Despite being the Strongest Swordsman in the World, Dracule Mihawk doesn’t have Conqueror’s Haki. Has his ambition changed after Shanks?

SUMMARY

Mihawk, the Strongest Swordsman in the World, surprisingly isn’t a Conqueror’s Haki user.
Some fans suggest the swordsman is already alone at the top and has lost his ambition.
Maybe during his prime, he was more ambitious but now he goes easy on everyone that challenges him due to his strength.

The One Piece universe has some of the most powerful figures in the anime industry with its insane power scaling and systems. From Monkey D. Garp’s sheer brute force to the creative ways Devil Fruits are used, there’s a variety of fighting styles Oda has included within the series. One of the most prominent and common ways One Piece characters fight is with swordsmanship with Mihawk taking the title of the “Strongest Swordsman in the World.”

Dracule Mihawk is a mysterious pirate who was formerly a Warlord and is now one of the founders of the Cross Guild. He sails the sea all by himself and was once the renowned rival of Red-Haired Shanks. Despite Roronoa Zoro chasing after his title, Mihawk still agreed to mentor him.

Dracule Mihawk from One Piece. [Credit: Toei Animation]

There is one aspect about Mihawk that doesn’t make any sense. The swordsman possesses Armament Haki and Observation Haki but has not once used Conqueror’s Haki. There’s no confirmation of him having the ability, despite being the Strongest Swordsman. Even Zoro has Conqueror’s Haki, so why wouldn’t a figure like Dracule Mihawk?

Dracule Mihawk’s Reputation Is Why He Doesn’t Have Conqueror’s Haki

Dracule Mihawk wielding Yoru in One Piece. [Credit: Toei Animation]

The famous rival of Shanks has been regarded as the Strongest Swordsman in the World for several years now. His title hasn’t been challenged even by the likes of Roronoa Zoro, who we all hope will surpass him. For now, Dracule Mihawk earned and has kept the title close to him. He easily slices gigantic ships in the Baratie Arc and even icebergs created by Aokiji in the Marineford Arc. His several fights with Shanks across the Grand Line suggest he’s on equal levels of power as an Emperor.

However, what Mihawk distinctly lacks is a strong ambition that would give him a power-up, unlike the other characters. The swordsman’s only goal is to be outmatched by another for his title. This is possibly why he even entertained the idea of teaching Zoro during the time skip. His reputation as the Strongest Swordsman has gotten him the furthest he wanted to be and now he sits alone on his throne.

The theory, therefore, suggests that Mihawk is essentially suffering from success. He refuses to fight Shanks after the latter loses his arm, either finding it too much of an advantage or seeing him as unworthy. He’s well past his prime and has lost the conqueror spirit other users of Conqueror’s Haki have.

Is Mihawk Going Easy on Everyone?

Mihawk vs Zoro in One Piece. [Credit: Toei Animation]

Since Mihawk is the strongest in his field, it’s likely he looks down on every other swordsman. He saw Zoro, a person with three swords, and decided to use Kogatana, the equivalent of a butter knife. His refusal to fight Shanks, who is perfectly capable with just one arm and one of the strongest characters in the series, also shows a lack of ambition. The swordsman is clearly holding back.

The fact that he’s also the Strongest Swordsman without Conqueror’s Haki suggests how far up his skills truly are above anyone else. His Vivre Card might not say anything now but we could still be surprised at any point in the series. Vivre Cards are also unreliable sources of information in the One Piece universe as it even stated Zoro doesn’t have Conqueror’s Haki. So will Mihawk’s spirit be awakened once again?