Chapter 2 – A Death Game

"Laugh Tale, huh? Guess the storyline's still the same," Ron muttered, contemplating how much he had altered the storyline. For instance, Kid Smoker had already met his end because he was troubling Ron.

"Morgan's stepping up his game. Nice. I've already bribed 7-8 people in his branch of the World Economy News in Loguetown. Free source of intelligence."

"Guess Mihawk survived, even after a rear-admiral eyed his sword. Didn't know he was already a great swordsman," Ron remarked, looking at news of Mihawk beheading a rear admiral and other photos of him fleeing successfully.

He also saw photos of Shanks and Buggy crying, but since he didn't see any other Roger Pirate crew members, Ron guessed that their being alive served as a warning to the World Government not to touch them before their time, or else hell would break loose.

"HAHA, should I also start packing up and prepare a boat? Escaping the Navy encirclement is going to be interesting."

"I should also cover up this inn. It's going to come in handy in the future."

Ron got busy fixing up his small ship, loading necessary supplies, ammunition, firearms, and weapons. At the same time, he also started covering up the tracks to his inn, hiding all valuables that he couldn't carry in a safe pit.

As the day went on, finally, it was time for the meeting with Mihawk.

As dawn painted Loguetown golden, anticipation gripped the air. Streets bustled with merchants' chatter, carts clattered, and seagulls added their chorus to the symphony of waves.

At the Ron Inn, Ron himself was already up. He hummed a tune under his breath as he swept the floors and tidied up the tables, his mind drifting back to the events of the previous life.

Just then, he heard hurried footsteps, a rapid heartbeat, and sensed some conflicting emotions outside the inn, drawing Ron's attention.

He leaned to the side of the window and peered outside to see an interesting individual, his eyes widening in surprise to see Mihawk walking towards the inn with his chest covered in bandages, blood seeping out of them.

"Oye Oye, you've got to be kidding me, Mihawk Injured!" Ron exclaimed, although he had known that the butterfly effect would make pirate escape in Loguetown difficult, he didn't know that even someone like Mihawk would get shot.

"Mihawk!" Ron hurried out, waving to get his attention. "Are you okay? Who got a lucky shot on you?"

"Nah, just a bullet. Got too focused in battle that I got hit by a Captain-ranked bullet, though he died shortly after," Mihawk replied with his usual emotionless face.

"Ohh, too bad. If that Captain rank survived, he would have surely received a call for Elite training from Navy Headquarters," sighed Ron, feeling a little bad for such a capable Navy rank Captain. After all, he knew even if Mihawk said he was focused on battle, hitting Mihawk is no joke.

Fortunately, Ron stopped his praise upon seeing Mihawk's face becoming ugly.

"So, can you arrange a doc? I don't think the Navy will give up easily on me, especially after I sliced through 4 Rear-Admirals," Mihawk said in a low voice.

"What! 4? I thought you only killed 2," Ron's face turned serious, realizing how grave Mihawk's situation was.

"Come with me. I am a half-doctor myself, although I never treated a patient, I know some medical knowledge," Mihawk followed Ron silently into the inn's basement, where Ron proceeded to treat Mihawk with the knowledge he learned from watching YouTube and TikTok shorts in his previous life.

Ron's hands moved with precision as he carefully extracted the bullet from Mihawk's wounded chest, his keen observation Haki guiding his every move. With steady hands and unwavering focus, he successfully removed the projectile, skillfully avoiding any further damage to Mihawk's already injured body.

After the impromptu surgery, Mihawk rested for a few hours, his body slowly recovering from the ordeal. When he finally woke, he made his way upstairs to the main room of the inn, where Ron awaited him with a glass of premium wine.

"As good as ever," Mihawk remarked, taking a sip of the wine. "You truly have a knack for the finer things in life, Ron."

Ron grinned, pouring himself a glass as well. "Only this time, after all i don't think you coming back at Lougetown anytime soon, Mihawk."

Mihawk nodded in appreciation, his gaze shifting to the serious expression on Ron's face. "So, about my offer..."

Instead of giving a direct reply, Ron proposed a death game, a test of Mihawk's skill and intuition. With just one mistake, Mihawk would face certain death.

"A death game?" Mihawk repeated, raising an eyebrow. "You're not one for subtlety, are you, Ron?"

Ron chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Where's the fun in subtlety, Mihawk? Besides, I thought a man of your caliber would appreciate a challenge."

Mihawk studied Ron for a moment, weighing his options. "Very well, I accept your challenge. But know this, Ron, I won't go down without a fight."

Ron nodded, a sense of determination in his own gaze. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Mihawk."

Ron prepared 45 delicious dishes, each presented on a plate. However, unbeknownst to Mihawk, 30 of them were poisoned with a tasteless and odorless toxin. A single bite would cause heart failure in next 2 hours.

Mihawk's task was to choose exactly 15 dishes and consume them. If he managed to survive until the next morning, Ron would present him with his best custom-made wine, with only one bottle available in the world.

Mihawk surveyed the array of dishes before him, his brow furrowed in concentration. "This is quite the predicament you've put me in, Ron. But I suppose that's the point, isn't it?"

Mihawk began to make his selections. With each choice, he weighed his options carefully, relying on his instincts and years of experience. Despite his confidence in his own Haki abilities, he knew that Ron's Observation Haki was no joke, and he could only trust in his own intuition to guide him through the deadly game.

Ron grinned, watching as Mihawk made his selections with careful consideration. "Exactly, Mihawk. It's all about testing your instincts and keeping you on your toes."

As Mihawk finished his final dish, the room fell silent, the tension thick in the air. With bated breath, both men awaited the outcome, their fates hanging in the balance until the next morning.