The End of an Era

"Golden Lion, it seems I really underestimated you. To be one of the Three Legendary Pirates of the last era, and even once overpower the Roger Pirates, you are still the most troublesome figure on this sea, even in this era." Roy couldn't help but sigh, legends don't fade with time.

"Hahaha, what a cocky brat you are. But you're not exactly a nobody, so I'll accept your praise." The Golden Lion was in a very good mood. You see, forcibly pulling out the rudder was already life-threatening, not to mention that after nearly twenty years, the rudder had almost become one with his brain, and the survival rate of pulling out the rudder was now almost zero.

"But that's fine too. It's already a pity that I can't defeat you at your peak. If I had to bully you when you're not in your right mind, the battle would be too boring." Roy also felt the blood in his chest boiling.

As his strength grew, there were very few people on this vast ocean who could rival him. If we don't count his previous battle with Akainu, he didn't know how long it had been since he had felt such a thrilling fighting spirit.

"Ignorant brat, wait until you truly reach the pinnacle of this sea before spouting such grandiose words, Lion: Thousand Cut Valley!" The Golden Lion once again wielded the "Sakura Ten" and "Kogarashi" on its legs, and the vast and magnificent golden sword light covered the sky, like the glow of ten thousand golden arrows at sunrise. Compared to the previous lifeless and decaying Sword Intent, it had become more agile and domineering.

There are very few who can become Great Sword Master on this sea, and the most outstanding Great Sword Master like Golden Lion are almost extinct. Even though Golden Lion has gone down the path of dual swordsmanship, one method can lead to all methods. The higher you go, the narrower the path becomes, and in the end, all paths lead to the same destination.

Therefore, Roy naturally wouldn't miss the opportunity to fight the Golden Lion, and he streaked across the sky like a shooting star.

The Seven Star Sword clashed violently with the two famous swords on the Golden Lion's legs, and a hurricane radiated outwards in all directions like ripples.

Having broken free of his shackles, Golden Lion gradually regained his former fighting form. He became more adept at combining and applying his various abilities. His already formidable swordsmanship, combined with the agility and versatility of the Float-Float Fruit, brought the sword's elegance and agility to the extreme, giving the opponent a feeling of being adrift and unpredictable, impossible to attack. If it weren't for Roy's Observation Haki, which allows him to Future Sight, he probably wouldn't have been able to keep up with Golden Lion's pace.

"Kid, now you know how powerful I am! Growing up in this warm era, you can't possibly understand the terror of a true pirate!" Golden Lion hovered around Roy like a silent ghost.

Having been injured by Roy before, he had been holding back his anger, and now seeing Roy fleeing in a sorry state, he finally vented his rage.

"Golden Lion, you're celebrating too soon!" Roy seized the moment when the Golden Lion was closest to him and suddenly activated his domain. An invisible pressure covered the Golden Lion's body, making him feel the long-lost gravity, and his unsteady movements came to a halt.

Roy naturally knew that in battles at their level, a domain was hardly effective, at most it could imprison the opponent for a breath, which was why he didn't bother to reveal his trump card when fighting a tank like Akainu.

But Golden Lion is different. He was born to be agile and nimble, and with his advanced age and declining health, he would absolutely not be able to withstand a full-force attack from Great Sword Master like Roy.

But the Golden Lion now is not the mentally challenged man whose brain was being crushed by the ship's rudder. He is the Flying Pirate stands at the highest peak of the sea, inspiring fear in countless people. With his rich combat experience, even when facing this unknown ability, he remains calm and methodical, controlling the floating island to transform into a giant shield in front of him.

Great Cataclysm!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The floating island controlled by the Golden Lion was only a small island. In front of Roy's earth-shattering sword light, it was more fragile than a piece of paper. It disintegrated in an instant, making a thunderous explosion. Huge rocks fell in all directions like cannonballs.

Seeing this scene that seemed to be the end of the world, Laki couldn't help but swallow hard. "This is a realm that is simply beyond the reach of human beings. This is a battle between gods!"

Even the Mantis, who had witnessed Roy's battle with Enel two years ago, still had a blank look in his eyes and muttered to himself, "This... this is the captain's true power?"

The newly joined Harvey was filled with fervor, exclaiming, "Is this the battle between Great Sword Master? This is the ultimate realm of swordsmanship that I've always longed for!"

Crocodile the Sand took a deep drag on his cigar, exhaling smoke as he said, "Even a king among pirates like Golden Lion isn't a match for the captain? Looks like I need to work harder too. As a member of the future Pirate Kings's ship, it would be too shameful if I couldn't even compare to the Three Calamities Four Sweet Commanders on the Four Emperors' ships."

Although the floating island was no match for Roy, it still bought the Golden Lion a little time.

Faced with the undiminished sword light, the Golden Lion, who had just broken free of his restraints, realized that running away was definitely the worst thing to do. He had no choice but to mobilize all his strength, cross his legs, and raise his spine like a dragon. The super-giant golden Sword Qi in an "X" shape roared through the air and collided with Roy's dreamlike seven-colored sword light.

In the blink of an eye, the outcome was decided!

The Golden Lion's body crashed down from the Cloud Layer like a cannonball, falling vertically from a height of ten thousand meters into the sea.

Roy exhaled a breath of stale air. After fighting against two top-tier powerhouses, Akainu and Golden Lion, his physical and mental strength were exhausted. His head was throbbing, his eyelids were drooping, and he was overcome by a feeling of fatigue and sleepiness.

Roy forced himself to stay alert, pulled a pair of Sea Stone Handcuffs from the Dream Dimension, and tossed them to Xia. "Go and bring the Golden Lion up to me. Remember, keep a close eye on him. This guy is ruthless; he can even cut off his own legs. Don't let him find a chance to cut off his hands too."

"Yes, Captain!" Upon receiving the order, Xia instantly transformed into a giant Pteranodon Fruit, Quetzalcoatlus Model, its wings covering the sky, like a king who ruled the blue sky. It swooped down at lightning speed and, in the blink of an eye, had brought the Golden Lion up with it.

"By the way, there should be a Ship Doctor named Indian on the Golden Lion ship. If he's still alive, take him to Judge to work as his assistant and study the giant creatures together," Roy reminded him.

"Yes!" Everyone was already used to Roy's ability to foresee the future, so they calmly followed his instructions.

After Roy left, Crocodile the Sand looked at the Golden Lion lying on the Cloud Layer, his life hanging in the balance, and sighed, "Perhaps this is the end of an era!"

Enel opened his arms and embraced the sky. "Yehahaha, our era is about to begin!"