One Piece: Invincible from the Start

An astonishing presence slowly radiated from Golden Lion.

It was not Conqueror's Haki. It was the commanding aura of a powerful man who had spent his life at the top.

Kuta still looked utterly at ease, as though Golden Lion were beneath his notice. A vicious glint flashed in Golden Lion's eyes, and he sneered darkly.

"Jihahahaha! If that's your answer, then die!"

He was Golden Lion. Even Roger could never have treated him as though he didn't matter.

Since the day he'd made his name, no one had dared look at him like that.

"You brat. Do you really think I'm too old to lift a sword?"

"I'll show you how terrifying a true great pirate can be."

He hooked both feet back, then kicked the two Famous Swords strapped to his legs toward Kuta. Two enormous golden, crescent-shaped Slashes hurtled forward.

"Slash Wave!"

Kuta drew Zankū without haste. Gripping the hilt in both hands, he met Golden Lion's attack with two swift strokes.

Two equally enormous silver-gray Slashes flew out to intercept the golden ones.

Clang! Clang!

The Slashes collided with a metallic crash. They locked for a moment, then slid past one another. The golden Slashes flew toward the sea, while the silver ones soared into the sky.

Aboard the fleet speeding toward Loguetown, everyone heard the noise overhead and looked up.

They saw the sky, split open by a silver Slash, as though it had cracked apart.

Through the severed clouds, they could clearly make out the outline of a huge island above.

Cold sweat broke out across the ships.

There really were other islands up there!

Just then, a streak of gold flashed before their eyes.

A bottomless chasm suddenly opened in the sea not far from the fleet.

Seawater surged into it.

The current tugged at their ships, slowly dragging them off course.

Everyone hurried to adjust the sails, using the wind to pull free of the current.

They looked back at the abyss-like chasm in the sea, the split sky, and Prothius Island, cleaved by another golden Slash.

They couldn't help feeling lucky. Thank goodness those two hadn't started fighting sooner.

If they had still been on Prothius Island, who knew how many people would have died?

At the thought, they cast grateful looks toward the navy ship leading the way.

At first, they had complained about the bearded colonel, thinking he was making a fuss over nothing.

If he and his father hadn't been so respected on Prothius Island, they might never have followed him off the island.

"If we hadn't evacuated..."

They all shuddered. Their gratitude to the bearded colonel only grew.

At the stern of the Freedom.

"This is insane! Those two are like something out of a myth."

A-Tao held a cigarette between trembling fingers as she stared at the sky in amazement.

"Yeah! They're unbelievable. Splitting the sky, parting the sea, and those floating islands."

A-Luo sighed too. "So this is what a legendary pirate can do?"

"If all legendary pirates are this strong, we might as well lie down and give up!"

Thump!

Ahua punched A-Luo on the head. "You're dead last, so you definitely ought to lie down."

"That's about the limit of what you can do anyway."

"What?"

"You want another fight?"

"Anytime."

A-Luo reached for the pistol at his waist.

"Fine, let's fight! You think I'm scared?"

The two pressed their foreheads together and glared at each other.

Thump! Thump!

Kuina stepped over and floored them both with two punches.

A-Tao stood to the side and pursed her lips at Ahua and A-Luo, each sporting a huge bump on his head.

"What idiots."

"Of all times to start arguing, they picked now."

Kuina gazed at the rifts in the sea and sky, excitement shining in her eyes.

She wasn't too worried about Kuta. Even against a legendary pirate, she believed he would win.

It was a clash between Great Swordsmen at their peak. If staying on Prothius Island hadn't been so dangerous, and if she hadn't feared distracting Kuta, she would have stayed to watch.

She tightened the sword at her waist, her gaze resolute.

One day, I'll unleash a Slash like that too.

A Man Who Would Rule the Seas from the Sky

In the sky.

Seeing that Slashes wouldn't work against Kuta, Golden Lion brought his feet together and rose slightly.

He joined the tips of the Famous Swords on his feet and thrust them straight at Kuta.

A red glint flashed in Kuta's eyes. Gripping his sword with both hands, he struck hard at the oncoming tips.

Clang!

A tremendous shockwave burst outward from where they met.

"Not bad speed, but your use of Haki is far too crude."

Golden Lion stared at Kuta and laughed arrogantly. "Jihahahaha! Is that all you've got, boy?"

Kuta felt his Haki crumbling rapidly where their blades met. He had to pour more of it into his sword to keep it protected, or Zankū could easily be damaged.

"Old man, we've only just started. What's your hurry? You want to see what I can do? I'm afraid you couldn't take it."

He stared Golden Lion down, his expression fiercely proud. When it came to arrogance and pride, no one in this world could match him.

He had never shown that side of himself before because no one had ever brought it out.

He put strength into both arms and pushed Golden Lion's sword tips back a little, then slid his blade along them and slashed swiftly toward his chest.

Zankū scraped across Golden Lion's Famous Swords, Oto and Kogarashi, throwing off sparks.

But Golden Lion had far too much combat experience to let Kuta land the blow.

After twenty years of wielding swords with his feet, he could use them as deftly as his hands.

He kicked one sword hard against Kuta's Slash while driving the other straight toward Kuta's head.

Kuta quickly twisted aside, closed the distance, turned his blade, and slashed hard at Golden Lion's severed legs.

Golden Lion laughed. "Brat, you've got a long way to go before you can hit me!"

"Jihahahaha!"

He drifted back in a flash and crossed his swords before him, easily blocking Kuta's strike.

Clang!

Golden Lion stared at their clashing blades and laughed. "Jihahahaha! How do you expect to fight me with Haki that weak, boy?"

"If this is all you've got, I'll be disappointed."

With that, he lashed out at Kuta with a kick.

Kuta turned and blocked Golden Lion's Slash.

Clang!

Their swords collided and separated in an instant, only to crash together again even faster.

Clang! Clang!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Sparks flashed again and again where they fought. Golden Lion hovered in the air, his feet moving in blurs, while Kuta's hands were nearly invisible.

Wave after wave of force burst from their clash in every direction.

The waves gathered into a gale that swept away the thick clouds above, revealing more than a dozen floating islands hidden within them.

With each exchange, Kuta felt his Haki growing denser. He was in no hurry; he used Golden Lion's attacks to temper it.

Gradually, Golden Lion sensed something was wrong.

This silver-haired brat is using me to train his Haki.

He knocked Kuta's sword aside with a powerful strike and used the force to drift backward.

"Brat, I have to admit, your talent ranks among the best of anyone I've ever known."

He flicked a foot and sent an enormous Slash toward Kuta.

Kuta stood still until it was almost upon him, then stepped aside and dodged it with ease.

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

I'm not wasting my time trading flying Slashes with him. That won't get me anywhere.

Golden Lion watched Kuta approach with a savage grin. His feet whipped through the air, sending several golden, crescent-shaped Slashes at him.

"Lion: Thousand-Cut Valley!"

"Don't forget, brat, I'm a Two-Sword Style Great Swordsman!"

That attack was dozens of times more powerful than an ordinary Slash.

Starlight swirled in Kuta's eyes as he watched the golden Slashes fill the sky.

He stopped, drew Zankū back, and an overwhelming presence rose from him.

"Conqueror's Haki?"

Golden Lion stared at Kuta in surprise as he gathered power. He knew that presence all too well. Before the ship's wheel had lodged in his head, he had radiated that Haki constantly.

But age had caught up with him, and the wheel had taken too great a toll on his mind. He could no longer unleash Conqueror's Haki.

Kuta gripped Zankū in his right hand, leaned forward, and bent his left leg.

Pale violet-black Haki flowed down his arm and wrapped around Zankū.

The Haki spread outward like tendrils, but Kuta forced it all into Zankū's blade through sheer will.

Kuta unleashed his full power. Violet lightning even crackled around him.

He raised his head and fixed his gaze on the golden Slashes filling the sky.

His sword flashed out.

"God Slash!"

An enormous pale violet-black Slash shot toward the countless golden Slashes.

Clang!