At the roar of Golden Lion Shiki, Yaen's thoughts stirred, and he manipulated the vast Sea of Cherry Blossoms, sending it surging toward Golden Lion Shiki in a deadly maelstrom before speaking.
"Perhaps you're right. I don't rule the sea yet, but it should be ruled by someone like you even less. End your journey here. Like Pirate King Roger, preserve your final glory and end it here..."
After a pause, Yaen continued.
"Otherwise, the older you become and the more you fail to keep pace with the times, the more disgracefully the remnants will struggle amid the tides of the era, and the more contemptible you'll become."
His words instantly struck a nerve with Golden Lion Shiki!
Roger!
The name Roger, in particular, was an obsession Golden Lion Shiki had never been able to cast aside.
Back then, the reason Golden Lion Shiki had stormed Marine Headquarters alone was that he could not believe a man like Roger had actually been captured by the Marines!
"You mere Marines, don't get too pleased with yourselves! How dare you mention Roger's name?!"
"That bastard Roger was a fool, but even if he had to die, he should have died by my hand!"
His golden hair streamed behind him. In just a few words, Golden Lion Shiki exuded a terrifying, soul-shaking presence.
"You dare call me a remnant who can't keep pace with the times? I... I intend to conquer this sea and create an era that belongs to 'Golden Lion.' How could a brat like you possibly understand?"
"Is that so?"
Yaen folded his arms, countless cherry blossoms drifting around him as he spoke calmly.
"But what this sea needs isn't a pirate era filled with chaos, plunder, and slaughter. It needs a brand-new future. That's what a mere pirate like you could never understand!"
"Sorry, Golden Lion Shiki. If this had been before today, perhaps I wouldn't have stopped you here. But now that I've joined the Marines..."
"By the name of the Marines, Golden Lion Shiki, you and your foolish delusions will be buried beneath these endless falling cherry blossoms today!"
The next moment, Yaen finally moved his hand. He waved it toward Golden Lion Shiki and gently clenched his five fingers.
In an instant, that beautiful yet deadly sea of cherry blossoms seemed to run wild. Its speed suddenly multiplied several times over, nearly transforming into countless pink streaks of light as it swept toward Golden Lion Shiki.
"Boom boom boom!!!"
The first to bear the brunt were the pride of air lions blocking Golden Lion Shiki's path. Under the endless barrage of cherry blossoms, they exploded one after another, unleashing vast waves of air.
However, the cherry blossoms were so fast that some had already pierced through the lions' defenses before the pride of air lions could even explode.
At that moment, under the impact of those terrifying waves of air, the seemingly fragile and dreamlike cherry blossoms accelerated sharply once more as they flew toward Golden Lion Shiki.
"Whoosh!!"
Hundreds and thousands of cherry blossoms sliced across Golden Lion Shiki's body at incredible speed.
In the next moment, Golden Lion Shiki felt pain throughout his entire body. More than a hundred wounds instantly spurted blood, staining him completely red.
Golden Lion Shiki gasped heavily. He could feel that the body which had once seemed omnipotent was gradually losing its strength, while the countless air lions gathered before him continued to collapse and explode.
"I... I'm Golden Lion Shiki!"
Golden Lion Shiki roared, like the proudest and fiercest cry of an injured lion king.
Then Golden Lion Shiki looked toward Yaen, who was walking through the air in the distance. He exhaled heavily through his nostrils and spoke.
"Brat, you loudmouthed brat. As long as I'm still alive, this will be my era."
Then Golden Lion Shiki swept his gaze aside and pointed toward the warship still floating in midair with the hand gripping Famous Sword - Cherry Ten.
In the next instant, the enormous Navy warship suddenly hurtled toward Yaen like a toy being thrown.
Clearly, this was a threat. These were hostages...
Golden Lion Shiki had long since seen how much Yaen valued this Navy warship and the Marines aboard it. That was why he had spared those Marines from the beginning: to force Yaen's hand.
But now that Shiki regarded Yaen as a true enemy and opponent, having abandoned any thought of recruiting him as a subordinate, there was naturally no longer any need to spare those Marines.
Yaen also understood that this was a blatantly despicable but inescapable scheme.
More than five hundred Marines were still unconscious aboard the Navy warship being hurled at him as though it were a weapon.
Under that tremendous momentum, if Yaen forcibly blocked it, most of those five hundred Marines would likely be killed or injured in an instant. But if he merely dodged, Golden Lion Shiki would continue manipulating the Navy warship and toy with him.
"What a pity, Golden Lion Shiki. Did you really think I'd trust a pirate's kindness and make no preparations for the safety of my own men?"
Yaen sneered, then shouted.
"Xiao Jin!"
As Yaen's voice echoed through the sky, Xiao Jin, whose movements had been concealed by the Sea of Cherry Blossoms, flew toward Yaen like a golden streak of light and blocked the Navy warship head-on.
Castle-Castle Fruit!
As Xiao Jin opened its beak toward the Navy warship, the instant the warship approached, it rapidly shrank and then vanished into Xiao Jin's beak.
"Good job, Xiao Jin. I'll give you an extra bag of snacks tonight!"
"Chirp-chirp!"
Xiao Jin let out an excited cry and, after an elegant circle through the air, landed directly on Yaen's shoulder, its little head unconsciously tilting upward.
However, when Yaen turned his gaze back toward Golden Lion Shiki, his pupils could not help but contract slightly.
Golden Lion Shiki was gripping the ship's wheel deeply embedded in his head, roaring as he slowly pulled it out bit by bit!
It had to be known that after the ship's wheel had accidentally been driven into his head back then, doctors had advised Golden Lion Shiki not to forcibly remove it. Otherwise, it could very likely endanger his life and kill him on the spot.
That was why, even though the ship's wheel seriously impaired Golden Lion Shiki's Haki abilities, it had remained there all this time.
"Seems like I pushed this old lion a little too far..." Yaen muttered, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
After all, even when Golden Lion Shiki had been suppressed by Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Garp working together, he had never tried to pull out the ship's wheel himself.
Yet after being held back slightly by the Navy warship, it was already too late for Yaen to stop Golden Lion Shiki, even if he wanted to.
Before you continue