it out."

"It's obvious you didn't swing with all of your strength," Mihawk said. "Why? Are you afraid of killing or something?"

"No. a couple of dear people were behind you. You can dodge, but I don't want my girls to get hurt." Josh said, in his demon form.

"Fine. Let's go all out then." Mihawk started walking toward Josh slowly.

Josh's form changed, becoming human. "I've advanced in my swordsmanship. I won't need my Devil Fruit."

Josh's gamble with the system wasn't to defeat Mihawk with all of the means. It was to take the title of the Strongest Swordsman in the world. Josh needed to depend on his swordsmanship.

Mihawk noticed Josh's intent. Pure skills clashing, that is what he seemed to want.

"Well said. Let's settle this, no Haki, nothing extra." Mihawk said; one can feel pride emitting from him.

Josh couched lowly, holding the sword with his left hand backwards.

Lowering his head, Josh closed his eyes, and he brought his sword to put him behind him.

He then brought his right hand and put it in front of him, extending it slowly while bending his arm.

"Iai style. But you don't have a sheath. First time to see this. " Mihawk was amused as he held the sword with two hands, the tip pointing toward Josh.

The distance between them was only a few meters.

Silence surrounded them. The burning forest's flames had less effect. They were only feeling each other.

Once Mihawk raised his sword, Josh's right hand, very swiftly, reached the grip of the sword behind him. The sword moved at a great speed upward.

In slow motion, Mihawk moved his body to the left, observing how the blade almost cut through his throat.

'It's over.'

Josh's defence was open. Mihawk brought his sword down.

Slow-motion.

As the Yoru's blade was heading down, while the great Devil Sword was heading up away from Mihawk, it was needless to say that Josh was over.

But at that millisecond, Josh's left hand reached the black sword on his back. Josh didn't stop his movement, instead, he went along with it, and span, slashing very swiftly with an obsidian blade. Josh didn't put any power, which meant there was only pure speed behind it, making him surpass Mihawk's speed.

Mihawk halted his movement all of the sudden and he took a step back, his sword fell heavy on the ground.

*Spsh* *Spsh*

Two cuts appeared on his armpits, blood dashing out of them.

Mihawk opened his eyes widely. "The duel… it is over."

Josh was squatting and pointing the great sword to the sky while his scimitar was to his right. He stood up with his back facing Mihawk.

He waved his black blade, shaking the blood away, before putting it back on its original spot.

"I have severed the nerves of your arm," Josh said. "You can never use your arms again."

"What a fearsome technique." Mihawk lowered his head.

His sword was on the ground, and he couldn't move it.

No matter how much he tried to lift it, his arms couldn't respond to him.

"Do we need for the battle to go further beyond?" Josh said while putting the sword on his back.

In battles without referees, death and life battle, the winner is declared only when his opponent admits defeat or is dead.

"I've lost." Mihawk had deep grief in his voice as he admitted this. He wasn't sad that he lost his title. However, for a swordsman, losing the ability to move his arms was worse than death. Mihawk became disabled.

[Ding. The Gamble is completed.]

[+1500 Draw Points]

[+ x2 Tier 5 Mystery boxes ]

Not having an expression on his face, Josh walked forward and reached his pocket.

Mihawk lowered his head. 'So, it's my death. At least, it was a worthy fight.'

"Eat this."Josh put something above his thumb before he threw it backwards.

Mihawk lifted his head. He was still unable to move, as his hands couldn't open to leave the sword. It was a pill.

Mihawk thought it was a poison pill, an act of respect and mercy.

He thought that Josh knows what Mihawk will suffer and that what happened to him is worse than death. Mihawk knows that. So, at least, he respected this gesture from the man who defeated him.

Mihawk opened his mouth and took the pill. "It was a fight to the death, after all, the New Strongest Swordsman. Hold the title tight"

Ready to face death, Mihawk swallowed it and sat down. Without him realising, he took his hand and put them on his laps, ready to die with his honour.

Mihawk kept closing his eyes, remembering his journey and all of the battles he had gone through.

'It was a full life.'

Opening his eyes to have one last sight at the man who defeated him, Mihawk realised it. Yoru was on the ground, and Mihawk, somehow, managed to bring his hands to his lap.

Lifting his hands, Mihawk stared at them. "I can move them?" the cuts in his arms were healed, something that should be impossible to heal.

Somehow, the spirit he had thought he lost, came back. The flashbacks he had when he had been ready to face death became meaningless. Mihawk was still a swordsman, and he can live as one. He had learnt from this battle.

"I guess you owe me one, old man," Josh said as he made his way toward the naval base.

Mihawk turned his head to the ground and smiled. It was silent laughter.

Mihawk held the grip of Yoru, supported himself to stand up.

"Wait," Mihawk said.

Josh stopped and turned his head. Mihawk walked and stoop up in front of him, his gaze fixed on Josh's eyes.

The atmosphere seemed to get intense, especially with the sharp eyes of Mihawk.

The two of them were covered in dust, their clothes were torn, and they didn't look in good shape.

"What do you want?" Josh asked.

"It was great to fight you."

Mihawk extended his hand.

Josh suppressed a sigh and extended his hand, shaking Mihawk.

"I won't deny it. It's the greatest fight in my life, so far." Josh replied.

"You're still young. I'll see how much you have to improve." Mihawk had a slight smile on his lip. "Until then, I may come to challenge."

"I'll welcome you with opened arms," Josh smirked.

Although he won, it doesn't change the fact that their level of skills is very close. The same results can't be said to repeat with such little power difference.

Mihawk patted Josh on the shoulder. "Until then, let's have a drink if we ever met."

"Right."

The two then turned and walked toward the naval base, back to the useless meeting.