56. A beautiful duel
Mihawk didn't even have the time to use his black sword and only his small knife could save him. Zoro, who was on sleep mode, appeared the next moment a few feet behind Hawkeye after disappearing from his original spot.
One could also hear a sharp metal sound too when Zoro had vanished and if one looked closely at the knife of Mihawk one could see that the small black knife had turned into a complete black one.
Mihawk had used his Armament Haki and also Observation Haki to stop the attack of Zoro. This was necessary for Mihawk because if he didn't do it, he was sure his neck would have been on the line. Though he probably could have just used Armament Haki in his neck area and stop the attack, this would be quite a humiliation for himself.
"Kid, you have surprised me. Come!!!" Hawkeye said as he turned back to look at Zoro. By now he was sure that Zoro was asleep and he didn't have proper control of everything. The only wish that remained in his body was his desire to fight him and so even in his sleep Zoro was fighting with this weird technique.
Hawkeye had never seen this sword technique before. He was also sure that it wasn't some Devil Fruit. Meanwhile Zoro bent his knees again and placed them wide apart to start another move which looked just like the previous one. He was holding the hilt of Inosuke's knife as he breathed a mouthful of air again.
This time the thunder sounds on the body of Zoro were more loud and one could easily see the sparks flowing in his body. The spectators were horrified seeing this. Especially Don Krieg. He was proclaiming that he would take over the restaurant but what Zoro did a few seconds ago was not something he could defend against if it was done without any warning.
"First Form: Thunderclap and Flash Sixfold"
Zoro vanished again but one could see the flashing rays of light as Zoro stepped on 6 nearby random places before reaching Mihawk. This speed was faster and more random than the previous move. Mihawk didn't underestimate him and had already taken out his black sword to confront Zoro's weird moves.
Zoro appeared again behind Mihawk but one could see that the weird sword which had sharp blades on one side was broken completely. Mihawk's sword still proved to be overwhelming for Inosuke's sword at the end and it broke in just one confrontation against the black sword of Mihawk.
The broken sword was the signal that broke Zoro from his sleep state as he opened his eyes. He looked at the broken sword and sighed. When sleep hit him during the fight he already knew what was going to happen. He had progressed a lot in Zenistu's character and he was pretty sure that his sleep state would infuse the sixfold.
But even then it wasn't enough. Such speed!! Such strength still wasn't enough!!
"I thought I might be able to get the upper hand with my speed, but it seems I am still far away." Zoro said as he kept the broken sword inside his hilt. One sword was broken and now he only had two swords left.
He slowly brought out a single sword.
"You have surprised me, Roronoa Zoro. When I came here, it was just because I was bored but now it seems like the visit was worth it."
"I am glad that I could be the clown, but this doesn't end here." Zoro said as he ran to Mihawk while breathing a mouthful of air. Unlike last time, his body didn't show any signs of lightning or thunder. What the people felt was more like a warm temperature around Zoro.
"Sun breathing first form : Dance"
Zoro delivered a very high powered vertical slash while his sword seemed like it was burning in a very high temperature. It looked particularly dazzling when Zoro did that move. Mihawk had a serious face as he countered that move. Like the previous moves, this move too was going for the neck park and if he didn't counter he would have to die.
"Kid, what is this style you are using? I am curious." Mihawk was really curious about this unique style that Zoro was showing.
"Sun breathing second form : Clear Blue Sky"
Zoro didn't even care for the words of Mihawk as he continued on the second move as he jumped in the air and his body spun horizontally as he delivered a 360 degree strike at Mihawk and he had to defend against it too. Mihawk was more curious about this technique Zoro was using.
He was sure that if Zoro one day could use Haki and use the same technique he would be able to stand at the top. He could already see that these techniques were really powerful!! Mihawk wanted to see if Zoro could defend against his attack while maintaining this form. And so he used his sword to attack Zoro.
"Sun breathing third form : Raging Sun"
This form allowed Zoro to deliver two horizontal slashes consecutively to defend against the attack of Mihawk. The fire was still visible on the red sword of Zoro. The spectators were really watching a sword duel that they never thought would be able to see in their lifetime.
Yosaku and Johnny, who had been with Zoro for the longest time, were more surprised than the others. He had never seen their Big Brother doing such kind of moves in all the time they had been together.
"His sword play is so amazing. Even in the Grand Line I have never seen it." Red Foot Zeff commented.
Sanji was also surprised seeing the strength of this Zoro which he looked down upon. Ken and Luffy had a smile. Though he wasn't at the level of Yoriichi yet, he was reaching that point slowly.
"Sun breathing fourth form.....*cough*... *cough*"
Zoro who was ready to deliver the fourth form at Mihawk coughed out and stopped in his tracks. Sun breathing style was still not easy for him and he still had a long way to go perform all the 13 forms of sun breathing.