"...This man is my 'ally,' after all."
In the air, protected behind Bondrewd, Golden Lion felt the pain in his head ease.
As an old-school pirate with broad experience and a complicated past, Golden Lion certainly wasn't about to feel particularly grateful over something this small.
Still... he had broken through the God's Knights' encirclement and then come here to face two Admirals.
-Hmph... I'll acknowledge you as the alliance leader, for now.
Golden Lion wasn't stupid. In his current situation, he had effectively crashed and burned. Living under someone else's roof... was probably inevitable.
"That troublesome fellow has 'jumped' over here. What an enthusiastic young man. Before things become any more troublesome, would you two Admirals kindly permit us to take our leave~?"
Bondrewd snapped his fingers. The machinery on his back detached and reconfigured itself, becoming a small aircraft that 'assembled' itself onto Golden Lion.
Having exchanged blows with Bondrewd before, Kizaru knew there was no telling what tricks this fellow might pull. He stayed put, keeping his guard up and ready to flee at any moment.
Akainu was more dedicated to his work. Magma boiled across his body as he prepared to attack. Then his gaze went slightly blank.
The floating rock and earth Golden Lion had controlled suddenly began to 'burn,' turning into 'streams of magma.'
"-!? Don't tell me-"
Reading about it in intelligence reports was one thing; seeing it firsthand was another. Now Akainu understood how Kizaru had felt earlier.
The aircraft was carrying the weakened Golden Lion away. Akainu realized the two of them intended to escape.
-But you think you can use magma against me!?
Akainu almost laughed in anger. Just as he was about to attack, Bondrewd arranged his hands in a very 'familiar' pose.
"Oh... hoh-"
Unlike Akainu, who stood