I the King of bandits of the East Sea

Loguetown Central Square.

Sig and Hawkeye stood facing each other from a distance.

All of Sig's subordinates had already followed his orders, retreating to the edge of the open area, quietly awaiting the outcome of this battle.

Stussy's gaze flickered between Hawkeye and Sig, occasionally landing on Vice Admiral Momousagi, who stood at a corner of the battlefield, though it was unclear what she was thinking.

Kuro pushed his glasses up with the back of his hand, sweat gradually forming on his back as he followed Sig's instructions to observe the best escape route.

The bald man and the others looked around.

"Wait, those two look familiar?"

The bald man, sharp-eyed, spotted the two self-proclaimed bounty hunters at the back of the crowd.

Johnny and Yosaku.

"Weren't they knocked out and taken to our ship?"

Morgan, following the bald man's gaze, felt a slight stir in his heart.

He recalled the satisfying feeling from earlier...

"Heh heh heh..."

A strange smile unconsciously appeared on Morgan's face.

On the other side of the battlefield, at the front of the crowd.

Crocodile watched the two opponents with an expressionless face.

He had no interest in the outcome of the battle.

But he was very interested in what Sig had mentioned earlier—the so-called national treasure of the Celestial Dragons, which might be related to the Ancient Weapon "Uranus."

.....

Thump thump thump thump thump!

Sig's heartbeat was as dense as drumbeats. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, his figure finally moved.

He... took a step forward, then another.

Sig's steps weren't particularly fast.

"Just this once, I can't let fear defeat me."

Sig gritted his teeth secretly.

The pressure he felt now was countless times greater than when he had climbed onto the execution platform earlier.

In his mind, he desperately imagined Hawkeye rowing with the black sword Yoru, just to muster the courage to keep moving forward.

But with each step he took, his already rapid heartbeat grew even faster.

"Sig's aura is still rising..."

"Is this what he meant by his strongest move?"

"Is this the strength of the man even Hawkeye Mihawk actively seeks to duel?"

The crowd trembled, recalling Sig's words.

"With each step, he's building momentum. When he reaches Hawkeye, his aura will peak, and that will be his strongest strike!"

Thump! Thump thump thump!

The Emperor's Engine had already been pushed to its usual limit, beating at a frequency that made Sig's scalp tingle.

And it wasn't over yet.

As Sig continued to step forward, the terrifying sound grew even denser and louder.

Amplified by the device in his chest, it echoed throughout the entire square, completely drowning out the murmurs of the crowd.

At this moment.

Countless people turned pale, involuntarily stepping back.

In their eyes, everything else in the world seemed to vanish.

All that remained was a figure, magnified countless times, a giant towering between heaven and earth, taking step after step.

The soft footsteps sounded like thunder to them, creating the illusion of the earth shaking, merging with the sound of the Emperor's Engine.

Each step made their hearts tremble.

Hawkeye, on the other hand, stood still, not moving an inch.

Sig had declared that this duel would be decided in a single strike. As the world's greatest swordsman, Hawkeye intended to defeat Sig at his strongest.

However, as Sig approached, Hawkeye's expression grew increasingly serious.

The distance between them was now ten steps.

Gulp.

Many in the crowd unconsciously swallowed, their mouths dry, their hearts uneasy, and their breathing becoming slightly labored.

"Why is he walking so slowly... Just end it already..."

"This is unbearable... Why did I come here to watch this..."

"What kind of monster is he? What is that sound!"

Five steps.

The sound of the Emperor's Engine had grown so dense and loud that it sent shivers down everyone's spines.

At the far edge of the square, some people began to feel their limbs go weak, their bodies collapsing to the ground.

"Someone's lost consciousness..."

"Dammit, can't we even watch the fight? Fall back!"

"What kind of power is this? He's just walking..."

An indescribable sense of fear filled their hearts, and the crowd couldn't help but retreat further.

Momousagi's expression shifted repeatedly as she watched this scene. She suddenly recalled the reports from the naval battle against Sig a few days ago.

It was said that Sig might possess incredibly strong Conqueror's Haki, capable of subduing even giant Sea Kings...

"Such unique Conqueror's Haki! All of you, fall back!"

Conqueror's Haki is an intimidating-type power, manifesting as an overwhelming pressure that can knock out the weak.

In Momousagi's eyes, this indeed resembled a special kind of Conqueror's Haki—though instead of being released all at once, it was gradually building up, like a cup overflowing with water.

"This isn't just swordsmanship. It's combined with Conqueror's Haki!"

"What kind of strike will this be..."

Despite being enemies with Sig, as a swordsman, Momousagi couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.

Four steps, three steps...

Inside Sig's body, his heart now seemed like a terrifyingly powerful engine, pumping blood through his veins like a raging river!

True Emperor's Engine—using his heart as a pump, similar to Luffy's Gear Second effect.

At this moment, Sig was in a strange state of excitement. Not only were his physical strength and speed enhanced, but his reaction time had also improved far beyond normal.

At the same time, Sig had activated his Observation Haki, sharpening his senses.

In the next moment, both of them swung their swords almost simultaneously.

The world's greatest black sword, Yoru, unleashed a suffocating wave of sword pressure, rushing toward Sig.

In the True Emperor's Engine state, Sig's sword swing was fast, but Hawkeye's was faster.

However... the ability 100% Disarmed activated the moment Sig slightly moved his sword.

In that instant, Hawkeye, who had remained calm until now, suddenly changed expression. His hands involuntarily loosened, letting the massive black sword fall.

As his hands came together to catch the sword, his body also involuntarily knelt halfway.

The moment Hawkeye's hands touched the sword, Sig felt an overwhelming force threatening to knock him over.

"Now's the time!"

With the heightened reaction speed from the True Emperor's Engine and Observation Haki, Sig's reflexes far exceeded normal. He seized the moment when Hawkeye's hands caught the sword!

Instead of trying to maintain control, Sig immediately released the 100% Disarmed ability.

The powerful force caused his sword to fly out of his hand.

Hawkeye's figure blurred for a moment, reappearing three or four steps away, looking at Sig with shock and uncertainty.

At that moment.

Clang! Clang!

The black sword Yoru and Sig's sword fell to the ground one after another, emitting crisp sounds.

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