| Dracule Mihawk VS Kenpachi Zaraki | |
|---|---|
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| Season | 5 |
| Overall Episode | 65 |
| Season Episode | 13 (Bonus Episode) |
| Air date | January 5th, 2021 |
| Written by | Shadow7615 |
| Episode guide | |
| Previous Doctor Strange vs. Sailor Moon (Season 5 Finale) |
Next Boba Fett vs. The Terminator (Season 6 Premiere) |
| “ | One Piece VS Bleach! The strongest are challenged by a select few. Two of shonen's strongest swordsman clash in a fight with their lives on the line! | „ |
Dracule Mihawk vs. Kenpachi Zaraki is the 65th episode and Season 5 Bonus Episode of DEATH BATTLE! by Shadow7615, featuring Dracule Mihawk from the One Piece series and Kenpachi Zaraki from the Bleach series in a battle between anti-hero mentor swordsmen.
Interlude[]
Boomstick: It's always good to have a mentor to teach you the ropes since the world can be an unforgiving place if you're not careful.
Wiz: Most mentors are known for their old age and wisdom, but some are still in their prime with an abundance of power and a powerful blade to see them through it all, such as today's combatants.
Boomstick: Dracule Mihawk, the Strongest Swordsman in the World!
Wiz: And Kenpachi Zaraki, Captain of the Gotei 13's Eleventh Division.
Boomstick: He's Wiz and I'm Boomstick!
Wiz: And it's our job to analyze their weapons, armor, and skills to find out who would win... a Death Battle.
Dracule[]
Boomstick: The ocean has seen its fair share of pirates, while some pillage and claim what they want, which is not only badass but the kind of life I wanna live. Some pirates are more about making a name for themselves through fighting, rather than how much money they got.
Wiz: Enter the Seven Warlords of the Sea. A group whose presence helped keep the world in balance, since you know, this was practically the golden age of piracy. Among the ranks of these Warlords was the Strongest Swordsman in the World, Dracule Mihawk.
Boomstick: This guy is like if Jack Sparrow and Zorro had an epic fusion dance. And to clarify, that's Antonio Banderas Zorro, not the guy from the Strawhats. But yeah, this guy looks badass, and his entire history is nothing short of epic. He made it his goal in life to battle strong opponents, and he ultimately reached the point where no one could challenge him, earning that cool title.
Wiz: But like any good swordsman with something to prove, Dracule stayed in top form, always ready for an opponent who could challenge him. Many tried to claim that illustrious title of Strongest Swordsman, but Dracule defeated his opponents time and time again, with no losses to his name.
Popup: Dracule's name appears to be based on Bram Stoker's Dracula. However, the name itself was not officially confirmed until the release of the fourth One Piece databook, 12 years after the character's introduction.
Boomstick: It’s a wonder Dracule never lost a fight, he's just too good at this stuff. He's got pure skill and power to spare, and he's got plenty of tools to help him out in a fight. Most importantly, his eyes. He's gained a reputation for being able to keep track of fast-moving objects and people, he even got a nickname for it, "Hawk Eyes".
Wiz: His eyes are even able to track Luffy when using Gear Second, which moves at high speeds. And he's precise enough to know how to swing his swords even in the middle of a massive battle without hitting anyone else. He surprisingly even took his skills with the sword into the kitchen and became an expert of the culinary arts. A useful skill to have.
Boomstick: But why talk about how good he is with a knife when we can talk about the good stuff, his sword! Just look at that thing! It's called Yoru, and it’s one of the twelve Supreme Grade swords, the highest quality blades in the world. It’s even taller than Dracule himself! And he uses this badass blade in combat with a bunch of awesome techniques.
Wiz: With a swing of his blade, he can perform Kokuto Issen, which can cleave through a massive frozen tsunami horizontally. He's used this same technique vertically against the Dreadnaught Sabre, cutting the flagship in half. Dracule accomplishes these massive cutting blows by launching an invisible slash through the air, which then travels across it without losing any of its cutting power.
Popup: Dracule has a technique referred to as the "World's Strongest Slash". However, this was claimed by a marine and not Dracule. There is no evidence to prove it is Dracule's strongest move, a more accurate translation is that its a "slash made by the World's Strongest Swordsman".
Boomstick: Man, that's pretty crazy, since when did swords get good range? I need that kind of stuff for my shotgun leg! And his long-range attacks don't end there. He's also got the Chi o Hau Zangeki, a long-range energy slash which is that move he used to hit Gear Second Luffy while avoiding all those people on the battlefield.
Wiz: He also possesses three Kokuto techniques, Arahoshi is essentially a descending stab attack, where Dracule stands on the cross arms of his weapon. Kogetsu unleashes a series of rapid-fire cutting waves, which even Luffy had a hard time avoiding. And finally, Saku, a counterattack that slashes his sword downward with immense strength.
Boomstick: You might think close range fights are dangerous for him, but he carries Kogatana, which is always worn on his neck. Though Dracule doesn't actively use it, he sees it more as an accessory rather than a weapon, and he only ever uses it against a weak opponent. Because why use your best weapon against someone who can't handle it?
Wiz: A fair claim. But Dracule isn't simply a swordsman, and he's gained additional powers to support his swordsmanship, Haki. In particular, Dracule uses Busoshoku and Kenbunshoku Haki. In the case of the former, many use Busoshoku, aka Armament Haki, to enhance their body in some way, like Luffy's arms or Sanji's legs. But Dracule uses it on Yoru itself.
Popup: To be clear, Armament Haki can be applied multiple ways. Enhancement, Hardening and Imbuement. Dracule uses the Imbuement variant, which is activated when its user makes contact with the desired object. Furthermore, Dracule would also have access to Enhancement, as it is the most basic ability for Armament Haki users.
Boomstick: Gesundheit. Dracule figured his sword needed the protection more, so he can utilize that power at any point to make his sword hard. Well, not like that... but anyway, there's the other Haki he can use. I definitely can't pronounce that word, so I'm gonna stick with Observation Haki.
Wiz: This form of Haki allows its user to sense others emotionally and physically, allowing them to see another person's Aura, even being able to see them through a physical obstruction. It also has power akin to precognition, giving Dracule even greater perception than his already exceptional eyesight. It should go without saying that Dracule holds immense power and has achieved enough to back that up.
Boomstick: He's had his fair share of battles, going up against Shanks, Vista, Daz Bonez, Crocodile, the Whitebeard Pirates, and even had a couple of fights with the Strawhat Pirates Luffy and Zoro. Throughout all these battles, Dracule always came out unscathed. Heck, when he first fought Zoro, he almost killed him! But Dracule wanted to see if Zoro could surpass him.
Wiz: So during the time skip of this... rather long story, Dracule trained Zoro, and it's clear that his training paid off, as Zoro was able to slice through a massive meteor, the meteor itself was over 780 meters, and thusly, has kinetic energy over twelve gigatons. While Zoro was able to slice the meteor in half, Dracule sliced and diced that same meteor into harmless remains.
Popup: Given that Dracule was responsible for Zoro's training during the time skip, it is logical to scale Dracule to Zoro's feats, such as when Zoro sliced Pica in half. A feat which would require well over 11 megatons.
Boomstick: He's also pretty damn fast, he's kept up with the Whitebeard Pirates, and one of them, Marco was able to intercept beams of light. With the distance he moved and how quickly he pulled it off, Marco would've needed to move around 57% the speed of light. So Dracule should be in a similar ballpark.
Wiz: Of course, Dracule is a man who understands the power difference between himself and his opponents. Thus, he will only use as much power as needed to win. If an opponent doesn't impress him, he won't use the upper levels of his power, or may even deem them weak and use his objectively weaker weapons and techniques.
Boomstick: Hey, you gotta give him credit. Using your full power all the time just makes life suck if no one can match you. Zoro is the proof that Dracule holding himself back is a good thing, Zoro became a certified badass, and you can't really thank anyone else other than Dracule for inspiring him to get there.
Wiz: I didn't think you'd have this much respect for a man with a price on his head. But you're right, Dracule Mihawk certainly lives up to his title of the Strongest Swordsman in the World, and only the strongest Pirates in the world will ever get a chance to witness the legendary title bestowed upon this Pirate of the Seas.
Dracule: It's still too early for you to die. My name is Dracule Mihawk! Discover your true self, the true world, become stronger! However long it may take, I shall await you at the top. Surpass this sword! Surpass me! Roronoa Zoro!
Kenpachi[]
Wiz: The Shinigami, or Soul Reapers, are those whose job it is to ensure those who've died safely pass on. The duty is important and upheld by many organizations. The Gotei 13 is one of these groups, and there’s no shortage of exceptional Shinigami in this group. However, one stands out uniquely among the rest.
Boomstick: Oh yeah, we get to talk about my favourite Bleach character again! Kenpachi! This guy is all about the action and lives solely for the fight. Nothing will get in this guy's way if it means he gets to have a proper good fight. But don't let me mislead you, Kenpachi isn't just a Shinigami who craves battles, he's got a lot more to him.
Wiz: Heck, Kenpachi isn't even his true name, but rather a title granted to him when he defeated the previous Kenpachi and became the Kenpachi of his generation. The Kenpachi we know, Kenpachi Zaraki, is the eleventh Kenpachi to bear the title. More importantly, it only belongs to the strongest Shinigami out there, so it can only be attained through killing the previous Kenpachi.
Boomstick: Still, Kenpachi is cool. And as the current Kenpachi, he's all about battling strong opponents. But since he'd already claimed a really strong title, he figured his maximum power was a bit too much for other people to handle, so Kenpachi decided to seal away the majority of his power to ensure he could enjoy a fight.
Popup: Apart from Yachiru Unohana, the first Kenpachi, every known Kenpachi was Captain of the 11th Division within Gotei 13. While unconfirmed, the title of Kenpachi and position of Captain could be seen as a symbol of leadership within the 11th Division.
Wiz: But Kenpachi's upbringing wasn't pleasant. Not having a name to go by, his only identity was the district he belonged to, Zaraki. Objectively the worst district in Rukongai, murderers and thieves roamed freely, it was a lawless place. However, fortune smiled on Kenpachi as the dead body of a Shinigami allowed him to forge his own Zanpakuto, a weapon he would never be without from that point onward. Many died by his bloody blade.
Boomstick: Things started getting better for Kenpachi, he met this woman named Yachiru Unohana, who was the first opponent Kenpachi battle who made him experience an emotion that wasn't boredom, that left Kenpachi with such an impression and desire to fight strong opponents, he strove to fight as good as her. And heck, when Kenpachi decided to raise an adoptive daughter, he named her after Yachiru.
Wiz: Certainly forming an unlikely duo, but while Yachiru can't be by her father's side today, Kenpachi is more than skilled enough to battle on his own. His Zanpakuto, named Nozarashi, is a powerful blade. Seemingly inspired by the traditional Ōdachi, its length more than accommodates Kenpachi's towering height of 6'6". Although for the longest time Kenpachi couldn't access the extent of his blade's powers.
Boomstick: All because he couldn't listen to the spirit of the blade talking to him. But luckily, Kenpachi was able to eventually hear his blade's spirit, and with it, he was able to unlock the full extent of his sword's abilities. In particular, its two upgraded forms, Shikai and Bankai, both of which are epic levels of awesome.
Popup: It is unknown what the true appearance of Nozarashi's spirit looks like. The only time it ever successfully manifested, Nozarashi took on the appearance of Kenpachi's adoptive daughter, Yachiru Kusajishi.
Wiz: But Kenpachi doesn't have all of his power available to him, at least not right away. To ensure he has a good fight against his opponents, the bulk of his Reiryoku is sealed, specifically with Kenpachi's eyepatch. Reiryoku is the spiritual energy Shinigami access for a variety of effects, but for Kenpachi, it is primarily offensive attacks.
Boomstick: His spirit power is pretty intense, so he made sure the rest of his skills were up to the test. He became a master swordsman, able to fight and kill hundreds of adults even when he was still a boy. Plus, he was able to would Retsu Unohana, who proved she was one of the strongest Shinigami out there. Plus, Kenpachi is skilled enough to wield his Zanpakuto with one hand, and only uses two hands when he's fighting someone seriously.
Wiz: Kenpachi prefers his blade in a fight, but should he be unarmed, Kenpachi is still deadly, able to take down multiple specialists of Hakuda, even while carrying his daughter on his back. Even with the bulk of his power restrained, Kenpachi is still an incredible force to be reckoned with. His Reiryoku unrestrained puts him on levels of power rivalling the strongest Shinigami of all time.
Boomstick: Even his physical strength is impressive, he can carry three corpses over his shoulder with zero effort. He can even hold back the attacks from this massive Valkyrie dude. I'm no expert on bodybuilding, but that's gotta take a lot of strength to pull off without it destroying your arms.
Popup: Kenpachi's Reiryoku is powerful enough that it behaves as a sort of body armor, making it incredibly unlikely for those who are weaker than him to inflict damage. Even when intentionally allowing himself to be harmed, he was undamaged by a lesser opponent, as shown during his fight with Ichigo.
Wiz: His strength certainly translates to his Zanpakuto, as its upgraded forms tap into more of Kenpachi's immense pools of power. By uttering "Drink", Kenpachi can access his Shikai, transforming his Zanpakuto into a massive axe/cleaver hybrid. This form of Nozarashi is powerful enough to easily destroy a massive meteorite and cut through his victim's bodies, and even the fabric of space itself.
Boomstick: But that's not even the best form. By opening the floodgates and holding nothing back, Kenpachi can use his Bankai to achieve the peak of his power. Heck, just activating his Bankai levels several nearby buildings. But keep in mind, Kenpachi's Bankai is more of a last resort than anything else. His body wasn't able to handle the extent of his Bankai's power.
Wiz: So while it is incredibly powerful, it poses a serious risk to his body, during his battle with Gerard Valkyrie, he lost his arm solely due to the power that coursed through his body. Still, Kenpachi understands his power. He might try to convey the idea he doesn't do many strategies or even think that much in a fight, but Kenpachi has quite the intellect when it comes to battle.
Boomstick: He can deduce the weaknesses of his opponent's techniques and switch his plans around to make sure he lets them know he's read them like a book. With all this, its no wonder Kenpachi is one of the strongest Shinigami ever, he's kicked numerous asses that it’s hard to count. But he's battled some of the best, including Gremmy, a Quincy guy who had the power of imagination.
Popup: Kenpachi, alongside Ichigo, Aizen, Uraha and Hyōsube make up the Special War Powers. A group of individuals the Wandenreich considered pivotal to determining the outcome of the war between them and Soul Society. Kenpachi was specifically classified for his fighting skill and intense physical capability.
Wiz: And Gremmy once created a massive meteorite which was stated to be capable of destroying the entirety of Seireitei, which means Kenpachi would need to have power well over 7 teratons. And he achieved this with just his Shikai. Kenpachi's later forms and matches would suggest his power can be equivalent to an entire continent! And don't forget that Shikai is a five times increase to
Boomstick: Plus, given that Kenpachi has immense reserves of power, it makes sense to compare him to others in the Gotei 13, like Renji Abari, who blocked a beam of light! Although Kenpachi didn't study the Shinigami equivalent of going fast, aka Shunpo. Instead, Kenny relies on his natural speed in a fight, props to him. You don't need school to learn everything!
Wiz: And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Kenpachi also didn't commit any investment to learn Kido, leaving him solely reliant on using direct methods of attack, which is admittedly an unconventional choice. And naturally, this limits his range, and he can only fight effectively up close, so long-range attacks will be able to work against him. And most dangerously of all, Kenpachi's Bankai puts him into a Berserker state, completely disregarding everything.
Boomstick: I mean sure, but those are worthy sacrifices in the name of being the badass Kenpachi we all know and love. This guy is easily one of the coolest and most interesting characters of the series, and I'll fight you on that! You better count yourself lucky you don't end up on the wrong end of Kenpachi's epic blade.
Kenpachi: What’s that face for? Did you 'imagine' I wouldn’t be able to cut you? Just so you know, there ain't a damn thing your little brain can come up with that I won't be able to slice through. I'm the Kenpachi.
DEATH BATTLE![]
Wiz: Alright, the combatants are set, and we've run the data through all possibilities.
Boomstick: It's time for a DEATH BATTLE!
The dawn of a new day welcomed the glistening sunlight as the ocean reflected the light and painted the beautiful canvas of blue. The beauty in the eyes of the beholder was a true spectacle that only the bravest and daring would get to experience. Though as it were, traversing the seven seas was no easy task, it was unforgiving and relentless without warning. But the danger was worth the price of beholding the majesty of the sea. For many, the best chance of experiencing this was to live on a small island.
Somewhere amongst the Grand Line was the once battle-torn land known as Kuraigana Island. What was once the dark, gloomy home base for the Shikkearu Kingdom. While it may look barren and deserted, modern-day attempts to restore the island have restored some of its former glory, including its castle, which looked like all brand new. Though despite how nice it all looked, it was sparsely populated, and there was little sign of life.
That is except for one man who called this Island his home, though he wasn't just a man, but a pirate who once held the famed title of Warlord of the Sea. Although not the same man with such distinction behind his name, he was still regarded very highly. Within his castle walls, Dracule Mihawk sat in his castle's personal quarters with himself seated at the rear end of the room, seated in a large chair that towered over him.
In his right hand, he held a transparent glass of red wine, drinking it now and then. His attention was currently focused on a local newspaper of some kind. Reporting information from across the Grand Line. While most of it was pretty inconsequential, one page caught his attention, an attempt had been made on one of the Straw Hats, Dracule observed the information to ascertain if it was who he believed it to be.
And his thoughts were right on the money, his student had been caught up in an attempt on his life. But as he read the paper, it confirmed that Roronoa Zoro survived the encounter, defeating his assailant. Further information about the battle revealed it was yet another swordsman, and that Zoro's bounty had risen as a result. Nevertheless, Dracule concluded that it was his training he imparted unto Zoro that helped him ultimately survive that battle.
He figured it may be time to go and observe Zoro once again, to see if his near-death battle has tempered him to continue getting stronger. He took one final drink of his red wine before placing the glass down on the table to his side. Although before he could stand up, he heard unusual sounds from within the confines of the castle. At first, Dracule thought little of it, but as it became more and more clear, Dracule deemed the situation to be a genuine movement he had not anticipated.
But in truth, he was excited to see if the opportunity for a promising battle was about to smile upon him. The Marines had previously made attempts to arrest him, so the thought of battling again was considerably exciting. But he remained composed and allowed the situation to unfold. Moments later, the doors opened, with the light piercing around Dracule's chair.
Without the need to turn around, Dracule knew he had company. "Welcome." Dracule greeted his guest formally. The man walked into the room, inspecting the scenery, and identified Dracule was sitting on the chair. "The World's Strongest Swordsman, I heard a fair bit about you" a masculine voice declared. Seeing that his epithet was being acknowledged directly, that alone put Dracule into a curious state of mind, but he needed to see how this would unfold.
"You are well informed. But you should be forewarned, many insects have tried to best me before, and their fates were sealed by their arrogance. You may leave here with no shame" Dracule added. The thought of giving up before the fight had even begun was utterly meaningless, and the man continued his approach, his individual footsteps getting closer and closer to Dracule's chair. The fact this man refused to back down further elevated Dracule's excitement.
He was still tempered, hoping that this man isn't simply talking big and having absurd levels of bravery. "Who are you, brave warrior? I would prefer to remember your name" Dracule asked, as he stood up, grabbing his wide-brimmed black hat and long, open black coat. Now that he was prepared for battle, he waited to see what would come in the response. "I'm Kenpachi, and if you're able to live up to being the World's Strongest Swordsman, you may just be one of my greatest opponents" so declared Kenpachi Zaraki.
The Shinigami continued his slow approach but almost wanted to let himself at his opponent. But he waited patiently for Dracule's outfit change. He reached to his side and brandished Nozarashi, holding his weapon by his side. Similarly, Dracule collected Yoru from its stand and held the weapon on his back. As Dracule turned to see his opponent, to his surprise, he was not there. He did not believe Kenpachi to be any kind of coward, and he quickly ascertained he must be using some kind of ability to his advantage.
"I've only ever fought a human once before, and today I will see what the strongest human swordsman has to offer. Prepare yourself" Kenpachi declared, preparing himself for battle. Dracule listened more intently and managed to detect Kenpachi's presence amidst his obvious visual absence. And without warning, Kenpachi bolted toward Dracule with a horizontal slash which shattered the window in front of him.
But Dracule leapt to the side and landed safely, confirming his suspicion that Kenpachi was simply invisible. An invisible opponent was an intriguing prospect, and Dracule began to believe that perhaps this was the opponent that would finally push him to fight with the extent of his capabilities, perhaps like his former Emperor rival.
FIGHT!
(Cue Pledge of Demon - Yakuza Zero)
Grabbing Yoru and holding the considerably long blade out to his side, Kenpachi realized his opponent's weapon more than resembled a Zanpakuto, despite his being a human. The thought didn't deter him, and Kenpachi charged toward Dracule using a jump to make his descending slash take on greater momentum. Managing to successfully guard against the attack, Dracule could feel Kenpachi's Zanpakuto pressed up against Yoru. Which was an unusual sensation, but the situation only inspired Dracule to unravel the truth of the situation.
To ensure he had the ability to consciously keep track of his opponent, Dracule activated his Observation Haki. And immediately things became much, much clearer. He could see the aura Kenpachi exuded, revealing that alright he was hidden, he was still present. With no certainty as to how long this invisibility can stay in play, Dracule decided his best course of action was to keep his Observation Haki active from here on out.
With a much better perspective, and capability to fight Kenpachi, Dracule went on the offensive, which momentarily surprised Kenpachi, who had rode the cartels of Shinigami being invisible to humans. But his thoughts were quelled rather quickly, as he'd come to believe that the World's Strongest Swordsman would naturally be able to combat the strongest beings out there, including the Shinigami.
Backing up, Kenpachi carefully watched the incredibly long blade of Yoru swing at him. At the same time, he was amazed by how effectively this human could swing a blade almost as big as him. He was impressed, but the fight had only just begun, Kenpachi matched blade for blade, despite Nozarashi being smaller than Yoru. The blades clashed a few times as Kenpachi went on the defensive, navigating his way around the room while Dracule followed him.
Determined to get a fight out of Kenpachi, Dracule had some words for him, seeing that although the fight was currently leaning towards him, he didn't sign up for a sparring session. "Do not hold back against me, if you continue to defend, you will be overwhelmed. And that would be an unruly waste of your conviction." Dracule firmly laid down his intentions.
On one swing of Yoru, Kenpachi jumped and landed on the blade itself. With a swing of Nozarashi, Kenpachi attempted to take an early victory against Dracule, but in an incredibly swift counterattack, Dracule raised his blade skyward, which tossed Kenpachi out the window he had previously broken. Falling down a considerable distance, some trees were Kenpachi's sole companion. But fortunately, they were able to cushion his fall somewhat before Kenpachi finally hit the ground.
For just a moment, Kenpachi could feel a slight ache in his body, but in saying that, Kenpachi had gotten precisely what he wanted. Dracule was starting to live up to his epithet. So although the pain was incredibly minor, he was definitely seeing the early signs of his opponent being an incredibly powerful adversary. As he climbed back onto his feet, he looked up at the castle in front of him.
Although only one of his eyes were able to perceive long distance, he saw someone, very likely Dracule, jumping from the former window. As he watched him carefully, he saw the massive black blade of Yoru swung toward the ground. And suddenly, a massive slash erupts, launched across the ground. The massive green trail it left behind alerted Kenpachi, who narrowly dodged out of the way. Having landed safely, he looked behind him to see the slash persisting for many more meters, eventually reaching the border of the island.
Impressed once again, Kenpachi turned back to see Dracule in the air. The former Warlord of the Sea landed on the ground near Kenpachi, with most of the forestry severed by the massive attack, it created some open spaces amidst the forest. With the Observation Haki still active, Dracule had little difficult locating Kenpachi. "So what you told me was true..." Kenpachi noted as he kept a firm grip on Nozarashi.
"You sought out the one with the epithet of World's Strongest. And it is exactly what you'll receive. Whether or not you live to tell the tale is another story entirely." Dracule responded, seeing that his opponent, while genuine in fighting, certainly hadn't mounted any kind of substantial offence to challenge him. The thought of fighting someone like this was displeasing, Dracule considered using Kogatana, but Kenpachi had not revealed he was weak, just that he was not fighting back.
To end this fight as swiftly as possible, Dracule raced toward the observant Kenpachi, drawing Youri and performing a diagonal slash on his chest, echoing how he performed similarly against Zoro years prior. Having completed his slash, he waited patiently to hear the sound of Kenpachi's body hitting the ground, but to his surprise, Kenpachi did not. He glanced up, and his Observation Haki indicated that Kenpachi was still standing tall.
That astonished Dracule, who quickly followed up by performing a stabbing blow with Yoru, most of the blade piercing through Kenpachi's chest. It was at this point Dracule was adamant that direct impalement would deliver him a quick victory. But again, Kenpachi remained completely unphased by the attack. Even though Kenpachi understandably had an instinctive reaction, he did not bellow in pain. Instead, he stands there as though it was just an inconvenience a blade rested in his body. Astonished by the sight he had witnessed, Dracule retrieved his blade.
"You know a thing or two about ending your opponent's life. I can tell by how effective you were at trying to kill me there" Kenpachi added. Deciding that it was the easiest choice at this particular moment, Kenpachi raised his left arm and delivered a punch to Dracule's face, just moments before the Warlord could successfully escape Kenpachi's fist. The speed that Dracule moved at was impressive to Kenpachi, humans weren't so lucky, but this one had managed to anticipate a punch in the face.
In truth, the Observation Haki's precognition afforded Dracule the chance to mitigate the damage from the punch, but not quite enough to avoid it completely. Briefly tending to his face, Dracule then returned his attention back to the battle at hand. "I see that you will not fall so easily, Kenpachi." Dracule commented. As his Observation Haki continued to track Kenpachi, he also started sensing that Kenpachi was primarily feeling excitement, rather than fear or panic.
Admittedly, not a feeling he'd sense in his opponents much, if at all. So it further intrigued Dracule that Kenpachi might just be the opponent to surpass all his previous opponents. Continuing their battle, Dracule charged toward Kenpachi, swinging Yoru overhead. Kenpachi returned the favour by clashing with Nozarashi. The two swordsman locking blades once more. Then a thought crossed Dracule's mind, if Kenpachi was as strong as his prior opponents, then surely his more powerful moves would not take him down so easily.
While the two remained locked in the middle of their clash, Dracule performed an acrobatic maneuver, freeing himself from the sword clash, during Dracule's descent he swing Yoru directly at the ground. As soon as the blade touched the ground, compressed air travelled along the earthly ground. However, Dracule had not anticipated Kenpachi's next action. So instead of standing in the path of Dracule's attack, Kenpachi simply ignored the attack and charged ahead, once more clashing blades with the Warlord.
As the compressed air continued to travel along the ground, its reach covered almost every inch of Kuraigana Island in that direction. Kenpachi looked to his side in time and noticed the trail of Dracule's attack persisting long after his evasion. That tidbit of information was enough that Kenpachi gained an idea of his opponent's capabilities, but he had little time to deal with it as Dracule swiftly approached Kenpachi and impaled him in the chest with Yoru.
Believing that a second, more fatal impalement would deliver him his victory, Dracule took the opportunity to add some more to the conversation. "You proved tricky to pinpoint with our presence invisible to my naked eye, but you could not elude me forever, Kenpachi" Dracule coldly remarked. "You certainly look like a pirate with that eyepatch, but it will do you no good on the battlefield." he added. But those feelings quickly changed, as the emotions Kenpachi exuded were not of pain, misery or anything negative.
After being impaled twice, it was little difference to Kenpachi, the only thing it proved was his opponent knew how to kill, and how to do it right. Were a human the victim of his blade, they would have surely perished. But not Kenpachi. He remanding standing as he seemingly ignored the long black blade wedged in his chest. And his focus shifted, as Dracule seemed to flick a switch with Kenpachi. "Oh don't worry, you proved I don't need it" he added.
Just moments later, Kenpachi reached out to his eyepatch and removed it completely, at first Dracule believed the gesture was primarily one of honour, as to now disadvantage their opponent. But at that same time, Dracule learned exactly what Kenpachi had meant. With his intense yellow aura supporting him, Kenpachi felt like a far stronger individual. Dracule's Observation Haki quickly informed him of Kenpachi's development.
It was enough to immediately shift Dracule from a dedicated offensive approach to a more balanced plan. He removed Yoru from Kenpachi's chest, who immediately sought to return the favour of pain back unto the individual who performed it on him. The craziness of his opponent was stunning to him, but he knew that the fight was far from finished. Taking Nozarashi and holding it skyward, Kenpachi's intense yellow aura continued, as he looked to Dracule, hoping that this next move wouldn't kill him.
But with a heavy one-handed swing of his blade, Kenpachi unleashed a surge of energy toward Dracule. The energy was immeasurable, it felt stronger than anything Dracule had experience before. Luckily, the Observation Haki informed Dracule of the incoming attack, and he was able to avoid the attack in the nick of time. However, while Dracule had avoided the attack, it left the massive attack on a collision course with the edge of the island.
Unexpectedly, running out of ground didn't put the breaks on Kenpachi's attack, and soon it launched into the seas. With his power no longer inhibited, Kenpachi charged toward Dracule faster than he had before, who, was still able to anticipate Kenpachi's movements, and the two locked blades once again. Seeing that Kenpachi's power was no longer held back, Dracule felt the situation had garnered greater respect than initially expected. After all, he himself did not use the extent of his power against his enemies.
While his thoughts lingered on that thought, things suddenly became overcast. Although Dracule thought nothing of it initially, a distant sound caught his attention. Using his physical might to bat Kenpachi away, Dracule turned around to see a gargantuan wave had risen from the ocean. It looked big enough to drown almost all of the island.
Kenpachi gazed upon his oceanic creation, that wave had been kicked up by the immense output of his power. And now it would claim them. Knowing the danger that was presented by the ocean, Dracule had only one option. He closed his eyes and concentrated, listening for the sounds of the ocean, and waiting for them to become louder and louder. Intrigued to see what would happen next, Kenpachi just stood on the spot and watched, seeing if the World's Strongest Swordsman would be able to overcome something much bigger than himself.
A few moments pass and Dracule opens his eyes and swings Yoru with an immense horizontal swing. He thought back to the Summit War and gazed up at the massive wave beginning to descend upon him and Kenpachi. And in just a couple of seconds, Dracule's Kokuto Issen was pulled off perfectly. A massive horizontal slash severed the wave in half, causing it to lose most of its momentum.
Standing still, Dracule waited for the water to approach them, but as it descended upon them, the opening Dracule had created kept him outside of the wave's area of impact. The wave crashed onto the land and took Kenpachi along with it. The Warlord turned around to see the water travelling across the island. And he carefully followed it to see where Kenpachi would end up. The immense pulling of the water made Kenpachi's escape difficult.
The water travelled many kilometers before the depths receded and Kenpachi could cling to something and stay in place. A minute or two later, and the massive wave had been reduced to nothing but puddles and ponds across the island, most of it reached the other side of the island and back into the sea. After safely pulling himself onto land and briefly resting on some boulders, Kenpachi caught his breath after all of that exhilarating action. Almost completely forgetting about his opponent.
As Kenpachi got back up. He looked around and saw Dracule standing well out of harm's way, completely immaculate. Seeing that a fair distance existed between them, there was a moment to talk. "You're pretty good, I'll admit that." Kenpachi commented on his opponents' incredible skill with the blade and the fact he wasn't drenched. "A Warlord of the Sea would never fall victim to the watery depths" Dracule responded.
Seeing the best way to deal with Dracule was to simply hit him with enough force to make him fight back, Kenpachi did something he hadn't done the entire fight, he gripped Nozarashi with two hands and he raised the blade over his head. Dracule had been watching the entire time and recalled the previous time Kenpachi swung his blade. He knew he needed to do something to prevent another potential catastrophe to the island.
Taking hold of Yoru, he watched as Kenpachi performed his vertical swing. The energy launched from his blade quickly start ripping and tearing the scenery around him as it headed right for Dracule, who realized the only thing strong enough to overcome that was his strongest slash. With power and precision, Dracule swung Yoru with as much force as humanly possible. The massive green slash rises and is immediately set to collide with Kenpachi's energy slash.
(Cue Pikkon Active Skill - Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle)
The green and yellow energies collide with each other, and their impact seems to stalemate with each other for a brief time. However, Dracule's attack begins to weaken, and Kenpachi's persists, seeing that his attack is likely to crumble, Dracule made a quick dash across what was once the forest to close the distance between him and Kenpachi. Swiftly approaching his opponent, Dracule slashed his blade at Kenpachi, but he blocked it with little effort. The two seemed even for a short while.
But the massive colliding powers beside them again rocked the earth around him. And the boulder Kenpachi stood him gave way, causing the Shinigami to fall. Dracule gazed over the side of what had now become a cliffside to see that Kenpachi landed on a small river of water, though not big enough to whisk him away. It was at this point that Dracule decided to go and claim his victory. He held Yoru by his side as he jumped off the cliffside and held his weapon downward, ready to perform Kokuto Arahoshi. He placed his legs on the crossguard of his weapon.
With his descent, he looked down on Kenpachi, who showed no signs of avoiding the incoming impalement. Instead, Kenpachi used those few moments to smile with glee as he uttered a single word. "Drink..." And at that moment, Nozarashi immediately altered its shape and size. Now appearing as an axe cleaver hybrid. The height of the blade was almost as tall as Kenpachi himself.
Quickly raising the blade in front of his body, Yoru struck Nozarashi's blade, unsuccessful in impaling Kenpachi. At that moment, Dracule was astonished. He hadn't expected this, and Kenpachi took advantage of the opportunity he'd created and swung Dracule away, his strength considerably enhanced thanks to the activation of his Shikai.
Having launched his opponent into the air, Kenpachi, now feeling considerably more invigorated, jumped into the air where he and Dracule swung their blades at each other. But this didn't last long, as Dracule could feel the sudden increase in the weight behind Kenpachi's swings. He wasn't using a simple sword, he was using something designed to slice through mountainously large things. Above all else, Dracule refused to let his blade be damaged in any way. But before Dracule could act, a heavy blow from Kenpachi launched Dracule down toward the ground.
Using his blade to lessen his fall, Dracule took the opportunity to activate Busoshoku Haki on Yoru. Soon, it became imbued with the power of Haki. Hardening the blade further, and adding to its power, whilst protecting the blade from further damage. Kenpachi landed on the ground near him. He had grown more and more content with this battle, and his face was filled with nothing but glee. Sensing those emotions from Kenpachi, Dracule surmised that this had been the fight Kenpachi wanted all along. And he too came to the conclusion this fight had proven its worth. "So this is the power you spoke of, Kenpachi? Give me your best!" the Warlord demanded.
The two swordsmen looked at the other, careful to see what action would follow. Both sides wondered who would be the one to make that daring move. Dracule made that big move, charging toward Kenpachi, but swinging along the ground to cause compressed air to attack him while Dracule followed behind it. Kenpachi held Nozarashi out in front of him and guarded against the compressed air, but Dracule used the opportunity to jump into the air and land a successful attack, cutting him across the back.
Staggering forward, Kenpachi noticed that the blade felt stronger, more reinforced, not something he could break with his bare hands. Although the pain was present, it did not cause him to relent or drop to the floor. Instead, Kenpachi's smile simply grew larger, as he had not experienced a battle like this in quite a long time. He used his incredible speed to approach Dracule, whose Observation Haki kicked in, altering him to Kenpachi's arrival. But the speed at which Kenpachi moved was far, far greater, and Dracule couldn't evade him successfully.
For his troubles, Dracule got a slash across the back, drawing blood. Something he had not ever experienced. But he refused to lament his pride and joy, so he removed his trench coat and tossed it so the side, and picked up Yoru once again. Blood began to drip on both sides as Dracule and Kenpachi collided once again, locking blades. Though this time, with Yoru enhanced with Busoshoku Haki and Nozarashi in its Shikai state, both weapons were considerably more powerful, but again they proved to be a formidable clash of blades.
But instead of running into Kenpachi, Dracule decided to do the opposite. He stopped his offensive and held Yoru behind his back with two hands. He stood there silently, daring Kenpachi to come in after him. And he was confident that the overconfident fool would fall right into his hands. Seeing what Dracule was doing, Kenpachi realized that he was attempting to use the method of feigning vulnerability to nab an easy strike. And remembered that he didn't need to get close in order to land a strike on Dracule. Almost as if mirroring him, Kenpachi raised the massive Nozarashi with one hand as he slammed it into the ground.
Launching an energy slash toward Dracule, who had to abandon his intent to perform Kokuto Saku, Kenpachi watched carefully to see what Dracule was going to do next. With his precognition again activating when needed, Dracule sidestepped the attack and looked to strike Kenpachi while he was vulnerable. But in a sudden burst of speed, Kenpachi appeared behind Dracule. However, Dracule didn't attack at all. He looked mortified. He watched as his hate split into halves and fall from the top of his head.
"So, that's your best..." were the words Dracule was somehow able to muster before his body split in two, vertically, from his head down. The two halves of Dracule dropped to the ground as the blood poured. Yoru laid beside its fallen master. With his opponent defeated, Kenpachi felt a combination of regret and respect. He had seen one of the strongest swordsmen of all time, and now his legendary status and blade were all that remained of him. Kenpachi picked up Yoru and rested it on a nearby tree, and acknowledged that he'd fought one of the greatest battles of his life, and how incredible it was that his opponent was a human, the thought sat there in Kenpachi's mind, almost an enigma to everything Kenpachi knew about humans. With his victory claimed, Kenpachi departed the island, and headed who knows where.
K.O.!
Conclusion[]
(Cue Superpredators - Massive Attack)
Boomstick: Looks like we know who the World's Strongest Swordsman really is!
Wiz: With both holding back their full might, it made for an initially closer match, with it leaning toward Dracule early on. He was overall more composed, especially compared to Kenpachi, who always had a level of overconfidence to him when it came to fighting. Which Dracule was more than capable of exploiting for his own advantage.
Boomstick: Heck, his Observation Haki let him keep track of Kenpachi during the entire fight. And don't forget, Dracule had precognition, so he could anticipate Kenny. Although he could only do that while Kenny was slower than him. Once Kenpachi started using the bulk of his power, and tapping into his Shikai, Dracule's advantages were taken away from him, especially his strength and speed.
Popup: Although Dracule could not physically "see" Kenpachi, his Observation Haki allowed him to detect Kenpachi in multiple ways, from his aura to his emotions, and even his strength. Furthermore, Shinigami are still physically present in the world. There have been numerous instances where Shinigami and Hollows are attacked by humans, as shown by Ichigo and Chad.
Wiz: Especially since Dracule didn't have a method of increasing his power. His Armament Haki was primarily an enhancement ability. Naturally, he would be able to translate his weapon's increased effectiveness into stronger attacks. But Nozarashi has both its Shikai and Bankai upgrades to improve its effectiveness, as well as Kenpachi's strength and speed, again allowing Kenpachi to surpass Dracule. He even had overall better durability, he's been able to battle many powerful opponents, and simply tank impalement and would be fatal blows, and keep on trucking.
Boomstick: But let’s look at their feats and compare them, in particular, Fujitora's meteor and Gremmy's meteor. Both Dracule and Kenpachi destroyed these meteors without needing to go all out. But when comparing the two, Gremmy's meteor is more impressive. While Fujitora's meteor would've wiped out the island of Dressrosa, Gremmy's meteor would've destroyed the entirety of Seireitei. And for reference, Seireitei is so big it takes at least 40 days to walk around.
Wiz: Naturally, Gremmy's meteor is far more impressive than Fujitora's. While Nozarashi was in its Shikai state when Kenpachi performed his feat, he still had his eyepatch on. So just imagine how much more powerful Kenpachi would've become if he just removed his eyepatch. Regardless, these two feats display the gap in power between Dracule and Kenpachi, with the latter once again holding the advantage.
Popup: While Kenpachi's age has never been confirmed, it’s safe to say that Kenpachi holds an experience advantage over Dracule. While Dracule is by no means an inexperienced fighter, Kenpachi constantly fights, deeming it a necessity for his everyday life.
Boomstick: And all of this isn't even considering the absolute peak of Kenpachi's power, his Bankai. While it's an incredibly powerful, and outright badass form, Kenny doesn't actually need it to win. The meteor feat proves Kenpachi with just his Shikai was many times greater than Dracule. With the Eyepatch removed on top of that, Kenny had already managed to ensure his victory without needing to go all out.
Wiz: It's certainly a cool idea, but Kenpachi only ever used his Bankai when both his Shikai and removed Eyepatch weren't able to win the day. And since Dracule couldn't catch up, it was inevitable Kenpachi would take the victory. Dracule was a formidable and worthy opponent, but Kenpachi's greater reserves of power, speed, durability and experience let him defeat the World's Strongest Swordsman.
Boomstick: Looks like Dracule couldn't get the Jump on Kenpachi!
Wiz: The winner is Kenpachi Zaraki.
Original Track[]
An Original Track for this fight would be titled "Reap the Rewards".
The track's title refers to Kenpachi being a Shinigami, otherwise known as a Soul Reaper, and Dracule being a Pirate, an occupation often associated with high-price bounties and considerable wealth.
Trivia[]
- The connections between Dracule Mihawk and Kenpachi Zaraki are that they are anti-hero swordsmen that are constantly regarded for their immense power but have rarely used their full power in battle. Both are physically imposing, which acts as a foil to their companion being a young pink-haired woman (Perona and Yachiru Kusajishi). Although they retain their title and position as one of the strongest swordsmen of all time, both have declared their aspiration to be surpassed by one of their previous opponents (Roronoa Zoro and Ichigo Kurosaki).