"Wave Slash!"
In the next moment, a golden Flying Slash shot into the sky, blasting apart a large number of cherry blossoms.
However, with the cherry blossoms now numbering in the hundreds of millions, an attack of this level was completely insignificant. It merely stalled the cherry blossoms' advance for a moment before they continued surging toward "Golden Lion" Shiki like a descending waterfall.
But that brief moment was enough. Under the Float-Float Fruit's ability, "Golden Lion" Shiki's body rapidly rose, narrowly dodging the great mass of cherry blossoms crashing down upon him.
Unfortunately...
With a thought from Yaen, countless cherry blossoms turned once more, rushing toward "Golden Lion" Shiki from all directions with virtually no blind spots.
"Boom, boom, boom..."
As he was pursued by countless cherry blossoms, "Golden Lion" Shiki, already heavily wounded, became increasingly disheveled as he fled and dodged.
Through the gaps between the cherry blossoms and the corner of his eye, "Golden Lion" Shiki saw Yaen treading through the air in the distance, utterly motionless. It was as though he were watching the clumsy performance of circus animals, his expression even seeming somewhat absent. He had no intention of taking action himself.
This instantly ignited the fury of "Golden Lion" Shiki, the legendary Great Pirate, and he roared,
"Brat, don't get so smug!"
?
Yaen.
As far as Yaen was concerned, he was now truly in a state of combat. He had not underestimated or looked down on "Golden Lion" Shiki in the slightest.
However, Yaen clearly understood his own weakness, so he naturally would not approach the extremely dangerous "Golden Lion" Shiki recklessly.
At once, Yaen calmly explained while desperately controlling the cherry blossoms, which were like a vast ocean, and sending them surging toward "Golden Lion" Shiki.
"Relax. I'm not smug, and I'm not looking down on you. I'm already fighting you as seriously as I can."
However, Yaen's indifferent attitude and motionless posture once again poured oil onto "Golden Lion" Shiki's blazing fury.
Immediately afterward, "Golden Lion" Shiki, holding his twin blades, suddenly unleashed a large number of Flying Slashes, carving out a small amount of space for himself amid the Sea of Cherry Blossoms.
"Lion's Roar: Air Scroll!"
As "Golden Lion" Shiki unleashed the power of the Float-Float Fruit, an Air Lion several times larger than a battleship instantly condensed beside him.
"Roar!"
In that intangible moment, Yaen even seemed to hear the Air Lion roaring.
The next moment, under "Golden Lion" Shiki's control, the enormous Air Lion charged toward the endless Sea of Cherry Blossoms with unparalleled ferocity.
"Boom!"
As the cherry blossoms and Air Lion tore into each other, the Air Lion suddenly exploded like a massive bomb, its tremendous shockwave forcibly blasting a huge hollow through the Sea of Cherry Blossoms.
Meanwhile, "Golden Lion" Shiki's body streaked through that hollow like a golden meteor, heading straight for Yaen's true body.
"Wave Slash!"
Another terrifying Flying Slash came crashing toward Yaen.
But there was no need to dodge!
Dodging might play right into "Golden Lion" Shiki's hands.
Yaen knew very well that in terms of combat experience, he could not even compare to a fraction of "Golden Lion" Shiki's experience after decades of traversing the seas and fighting his way into becoming a legendary Great Pirate.
So he would make the most of Bankai: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi's advantage and respond to change with constancy!
As the thought crossed Yaen's mind, countless cherry blossoms blocked the Flying Slash's path, shredding it layer by layer and reducing it inch by inch.
Before long, the Flying Slash, powerful enough to split mountains and seas, dissipated amid the countless cherry blossoms.
However, Yaen's repeated act of treating Flying Slashes as though they were nothing—not even bothering to raise a hand—drove "Golden Lion" Shiki into a fury beyond measure.
"When have I ever..."
"When have I ever been looked down on like this?! Bastard!"
With "Golden Lion" Shiki's roar, he pushed the Float-Float Fruit's ability to its absolute limit.
"Lion's Roar: Air Scroll Barrage!"
One, two, five, ten...
A large number of Air Lions appeared in formation behind "Golden Lion" Shiki, roaring in unison as though obeying the Lion King's command and preparing to launch the most ferocious charge.
"BOOM!!!"
The Air Lion swarm and the Sea of Cherry Blossoms collided in an unprecedented clash high in the sky. Air Lions were constantly shredded and blasted apart by the countless cherry blossoms, while waves of air shook the heavens and blasted one hollow after another through the Sea of Cherry Blossoms.
However, supported by Yaen's inexhaustible Reiatsu, the Sea of Cherry Blossoms seemed endless. After countless dreamlike cherry blossoms shattered, they slowly formed and gathered once more beneath the sunlight.
Behind "Golden Lion" Shiki, meanwhile, Air Lions continued to condense one after another under the repeatedly used power of the Float-Float Fruit, joining the battlefield.
A war of attrition!
Just as Yaen had hoped, the battle had entered the stage of attrition.
Yaen had never underestimated this legendary Great Pirate, "Golden Lion" Shiki. He understood that Shiki fully deserved to be called one of the strongest people in the entire sea.
If "Golden Lion" Shiki were in his prime, Yaen knew that with his current abilities, forget instantly killing an opponent of this level—even defeating him in battle would be nearly impossible.
Unfortunately, several years ago, during the Aethelred Sea Battle, "Golden Lion" Shiki had accidentally had a ship's rudder driven into his head, leaving him unable to use Haki.
Then, two years ago, he had single-handedly stormed Marine Headquarters, Marineford, only to be beaten to the brink of death by Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Garp before being imprisoned in Impel Down.
When Yaen had just watched "Golden Lion" Shiki deal with the injuries he had suffered while breaking out of Impel Down, he had even been able to see that the old wounds Shiki had sustained two years earlier still had not healed,
let alone the wounds from "Golden Lion" Shiki cutting off both his own legs to escape. Those wounds were still continuously seeping blood.
Therefore, Yaen knew very clearly that the "Golden Lion" before him had long since been covered in serious injuries. As long as he dragged Shiki into a war of attrition, victory was guaranteed!
Clearly, what Yaen understood, the incomparably experienced "Golden Lion" Shiki understood as well. He was even more aware that his current condition was growing steadily worse.
But... as a proud lion who had ruled the seas, how could "Golden Lion" Shiki endure Yaen's contemptuous and dismissive attitude?
"The sea still isn't an era ruled by brats like you!"
"Golden Lion" Shiki roared, and the speed at which Air Lions condensed behind him increased by another thirty percent. He looked fully prepared to tear the Sea of Cherry Blossoms before him to shreds.
Before you continue