His gaze gradually turned cold and sharp, sending chills down Sengoku and Zefa's spines.
"Looking for death? Sengoku, you're right. I came here either to beat the two of you to death, or to be beaten to death by the two of you."
Seeing Golden Lion Shiki being so arrogant, Sengoku wasted no words and immediately transformed into a Buddha.
With a ding, Sengoku instantly became a golden Buddha Form.
"A Zoan Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan Buddha Form?"
"Seeing it again, let me see what you're really capable of, Sengoku!"
At Marineford Harbor, as Sengoku and Golden Lion began fighting, every cannon opened fire. Deafening booms rang out as thousands of shells were launched in an instant, their target Golden Lion's Floating Island. However, the Floating Island was too high; at least half of the shells failed to reach it.
"No good! Our shells can't reach them!"
"What do we do?"
"Our shells can't reach that high! How are we supposed to fight?"
All the Marines cried out in disbelief. At the same time, the cannons on both sides of the Floating Island refused to be outdone and began bombarding the Marines on the ground.
Hundreds of shells came hurtling down from the sky, like a rain of cannonballs.
The Marines below watched the massive shells descend one after another. The ordinary Marine soldiers felt certain they were doomed.
However, there were still quite a few powerful fighters among the Marines. Every Rear Admiral-level combatant leaped into the air. Slashes, Rankyaku, Armament Haki, ice blocks, explosive mouths—everyone unleashed their own techniques, destroying half the hundreds of shells in an instant. Yet half still remained, and cold sweat began streaming down everyone's faces. If those shells landed, the Marines would suffer heavy casualties.
Just then—Great Eruption! A massive fist of magma suddenly appeared in the sky, passing over everyone's heads and charging toward the densely packed shells.
A few seconds later, the enormous magma fist exploded, turning into countless tiny volcanic bombs.
As successive explosions rang out, the entire sky seemed to have been blown apart. Everywhere one looked was red.
Amid the explosions, Sakazuki, draped in a Justice cape, slowly walked into the center of the battlefield.
"Sakazuki?"
"That's Vice Admiral Sakazuki! One of the Marine monsters, Sakazuki?"
"Our chances are much better now!" The Marines all stepped aside, making a path for Sakazuki.
Among the Marines he passed, Kuzan watched Sakazuki go by with a deep frown. For some reason, he did not feel the slightest bit of goodwill toward the man before him.
High above, the winds and clouds shifted as the battle between Golden Lion Shiki and Sengoku entered its most intense stage.
The fierce battle made everyone below raise their heads to watch, their blood boiling.
The great Buddha surged upward as Sengoku let out a furious roar.
His enormous golden Buddha Form radiated dazzling light, like a blazing sun hanging high in the sky.
He swung an arm as immense as a mountain, carrying an earth-shattering force as he struck at Golden Lion with all his might.
The sheer power of that strike whipped up a violent gale, instantly scattering the surrounding clouds.
Although Golden Lion Shiki possessed extraordinary strength, he did not dare take Sengoku's overwhelmingly powerful attack head-on. But with things having come this far, he had no choice but to receive it.
His eyes widened, a trace of gravity appearing on his face as he swiftly raised his two famous blades before his chest.
Even so, he was caught by the impact and sent flying hundreds of meters away like a kite with its string cut.
As he retreated, the air behind him was violently torn apart, producing howling sounds as though proclaiming the terror of that strike.
"Zefa, why aren't you making a move?"
"I'm still waiting to fight you!"
"Fighting Sengoku alone is no fun. He's too weak!"
"Your Marines are so weak. How did you manage to capture Gol D. Roger?"
After steadying himself in midair, Golden Lion shouted out his mockery.
His voice rang throughout the area like a great bell, filled with boundless arrogance and disdain.
A flash of anger crossed Sengoku's face at those words, and his golden fist unconsciously clenched.
"Arrogant!" At this moment, he swore to make Golden Lion pay for his wild words.
Zephyr stood quietly where he was, his piercing gaze fixed on the battle in the sky.
Having personally witnessed the clash between Golden Lion and Sengoku, Zefa had to admit that Golden Lion was indeed powerful.
"Zefa, don't worry about it. Proceed according to the plan!"
Sengoku shouted at Zefa behind him.
In truth, Sengoku and Zefa had planned this long ago. One would restrain Golden Lion, while the other would head to the Floating Island, preferably finding a way to silence it.
Zephyr knew Golden Lion was strong, but he believed Sengoku's strength was no weaker. Choosing to trust him, he used Moonwalk to rapidly head for the Floating Island without looking back.
Seeing this, Golden Lion's gaze hardened. He knew Zefa's strength. If Zefa entered the Floating Island, the consequences would be unthinkable.
"Don't even think about it!"
Lion's Cross Slash!
Just as everyone's thoughts raced, Golden Lion Shiki launched another attack.
He raised his two swords high. Armament Haki swiftly covered their blades like black flames, making them hum. As Golden Lion lifted both blades over his head, then brought them down in a fierce slash, an enormous golden cross-shaped slash tore through the sky like lightning, rushing toward Zefa with sharp, unstoppable force.
Wherever it passed, the air seemed to be sliced apart by a blade, hissing as it left behind a deep scar.
Seeing this, Sengoku's eyes sharpened. "Golden Lion, your opponent is me!"
He swiftly adjusted his position and blocked the path of the incoming slash.
Sengoku fixed his full attention on the golden cross-shaped slash screaming toward him.
His massive golden Buddha body crouched slightly, his feet seeming to take root in the void. His raised kasaya fluttered wildly in the fierce wind.
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