Her whole body tensed instinctively as Tsuru stared fixedly at Golden Lion. She would never give him the slightest opening.
"Secret Technique: A Thousand Returning Flashes."
A sword aura shot into the clouds, surrounded by endless thunder and raging winds. Haki, sword intent, and every ounce of his strength and spirit flowed into Cherry Ten. Then Golden Lion brought it down in a mighty slash.
The slash wasn't large—it stood only a little over a meter tall. Yet that meter-long slash was more powerful than one thousands of meters tall.
This strike contained all of Golden Lion's conviction: an unstoppable charge that never looked back.
Tsuru's pupils contracted. She felt death closing in.
She wanted to dodge, but her instincts told her she couldn't.
More importantly, Golden Lion was right behind the slash, Withered Wood wrapped in a cold gleam as he thrust it toward her.
It was a two-pronged attack.
Even if Tsuru dodged the first strike, there was no way she could avoid the one behind it. The outcome was already decided.
But at that critical moment, a blur shot past from the side. Time seemed to slow.
Golden Lion remained leaning forward in his attacking stance, while a strange fragrance rose from Tsuru's hands.
"Kong!"
Golden Lion turned his head to look at the man who had appeared out of nowhere. He knew the tide had turned.
Kong was covered in dust, steam billowing from his body as he panted heavily, his face twisted with anger. He had blocked Golden Lion's attack, giving Tsuru the opening she needed.
It all happened in an instant.
Tsuru successfully touched Golden Lion with both hands. Along with the distinctive fragrance and bubbles, Golden Lion lost his shape in the next moment, turning soft and limp like freshly washed laundry as