Naval Headquarters, Marineford.
A great swordsman who could defeat Hawkeye suddenly emerged in East Blue. Naturally, this incident attracted the attention of Naval Headquarters!
If such a person is a bounty hunter, that's manageable~
But if it's a pirate, it will be a major headache for the Marines!
"Have you contacted Hawkeye? We must identify this person and uncover their background!"
Sengoku scowled as he reviewed the report in his hands.
The sea was becoming more turbulent with each passing day~
"Reporting to the Marshal, we haven't been able to contact Hawkeye," an adjutant reported.
Sengoku wasn't too surprised by this.
Although Hawkeye is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, whether he cooperates with the Marines depends entirely on his personal mood.
"What about the local garrison in Logue Town? Have they reported anything?" Sengoku inquired again.
The adjutant replied, "It was said that Vice Admiral Garp was in Logue Town at the time. However, when the battle broke out, Vice Admiral Garp was drinking at the Logue Town Marine Base. He only learned of the incident after the fact and missed the confrontation entirely."
"Drinking?? Damn it, Garp! Always unreliable!"
Sengoku rubbed his forehead in frustration and spoke angrily.
At that moment, Vice Admiral Momousagi spoke up, "Marshal, according to eyewitness accounts, that great swordsman is just a teenager. It shouldn't be too difficult to track down such a distinctive individual."
"Jing Yuan, you're oversimplifying things."
Beside Momousagi, Vice Admiral Tsuru shook her head slightly. "Do you really think it's possible for a teenager to defeat Hawkeye?"
Momousagi's expression faltered slightly, her cheeks flushed as she hesitated, "It does seem... unlikely~"
"Be confident. Remove the doubt. It's simply impossible!"
Vice Admiral Tsuru analyzed the situation seriously, tapping the table as she spoke. "I'm certain this person used the power of a Devil Fruit to alter their appearance!"
Is that so~
Listening to Vice Admiral Tsuru's analysis, Momousagi felt a pang of disappointment~
Initially, she was quite interested in the idea of such a young swordsman.
But after hearing Tsuru's explanation, if some old monster really used a Devil Fruit to change their appearance, Momousagi immediately lost interest.
After all, the New World is filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers.
It wouldn't be surprising for an older monster to emerge, capable of defeating Hawkeye.
However, the appearance of a young swordsman with the ability to defeat Hawkeye carries an entirely different significance!
If someone could defeat Hawkeye while still in their youth, their future accomplishments in swordsmanship would be unimaginable!
For such a person, the goal isn't just to compete for the title of the greatest.
Instead, it's to elevate the art of swordsmanship on the seas to new heights!
To break the current limits of kendo and create a new era of swordsmanship~
This is a dream every great swordsman hopes to witness in their lifetime!
And as a great swordsman, so does Momousagi!
"This matter must be taken seriously! Send someone to investigate immediately!"
Sengoku, taking the matter seriously, issued the orders. Then, as his frustration grew, he pounded the table, "Damn it, Garp! If he hadn't been so lazy, we might already know about this mysterious figure by now!"
...
"Achoo!"
Somewhere on the Grand Line, aboard a warship, Garp sneezed!
"Did my grandson miss me?"
Garp wiped his nose, convinced that Luffy and Ace must be thinking of him.
"Vice Admiral, who do you think that young swordsman might be?" Bogart asked, walking alongside Garp.
He couldn't stop thinking about it.
Had he arrived in Logue Town earlier, he might have witnessed the battle and seen this young swordsman for himself.
"Haha, don't worry about it. Sooner or later, he'll reveal himself. When that happens, you'll get your chance to challenge him," Garp said, patting Bogart on the shoulder.
He knew that the change in the title of the world's greatest swordsman was a significant event for all great swordsmen!
Though they might not be a match for Hawkeye, swordsmanship is full of dynamics and rivalries.
Maybe a certain great swordsman's style could perfectly counter the newly crowned world's greatest swordsman!
Right now, any great swordsman would be eager to test themselves!
"Ah... so close, I missed out on a fight..."
Bogart exhaled slowly, shaking his head in regret. "What a shame..."
"Speaking of which, these newcomers are getting more and more impressive. First, we have Master Finn, who's mastered incredibly powerful Armament Haki at such a young age, and now this mysterious young swordsman. They really make us old-timers look bad."
Bogart was deeply moved.
Neither he nor Garp had connected Finn with the mysterious swordsman.
After all, they had never seen Finn use a sword.
Moreover, with Finn being so young and having already mastered Armament Haki to such a degree, it seemed unlikely he had the time to hone his swordsmanship.
Thus, they never suspected Finn.
As for the only one on the ship who knew the truth, Tashigi...
At Finn's request, she had promised to keep his secret.
Of course, Tashigi took the opportunity to "blackmail" Finn, making him agree to a condition.
If she were to keep his secret, Finn would have to teach her swordsmanship!
Finn agreed without hesitation.
After all, Tashigi was already his assistant.
Even if Tashigi hadn't demanded it, Finn intended to guide her and help her improve her strength.