Their path eventually became a narrow crack between stones, and Vash had to leave their baggage and boat behind. He noticed that the hole is wide enough for a person to walk comfortably. Mihawk took the lead and Vash followed behind. The inside of the tunnel was dark and cold, it was like an unending path to the unknown. As they walked, both Vash and Mihawk's senses went haywire. They couldn't see anything and felt like they were defying gravity and walking upside down.
"I feel strange field of energy here, and it's making me sick... ugh.." Vash said.
"I don't know. It had been always like this here." Mihawk said, he also sounded uncomfortable. If it had been bright inside, Vash could have seen the Mihawk's white face.
"What could it be??" Vash asked.
"Don't know. In my teenage years, I was infamous Bounty Hunter and a ruthless one too. It was due to my hunting of pirates that some of strong ones banded together, and chased me throughout the seas with intentions to kill. And it was during that time, I landed on this island and I had to hide in this tunnel. I also never travelled to the end of it. The people after me couldn't bear the illness and stopped chasing me." Mihawk explained.
"So you were bounty Hunter like your ward... What is his name again!? Oh right, Roronoa Zoro. I saw his bounty poster. 60 million berries, it's not a small amount for the first time. You must be very proud now." Vash said.
"And your student with a curly brow doesn't seem that impressive. No bounty after such a big event. You must be feeling down." Mihawk replied with unseen smirk but Vash was able to feel the mocking intention.
"What do you know!? He could be late bloomer. I bet his bounty will eventually surpass Zoro's, and I tell you, I'll not accept a pervert as my student. I just helped him a bit and that's it." Vash said.
"More like destroyed him thoroughly. You forgot that you broke his arms. The poor guy was miserable when you finished with him." Mihawk said.
"Tche... Anyway, when will this tunnel end. It's like I'm walking inside a maze. And I'm getting groggy. I think I'm claustrophobic, but it never happened before." Vash said.
"Well... you just have to bear with it. Come over here.... You can feel by the touch, there are protrusions jutting out the walls. The outline are faint so it's difficult for normal people to notice it. " Mihawk said while trying to suppress the nausea.
"Hmm... you are right." Vash said after touching the cave wall with both hands.
"Hmm... there are also indents on wall. What's this!!!???" Vash said as his foot stepped on something. Vash bent down to pick up the object and passed it to Mihawk and asked.
"Do you know what this is?? It felt like shellfish or some crustacean shell. Is it some kind fossil from ancient times?"
".....If I'm not wrong it's a dial." Mihawk said after a short pause.
"And that is???" Vash asked back.
"Dials are strange devices made from shellfish remains which are found throughout the Sky island. They are prominently used to store various kinds of matter and energy. And the stored content can be released by pressing apex of the dial when one wants to use it. The most common is flame dial that is used to store heat energy, it is a common household device for cooking and to warming up the house..." Mihawk started explaining in detail.
"This dial thingy is really heaven defying. But who put them inside tunnel walls and why??" Vash said as he was really surprised to see such technology in this backward looking world. He knew the implication of this kind of devices and the unusualness of it. As it could have multitude of brilliant usage.
"So what kind of dial is it??" Vash asked after some musing on his part.
"I don't know... It's damaged and there is nothing stored inside so it's hard to tell the exact usage of it." Mihawk replied after fiddling the dial in the dark cave.
"Last time when I was here, I found some objects of various shapes and sizes and I took them away with me. I was seriously injured at that time and I just wanted to be out of trouble so I never travelled to the end of this tunnel. and I didn't have the energy to explore the whole cave. But now that I'm stronger and have a monstrous being as a partner, I am confident of unveiling this tunnels mystery." Mihawk said after some contemplation.
""Ughh... Wtf!!! You wanna see how a monster barf??? I'll tell you now.." Vash grunted in dissatisfaction tried vomiting in direction of Mihawk.
"Okay...ok... you have to hold it in otherwise the reek will also make me puke." Mihawk said speeding up the footsteps.
Like that, they walked for an hour, and finally saw light pouring ahead of them. The duo hasten their steps that almost turned into a sprint. They both came out of the tunnel and into a clearing. The first thing they did after coming out was to use barf cannon move. And with that, they shook out the grogginess within.
What Vash and Mihawk first noticed was ocean like blue sky with dreamy clouds drifting about as if the velvety clouds were ships sailing in the seas. Gentle and cool breeze caressed their skin and brought them comforting feeling from the previous nausea. The duo felt as if they had overcome the mundanity of the world and had become immortals. After few moment the special feeling went away as Vash's color of observation registered unprecedented sense of crisis. Vash moved at lightening speed and shoved away Mihawk who was late to respond to the threat.
*Boom*
Vash and Mihawk turned back to look at the position where they were previously standing. The place was clouded with dust as only two rays of blue light glittered within.
"raaarhhh..."
A loud thundering roar sounded, scattering the dust cloud, as a tall, 15 meter high figure appeared before the the adventuring duo. It had the shape of Tyrannosaurus rex, except the skin of this creature reflected purple metallic shine, and its muscle flexed with grating sound as it walked using its hind legs. It had long spiky tail balancing its massive head.
"Woah... A T-rex!!?? Is it a cyborg or something?? Its teeth are as long as my swords... really scary... Hawkeye, you take it on." Vash said as he backed up some distance. This time, Vash wanted Mihawk to do all the heavy lifting, it was a revenge for when Mihawk had him do the servant job previously in Sandy island.
Mihawk gave him a stern glare that had meaning of 'really... at this time.'
Vash just whistled ignoring the gaze, but he was secretly observing the slowly walking and hulking Tyrannosaurus rex. He could feel the invisible pressure and danger radiating off of it.
"Mihawk... be careful... this thing smells trouble." Vash said.
"Humph... You don't have to state the obvious." Mihawk said in gruff voice as he directly held Black Blade 'Yoru' with both hands and swung it with incredible speed.