When the Straw Hats, along with Yosaku and Johnny, arrive at the floating restaurant Baratié in search of a ship’s cook, they encounter the dreaded Don Krieg. The latter’s ship is badly damaged and his crew starved. Gin, the gang’s vice, tells everyone that on the Grand Line, on the seventh day before their return, they were attacked by a swordsman with eerie eyes who destroyed the entire fleet. Zoro determines that it could only be Mihawk “Hawkeye” Dracule.
Shortly after, Hawkeye also appears at the Baratié and also destroys Don Krieg’s flagship. He is considered the strongest swordsman in the world, which is why Zoro makes it his mission to beat him here and now.
Contents
The fight
So he challenges Hawkeye to a duel. He acts very superior to Zoro, almost arrogant, and shows this by fighting with only a small dagger against the three swords. To Zoro’s surprise he actually holds him at bay with it and doesn’t even show the slightest trace of effort. Hawkeye counters the Tora Gari attack, even before it has been fully executed, with a lunge forward. He stabs his opponent in the chest. At this moment, Zoro remembers again the promise he made to Kuina in his childhood.
Hawkeye is impressed by the young swordsman’s strong will when he refuses to give up. He asks for Zoro’s name and now also draws his huge Black Sword, which can be seen as high recognition. Zoro gives it his all again and goes for his 3000 Worlds attack, but Hawkeye wreaks havoc with a single swipe of his blade. Two of Zoro’s swords shatter and a deep gash gapes across his chest, whereupon he realizes he has lost and stands before Dracule Mihawk without cover to receive the death blow.
The latter inflicts a huge gash on Zoro, the force of which causes him to fall into the sea, but he remains alive. Mihawk urges Zoro to train harder, to keep his strong will, so that one day he can challenge him again. Then Zoro might have the chance to defeat him.
The promise
Zoro, meanwhile, has been pulled onto the small boat and doctored by Johnny, Yosaku, and Usopp. With a weak voice and barely any strength left, he raises his Wado-Ichi-Monji into the air with his right arm extended and asks Luffy if he is now disappointed in him for not managing to defeat Hawkeye. However, he promises that he will never lose to an opponent again. Luffy grins and Dracule Mihawk also seems pleased and wishes them good luck.
Thereupon Hawkeye disappears again. He had enough fun.
Miscellaneous
- In Weekly Shōnen Jump #34/2019, the fight was redrawn by Boichi as part of the One Piece Cover Comic Project.
