The Man Who Would Rule the Seas from the Sky

Then, an astonishing aura slowly began to radiate from Golden Lion.

This was not Conqueror's Haki. It was the aura of a powerhouse, naturally given off by someone who had always stood at the peak.

Seeing that Kong remained calm and completely ignored him, a vicious glint flashed through Golden Lion's eyes. He darkened his expression and sneered.

"Shahahaha! Since that's your answer, then go to hell!"

He was Golden Lion. Even Roger could not afford to disregard him.

Ever since he had set out to sea, no one had dared look at him like this.

"You little brat, do you really think I'm old and can't lift a sword anymore?"

"Then I'll let you witness the terror of a true great pirate."

As he spoke, he hooked his feet backward and kicked the two Famous Swords bound to his legs toward Kong. In an instant, two enormous golden, crescent-shaped Slashes flew rapidly toward him.

"Slash Wave!"

Kong drew Zankū without hurry, gripped the hilt with both hands, and swiftly swung twice at Golden Lion's Slashes.

Two equally enormous silver-gray Slashes rushed toward the golden ones.

Clang-clang—!!

The collision of the two Slashes produced a tremendous metallic crash. After locking together for a moment, they passed by each other—the golden ones flew toward the Sea, while the silver ones flew toward the sky.

The people aboard the Fleet, which was sailing rapidly toward Loguetown, heard the noise in the sky and looked up together.

They happened to see the sky, seemingly split apart by the silver Slash.

Through the severed clouds, they could clearly see the outline of the enormous island above.

Everyone aboard the ship instantly broke into a cold sweat.

There really were other islands up there!

Just then, they saw a streak of golden light flash before their eyes.

Then, on the Sea not far from their Fleet, a bottomless rift suddenly split open.

The seawater furiously poured into the rift.

Their ship was also tugged by the current in the rift, gradually changing direction.

The people aboard hurriedly adjusted the sails. Using the force of the wind, they quickly escaped the current.

Looking at the abyss-like rift in the Sea behind them, the split-open sky, and Prothius Island cleaved apart by another golden Slash,

they could not help feeling fortunate. It was a good thing those two had not started fighting right away.

If they were still on Prothius Island, who knew how many people would have died by now?

At this thought, they all cast grateful looks toward the Navy Warship ahead.

At first, they had even complained about Colonel Bearded Man, thinking he was making a mountain out of a molehill.

If Bearded Man and Pops had not enjoyed such great prestige on Prothius Island, they might not have followed Bearded Man's evacuation.

"If we hadn't evacuated..."

At this thought, they all shuddered, and their gratitude toward Colonel Bearded Man deepened.

At the stern of the Freedom.

"How outrageous! Those two are practically mythical."

A-Tao held a cigarette between her fingers. Her hand trembled as she gazed at the sky and exclaimed.

"Yeah! This is way too amazing. Splitting the sky, cleaving the Sea, and those floating islands..."

A-Luo sighed as well. "Is this the strength of legendary pirates?"

"If all legendary pirates are this strong, then we'd better just lie down!"

Boom—!

At that moment, Ahua punched A-Luo on the head. "You dead last, of course you should lie down."

"After all, your strength is only so-so."

"What?"

"Are you looking for a fight again?"

"I'll take you on anytime."

A-Luo reached for the pistol at his waist.

"Then let's fight! You think I'm afraid of you?"

As he spoke, the two men pressed their foreheads together and glared at each other.

Bang, bang—!!

Just then, Kuina stepped between them and knocked them both flat with two punches.

A-Tao stood to the side and curled her lips at Ahua and A-Luo, who each had two huge lumps rising from their heads.

"What a pair of idiots."

"They don't even know what time it is, yet they still dare to argue."

Kuina looked at the rifts in the Sea and the sky, her eyes filled with excitement.

She was not too worried about Kuta. Even if his opponent was a legendary pirate, she believed Kuta would definitely win.

This was a summit-level duel between Great Swordsmen. If Prothius Island had not been too dangerous and she had not feared affecting Kuta, she would have wanted to stay on the island and watch the battle.

She tightened her grip on the sword at her waist, her eyes firm.

"One day, she would definitely be able to unleash a Slash like that too."

The Man Who Would Rule the Sea from the Sky

In the sky.

Golden Lion discovered that his Slashes could do nothing to Kuta. He brought his feet together and rose slightly.

The tips of the Famous Swords on his feet met, and he rapidly thrust them toward Kuta.

A red gleam flashed through Kuta's eyes. Gripping his sword with both hands, he forcefully slashed at the rapidly approaching blades.

Clang—!

A massive wave of air blasted outward in all directions from the point of their clash.

"Your speed isn't slow, but your use of Haki is far too poor."

Golden Lion stared at Kuta and laughed arrogantly. "Shahahaha! Brat, is this all you've got?"

Kuta felt his Haki rapidly collapsing at the point where the swords met. He had no choice but to increase his Haki output to maintain his defense; otherwise, Zankū would easily be damaged.

"You old fossil, this has only just begun. Why are you in such a hurry? If you want to see how far I can go, I'm afraid you won't be able to bear it."

He stared at Golden Lion with an arrogant expression. When it came to arrogance and pride, no one in this world should be able to surpass him.

He had never shown it before because no one had been able to make him reveal his arrogance and pride.

He pushed with both hands, barely forcing Golden Lion's blade tips aside. Then, following the momentum, he swiftly slashed toward Golden Lion's chest.

Zankū's blade swept across Golden Lion's Famous Swords, Oto and Kogarashi, sending sparks flying.

Golden Lion had incredibly rich battle experience. How could he possibly let Kuta hit him?

After twenty years of wielding blades with his feet, his dexterity was already comparable to using both hands.

He forcefully kicked away Kuta's incoming sword with one blade. With the other, he thrust straight toward Kuta's head without changing direction.

Kuta hurriedly tilted his body to dodge the blade. Then he quickly closed in on Golden Lion, flipped the sword in his hand, and forcefully slashed at his missing leg.

Golden Lion laughed. "You little brat, you're still far too inexperienced if you want to hit me!"

"Shahahaha!"

He swiftly drifted backward, crossed his twin blades before him, and easily blocked Kuta's Slash.

Clang—!

Golden Lion stared at the point where their blades collided and laughed. "Shahahaha! Brat, how can you fight me with such low-level Haki?"

"If this is all you've got, then I'm going to be disappointed."

As he spoke, he swiftly kicked toward Kuta.

Kuta turned and blocked Golden Lion's Slash.

Clang—!

The blades collided, then quickly separated. A moment later, they crashed together again at an even faster speed.

Clang-clang!!

Clang-clang-clang!!!

Sparks flashed repeatedly where the two fought. Golden Lion floated in the air, his feet whipping up afterimages, while Kuta's hands were nearly invisible.

Waves of air continuously blasted outward from between them.

These waves of air formed a hurricane that easily scattered the thick clouds above, revealing more than a dozen floating islands within.

During their repeated clashes, Kuta clearly felt his Haki growing denser. He was in no hurry, using Golden Lion to refine his Haki.

Gradually, Golden Lion sensed that something was wrong.

"This silver-haired brat is trying to use me to train his Haki."

He forcefully knocked Kuta away with one blade, then drifted backward with the momentum.

"Brat, I have to admit that among everyone I've ever known, your talent is among the very best."

As he spoke, he flicked up the tip of his foot and sent an enormous Slash toward Kuta.

Kuta stood where he was. Only when the Slash was about to reach him did he shift to the side, easily dodging it.

Then he kicked off the air with both feet and rapidly closed in on Golden Lion.

He had no intention of trading Flying Slashes with his opponent! That would be completely pointless.

Golden Lion watched Kuta approach rapidly with a ferocious grin. His feet swung quickly, and several golden crescent-shaped Slashes flew toward Kuta.

"Lion: Thousand-Cut Valley!"

"Brat, don't forget that I'm also a Great Swordsman of the Two-Sword Style!"

The power of these Slashes was dozens of times greater than that of ordinary Slashes.

Starlight swirled in Kuta's eyes as he stared at the sky filled with golden Slashes.

He stopped where he was and first sheathed Zankū. Then an aura that suppressed the entire world rose from his body.

"Conqueror's Haki?"

Golden Lion stared in astonishment at Kuta, who was gathering power. He was far too familiar with this aura. Before the Ship's Rudder had pierced his head, he had constantly radiated this Haki.

It was just that he was old now, and the Ship's Rudder had affected his mind too greatly. He could no longer unleash Conqueror's Haki.

Kuta gripped Zankū with his right hand and leaned forward, bending his left leg.

A faint purple-black Haki wrapped around Zankū along his arm.

The faint purple-black Haki spread outward like tentacles, but Kuta's will forcibly compressed it all into the blade's edge.

Kuta unleashed his full power. Purple lightning even began to appear around him.

He raised his head and stared intently at the countless golden Slashes.

He drew his sword in an instant.

"God Slash!"

A huge, faint purple-black Slash shot rapidly toward the countless golden Slashes.

Clang—!