Chapter 9

"This is the place I'll be dueling Mihawk – Centipede Island," Shanks told Luffy and his friends, pointing over the ship's rail.

The flatness of the desert island was broken by over 100 columns of black crystal rock. They were of assorted heights and angles, but most were over thirty feet and vertical; the island resembled a giant insect on its back.

"I wanna come ashore and watch," Luffy pleaded.

"You have to stay on the ship. It's too dangerous for kids," Ben Beckman cautioned. "The forces they'll be throwing around... Cap'n Shanks' battle aura can overcome strong men. Mihawk's the same."

"Cap'n, you promised I could see first-hand what a pirate's life is like," begged Luffy. "Seeing a real duel is part of learning how to be King of the Pirates."

"I'm also hoping to see the battle close-up," Zoro put in. "I'm going to be the world's greatest swordsman, so I'll have to beat Mihawk someday."

"What ambitions!" laughed Shanks. "I'm almost tempted to say yes."

"Usopp and Sanji too," Luffy demanded.

"I'd love to," Sanji said. "The crappy-geezer told me to pick up all the combat skills I can."

"I wasn't asking," said Usopp nervously. "I'll be just fine here on the ship."

"Come on, you're safer than all of us," Luffy teased.

"It's not that I'm afraid," Usopp said. "It's just that I'm coming down with 'don't-go-on-rocky-islands' disease."

"Don't worry Usopp, I was just kidding," said Shanks with a big laugh. "It's out of the question for any of the crew to come ashore: Hawk-eye Mihawk and I agreed on that. But you can watch from the ship."

"But where's Mihawk?" one of the pirates asked. "He's late."

"I am never late," came a calm voice from below. Everyone looked and discovered that a coffin-shaped boat lit by eerie green candles had silently pulled up beside the ship. Enthroned on the boat was an elegantly-dressed man with an enormous black sword on his back.

"Mihawk!" Shanks called cheerfully.

Zoro stared down at the man intently. Luffy and his other friends looked on with curiosity.

Mihawk noticed the young men and frowned. "You pirates have brought your brats to watch? Shanks, you offend me. I thought you came for a duel between men, not an entertainment for children."

"I'm repaying a debt of honor," Shanks replied. "I take full responsibility."

"Indeed you will," said Mihawk ominously. "We duel to first blood, as usual. But if you are careless, that blood could be the loss of your head."

"Agreed," said Shanks. "Who knows, the first blood could be yours this time."

"There's not the slightest chance of that, Shanks. You cannot possibly best me, even if your sword arm were not wounded. I heard of your close encounter with a Sea King."

"No problem." Shanks tossed his cutlass to his right hand. "I'm not left-handed."

"Ridiculous. You wouldn't have dared to use your weaker arm against me in our previous duels!"

"Just kidding." Shanks tossed his cutlass back to his left hand.

"I fail to see the humor," said Mihawk coldly. "Let us begin!"

With that, Mihawk leaped to the island in a single bound. Shanks jumped at the same instant. The opponents sprang to the tops of the rocky pillars, dove at each other, and rebounded to land on other pillars. The clash of their weapons shook the island and sent out waves that rocked the ship.

"Wow! Isn't this great!" enthused Luffy.

"Not too crappy," agreed Sanji.

"Really super!" said Usopp, trying hard not to show how terrified he was.

"I have a long way to go to reach this level," Zoro said with a frown.

Even though Mihawk's skill made his fighting seem effortless, both men were exerting incredible strength. The very air pressure from the mighty blows began to take its toll on the island. Suddenly one of the crystal pillars shattered and sent shards flying in every direction.

"Watch out!" Usopp yelled. His rubbery arms stretched out and flailed in the air, trying to ward off the incoming rocks.

Usopp's martial-arts training improved his reaction time, but it wasn't enough; Sanji was struck in the head by one of the larger pieces and he toppled over the rail, stunned. Usopp stretched an arm after him and caught him just as he hit the water.

"Help!" Usopp called to the others. "The sea-water's weakening my grip. I can't pull him up!"

"I'll get him!" Luffy shouted. He climbed down Usopp's arm like a rope, grabbed Sanji. tossed him up for Zoro to catch, then climbed back up himself.

"Hey, we make a good team." Luffy said to Usopp and Zoro. "In a few years I'm gonna have a pirate ship of my own. Want to be my shipmates?"

"I'll have to think about it," said Usopp, pulling his arm back to normal size and shaking the sea water off his hand.

"Same here," said Zoro. "If it won't make me a better swordsman it's a waste of my time."

Meanwhile, the problems on the boat had not gone unnoticed by the duelists.

"Did you do that on purpose, Mihawk?" Shanks demanded, still swinging his cutlass at top speed.

"I wouldn't stoop to endangering innocents to distract an opponent," Mihawk responded icily. "It's your responsibility for bringing children into this."

"Then I'll take the responsibility of ending it," said Shanks, deliberately failing to parry and taking a deep cut on his left arm.

"First blood," said Mihawk. "This duel is over."

"Yes," said Shanks through gritted teeth.

"I did not wish to win this way," said Mihawk. "This will be our last duel, even if you can manage to save that arm, which I doubt."

After the pirates sailed from Centipede Island, Ben Beckman announced: "The Cap'n will be laid up for several days. I'm in command until he recovers."

"Chances don't look good for his arm," the ship's doctor reported. "He needs plenty of rest and fresh citrus fruit to help him heal."

"We're very low on fruit," Lucky Roux reported. "We need more to ward off the scurvy, too."

Ben Beckman said. "I know just the place to get our hands on a nice crop of oranges. Set sail for Cocoyashi Village."

"Aye-aye sir!" said the pirate crew.

"If you're buying food, please get me more meat too." Luffy requested.

"I didn't say we'd be buying," Beckman answered grimly. "I think we've been too soft lately. We'll get our supplies the old-fashioned pirate way."

"Neat!" said Luffy, not really understanding. "I'd love to see that."

"Watch and learn, youngster," said Beckman.