Teach made a desperate leap, moving so fast that even Golden Lion found it somewhat surprising.
In just a few breaths, Teach had torn through the sky, crashed through the sea of clouds, and vanished into the boundless expanse.
Teach's plan was decisive, but clever:
As long as he could survive the fall from such a height, he could plunge straight into the deep ocean.
Like Kizaru and Akainu, Golden Lion was also a Devil Fruit user who could not enter the water, so he would naturally be unable to pursue him any farther.
Though this method was unimaginably dangerous, Teach had no other choice.
Seeing Teach act with such ruthless decisiveness, Golden Lion seemed stunned and did not fly down after him.
But in truth, Golden Lion had begun communicating remotely with Garen in his mind.
The moment the "call" connected, Garen impatiently asked:
"Did you set it up?"
"No!"
Golden Lion answered irritably:
"I raised the floating island to an altitude of ten thousand meters, and that guy still dared to jump from the sky!"
As he spoke, Golden Lion's tone unexpectedly carried a trace of shock and admiration:
"I never thought that guy would really have that much nerve!"
Garen had none of Golden Lion's feeling of one hero cherishing another. He merely asked angrily:
"You still let him get away?"
"Didn't I specifically remind you to guard against that guy making a desperate last stand?!"
"What was I supposed to do?"
Golden Lion felt no guilt whatsoever over failing in his duty and answered openly:
"He punched a hole straight through the floating island. Even I hadn't expected that."
"That brat..."
Golden Lion could not help slipping back into that admiring tone he used toward juniors:
"Not only does he have extraordinary courage, but he's quick-witted