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The next morning, after fighting for an entire day and night, Fujitora and Mihawk tacitly ceased their battle. Both knew very well that to determine a victor, they would have to risk their lives.
When masters exchanged blows, they knew when to stop.
Fujitora genuinely praised him. "Your swordsmanship truly fills me with admiration. In terms of swordsmanship alone, I am not as good as you."
Mihawk did not bother with pleasantries.
He had absolute confidence in his own swordsmanship. Fujitora was indeed very strong, but his swordsmanship was still a bit inferior to Mihawk's.
However, combat was not just about swordsmanship.
Haki, willpower, and Devil Fruit abilities were all part of one's strength. He would not demand that other swordsmen only use pure swordsmanship when dueling him.
The two returned to the castle.
"Clap, clap, clap!"
Daichi had been waiting for a long time and applauded.
"What a spectacular duel, unlike my side, which ended in an instant."
Fujitora and Mihawk's faces darkened.
Was he praising them or mocking them?
"Since your duel has concluded..."
Daichi pondered for a moment.
"Mihawk, a word?"
"Alright."
Mihawk was concise.
In reality, the moment he saw the Seraphim appear, he'd felt that his position as a Warlord would not last long, and he'd already considered a backup plan.
More than ten years ago, when he was young and ambitious, he'd constantly hunted famous swordsmen—many of whom were from the Marines—earning him the moniker "Marine Hunter."
Therefore, after losing his title, he would definitely be pursued by the Marines. The only places he could go were the New World and the territory of the Hoenn Government.
He'd actually considered buying a house in Hoenn, preferably on Hachinosu Island, where he could live quietly and, if bored, spar with experts.
But the housing prices were simply too expensive!
Villas on Hachinosu Island now cost five hundred million Berry each.
He disdained plundering civilians and rarely engaged in piracy. His income primarily came from hunting other pirates.
He had enough money to get by, but not enough to buy a house.
However, even in Hoenn communities on other islands, villa prices were quite exaggerated. As for ordinary commercial housing, he found it too noisy.
He wanted to buy a villa, preferably with a large yard where he could grow grains, vegetables, and fruits, becoming self-sufficient.
That's right!
He, Dracule Mihawk, the World's Greatest Swordsman, did not want to get involved in conflicts—he only wanted to live a peaceful and stable life.
And Hoenn just happened to be a symbol of peace and tranquility, with convenient living, perfectly suiting his needs.
The table was already set with drinks.
Daichi sat at the head of the table, smiling as he spoke.
"I have three proposals."
"First, go to the North Blue. You can apply for adventurer status with the Hoenn Government. As long as you don't commit evil deeds, you won't be wanted. It's somewhat similar to a bounty hunter."
"Adventurer?"
Mihawk's eyes flickered slightly.
Daichi explained, "Too many people want to explore the seas. Besides pirates, there are also those who crave freedom and adventure."
"For this, we in Hoenn have specially formulated an adventurer policy. Adventurers who go out to sea can earn income by taking down pirates. They can also claim rewards from the Hoenn Government if they discover new islands or special sea areas."
"Adventurers can also accept commissions issued by Hoenn, such as rescue and missing person searches, or exploring specific areas."
Daichi briefly explained.
The adventurer policy primarily provided a relatively stable source of income for strong individuals capable of going to sea, preventing them from resorting to becoming evil pirates who plundered civilians.
It was a disguised form of maintaining public order.
Daichi continued.
"Second, Cross Guild!"
"Hm?"
Mihawk frowned.
He'd just fought with Cross Guild.
Daichi's lips curved upward. "Cross Guild is a loose alliance of strong individuals. Besides Buggy the Clown as the nominal leader, the officers have equal status. No one needs to trust anyone else. It's quite a good refuge."
"Refuge..."
Mihawk understood Daichi's meaning.
He indeed wanted to find a refuge, but he didn't want to be a subordinate. If Cross Guild was truly as Daichi described, it might be worth considering.
"What is your relationship with Cross Guild?"
"I am the largest shareholder."
Daichi rubbed his hands together.
"But rest assured, apart from the matter of targeting the Marines, I will not interfere with Cross Guild in other aspects. You can do whatever you want. Crocodile has a Utopia plan—you might be interested."
"Understood."
Mihawk slowly nodded.
He would have to go to the New World anyway, so he might as well check out Cross Guild. If it suited him, he would stay. Otherwise, he would find another path.
"There's one last proposal."
Daichi said with a smile. "You can stay in a Hoenn community. Rest assured about the security—no one will disturb your new life."
Mihawk was silent.
He couldn't afford it!
Daichi continued, "Actually, these three suggestions can be pursued simultaneously. There's no conflict between them. Staying in one place for too long can inevitably become boring."
"Of course, these are just suggestions. If you have other plans, you're perfectly free to follow your own ideas."
"All I need is for you to resign from your position as a Warlord. I ask for nothing else. As compensation, take this."
Daichi took out a golden card from his coat and handed it to Mihawk. "This is our Groudon Company's Diamond VIP membership card. You can use it to redeem a residence at any Hoenn community—either a commercial apartment or a villa."
"As a Diamond member, the property management department will send out various benefits annually, such as rice, flour, and cooking oil. You also get discounts when purchasing goods at our company's stores. In short, it's quite practical. Consider it my compensation."
Mihawk's eyelid twitched.
This was it!
This was exactly what he wanted!
But he understood the principle of 'accepting favors comes with obligations.' Although it was compensation, it wasn't something to be taken lightly.
"Clap."
Mihawk's hand pressed down on the card, his expression extremely solemn.
Daichi's smile blossomed, and he raised his glass in a toast.
"A toast?"
"Alright."
Mihawk carefully put away the membership card, picked up the wine glass, and took a small sip. His eyes showed a slight change.
"This wine..."
"You like it?"
"Yes, it's very good."
"Haha, it seems you know a lot about wine."
Daichi nodded with a smile.
This was wine from his ship. Regardless of its quality, its price was definitely the most expensive, and the taste was quite good.
"I don't have much stock on my ship. I'll have someone move ten cases for you now, and when I return, I'll send more to you."
Ten cases!
Mihawk took a deep breath.
High-end wine was quite expensive. A single bottle could sell for hundreds of thousands of Berry, or even millions.
Truly wealthy and powerful!
He wanted to refuse, but he couldn't bring himself to speak.
His favorite drink was wine. High-end wine was not only expensive but also very troublesome to acquire—only sold on some very famous islands.
Mihawk frowned, his sharp gaze fixed on Daichi. Had this guy investigated him? How did he know his needs so clearly?
Damn it, he was indebted now!