Chapter 483: Chapter 483: Phantasm Dracule Mihawk (1)
They all looked at Phantasm Mihawk. He held a large black sword in his hand. "That is a fake version of Yoru," Tashigi said.
"Let's go," Ben ordered.
"Shave," Alvida said as she vanished in a blur, reappearing in front of Phantasm Mihawk. Her grip tightened around her massive mace. "Kanabo Swing," she roared, channeling her full strength into the weapon. With a mighty swing, she aimed a devastating blow directly at Mihawk.
Mihawk remained calm, his eyes sharp as a hawk's. He raised Yoru and met her mace mid-swing. The clash reverberated like thunder, sparks flying from the impact.
Alvida gritted her teeth and tried to push on. However, Mihawk pushed her back. The sheer force sent her sliding across the ground. Alvida came to a halt, her chest rising and falling as she panted, her knuckles white around the handle of her mace.
"Liquid Bullet Barrage," Honey said, as her hands formed into the shape of a gun. Streams of purple liquid bullets shot out from her fingertips, whizzing through the air towards Phantasm Mihawk.
Mihawk's piercing eyes narrowed as he raised Yoru once again. He swung his blade left and right and deflected the incoming bullets, each one ricocheting harmlessly away.
In a single motion, Mihawk shifted his stance and swung Yoru, creating a sharp counterattack that sent a cutting wave of air toward Honey. Honey changed to her liquid form however as the wind hit the liquid moved slightly. Honey changed back to her human form. She was sweating. She thought it cut her but it did not.
Ben saw there was something there. He went flying towards Phantasm Mihawk. "Demon Fist," he said as energy surged into his fist. He clenched it tight, unleashing the full force of his power in a powerful swing aimed directly at Phantasm Mihawk.
Mihawk's eyes flickered as he raised Yoru. The moment they collided, the impact resonated like thunder, sending a shockwave through the air. Ben's punch, infused with all his strength, met Mihawk's sword with force but it was no match for the overwhelming power of Yoru.
Ben's body was flung backward, crashing to the ground with a heavy thud. His hand throbbed, a sharp sting.
"Ben," Vivi called out. Without hesitation, she aimed her Gero Gero Gun and pulled the trigger. A frog-shaped bullet shot out, its eyes burning with intense fire as it sped toward Mihawk.
Mihawk, sensing the incoming attack, reacted swiftly. He leaped back, as the frog-shaped bullet exploded on impact, creating a massive cloud of smoke and debris. The force of the explosion rocked the battlefield, but Mihawk remained unscathed.
"He is strong," Marianne remarked.
"Hex's Fire," Maya said, as she scraped the sword against the ground. The friction sparked and sizzled, creating a black-colored flaming projectile that she launched towards Phantasm Mihawk.
"Night Claw," Phantasm Mihawk countered, as he unleashed a casual melee slash. The clash of the two attacks echoed through the air. However, Phantasm Mihawk's attack pushed through with overwhelming force. It flew straight towards Maya, who quickly raised Eors Edge to block it.
The impact was strong and forceful, causing Maya to stumble back and fall onto her back with a thud. She quickly dusted herself off, trying to ignore the sharp pain in her body from where the attack had landed.
"Maya, are you okay?" Kaya asked.
Maya nodded, still catching her breath. "It was stronger than I thought," she responded as she got back up on her feet.
"Inferno Strike," Conis said as she channelled the intense heat into the tip of the javelin. She thrusted it forward, releasing a scorching blast of flames towards Phantasm Mihawk.
"Night Wind Slash" Phantasm Mihawk said as he sent a long-range slash tearing through the air which split the fire into. The fire went either side of him as he looked Conis in the eye. He stared at her. Conis felt a chill in her spine.
Raki transformed into her beast form, a fearsome two-legged dragon with the head of a rooster.. "Petrifying Gaze," she said, locking eyes with the Phantasm Mihawk. But to her surprise, he did not turn to stone as she had expected. Instead, he charged towards her, his sword at the ready. "Crusader's Strike" Phantasm Mihawk said as he cut into Raki's side, drawing blood and causing her to falter.
Ben flew towards Mihawk. "Demon Kick," Ben said as he channeled his energy into his leg and tried to kick Mihawk. However, Mihawk easily blocked the attack with his sword, Yoru.
At that moment, Kalifa appeared on the scene. She aimed her finger at Mihawk. "Finger Pistol." Kalifa said. However, Mihawk swiftly blocked the attack. He swung his blade and created a small air blast. Ben and Kalifa jumped back.
Raki slowly got up. "Raki are you okay? Do you need a drink? Ben asked.
"No I am okay, let's keep them for when we actually need it," Raki responded. She could feel her wound slowly recovering.
"Meteor Strike," Mikita said. She increased the weight in her body as she soared high into the air. She then became a human meteor streaking toward Phantasm Mihawk. The sheer force of her descent created a roaring wind as the ground beneath trembled in anticipation.
Mihawk's sharp eyes followed her trajectory. He raised Yoru and swung upward, the impact sent a deafening shockwave. Mikita's attack was halted mid-strike, her enhanced weight colliding with the immovable force of Mihawk's sword. She gritted her teeth, her body straining against his blade's sheer power. Mihawk stared at her.
She jumped back. Mihawk followed up and jumped towards her. He raised his blade.
Zala launched herself into the air. "Stinger Kick," she said as her leg transformed into a sharp, elongated spike. She twisted her body mid-air and aimed a slash-like kick directly at Mihawk.
Mihawk's sharp eyes tracked movement mid-air. He swung Yoru upward, intercepting her attack with impeccable timing. The clash of Zala's leg-spike against Mihawk's blade sent sparks flying. Phantasm Mihawk pushed her back. They both landed on the ground and looked at each other. Zala thought he was strong.
Marianne raised her Yellow Gun, her grip steady. She pulled the trigger, firing a gleaming, dice-shaped bullet that hurtled toward Phantasm Mihawk.
Mihawk's eyes barely flickered as he tracked the incoming projectile. With a calm and calculated motion, he swung Yoru. The black blade met the dice-shaped bullet mid-air, sending it careening off-course. The bullet struck the ground several meters away, erupting in a fiery explosion that shook the battlefield. The shockwave ruffled Marianne's hair as she lowered her gun slightly, her eyes narrowing. Mihawk turned his cold, piercing gaze toward her.
"Seis Fleur," Robin said as she sprouted six arms on the Phantasm Mihawk body. Mihawk saw hands on his body and quickly cut the hands. Robin winced in pain and dropped to her knees. Her arms were bleeding. "He is fast," she remarked.
Ben saw Robin got hurt.
"Angel HyperBeam," Kaya said. She opened her mouth, releasing a radiant beam of golden light that blazed toward Phantasm Mihawk with incredible force, illuminating the battlefield in its wake.
Mihawk remained unfazed, his cold, calculating eyes tracking the beam's trajectory. He swung Yoru, the black blade intercepting the golden energy. The clash created a sharp, resonating sound, and the beam was deflected off-course, veering downward.
The beam struck the ground a short distance away, triggering a massive explosion that sent debris flying and a cloud of dust billowing into the air. When the dust cleared, Mihawk stood unscathed, his imposing figure silhouetted against the fading light of the explosion. He looked at Kaya.
Saphir darted forward, as she charged at Phantasm Mihawk. She swung her spear in a wide arc, aiming for Mihawk's midsection. With a flick of his wrist, Mihawk raised Yoru, his black blade effortlessly intercepting the attack. She shifted her stance and thrust her spear toward his shoulder. Mihawk adjusted his blade, blocking the strike. She then swept her spear toward Mihawk's legs. Phantasm Mihawk, pivoted slightly as Yoru came down to block the attack.
Mihawk's cold, calculating eyes locked onto Saphir. With a swift motion, he swung his sword downward. . Saphir raised her spear just in time, the two weapons colliding in a deafening clash. She gritted her teeth as she struggled to hold back the weight of his strike. The sheer power of Mihawk's attack began to overwhelm her. Saphir's arms trembled, her boots skidding against the ground.
Tashigi saw Saphir struggling against Phantasm Mihawk. She gripped her blade tightly. "Mystic Fire," she said as she scraped her sword against the ground. The friction ignited a brilliant green flame that coiled along her blade before launching it forward towards Mihawk.
Mihawk sharp eyes caught the oncoming projectile. Without hesitation, he shifted his stance and shoved Saphir aside with a flick of his blade, sending backwards. She landed on the ground on her ass. He then turned his attention to the approaching attack.
"Fatal Night," Mihawk said as he swung Yoru, unleashing a single, devastating slash that cut through the green flame. The projectile dissipated mid-air, extinguished by the sheer force of Mihawk's counter.
Tashigi wasted no time, using the opening to close the distance between them. She lunged forward, aiming directly for Mihawk. She swung her blade. Phantasm Mihawk swung back. They both clashed. Sparks flew as their weapons met. Tashigi pressed on, swinging her sword again and again in rapid succession.
Mihawk parried each strike. Their blades blur as they clashed repeatedly. Mihawk suddenly shifted his weight, his blade moving with lightning speed. Tashigi raised her sword to block, but the sheer force of his counterattack sent her stumbling backward. Mihawk pressed forward, delivering a powerful swing that broke through her defenses and sent her flying through the air. Ben caught her mid-air and softened the crash. They both rolled to a stop several feet away.
"Ben," Tashigi said.
"Are you okay?" Ben asked as they both got up.
Tashigi nodded. She glanced at Mihawk. "He is strong," she responded.
"He is," Ben said. Ben thought this is going to be tough for sure.
"Cloud Surge," Nojiko said as she raised her arms and created dense storm clouds. They swirled rapidly to encircle Phantasm Mihawk.
Mihawk stood unperturbed. He lifted Yoru effortlessly. "Night Swirl," he said as he swung his black blade in a powerful arc. A spiraling tornado erupted from the swing, tearing through the storm clouds and scattering them like mist.
Nojiko's eyes widened in shock at how quickly her clouds were rendered ineffective. She began to form more. Before she could act, Mihawk said, "Night Wind Slash." A razor-sharp, long-range slash shot through the air. Nojiko barely had time to react. She attempted to transform into her cloud-like state, but the attack struck her squarely in the chest.
A cry escaped her lips as she was launched backward, her body colliding with the ground with a heavy thud. Blood seeped from the wound on her chest, staining her clothes as she groaned in pain.
"Nojiko!" Kaya exclaimed, rushing to her side. Vivi looked in shock as she also ran to her side.
"How did Nojiko get hit?" Mikita questioned, a frown forming. "She's a Logia!"
Ben thought. "It can't be," he remarked.