Dark Power
"Shiki, it's been decades since we last met!" The Red Count strolled gracefully across the battlefield, holding an umbrella with a bat-shaped handle, as if he were in a different world from the raging flames around him.
"Hahahaha, Patrick, when I heard that such an arrogant man as you had become the CP0 chief of the World Government, I was truly astonished for a long time!" The Golden Lion floated in mid-air, laughing wildly.
The Red Count didn't seem to mind, and instead smiled elegantly, saying, "Before the passage of time, everyone must bow their proud head!"
"Hmph! Time may take away my power, but it cannot take away my freedom. Patrick, you are not worthy to be ranked alongside me!" The Golden Lion laughed even more arrogantly, his Conqueror's Haki surging and impacting the surroundings.
"Whether you are qualified or not is not up to you to decide. In the end, it is strength that speaks for itself on this vast ocean!" The Red Count's body also revealed proof of his kingly potential.
If Golden Lion's Conqueror's Haki is a raging storm, then Red Count's Conqueror's Haki is an unyielding reef in the ocean.
"Is this the power you gained at the cost of your freedom? It seems nothing special!" The Golden Lion laughed as he swung the two famous swords, "Sakura Ten" and "Kogarashi," from his legs. An X-shaped golden slash swept in instantly, "Lion: Thousand Cut Valley!"
"Do you want to fight me with your old and crippled body, Shiki!" Red Count's lips curled into a wicked smile. He opened his umbrella, and Armament Haki instantly wrapped around the surface of the umbrella, spinning like a whirlwind. It actually sent Golden Lion's slashing projectile flying to both sides, cutting two narrow grooves in the ground.
The Golden Lion's face darkened. He knew that such a probing attack could not possibly harm the enemy, but the relaxed and carefree demeanor made him look inferior.
"Lion's Might: Imperial Residence Earth Scroll!"
Under the control of the Float-Float Devil Fruit Ability, the earth transformed into a ferocious lion's head, opening its blood-red maw to devour Red Count.
The next moment, endless radiance burst forth, the lion's head exploded instantly, and a red moon rose, flying towards the location of the Golden Lion Shiki.
Boom!
The Red Count swayed slightly before stopping in mid-air, while the Golden Lion was thrown hundreds of meters away by the raging air currents. Although this distance was only a fleeting moment for them, the difference in strength and defeat was immediately apparent.
"Look, this is the power I've been seeking—a body brimming with life and vitality, how intoxicating it is!" Red Count exclaimed with his eyes closed.
Dark clouds loomed overhead, and a gloomy hurricane seemed to bridge the gap between heaven and earth. Its wild power tore apart everything in sight, like a harbinger of the apocalypse.
However, amidst this catastrophic scene, a blurry figure tore through the sky, as if a mechanical warrior cast in steel had stepped out from a future time and space.
"Should I address you as a former Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral, or as the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Dragon?" the old man, whose muscles were bulging and whose body seemed to contain explosive power, said with a complicated expression.
"Marine Vice Admiral? That was a long time ago. Now, I'm just a revolutionary!" Dragon shook his head, restraining the power of the hurricane, and said calmly and powerfully, "Fleet Admiral Kong Steelbone, it's been a long time!"
"Among that group of people back then, I originally had the highest hopes for you and Aokiji. I hoped that one of you could take over his position after the Sengoku. Unfortunately, you have disappointed me too much!" Steel Bones Kong said angrily.
"The real disappointment isn't me, it's the Navy, it's the government, it's this world that has never known what truth and justice are!"
"Your thinking is too radical and will only destroy this world!" Steel Bones Kong's arms were wrapped in Armament Haki. For a top-tier Logia powerhouse like Dragon, Armament Haki is far more reliable than Sea Stone.
"In this world of survival of the fittest, happiness will never last. Only a thorough revolution can truly save this world!" Cyclones began to appear around the dragon, and a hurricane gradually took shape.
As if by unspoken agreement, the two attacked almost simultaneously, a violent hurricane soaring into the sky, and a jet-black arm crashing down.
With the acceleration of a storm, even a tiny pebble can have the destructive power of a sniper bullet, and the sand and gravel swept up by a hurricane number in the millions. Even if a wall made of Sea Stone were to stand in front of the hurricane, it would only end up being riddled with holes.
Seeing this, Steel Bones Kong was slightly moved, but he did not change his actions. Instead, he tore through the hurricane at top speed and rushed over.
Even with Armament Haki covering his entire body, when Steel Bones Kong appeared before Dragon through the storm, his body was stained red with blood. However, he disregarded his injuries and swung his iron fist at Dragon.
When the battle taking place in the Royal City was broadcast to the outside world, the sea was completely agitated!
"That's the Redfield, the legendary pirate who, by himself, rivaled Roger and Whitebeard!"
"Golden Lion Shiki, who fought against Red Count, was also a legend of the previous era. It is said that if it weren't for the sudden storm that struck Edd War, the title of Pirate Kings should belong to Shiki the Golden Lion!"
"That's actually the World Government's Commander-in-Chief- in-Chief, Steel Bones Kong. I saw him once during a military parade more than 20 years ago when he was still Fleet Admiral."
"He must be a hundred years old by now, that's a real antique!"
"His opponent was none other than... the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Dragon, known as the world's most vicious criminal. He is said to be a terrifying figure who hides behind all major events and drives the revolutionary Tidal Wave forward!"
"Their battle actually tore the earth apart, it's terrifying... Wait, everyone look, there seems to be a huge cave underground?"
"Let me see... Wow! It's actually real, and it's not a cave at all, but a magnificent God's Temple!"
The Royal City was completely silent.
Some people already knew, and although they were still shocked, they could at least suppress it in their hearts. But for those who had been kept in the dark, seeing this scene left them completely bewildered. Weren't they competing for the honor of being the best in the world? Something felt off.
"The sacrificial ritual has begun, the barrier has been broken, let's all charge in!"
The influx of the Revolutionary Army, World Government, and Marine Headquarters personnel caused many people in the Dreamland Kingdom to change their expressions, wondering why they hadn't received the news.
"Luffy, forget about this guy for now, the most important thing is to break in now," Sabo reminded him.
Luffy knew what was important and followed silently after them.
Seeing Sabo and the other two leap into the Underground Palace, the man in black felt a tightness in his heart, and the power he had been reluctant to use subconsciously finally erupted.
"We cannot allow you outsiders to disturb the master's slumber. All of you, stay here, Dark Water!"
As Sabo and his companions prepared to venture deeper into the center of the God's Temple, they were repeatedly pulled back. A sudden chill ran through them; this familiar power was...