The True Golden Lion
Golden Lion was stirred by Roy's words and for the first time displayed the true strength of a top Great Sword Master of the previous era.
The violent, golden sword Sword Qi cleaved through the Cloud Layer, as if splitting the sky in two.
If Rayleigh's sword is a tranquil forest, where danger lurks beneath the surface, then Golden Lion's sword is a raging sea, its surging waves capable of destroying everything.
Roy was unusually serious; if we disregard his battle with Rayleigh, this was his first encounter with Great Sword Master.
Moreover, in the previous battle with Rayleigh, both sides were relatively restrained, and it was more of a friendly exchange and guidance. But this time, it is undoubtedly a life-or-death battle, and there will be no holding back.
The Seven Star Sword, which had grown to the level of Supreme Grade Sword, offered no resistance to Roy. The moment it was unleashed at lightning speed, even the space itself trembled.
The dark green slash and the brilliant golden Sword Qi collided violently, like an explosion at the beginning of the world. The torrent of energy raged in the surrounding space. Apart from Roy and the Golden Lion, even the smallest creatures were completely annihilated in this terrifying Sword Intent.
The first clash between the two could be described as evenly matched, but Roy was not surprised, and could even be said to be quite satisfied. With his swordsmanship skills that had just broken through to the level of Great Sword Master, it was already extremely rare for him to be able to hold his own against a top-tier Great Sword Master like Golden Lion.
It is important to understand that the power of swordsmanship is a manifestation of the mind. In other words, the stronger one's mind, the stronger one's swordsmanship will be. This is why Roy's swordsmanship can always reach a level beyond the limit.
But this opponent undoubtedly possesses the ambition and courage to roar Four Seas the world and conquer all. In fact, it could be said that if the Golden Lion hadn't been in a slump for so long, with his domineering aura, he could have easily crushed Roy in an instant.
The two sides collided at high speed in mid-air like meteors, and the scattered Sword Qi was like a meat grinder, cutting the mindless beasts below into mincemeat. The sight made everyone's scalp tingle, and even retreating to the ends of the earth did not give them a sense of security.
"Kid, your swordsmanship is not bad, but if that's all you have, you're far from qualified to make such boastful claims!" Golden Lion said with some regret. The two swords on his legs were not as agile as those in his hands. Even with his swordsmanship, he was still greatly hampered. In the past, he would never have allowed Roy to be so arrogant in front of him.
"Whether you're qualified or not is not for you to judge, Golden Lion." Roy's Seven Star Sword hummed softly again, as if in agreement.
"Hmph, what an arrogant brat! Then let me show you the terrifying power of this old man known as the Flying Pirate! This sky is my home turf!"
As the Golden Lion finished speaking, the surrounding Cloud Layer surged and trapped Roy completely, and dozens of crescent-shaped golden sword beams shot out from the Cloud Layer.
Under Roy's Observation Haki the Future Sight, these sneak attacks of sword Sword Qi were naturally ineffective, whistling past Roy with a sharp sound.
"Is this the power of the Float-Float Fruit? It's nothing special." Roy scoffed as he dodged.
"Knowing you have the ability to Future Sight, I naturally won't place my hopes on such methods. Let me show you true terror, Lion's Roar: Earth Bind!"
The floating island controlled by the Golden Lion was folded up like a piece of paper, transforming into a giant lion's head that swallowed the Cloud Layer that enveloped Roy in one gulp.
"Let him be forever sealed in this land!" The Golden Lion clenched his right fist, and the lion-head-shaped ground pounded inward with his movement, as if to crush Roy into dust.
However, before the Golden Lion could show any joy, he sensed a sharp Sword Intent locking onto him from behind, like the Sword of Damocles hanging over his head, making him dare not relax in the slightest. He turned around and kicked out several dazzling sword beams.
His hasty slash was no match for Roy's charged attack. Even though he covered his body with Armament Haki in time, he was still sent flying hundreds of meters by the immense force before finally stopping. There was a cave-in in his chest, and blood was spilling from the corner of his mouth.
"Golden Lion, has your senses become so dull and degraded that you couldn't even detect me touching you from behind?" Roy's face held an inscrutable expression. "Or is it that the ship's rudder stuck in your head is restricting the use of your Observation Haki?"
The human body is the most intricate machine. Even the slightest damage can prevent it from functioning properly. Moreover, the head is the meeting place of all yang energies and the most important organ in the human body. Even a monster like the Golden Lion, under the pressure of the ship's rudder inserted into its brain, could not possibly remain unaffected. Its often strange behavior is the best proof of this.
Armament Haki originates from physical strength, Conqueror's Haki is the manifestation of one's aura, while Observation Haki is the soul's perception of the outside world.
Injuries like those in Golden Lion are undoubtedly a shackle imposed on his Observation Haki.
However, with his top-tier Great Sword Master, the fully developed Float-Float Devil Fruit Ability, and his indestructible Armament Haki, most of the so-called strongmen on this sea would not be a match for him. Therefore, the limitation on his Observation Haki is not a big deal.
However, if the enemy is a powerful individual like Roy who has developed Observation Haki to its fullest potential, the drawbacks of his Observation Haki being restricted will quickly become apparent.
The Golden Lion's face was gloomy, and he himself did not notice that his Observation Haki had deteriorated to such an extent.
Having not faced an enemy of equal strength for seventeen years, his memories of battle naturally remained from the day he single-handedly overthrew the Marine Headquarters. At that time, the ship's rudder had not been "inserted" into his brain for too long, and its impact on his strength had not yet truly manifested. Unexpectedly, after seventeen years, the ship's rudder had become a stubborn ailment that restricted his ability to exert his strength.
But Golden Lion is Golden Lion after all. The misfortune of the Edd War could not defeat him, nor could the supposedly impregnable Impel Down contain him. Naturally, he would not stop advancing because of the unfavorable situation.
"Kid, you think this little difficulty can scare me? Don't dream, I am the Flying Pirate Golden Lion!" To everyone's horrified gaze, Golden Lion suddenly pulled out the ship's rudder embedded in his head. Dark red blood congealed below the rudder, emitting a nauseatingly strong bloody smell. Coupled with the blood constantly gushing from his head, it was practically an 18+ scene.
"Hahaha, it seems that the Goddess of Luck has finally sided with me this time!" With a gentle squeeze, the Golden Lion crushed nearly twenty years of painful memories into dust.
A Golden Lion with swordsmanship at the level of Great Sword Master and the world-destroying Devil Fruit Ability is not scary, but if you add his aura of a lion roaring Four Seas, it is enough to make anyone feel wary.
Roy took a deep breath. From the moment Shiki pulled the helm, the lawless, domineering Golden Lion of yesteryear had returned once more.