The Great Swordsman Mihawk! Luffy Comes Under the Attack of the Black Sword!

With Ace still ahead of him, Luffy finds Mihawk planted in his way and switches to Gear Second to slip around the swordsman rather than waste time on so dangerous a foe. Two Newkama soldiers try to delay Mihawk and hint at some shared history, but he dismisses them in a single sweep, claiming he forgets the faces of insects. Using his keen sight, Mihawk pins the racing Luffy to a wall from a great distance, and Jinbe steps in to guard him and trade blows with the World's Strongest Swordsman.

Caught in Crocodile's sudden sandstorm, Buggy is flung directly into the duel, and Luffy seizes the clown as a living shield, throwing his torso at Mihawk to buy an escape. Vista of the Whitebeard Pirates intercepts the swordsman next, earning a respectful nod. As the clock runs, Sengoku declares the Marines must win, and Sentomaru leads a wave of Pacifista into the bay, smashing pirate vessels.

Luffy enters Gear Second to bypass Mihawk, who attacks him from afar and brings down a Newkama pair with one stroke. Jinbe halts cannon fire with Fish-Man Karate and clashes with Mihawk. Crocodile turns his Sables on Doflamingo and the downed Jozu, sweeping Buggy into the whirlwind. Luffy uses Buggy as a shield, and Marco dispatches Vista to engage Mihawk. The episode closes as Sentomaru and seven Pacifista strike the Whitebeard ships from behind.

The anime stages a Jinbe versus Mihawk exchange that never occurred in the manga, and it expands Hancock's standoff with Smoker along with her daydreams. Debuting characters include Wallem, Brew, Palms, and Brocca, while new techniques cover several of Mihawk's Yoru slashes and Luffy and Buggy's substitution maneuvers. Mihawk privately judges Luffy to hold the most fearsome potential of anyone at sea.