Summary: Luffy isn't the only one with interesting undisclosed family ties, as the crew learns at the Baratie when a certain warlord shows up.
Note: This is written based off the live action, not the anime/manga. There are mentions of characters, ideas and concepts from the anime and manga, but characters are based off their live action portrayals for the most part (except those characters not yet introduced).
Dracule Mihawk was a simple man when it came down to it.
There were precious few things in his life that he'd fret over losing. That came with the territory of a mostly solitary life, but that didn't mean there weren't some things that were worth holding on to as tight as possible. It was somewhat worrisome and rather inconvenient that those things happened to be people. Such connections rarely amounted to anything more than vulnerabilities.
There were his birth parents living on Sabaody. Though he hadn't been raised by them, he had developed a relationship with them in adulthood that he cherished. The fact that notorious pirates "Dark King" Rayleigh Silvers and Shakuyaku, former empress of Amazon Lily and captain of the Kuja Pirates, even were his parents wasn't common knowledge. Besides, older or not, they could handle themselves.
There was Shanks whom he had a... complicated relationship with to say the least. Red-Hair was a yonko nowadays and that meant a certain kind of cordiality between himself and the World Government to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. It wasn't the same kind of truce that Mihawk had with them but it held all the same, enough that, whether or not Shanks' bounty was officially cancelled, the man was nigh untouchable so Mihawk wasn't too concerned about him. The most trouble that idiot got into was trouble of his own making anyway.
There was one vulnerability, however, that ran deeper than the rest, that sometimes left Mihawk lying awake at night imagining the worst and waiting for the next shoe to drop. That vulnerability butt its way into his life some years ago and he hadn't been able to shake it ever since, not that he wanted to.
Roronoa Zoro was a weakness just waiting to be exploited, and Mihawk dreaded the day when the world figured that out. Oh, but not for his sake. He feared it for everyone else because he would cut the world down if it meant protecting his son.
Shimotsuki Village, 7 years ago
Mihawk had never been overly forward thinking. He usually lived day-to-day, choosing what interested him and going with the wind. Shimotsuki Village was not overly interesting. For one, it was in the East Blue, the weakest of all four seas. He could not see the appeal but Shanks had been yammering on about what treasures could be found there. It didn't take much to figure out that he was talking about that child in Windmill Village that he had become taken with rather than any chests of gold. Mihawk had never known Shanks to be the responsible type, let alone parental, but it was undoubtedly the shine of fatherly pride sparking in his eyes whenever he talked of young Luffy.
Mihawk had no interest in such things. Children were loud and sticky, they were needy little creatures that were too weak to fight for themselves and would only get themselves killed or worse on the Grand Line, let alone in one of the four blues. But Shanks had also been talking about his dreams for the next generation, what the future of pirates could be, the potential for greatness that he found in the East Blue. Mihawk hadn't paid it much attention until Shanks came back sans his hat and an arm and claimed that it was all worth it. He had bet his arm on the future and didn't regret it.
Mihawk grew curious then. He had been searching, futilely, for someone that could challenge him, someone that might hold the title of the "World's Strongest Swordsman" after him. He had had to fight and defeat his own father for that title along with paving the road with the blood of countless Marines. Every swordsman he had met since was either fawning fanboys who lacked originality and sought, foolishly, to be a carbon copy of him, or they were arrogant upstarts who challenged him only to quickly find out what a mistake it was far too late. The most entertainment he got was when the Marines sent him after a halfway threatening pirate crew. At least then there were enough numbers to give him the slightest challenge. Now that Shanks had gone and got his arm chewed off by a glorified fish, Mihawk was down a reliable sparring partner. Shimotsuki Village had a reputation for training some of the best swordsmen the East Blue produced. That wasn't saying much as it was the East Blue, but he felt compelled to check it out anyway. If Shanks could find some hope for the future here, maybe Mihawk could too.
He had to admit the young fighters training at the dojo of Shimotsuki Koushirou were better than he expected. One boy in particular caught his eye, a green-haired boy who clearly surpassed the others in skill and strength. He beat all the others handily before moodily stomping away back to his spot. He kept throwing glances Mihawk's way, a certain look in his eye. There was admiration there, which Mihawk was used to, and also contempt, another thing that was hardly new, but there was something else there he couldn't describe. It was some unknown emotion drenched in ferocity and determination. Mihawk couldn't for the life of him figure out why it was directed at him. The boy eventually left the crowd with somewhat of a scowl on his face. He threw one more look back at Mihawk before leaving, his hand clenched on the hilt of his white sword. He quirked an eyebrow at the child's behavior but didn't comment on it.
He looked up as Sensei Koushirou offered him a mug of tea, he accepted it graciously and took a sip, nodding at the seat beside him for the man to join him.
"It's not often I get a man of your caliber interested in my students. I would expect the Grand Line has much more exciting abilities," Koushirou opened up with.
"It does but that doesn't mean talent can't be found elsewhere. They are better than expected, your training has no doubt seen to that. The boy with the green hair though, he's more than just good."
"Zoro. He came to us with raw talent and little discipline. I've worked hard with him over the last few months and he's already surpassed everyone else here. Well, almost everyone that was here," the man replied, looking down sadly for a moment.
"I don't believe I offered condolences for your daughter yet. I hear she was a fine swordswoman and might've given me a run one day."
Koushirou let a small smile of pained nostalgia show.
"It was Kuina's dream to become a great swordswoman. She already was and she could've been the greatest if I had supported that dream. Maybe she would be here now if I had."
Mihawk said nothing in reply. There was nothing he could say to that, he had no words to assuage the man's grief or regret.
"She and Zoro made a promise before she died that one of them would be the World's Strongest Swordsman. Now it's up to him to fulfill that promise. He takes it seriously and I don't view that loyalty to his promise lightly. This island has seen many swordsmen grow up and leave. Some make it in the Grand Line, some don't. I have no doubt that Zoro will."
Mihawk thought back to what he had seen from the boy.
"Maybe he will."
Mihawk didn't stay much longer. It was nighttime by the time he was on his way back to his ship, having had a nice dinner courtesy of the sensei and been given several parting gifts. He didn't regret this little detour but he had seen what he came to see. The offerings of the East Blue, while not as dull as he had thought, still didn't overly interest him. He resupplied quickly just before the shops closed for the night, gathering enough food and drink to last him to the next island that piqued his interest. Maybe he'd head to Dawn Island and catch a glimpse of Shanks' kid, see if he truly was worth all Shanks had given up for him.
With that plan in mind, he set off for his ship. It didn't take long for him to notice that he had a tail. It wasn't hard to spot. The person was not good at hiding their movements, at least not from Hawkeyes Mihawk. Their steps were light and their stride hurried, they had to take two or three steps for every one of Mihawk's. Either he was being followed by a child or a woman, possibly a short man, but the two former options seemed more likely. He thought about prolonging the chase, just to see how determined his stalker truly was, but he wasn't overly interested in being stalked at the moment, even if it was mildly amusing that someone thought they could sneak up on him.
"Whoever you are, I'd suggest you take advantage of my good mood and find something else to do with your time other than following me around," he drawled, turning around to face the seemingly empty street. There was a small gasp but then nothing more for a while.
"Come now, you've been caught. Have enough courage to face your failure and accept my gracious offer to go home with your head still attached to your body."
"Hey, I'm not a failure or a coward," an angry young voice exclaimed from behind a barrel.
A child then.
"Show yourself, girl. I have no time for games."
"Girl?! I'm a boy!"
"You don't sound like one."
"Well, I look like one."
"Currently, you look like a barrel of rotten barley."
That seemed to inspire enough indignation for his stalker to reveal themselves. Mihawk was only mildly surprised it was the green-haired boy from earlier.
"There! See? I'm a boy."
"And so you are. Why are you following me? Isn't it past your bedtime?"
"I'm 12 years old, I don't have a bedtime. And I'm following you because I, Roronoa Zoro, challenge you to a duel, to the death."
Mihawk blinked at the boy, surprise flooding him.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me! Accept my challenge and prepare to die."
Mihawk quirked an eyebrow at the child, amusement rising in him.
"You're brave, I'll give you that. Foolish, but brave. I don't fight children, brat."
"I'm not a kid!"
"You look as if someone should be tucking you in and reading you a bedtime story. Why would I ever deign to cross blades with you, child?"
"Because my dream is to best you in single combat and become the World's Strongest Swordsman. Accept my challenge so my dream will become a reality."
"Ah, yes. The sensei mentioned that promise between you and his late daughter."
The boy faltered for a moment then.
"Kuina could've been the greatest, she would've been. Some stupid accident killed her and took away her dream."
The boy's face turned up in determination.
"But I'm still here and I will keep my promise. I will do this for her. I'm already the best on this island, but that isn't enough. Accept my challenge and fight me. I will be the best in the world and I will make sure everyone knows that Shimotsuki Kuina is the reason why."
Mihawk tilted his head, intrigued by the boy's loyalty, tenacity and sense of purpose. It reminded him of himself when he was that age.
"Magnificent," he couldn't help but mumble to himself.
Just then a small group of people came slinking out of the shadows, four of them with matching bandanas and swords at their sides. Mihawk raised an eyebrow at the gang.
"Well, well. I guess it is true. I didn't believe it when they said Dracule Mihawk had graced our little island with his presence, but here he is," the man, who must be the leader, said in a condescending tone.
"We're in the company of a celebrity, boys. A living legend. Don't you feel special," he continued to the four snickering men behind him.
Mihawk gave the group a dull look. Just when he thought he was going to leave the island without any trouble, it managed to find him anyway. He briefly wondered if he had exchanged luck with Shanks before dismissing the thought. Before he could say anything to the ruffians, Zoro spoke up.
"What do you want, Moshi," the preteen sneered.
"We've got business with the swordsmen, kid. Why don't you go run along back to your sensei. Better yet, go see if that ramshackle orphanage will let a feral animal like you back in their good graces."
"What business could you possibly have with him," Zoro questioned bluntly, ignoring the insults thrown his way.
Moshi rolled his eyes in response.
"If you must know, brat, we're here to challenge him and collect his bounty."
"He's a warlord of the sea, dumbass. His bounty is cancelled."
The World Government's bounty on him was cancelled, but Mihawk knew that there were certain other interested parties who would want him, dead or alive, and would offer quite the price on his head. His fellow warlords were among some of those parties, not that they'd ever admit it.
"Besides, do you know who this is? This is Dracule Mihawk, the Marine Hunter, the World's Strongest and Greatest Swordsman. He is better with a blade than anyone in living history and you dingbats think you can challenge him? You idiots, who can't even defeat a third of the blue belts at the dojo let alone hold a candle to someone like him, you think you're going to fight him and win? You think you're the men that's going to kill him? That would be funny if it wasn't so insulting."
Mihawk quirked a brow at the boy's vehement defense, especially considering he had just done the same thing as this group of vagabonds, though for nobler reasons.
"You've got a mouth on you, kid. Maybe we'll cut your tongue out before we deal with the swordsman."
"You're welcome to try. I'll enjoy kicking your asses. You spit on his honor by challenging him in the first place, you deserve to get your asses handed to you for trying to shame him with what you call swordsmanship. I challenged him first anyway, so why don't you go find some barstool to fall off of?"
The men in question all quickly drew their swords and pointed them menacingly at the boy.
"You'd better be ready to back those words up, little orphan."
Zoro drew two blades in response.
"Why don't you come and find out," he challenged before engaging the men in a fight.
Mihawk probably should've been a responsible adult and stepped in, stopped the fight before it even began, but Roronoa Zoro had him intrigued and he couldn't help but watch the way the boy weaved effortlessly through the men, defending against multiple opponents and even getting his own substantial licks in.
He hadn't seen such potential in one so young since himself. Zoro had a hunger to be the best but he also had skill to back up his words. However, he was still just a child and had not developed his strength and prowess yet. He managed to take down two of the men but the other two seemed to be overpowering him. The leader, Moshi, made a wild slash that Mihawk could see would slice the boy's left eye, maybe even deep enough to blind him. He moved quicker than lightning, pulling Yoru from his back and blocking the strike before it could connect. He flicked his arm just a bit but it was enough to send both men flying through the air and skidding across the stone onto their backs.
"Entertaining as this has been, I'm afraid it's time I ended this."
The two men stumbled to their feet and exchanged a look before they charged at him. It took but seconds for him to cut them both down. He did not attempt to hide his actions from the child. If he wanted to be a swordsman, death would be a regular occurrence. He turned back to Zoro once he was finished. The boy didn't look disturbed, instead he looked indignant.
"I could've handled them myself," he protested.
"No, you couldn't have."
"What? You think I'm weak or something?"
"Hardly. You're strong, that much is obvious, but fighting isn't all about strength. You're not ready to fight me, but that doesn't mean you never will be."
A flash of surprise passed the boy's face.
"You… you really think so," he questioned hopefully, his face softening.
It made Mihawk feel something. He wasn't entirely sure what that thing was. It was almost like what he felt when he saw Shanks' stupid smile or quiet moments when he played poker and drank with his parents. It was similar but not quite the same but he was definitely feeling it for this boy, this unknown child who had the temerity to walk up to a warlord, challenge him to a death match and then get into a fight with four grown because he felt they dishonored Mihawk by challenging him to a fight. The child was strange to say the least but he was not boring and Mihawk could see a future where he gained his title and earned the right to carry it.
Maybe Shanks hadn't been so wrong after all. There was some hope for the future.
Mihawk hadn't lost his wondering spirit. No matter where life took him, even to the most unexpected of places, he still felt most at home on the sea. It wasn't unusual for him to spend long stretches on his boat offset by long stretches on land, either in Sabaody or on Kuraigana with his parents and Zoro. It had been some time since he found himself in the East Blue but he had been chasing Don Kreig and his ilk all the way from the Grand Line. They'd ran into a storm that briefly waylaid them and it ended up pushing them into the East. Bad weather was not enough to stop Mihawk when he was in pursuit of his quarry. Don Kreig was loud, annoying and thought too much of himself. Mihawk probably would've still left him alone, let him bring himself to ruin some other way regardless of the Marines' orders to stop him. Mihawk didn't particularly care to take orders and it was good to remind the World Government of that every once in a while. But then Kreig made the mistake of interrupting his sleep and, well, now it was personal.
The call from the Vice Admiral was a surprise but the name of his new target was enough to pique his interest.
Monkey D. Luffy.
Shanks' kid, it had to be. Surely there couldn't be too many Luffys in the world. And if his full name was any indication, Garp was throwing him in the middle of a family dispute. It mildly annoyed him that Garp was taking him for an errand boy/babysitter, sending him out to fetch his misbehaving grandson. However, it might be interesting to meet the kid who despite being the grandson of the Hero of the Marines, had managed to capture the heart of the youngest Emperor of the Seas, and decided to go out and become a pirate himself.
There weren't many places in the Sambas region where the rookie pirate and his crew could be. Garp had run them off from the Gecko Islands. There were the Conomi Islands a few days sail away. However, there was another option. Shanks had mentioned that the boy shared Garp's appetite and was possibly even more ravenous. He doubted the boy would've been able to resist the lure to the Baratie. Mihawk enjoyed the food himself. He always got a private table courtesy of Zeff and top shelf liquor. Either he'd find his quarry or he'd at least get a delicious meal. It was a win-win.
It was nighttime by the time he reached the restaurant. He decided to go to the bar and get a drink before he began his search. The bartender recognized him and immediately pulled down a rather expensive bottle of rare wine. Mihawk nodded his thanks and took a sip, savoring the flavor, before his attention was grabbed by the young man beside him. He was clearly drunk and yet had another drink in hand, though he held the liquor poorly. He was telling a story to the other patrons by the bar.
"So, there we were, minding our own business and marveling over my amazing artistic skill as I presented my crew with our new jolly roger. They were all fawning over it, telling me how amazing it was. But then, whoooosh, boom! A hail of cannon fire started raining down on us from out of nowhere."
The woman next to him let out a short gasp and even Mihawk couldn't help but quirk an interested brow.
"Marines! Hot on our tail, ready to take us in dead or alive. They got on the loudspeaker and ordered us to surrender. But not my crew, never! And then they aimed their biggest, baddest cannons at us," the young man continued before taking a sip of his drink.
"But I wasn't scared, being that I'm the best shot in the East Blue. So I fired at them. Boosh! And again. Boosh! And again. Boom, boom, boom! Down goes their yard. Marines dead in the water. All thanks to the great Captain Usopp."
Mihawk gave the man a skeptical but fascinated look. He was a fair storyteller but if he were the captain, then he feared for the man's crew. Getting this drunk would hardly serve them in the long run.
"So, you're the captain?"
The man glanced over at him drunkenly before giving a slurred answer.
"Well… technically, no. But I did distract them long enough so that Luffy, who's like the official captain, could bounce that ball back. Boom!"
Mihawk turned fully to the man. Surely, it couldn't be that easy. However, he was hardly one to look a gift horse in the mouth.
"I should very much like to meet this… Luffy."
The drunken storyteller gave him a dull-eyed look for a moment before speaking again.
"Sure. Hell, come meet the whole crew."
He gave him what could be classified as a wave and stumbled towards a booth where a girl with tangerine hair sat facing him and a man with green hair was with his back to him.
"Hey guys, meet my new best friend. What was your name again?"
"Which one of you is Monkey D. Luffy?" He asked, looking at the girl before turning to the man (barely a man) whose back was to him.
He immediately froze when he saw his face. The hair should've clued him in but he wasn't expecting Zoro to be here so it hadn't even occurred to him that he would be.
"Who wants to know," the girl asked as Zoro looked at him like an animal caught in a trap.
"Dad," Zoro breathed out, trepidation in his voice.
"Huh?"
"Wait, he's your what?"
"Dad, what are you doing here?"
"I should be asking you that question. You're supposed to be on Sabaody with your grandparents, not gallivanting through the East Blue with some upstart rookie pirate."
"I was on Sabaody, but I got bored. There was no one to fight except all the people Grandpa owed money to. Nana Shakky said I could go wandering, so I did."
"You wandered all the way from Paradise to the East Blue? What am I talking about? Of course, you did. I can't leave you alone for a few months without you finding some way into trouble."
"It's not my fault, it just happened! Then, I needed to get back to Sabaody or Kuriagana but I needed berry for it, so I started bounty hunting. I'm actually good at it, got a title and everything. But not a lot of people want to risk their lives to take me to two places that Dracule Mihawk is known to go. And the ones who are willing won't do it cheaply. So, again, not my fault."
"Why didn't you inform the Marines of who you are?"
"Why would I do that? So they could use me against you? Besides, I'm not some nepo baby. I can get by on my own, and I have been."
"Yes, you've been getting by so well that a Vice Admiral of the Marines contacted a Warlord of the Sea to bring your captain in. So much for getting by."
"Wait, hold on a second. You're Dracule Mihawk? Warlord of the Sea, Dracule Mihawk? And you're Zoro's father," the girl asked, disbelief playing across her face.
Neither said anything but that was confirmation enough. She turned to Zoro, her face turned up in anger and punched his arm hard.
"Ow, what was that for?"
"What was that for?! What the hell is wrong with you guys? Does no one have any concept of actually sharing secrets that affect the whole crew?"
"You're one to talk," Zoro grumbled, rubbing his arm.
"No wonder you didn't care about Luffy's grandfather being a Vice Admiral. Your father is one of the Seven Warlords."
"It's not a big deal," Zoro shrugged.
"Not a big—"
She turned to Usopp, as if asking him to back her up.
"Hey, this is great. Why don't we get more drinks and Zoro's dad can tell us a bunch of embarrassing stories about him," the drunkard suggested.
The girl seemed tempted but decided to hang on to her anger instead.
"Why does Luffy's grandfather want him back so badly? Luffy's not hurting anyone. He's probably brain-damaged but he isn't a threat the Marines have to worry about, not enough to send a Warlord after him."
"She's right. It's overkill. Why did they send you," Zoro asked.
"To send a message, I suppose. It matters little. You're leaving with me and so is your captain."
"No."
Mihawk quirked an eyebrow at that.
"I'm sorry. I don't think I heard that right."
"No, I'm not leaving."
"I don't believe I asked a question that required a yes or no answer. You aren't ready to be on the seas without me and when you are ready, your captain certainly isn't going to be one that'll attract as much trouble as someone with the surname Monkey D."
"Luffy is my captain and I'm his first mate. I can't go, not until he finds the One Piece and becomes King of the Pirates," Zoro replied, his voice holding unequivocal belief in his captain.
It stopped Mihawk up. It wasn't like Zoro to be so invested in something that didn't have to do with fighting. Apparently, this Luffy had managed to gain Zoro's loyalty and respect in the time that they'd known each other. Not an easy feat, Mihawk knew from experience.
'I'm telling you, Hawky. That kid is the future. He's going to find the One Piece, he's going to be King of the Pirates, he's going to start a new era. He's the future Roger wanted for all pirates. Luffy will be great,' Shanks had told him one night, his eyes a light with joy, love and hope.
"King of the Pirates? That's an even more treacherous path than defeating me."
"I don't care. It's what I'm going to do," a new voice announced behind him.
Mihawk turned around to see a boy in overalls and Shanks' straw hat standing there. Red-Leg Zeff was behind with a suspicious expression on his face alongside his kid.
"Monkey D. Luffy, I presume."
"That's me," the boy replied, smiling.
"I'm surprised Garp would require my services for such a small package, though I do like your hat."
The boy positively beamed at him then.
"Thanks, my Shanks gave it to me. I like yours too. Nice feather."
The smile reminded Mihawk of a certain redhead and though he knew the connection wasn't biological, he could see the resemblance.
"Hawkeyes, hope you're not here to start any trouble. You're a good customer to have but you know there's no fighting at the Baratie. Whatever chore boy's done, this is neutral territory," Zeff cut in.
"I'm well aware of the rules. Besides, I'm hardly going to pick a fight with my own son. At least not around company."
Zeff quirked a brow at that but didn't comment.
Mihawk looked back at Zoro who replied with a blank stare.
"Why," he asked his son simply.
Zoro seemed to take a second to think before answering.
"He has a dream but that doesn't get in the way of him believing in the dreams of other people and supporting them. He took my dream and promise seriously without a second thought. Besides, we've made quite a few enemies together by now. I can't just leave my crew behind to deal with them on their own."
Mihawk had never had interest in a crew. He had always been a loner, even as a pirate. He had thought Zoro was the same but it did not anger him to see that he was wrong. If Zoro was happier here, then Mihawk could hardly drag him away. What would he do anyway? Leave him on his own in Kuriagana with only the humandrills for company? Dump him with his parents on Sabaody, who would just let him wander off again? Take him with him on his exploits? He could, he would continue his training and one day, he would challenge him and win and become the World's Strongest, the World's Greatest. Somehow, he didn't think Zoro would come willingly.
"On the day we left Shimotsuki Village, do you remember what you said to me? You said I was a frog croaking in a well and that once I left the island, I'd see just how big the world is. Well, I am now. I'm learning, I'm growing. Every day is making me ready for the day when I can beat you. So, I can't leave yet and you can't take me away. I need to keep my promise and this is how I'm going to do it."
Mihawk held his gaze for a moment before nodding slowly.
"Discover yourself then. See the world and grow strong. However long it may take… I shall await you at the top. Strive with your whole heart and mind to best Yoru. Strive to surpass me, Roronoa Zoro. I know that you can one day, son."
Zoro smiled at that and nodded his head vigorously.
Mihawk turned once more to the boy in the straw hat who had been watching their interaction with both interest and confusion.
"King of the Pirates, eh? Perhaps you will at that. Make sure you send him back to me in one piece, pirate king. You do that, and I'll ensure that Shanks doesn't die of liver failure before you two can see each other again."
The boy's eyes lit up then.
"You know Shanks?"
"Regrettably. He told me about you. Said you were the future, that you'd bring about a new age of pirates."
"He did?"
Mihawk nodded wordlessly. The boy seemed overwhelmed with emotions then, his body practically vibrating as he smiled so wide his eyes were nearly closed.
"Well, you have to stay now and tell me stories of what Shanks has been up to. Usopp will want to know about how his dad is too. Come on, Sanji. Sit with us."
"Why's the waiter here exactly," Zoro questioned.
"He's going to join our crew. We're going to need a great chef to find the One Piece."
"Whoa, whoa, chore boy. I never said yes."
"You will," Luffy replied confidently.
"That's not important right now. I think someone mentioned something about embarrassing childhood stories," the orange-haired girl piped up, a mischievous smile on her face.
"I was adopted when I was 12, Nami. There are no baby stories."
"That just means there's embarrassing stories from when you were older, which is even worse for you and better ammunition for me."
Zoro narrowed his eyes at that and gave Mihawk a warning look which was really just enticing him to do the opposite of what he wanted.
"I suppose a drink won't hurt," he commented.
Zoro gave him a withering glare in response as Zeff nodded and went off to get his usual. Honestly, a little embarrassment served him right for running off on pirate adventures without informing him first.
Mihawk watched the group of children begin teasing Zoro over his impending humiliation. And that's what they were, children. But Mihawk was little better when he had started out and they had to begin somewhere.
So this is the next generation, he thought.
We shall see.