CH - 48

But it was too late. They had already locked blades.

Jory held tight with two hands, barely maintaining his footing, as the Warlord pushed down with ease with only his one arm.

"I… will not… let you hurt them!" Jory yelled.

"Such bravado. I don't think you can stop me." And then Mihawk shifted his blade to make Jory fall forward, and then he swung in an upward stroke, cutting into Jory's chest. Blood flowed from the wound as Jory was sent flying across the ship as well.

"JORY!" Loyola called in horror. She rushed off after him, being out of Mihawk's gaze… for now.

Mihawk then turned to the snipers.

Bo and Kazuki rushed off to the sides, trying to find a distance they could fight from. But they didn't have the chance.

The giant black blade cut underneath them, slicing across their legs, and sending them stumbling to the ground.

Kazuki pulled his pistol and tried to take fire, but the gun was quickly swept away.

Mihawk stood over him, about to stab into the man.

"NO!" Halcen shouted.

Everyone looked back to the Captain of the pirate ship.

Halcen leaned forward, his left arm covering his stomach, his Haki still thriving. It was the only thing keeping him alive. He groaned, as he stood up, and his blood spurted out of him. He wavered, but still got up. "You… can't…" he stammered as he stalked toward Mihawk.

"But I am," was all he said in response.

"I don't care who you are! I don't care how strong you are! I… will NOT let this be the end… not without a fight!"

"It's not much of a fight," Mihawk pointed out.

"Yeah, you're right. Even if I'm guaranteed to die here, I'd still rather go down swinging." Halcen pulled his pistol and held it, aimed at the Warlord.

"Do you really think such a small thing would turn the tide of this battle?"

Halcen sighed. "No." Then he thought for a moment. He reached to the sling tied around his waist with his left arm, leaving his stomach exposed. "But this might." He quickly unwrapped the Devil Fruit and took a look at it. This is it.

Hawkeye's eyes rang in fear at the sight of the Devil Fruit. He cursed lowly to himself.

Halcen moved.

Mihawk was faster.

The black blade cut through the air as Mihawk seemed to dance his way toward Halcen.

And all time slowed down.

Halcen knew he was out of time. The Devil Fruit was no longer an option. He dropped the gun still in his right hand, and pulled his dagger instead. He held it out tight and pushed his last bit of Haki into it. As the wicked blade swung down at him, the pirate's life flashed before his eyes.

The sound of metal clanging together rang through Halcen's ears. His knife made contact with the great sword. He was able to block the blow.

Mihawk did not seem as impressed as Halcen was. In fact, it seemed to agitate him.

"Now, ain't that something," Halcen smirked.

"Not really." And then Mihawk kneed Halcen's elbow, and his blocking arm went off to the side, leaving Mihawk's blade unhindered.

And in the split second, all Halcen could say is "Ah, shit."

And then blackness overtook him. He could barely feel anything. For a moment, the world around him disappeared. And when he came back… he saw his own blood, dripping off a black blade. He couldn't move, he couldn't speak. He could barely even see. And then the pain hit him. Overwhelming… And he spewed.

Mihawk had stopped Halcen from eating the Devil Fruit. Now, he couldn't even move. "That's one threat down."

"ENOUGH!"

Everybody froze, as if something had taken them over. Some overwhelming presence that they had never felt before.

Everybody, that was, except for Mihawk, who turned to the source; a tall old man.

Grey stepped forth. "That's… enough."

"And who are you to tell me that?"

"I am the first mate of this ship, Axcel D. Grey, and I will not let you shed any more blood here today! And if it must be blood you get, then it will be mine!"

"Alright, then I can play with you for a bit. I seem to have broken the other toys."

Grey remained silent, but moved forward, never removing his eyes from Mihawk, and put his fists up.

"What? No weapon?" Mihawk laughed.

"The wicked are beaten with these bare hands," Grey said, coldly.

Mihawk shrugged. "Alright, then." He swung forward with his long blade.

Grey moved quickly to the right side, saw an opening in Mihawk's ribs and went in to strike with his right hand.

But his fist hit metal. Mihawk was able to pull the blade back in time, just barely blocking Grey's hit. "You're fast, old man."

"I'm only warming up," Grey warned.

"We'll see." Mihawk kicked his right leg, trying to sweep under Grey's legs.

But Grey threw out his left arm and blocked the incoming kick.

Mihawk grunted in frustration, then pushed Grey off with the weight of his blade.

Grey took a step back, and as Mihawk began to swing his sword across where Grey's head was, Grey ducked. Then went in to strike, again with his right fist. This time, Mihawk wasn't fast enough. The strike landed on Mihawk's face, making him stumble to the right.

Mihawk caught himself before he went spiraling. "That was a hell of a punch," he said, shocked, trying to regain his stance. He knew he couldn't let this old man land anymore blows. He didn't know if he'd be able to survive many. He had to finish this fast. Mihawk threw up his left arm to block Grey's next punch, deflecting it. Then grasped his sword tight and swung across the chest area, where Grey was still recovering.

But the old man was fast. He dropped to his knees and the blade swung through his long swaying hair instead.

Mihawk redirected the sword and came down straight atop where Grey knelt on the ground. The black steel merely cut into the wood of the deck of the Black Tail instead.

Grey had moved to the side fast enough to avoid the hit.

"You're good on your feet for an old man."

"You're not a very good shot for one of the 'World's Greatest Swordsman,'" Grey taunted.

Mihawk was enraged. He began a flurry of swings, trying to kill this squirrely old man. Grey was, admittedly having a little trouble keeping up. His body was old. He wasn't as limber as he once was. This fight was already putting a strain on him. He needed to get this done fast, if he could even survive.

Finally, Mihawk got the old man. He swung straight across, and Grey attempted to dodge again, but wasn't quite out of the way in time. He missed the majority of the cut, but the tip sliced across from the center of his chest to the edge of his right shoulder.

"Agh!" Grey immediately put his left hand to his shoulder, covering his bleeding wound.

"Finally," Mihawk said, collected. He was in control now, or so he thought.

Grey looked angrily at Mihawk, who stood triumphantly, as if he had already won. He took a deep breath. Come on, Grey. Get your shit together. You can do this… He looked about the ship and settled his eyes on Halcen. If you don't, he dies. I can't let that happen. He and Halcen locked eyes. Halcen was in pain. He needed help.

Grey rushed forward, throwing Mihawk off.

Mihawk swung his giant sword downward.

Grey stopped short, and threw out his left arm to block the sword. Black steel met black skin.

"You too?" Mihawk gasped.

The crew looked on at Grey in shock.

"Grey can use Haki?" Bo said lowly.

Just who is this man? Kazuki thought to himself.

"Oh, my God," Jory gasped in amazement.

But Grey's Haki was only able to cover a part of his body at a time. At this moment, it was only his left arm. He moved it and grasped hard onto Mihawk's right wrist, squeezing tightly. He couldn't use his sword now. Grey pushed black Haki to his right arm as well, then sent a flying fist into Mihawk's face. The sheer force alone attempted to send Hawkeye flying across the deck, but Grey held his wrist tight, pulling him back, and throwing another right into his face. He used his arm liked a rope to bind Mihawk to the ground, and hit him twice more.

Mihawk had had enough. When he was pulled back, after being hit four times, he brought his left arm out and smashed Grey in the face with it. The old man was sent tumbling across the deck. Mihawk had control of his sword once more. He was heaving. "I gotta say, you impress me!" he said as he walked toward the old man, trying to get up of the ground. "I haven't been given this much of a challenge since Red-Hair."

"Shanks?" Grey looked up at Mihawk through a bruised eyes. Mihawk had blood smeared across his face. "You know Shanks?"

Mihawk took a moment. "You… know Shanks?"

Grey took a moment. "I trained him."

Mihawk's eyes grew wide in excitement. "No… I can't… believe… That can't be true."

"It is," Grey said, with considerable confidence.

"Who are you, old man?"

My thoughts exactly, Kazuki thought.

"No one important… to you," Grey answered calmly.

"Maybe I don't need confirmation. But if it is true… If you really did train Shanks, then you and I are going to have some fun."

"You call this fun?" Grey shouted.

"Come now, old man. Your prodigy and I used to fight like this all the time. The earth would shake with the ferocity of our battles. Surely you won't take away what little entertainment I have."

"The difference here is you're trying to kill my Captain and his crew!" Grey stood up. "This isn't a game to me!"

"Captain? That weakling? You call him 'Captain?' How pathetic."

"Yeah… he might be weak now. But he's only gonna get stronger. And in a few short years, he'll surpass both of us, easily. I've watched him grow from just a kid. He's the smartest, most passionate person I've ever met. And I would gladly lay down my life for him. So yes, 'Captain.''

"Moving speech," Mihawk guffed. "Are you ready to die now?"

Grey rushed in and grappled Mihawk's torso, squeezing his lanky arms around the shorter man's back and clutched.

Mihawk kneed Grey in the stomach, grabbed him by the back of the head, and pulled him back at arm's length. He then raised up his sword to finish the job.

Grey threw up his left arm, Haki coated, once more, blocking the blow.

"Not enough," Mihawk said, then pushed even harder, cutting through Grey's Haki and sliced down the left side of his body.