Chapter 15: The Realm of Swordsmanship

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“Your reputations precede you both; naturally, I have heard of you,” Sariya said respectfully, her tone serious.

“Ha ha ha ha ha…” Shanks laughed even louder upon hearing Sariya’s words.

Sariya: “…”

She couldn’t help but feel that Shanks’ laughter was somewhat provocative.

At this time, the Red-Haired Shanks had not yet lost his arm; he was overly youthful, carrying the awkwardness and charm of a young man.

Yet that did not stop Sariya from wanting to slap him.

It seemed neither Mihawk nor Shanks intended to lay a hand on her.

Given that...

Sariya, adopting a deadpan yet sarcastic tone, said, “Mr. Shanks, you’re laughing so heartily—did you eat some laughing gas or something?”

Damn him.

Laugh all you want, but when I punch the Yonko later, I’ll sew your mouth shut first.

Mihawk’s gaze briefly swept across the laughing Shanks, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

That was somewhat amusing.

Shanks did indeed look like someone who had ingested laughing gas.

Shanks paused his laughter, glanced at Sariya, and seeing her forced smile that didn’t reach her eyes, burst into an even louder laugh as if to shake the tavern’s foundations.

“Ha ha ha… you… your tone… it’s really… ha ha ha ha…”

Mihawk narrowed his eyes and looked at the woman before him with a hint of interest. “You’re a swordsman?”

Currently, Hawk-Eye Mihawk had not yet forged the Black Sword, nor become the world’s greatest swordsman, but he was already a highly skilled swordsman.

A swordsman with some experience could sense the presence of another swordsman.

Mihawk never refused a challenge from a fellow swordsman.

Encountering another swordsman here on this island, besides Shanks, was an unexpected pleasure.

“Wow, no wonder you’re the future world’s greatest swordsman and the most handsome man alive!” Sariya suddenly slammed Griffin onto Shanks’ head, then turned to praise Mihawk.

“Ouch…” Shanks, laughing heartily, clutched his head and groaned from being hit with his own sword.

“I consider myself half a swordsman. There are aspects of swordsmanship I don’t quite understand yet. May I ask for your guidance?” Sariya straightened her expression and asked directly.

“You want to learn swordsmanship from me?” Hawk-Eye’s eyes showed slight surprise.

“As swordsmen, I should be your rival. You want to learn from your rival?”

This was difficult for Hawk-Eye to comprehend.

“I’m not interested in being anyone’s teacher,” he said.

He glanced at the woman opposite him and noticed she didn’t have her sword with her. “Where is your sword?”

“Huh?” Receiving a negative response, Sariya was somewhat surprised.

She remembered Hawk-Eye was Zoro’s teacher, so why refuse her?

After reflecting on the story and guessing Hawk-Eye’s mindset, Sariya quickly understood.

When Hawk-Eye took in the green-haired Zoro as a disciple, he had long been the world’s greatest swordsman and found no rivals; the heights were lonely.

Hence, Hawk-Eye wished to personally cultivate a rival who could match him.

But the current Hawk-Eye was not yet the world’s greatest swordsman, so naturally, he had little interest in guiding others, an effort not guaranteed to be rewarded.

Having figured this out, Sariya looked Hawk-Eye seriously in the eye and said in a low voice, “Let’s fight first. If you acknowledge my swordsmanship, then guide me. How about that?”

“You said you’re half a swordsman?” Hawk-Eye sat opposite Sariya.

He leaned forward slightly, hands folded on the table, his sharp gaze fixed on her.

“You’re so confident I will acknowledge your swordsmanship?”

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Normally, if Hawk-Eye met someone wanting to spar, he would have drawn his sword and started fighting immediately.

But now, inside this small tavern, the space was unsuitable for combat, and Shanks’ sword had just been purchased by this woman.

All things considered, Hawk-Eye showed a bit more patience toward this unexpected opponent.

Sariya took the opportunity to sit down as well. She gestured subtly to Nada, who nodded and hurried off with two glasses of wine.

“My hometown divides swordsmanship into four realms,” Sariya said, picking up her chopsticks to eat noodles.

She wasn’t confident in herself but in the Tai Chi sword style from her hometown.

“The first realm is holding a sword in your hand but having no sword in your heart. It focuses on mastering each move through repeated practice to become familiar with the basic actions and techniques.”

Hawk-Eye’s interest was piqued by her words. “And then?”

After retrieving his sword, Griffin, and hanging it at his waist, Shanks squeezed in beside Sariya.

“Come on, tell us.”

He wasn’t bothered by her earlier use of Griffin to bonk him.

After all, she returned Griffin without charge...

Having read martial arts novels before, Sariya quickly finished her first bowl of noodles, then adopting the demeanor of a sage, shook her head and said,

“The second realm is holding a sword in your hand and having a sword in your heart. It is the unity of sword and spirit, the so-called ‘sword and self as one’, mastering sword energy.”

“Well said,” Hawk-Eye nodded in approval, signaling her to continue.

Shanks, also a swordsman, propped his chin and watched her intently.

Sariya finished her second bowl solemnly. “The third realm is holding no sword in your hand and no sword in your heart. It is a peaceful state of ultimate emptiness.”

“By your account, I’m currently only at the second realm,” Hawk-Eye said thoughtfully, clearly absorbing her explanation. “I don’t quite understand this third realm. How can a swordsman have no sword in hand? Without a sword, how can one still be a swordsman?”

“What about the fourth realm in your hometown? How is it defined?” Hawk-Eye’s curiosity was fully aroused now. His hawk-like eyes fixed patiently on Sariya, awaiting her words.

Sariya silently slurped her noodles, saying nothing.

There is no fourth realm; she made it up to fool them.

“The fourth realm—” Sariya dragged out the words, “send me 50 V, no, promise me you’ll teach me after we spar, then I’ll tell you.”

“Please, promise me,” she clasped her hands together, pleadingly looking at Hawk-Eye.

Hawk-Eye: “…”

Sensing something odd, he said, “With such distinctions in swordsmanship realms, your hometown must have a high mastery of swordsmanship.”

“Then why do you seek my guidance?” Hawk-Eye was genuinely puzzled.

“You accepted my request earlier,” he nodded lightly, then added, “But you must tell me where you are from.”

A place capable of proposing such a theory must have many swordsmen.

If he had time in the future, he would definitely visit.

Shanks, curious, leaned closer to Sariya and smiled, “Yeah, yeah, where are you from?”

Sariya: “…”

With Shanks’ sword sweeping close to her waist, she quietly moved away from the redhead.

Lowering her head, she ate quickly.

A sudden flicker of resentment toward Shanks grew in her heart.

After finishing all three bowls of ramen, she raised her eyes coldly.

“My hometown was once selected by the World Government as a hunting ground and lost. I was lucky not to be there, so I’m still alive.”

She spoke and silently observed Shanks’ reaction.

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A suspected Celestial Dragon, the heir of Pirate King Roger, Red-Haired Shanks, gifted, powerful, reliable allies.

Moreover, certain traits in this man resembled her own.

Sariya hated and envied him.

“So I can only tell you I’m from the West Sea,” she said calmly to Hawk-Eye.

Ask away.

You damn swordsman, go feel guilty about it.

Hawk-Eye hadn’t expected such an answer. After a moment of silence, he quietly said, “I’m sorry.”

Shanks heard the words beside him and seemed to think of something.

He pressed down his straw hat, shadows hiding his eyes, making his expression unreadable.

Hawk-Eye’s expression softened considerably. He corrected himself, “After our spar, if I win, I will point out the flaws in your swordsmanship.”

“Woohoo, you agreed! That’s wonderful!” Sariya cheered, “Mihawk, you’re the best swordsman in the world!”

As if unintentionally, she bumped into Shanks’ waist sword Griffin, causing it to sharply strike Shanks’ thigh beneath the table.

“Hey, that hurts,” Shanks complained, glaring at Sariya. “Be careful.”

Sariya pretended not to hear.

Shanks felt something was off. Leaning sideways against the table, he raised an eyebrow and asked, “Don’t you feel sad for your people?”

“I was already saddened long ago,” Sariya smiled faintly, calmly. “After all, life and death at sea are the most common things.”

She had been to many places in the West Sea.

Unable to change the rules, one must adapt.

The strong decide everything; she could only make herself stronger.

“And no matter how angry or sad I am, I can’t do anything to the World Government,” she stared directly at Shanks, her eyes flowing with deep, indistinguishable emotions.

She whispered to Shanks, “Even the Pirate King can’t do anything to the World Government, right?”

Shanks’ pupils constricted; his smile faltered.

Seeing this, Sariya felt triumphant and delighted.

“Uncle Verry,” Sariya snapped her fingers, boldly saying, “Bring out the most expensive and finest red wine in your tavern. I want it.”

The tavern owner Verry was delighted. “No problem!”

Today’s guest’s spending would equal several years’ income! What luck!

Verry immediately turned to fetch the oldest, finest red wine.

Hawk-Eye knew the wine was probably for him.

He looked up and stopped Verry. “No need.”

“After the spar, if I win, I will naturally point out the flaws in your swordsmanship,” Hawk-Eye said calmly.

Verry looked at Sariya hesitantly.

“Uncle, please get it,” Sariya confidently told Verry.

She smiled at Hawk-Eye openly. “The wine is a gift for meeting you. I have money; I’m not short of this.”

Mihawk said no more.