"Rumble!"
The golden figure shot away like a cannonball and slammed into the ground, plowing up a long wave of earth. He skidded several thousand meters before finally jolting to a stop.
"Is this the power that earned you the name of monster back then?"
"River!"
"You're as savage as a wild beast."
Golden Lion Shiki raised his head, his mouth full of blood and his eyes cold and grave.
He abruptly looked up at the sky.
"Whoosh!"
The figure blazing with green energy dove down, breaking the sound barrier with a bang. A cone-shaped shock wave of white mist appeared behind him.
Almost the instant the sound reached him, River was already above Golden Lion's head.
"Morning Peacock!!"
He clenched both fists. Flames blossomed in an instant, then became countless fist-shaped blasts that roared downward.
"Slash Wave!"
Golden Lion's eyes turned icy as he slashed with his right leg.
A razor-sharp wave shot toward the sky, but River dodged it with a simple shift.
At the same time, Golden Lion spread his hands and curled his fingers toward the sky.
"Humm!"
The air and the earth shuddered, shaking violently and twisting.
The next second, he thrust both hands upward.
"Lion's Might: Earth Roll!"
"Rumble!"
The ground shattered inch by inch. Vast masses of rock and sand began flying upward, and the ground for hundreds of miles around surged into the sky.
"Roar!"
Tens of thousands of enormous lions took shape. They shook their heads and tossed their manes, lifelike and roaring endlessly as they charged toward River in the sky.
With the ground behind him, Golden Lion stood over the island as it shook violently with thunderous rumbling. His golden hair streamed wildly, his eyes grave.
"I'll fight you with everything I've got!"
"River!"
"And show you that my