Chapter 68: The Number One Swordsman Visit
The sun rose over the horizon, painting the sky in hues of gold and crimson. The tranquil waters surrounding Voidreign Kingdom glistened like a field of sapphires. The land itself felt... different today. The people knew it. The air carried weight — not of fear, but of anticipation.
It had been only a day since the brutal trials ended. The scent of blood and sweat still lingered faintly in the streets, though now it was overtaken by the aroma of fresh bread and flowers. Joyful cheers had replaced cries of combat, and every citizen wore a look of pride.
As Jessie, their king, walked through the kingdom streets, heads turned and knees bent. Every man, woman, and child bowed in respect as he passed, a silent chorus of loyalty to the monarch who turned a pirate nation into a holy kingdom for them.
Jessie gave them a small smile, his gaze distant, his senses sharp.
Suddenly, a presence moved like a shadow beside him.
One of the Void Knight Guards, clad in black and bearing the insignia of the Voidreign Pirates, knelt silently before him, his voice low and urgent.
"Your Majesty Dracule Mihawk has arrived at the shores."
At those words, Jessie's expression shifted, a flicker of surprise quickly replaced by a knowing smile. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, activating his Advanced Observation Haki.
In his mind's eye, the world around him expanded — sounds slowed, auras lit up like beacons across the landscape, and there... at the edge of the distant docks... sat a figure unlike any other.
Calm, collected, and sharp as a blade.
Mihawk.