One Piece: Invincible from the Start

With a thought, he looked up at the floating islands.

All of them except the largest island in the center flew toward them.

Rumble!

The islands slammed together beneath them, forming one enormous island.

Golden Lion fought as he retreated, luring Kuta down onto the island.

In the air, he could not make full use of his Devil Fruit powers.

He brought his freed hands together.

"Lion's Might: Earth Roll!"

The ground churned, and countless lion heads surged toward Kuta.

Golden Lion kicked hard, knocking Kuta away with his blades.

He used the recoil to retreat some distance.

Then his legs flashed. "Lion: Thousand-Cut Valley!"

Countless Slash attacks flew toward Kuta.

Kuta glanced around, and a savage aura erupted from him.

He turned to Golden Lion and stared at him like prey, roaring,

"Old man, I told you it's no use!"

You Think You're Dealing with Just Anyone?

Then he pressed his palms together. The space around him collapsed in an instant, and a tremendous force burst outward.

"Pseudo: Shinra Tensei!"

The charging lion heads and Slash attacks scattered instantly.

Kuta strode through the billowing dust, sword in hand, and rapidly closed in on Golden Lion.

"Shave, Step-in Slash."

With a whoosh, he appeared above Golden Lion and brought his sword down hard.

Clang!

Kuta felt the Haki hold firm where their blades met and burst into wild laughter.

"Hahahahaha!"

"Old man, just be a good sport and help me train!"

"Hahahaha..."

He hammered away with his sword, while Golden Lion could only defend.

"What's wrong, old man? Can't keep up already?"

He roared, "If that's all you've got, then die!"

Veins bulged along his sword arm as he slashed viciously at Golden Lion.

Clang!

A golden figure shot backward.

Golden Lion tried to steady himself, but the force coursing through his arms made it impossible.

So he went with it, flying even faster toward his main island.

Kuta watched Golden Lion fly into the distance, a flicker of doubt crossing his face.

Is the old man trying to run?

That can't be right.

Someone that strong wouldn't think of fleeing from a junior like me.

He shook his head, gave it no more thought, and fixed his gaze on Golden Lion as he activated his power.

"Teleportation!"

He appeared behind Golden Lion and slashed straight at his back.

Clang!

A red gleam flashed in Golden Lion's eyes. He raised his blades a split second early and blocked Kuta's strike.

He could not match Kuta's speed, but his Observation Haki was at the very highest level!

He could not quite see the future, but that supreme Observation Haki sharpened his reactions. Combined with decades of combat experience, it gave him an edge few others possessed.

He rode the force of the blow and flew even faster toward the edge of the main island above, finally coming to a stop beside the layer of seawater surrounding it.

"Oh..."

"So you want to use the seawater against me."

Kuta stayed where he was, watching Golden Lion with interest. He pulled the Wine Gourd from his waist and took a leisurely drink.

"Come on, old man. Show me whatever else you've got!"

"Then give me a proper Haki workout."

"Burp!"

He breathed a puff of wine fumes toward Golden Lion, a faint flush rising on his face.

He looked at the Wine Gourd in his hand and gave it a shake.

"Not enough to drink!"

"Jihahahaha! Don't get too cocky, brat. Do you really think you've already won?"

Golden Lion laughed, then swiftly kicked a Slash toward the edge of the main island.

"Slash Wave!"

With a squelch, a chunk of the seawater surrounding the island was sliced away like jelly.

He spread his fingers. The severed seawater burst apart like fireworks, scattering into countless tiny droplets.

Soon the whole area was enveloped in a thick rain of seawater.

Then his hand jerked.

The droplets split apart again, turning into mist that filled the sky.

The mist blanketed everything. Being inside it felt like standing in a dense fog on a winter morning.

He had prepared it specifically to counter Kuta's Teleportation.

With seawater mist everywhere, he refused to believe Kuta could Teleportation away.

He glared at Kuta with a haughty grin.

"Jihahahaha! Brace yourself, brat!"

"I prepared this gift especially for a Devil Fruit User like you!"

He clenched his right hand.

As if pulled by an invisible force, the mist all around them rushed toward Kuta at the center.

Kuta looked at Golden Lion as though he were an idiot.

He spent all this time preparing... this?

None of it matters to me!

I wasn't planning to move anyway.

If the old man loves putting on a show so much, I'll show him a trick of my own!

He's practically got one foot in the grave. I can't deprive him of his last bit of fun, can I?

As the mist gathered, droplets rapidly condensed across his body.

Right on cue, terror appeared on Kuta's face.

Then the droplets joined into a mass of seawater that swallowed him whole.

He clutched his throat and held his breath, little bubbles streaming from his mouth.

He looked utterly miserable.

"Jihahahaha..."

Seeing Kuta trapped in the seawater, Golden Lion could not stop laughing.

The frustration of being battered by Kuta vanished.

He simply stood there, watching Kuta and laughing on and on.

Huh...?

Kuta waited for Golden Lion to launch a Slash. He waited and waited, but none came.

He could not help sneaking a glance at Golden Lion.

Uh...

The old man did nothing but laugh.

Are you ever going to stop laughing, old man? Throw a Slash already and bring this performance to an end.

At that moment, he really wanted to complain to Golden Lion.

This awkward acting is hard work, you know!

Golden Lion had not acted like this against King Luffy!

Why had he suddenly started using his brain when Kuta was the opponent?

With that thought, Kuta gave up the act and began showing off every swimming stroke he could think of.

Breaststroke, freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, even a flashy dog paddle and a turtle's lazy drift...

He tried them all.

Watching Kuta switch strokes again and again, Golden Lion knew he had been played.

In Kuta's eyes, that whole display of his had probably made him look like a fool!

After all, Kuta clearly was not afraid of seawater.

That power is absurd!

In his decades of life, Golden Lion had known only a handful of Devil Fruit Users who were not so afraid of seawater.

He himself could easily manipulate seawater and thus avoid the sea's curse.

But being completely submerged in seawater like Kuta? That was impossible for him.

What he did not know was that Kuta was not a Devil Fruit User at all.

Golden Lion glared at Kuta, veins bulging on his forehead.

Too arrogant. Far too arrogant.

That brat doesn't take Golden Lion seriously at all.

With that thought, he lashed both legs toward Kuta.

"Die, brat!"

"Lion: Thousand-Cut Valley!"

Several golden Slashes hurtled toward Kuta inside the seawater.

"Hm!"

Kuta stopped swimming and turned toward the furious Golden Lion, his gaze sharpening.