[Mihawk x Reader] The strongest swordsman who was raised by a witch

Bad Dream

It looked like someone was being tied to the pillar in the fire.

This conclusion brought Mihawk to horror. How could people act so barbaric like in medieval times? Burning someone alive? And did the Navy take responsibility for this?

The crowd was pushing Mihawk from here to there and somehow he managed to get to the frontline. The faces of the townspeople and the Navy were all blurred, Mihawk could only hear their shouts but even their voices were muffled. However, he could see the face of the person who was on fire clearly despite their ragged state.

That was Yidhra. She was beaten up so badly and even her eyes were plucked out, leaving only two hollow holes with blood tears streaming down her cheeks.

The realization hit Mihawk hard with fear as the shouts of the crowd were clearer and louder. They all shouted 'Burn the witch. Kill the monster' in union, weapons in hands, and raise them up high as the fire slowly devoured the witch's slender form. Her agonizing scream filled the air, piercing Mihawk's ears as fury rose within him.

How dare these people do this to her - his mentor, the woman who has been taking care of him? Has she ever done anything that harms them?!?

How could they???

As frustrated as he was, he must save her first! He must get her off the pillar before the fire consumes her whole!

But then everything started to blur, twisted like layers of illusions like the kaleidoscope. The townspeople and the navy merged together with the fire that was burning the witch. Everything started becoming hallucinating in his eyes. No matter how fast he ran towards the witch, the longer the path became. He desperately reached his hand out to her as he screamed at the top of his lungs but no sounds were heard. The hallucination of the townspeople became the obstacle that stopped him from reaching the witch, leaving him helplessly watching her form withered by the fire.

When darkness filled his vision, the ground under his feet vanished. He fell into the pit of the abyss beneath him as he kept calling his mentor's name, hopefully she would respond to him.

However, only darkness and silence answered him.

He couldn't see anymore, not his hands, his body. He couldn't hear anymore, not his voice, his scream. He couldn't think anymore as his mind started drifting off but... he felt the corner of his eyes wet.

Was he crying? For the fact that he couldn't save the woman who had been taking good care of him, knowing he lost her forever?

Mihawk jolted awake, gasping from the tension he had been through. His body shook violently as he was trying to breathe the air he thought he had lost. A hand rested on his shoulder, came with a familiar voice that startled him.

"Calm thyself, dalta. Thou almost killed thyself a moment ago."

Until then a soft scent filled his nostrils, calming his mind. His head spun around to catch a full view of Yidhra - completely healthy and undamaged, who was looking at him with a hint of concern in her red eyes. The emotions built up within him from the scene earlier slowly came off.

The rage, sorrow and despair of witnessing his mentor dying in front of him and he was helpless to save her. Fortunately, it was just a nightmare.

Out of instinct, Mihawk wrapped his arms around her form without hesitation. He breathed in her scent, feeling her warmth and heartbeat, the proof that she was alive and unharmed.

Thank god, none of that was real.

Then Mihawk came to realize he wasn't strong enough to fight on his own, not to mention... he couldn't protect the woman who held an important position in his heart.