An آزم from the Immortal World

At last, Hawk Eyes moved, drawing most of the crowd’s attention.

If anyone here was the strongest, it was undoubtedly Hawk Eyes.

Even Krieg, the overlord of the East Blue, had been cut down by Hawk Eyes in a single strike.

Everyone wanted to see how Hawk Eyes would perform.

The instant he charged into the trial zone, Hawk Eyes keenly sensed that something was wrong, though his speed did not slow.

This feeling…

Could this be some Devil Fruit ability as well?

Hawk Eyes knew that some Devil Fruit abilities could affect a person’s emotions. To this day, no one dared claim that every Paramecia Fruit had already been discovered, so all sorts of strange abilities appearing was perfectly normal.

But such a slight emotional shift could not possibly affect Hawk Eyes.

He continued forward.

His speed did not decrease in the slightest, and he effortlessly overtook the pirates at the front.

"As expected of the World’s Greatest Swordsman." Someone swallowed. "Isn’t he afraid?"

"I feel like even moving forward a little is incredibly difficult."

"He should be able to get aboard, right?"

"Look, those people behind him too!"

Hawk Eyes’s performance was certainly astonishing, but Luffy and the others, who charged forward in one burst afterward, also drew part of the crowd’s attention.

It was not that they felt nothing.

But Zoro kept his gaze fixed tightly on Hawk Eyes. He had always known he could not win, yet even so, he possessed the courage to fight no matter what.

This level of pressure was nowhere near enough to stop his steps from rowing forward.

As for Luffy, there was even less need to mention him. His face still wore a brilliant smile.

All of a sudden.

It was as though he had suddenly entered some kind of domain.

Hawk Eyes’s boat abruptly stopped.

This change once again drew everyone’s attention.

"Look, Hawk Eyes stopped."

"What’s going on?"

"Even Hawk Eyes can’t get through?"

Some pirates who had been struggling to inch forward could not help stopping as well.

If even Hawk Eyes could not succeed, then they, who were already nearing their limits, truly had no courage left to continue.

Hawk Eyes was already very close to the Destiny Ship.

His body seemed to be enveloped in an unknown light. The light came from the flag fluttering atop the ship, and only then did people realize that no matter how the flag swayed, the eye upon it seemed to be staring intently at everyone.

Had something happened?

Shen Mo rested both hands on the railing, looked at Hawk Eyes, and spoke. "At first, the test was merely whether you would keep moving forward when faced with fear of danger and the unknown. But now, you will encounter the greatest obstacles within your hearts. This is also the final trial."

If the beginning had been a uniform examination.

Then this final stretch.

Was a targeted test paper.

People would see different Illusionary Realms, and even their emotions would become deeply immersed within them. This had originally been a Heart-Questioning Array used by an immortal cultivation sect to select disciples. Shen Mo had bought it and installed it on the ship.

No matter who it was, they would stop upon entering this domain.

Only after hearing Shen Mo’s words did everyone realize that an even harder trial awaited them, and for a moment, they all fell into despair.

"So this is only the first step?"

"Damn it!"

"No one can get through this!"

"Ahhh, I can’t take it anymore!"

Hawk Eyes heard none of the despairing, unwilling cries from those outside.

He merely remained there in silence.

He had once believed he feared nothing.

But now, he felt the emotion he feared most.

—Loneliness.

He felt as though he stood atop a mountain peak. Below, challengers surged toward him one after another, yet every one of them was pitifully weak. Some were even frightened out of their wits by a single look from him, leaving him utterly uninterested.

This was what he feared most.

He had gone to sea with the dream of honing his Swordsmanship, only to reach the throne of first place and never again see a path ahead. With no opponents, he could only drift aimlessly until death.

Now that he was already the strongest, was there still any need to pursue strength and Swordsmanship?

In the immortal world the Heart-Questioning Array came from, it questioned one’s heart in pursuit of the Dao.

But in Shen Mo’s hands, it could also be said to question one’s motivation to spend money.

If what Hawk Eyes truly longed for was challengers, then there was indeed no need for him to become stronger.

And at that moment.

Zoro and the others’ little boat charged in all at once.

"Ahhh!"

Luffy suddenly widened his eyes, revealing a terrified expression.

Shen Mo knew what he had seen.

—Garp.

That was right. The greatest obstacle in his pursuit of dreams was his grandfather’s iron fist. This guy had never worried about failure or death; rather, what he pursued was the very process of constant adventure.

It seemed he would be fine.

Shen Mo looked at Zoro next. What this swordsman saw was himself being defeated and dying, then his soul meeting the young Kuina in Hell.

This would not only pose no problem for him—perhaps he might even gain something from this Heart-Questioning Trial.

Then there was Sanji.

A pile of beautiful women urged him to stay and stop chasing some dream of becoming a chef.

Well, this one was a little difficult.

"Sanji, Luffy, Zoro, even Hawk Eyes…" Nami looked at the little group that had suddenly stopped moving and did not know what to do. She herself felt absolutely nothing.

Nor was any light shining upon her.

"They are facing trials of the heart—the greatest obstacles on the paths they pursue." Shen Mo looked at Nami. "Come aboard. Those who are already members do not need to undergo the trial."

As his words fell, Nami’s body rose into the air of its own accord. Under the envious and jealous gazes of everyone, she boarded the Destiny Ship.

Her face was filled with delight as well.

Judging by the expressions on those people’s faces, this trial looked terrifying.

Then she widened her eyes and looked around.

"So this is the Destiny Ship? How does it sail without sails? Is this metal beneath my feet? It’s such a huge piece!"

"Miss Nami." There was a hint of helplessness on Bismarck’s delicate face. "The trial has not ended. Please remain quiet."

Nami stuck out her tongue, gave a playful expression, and quieted down. Beside her, a chair carrying a plate of desserts gradually appeared.

Just then.

A series of cries suddenly rose from below.

Because Hawk Eyes’s little boat had moved.

He had already broken through the Heart-Questioning Array’s trial. Even if he was already the strongest, even if he had no more enemies in Swordsmanship, he still decided to spend the rest of his life moving forward alone, even if he remained by himself.

The despairing people all widened their eyes as well.

"Did he succeed?"

"As expected of Hawk Eyes!"

"He’s going to board the ship!"

Everyone watched nervously. Unlike Nami, Hawk Eyes was the first person to break through the trial and prepare to board the ship under all their gazes.

What would he obtain aboard the ship?

Powerful strength, like Nami’s?

However—

Hawk Eyes stopped once more, directly in front of the ship’s prow, less than five meters away.