A thunderous shout suddenly rang out across Saipan Island, where the tension had nearly frozen the air. Every loose stone and grain of dust rose into the air, rapidly gathering into a lion brimming with regal majesty, its fangs fully bared!
Roars of a king poured from its opening jaws! Like a lion hunting in the wild, it lunged forward!
Baldhead, wearing a loose kimono, halted the blade that was about to end Barn's life, because the fangs of that mighty, charging lion were already aimed at his throat!
His blade changed direction in an instant, unleashing a fierce slash that tore through the air with a tremendous roar to meet the oncoming lion!
The roaring lion instinctively tried to catch the man's slash, clamping its sharp teeth down on the enormous attack. A chilling grinding sound filled the air.
But the seemingly invincible lion did not hold out for long. The enormous slash passed through its mouth, splitting it in two, and its terrifying pressure vanished in that instant.
Still, it had served its purpose. The moment Barn heard that familiar voice, he knew the Golden Lion had arrived. He was a little late, but thankfully, he had made it just in time to save Barn's life.
The instant the Shodai Kitetsu in Baldhead's hand moved away from Barn's chest, Barn swiftly picked up the broken Nidai Kitetsu from the ground and fled.
Baldhead seemed uninterested in the fleeing Barn. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the man standing in midair with his arms folded.
The man had long golden hair that reached past his waist, flowing majestically despite the lack of wind. A ship's wheel sat incongruously on his head, yet somehow suited his loose kimono in alternating shades of gold and yellow. Most striking of all were