"One good turn deserves another, Senior Golden Lion Shiki. Take a strike from me too!"
"Clang..."
As he spoke, the Famous Sword in Lin Yuan's hand trembled, black Armament Haki wrapping around it as his Conqueror's Haki erupted.
Countless bolts of black-and-red lightning rumbled across the sky, and the terrifying pressure tore apart the clouds above and below.
Golden Lion Shiki's eyes, so arrogant a moment ago, narrowed sharply, and his body involuntarily tensed.
Ever since he had severed his own legs to escape Impel Down, Golden Lion Shiki had found his strength slowly declining, while the ship's wheel in his head suppressed his Conqueror's Haki.
He could no longer use Conqueror's Haki, but his discernment remained, and the constant warnings from his Observation Haki told him just how terrifying the young man's next attack would be.
But as a former pirate admiral who had driven even the Roger Pirates into a corner, how could he bow his head?
"Jihahaha! Heroes really do emerge from the young! Then let me measure the mettle you've got!"
Although he could not use Conqueror's Haki, an overbearing, savage aura likewise burst from Golden Lion Shiki.
Enel was utterly stunned by the two men's auras. Only now did he understand why Lin Yuan had stopped him from fighting the old man.
At the same time, he was secretly relieved. If he had rushed in blindly just now, the old man might have seized the chance to kill him in an instant or capture him.
If that had happened, he would not only have lost face, but might also have lost his life.
Enel's feelings were complicated, but he kept his eyes fixed on the two men. He had a feeling that the next exchange might be the most powerful clash he had ever witnessed.
"Clang..."
Lin Yuan had not yet mastered Conqueror's Haki coating, so he covered his Famous Sword with all his Armament Haki while drawing on his formidable physique.
Although Lin Yuan's strength had not yet reached its peak, few people in this world could match his physique.
With a soft shout, Lin Yuan's eyes turned red with golden pupils, and the might of a dragon god surged forth along with his Conqueror's Haki.
He raised his hand and slashed. A black-and-red slash a full hundred meters long seemed to tear through space as it hurtled toward Golden Lion Shiki at a terrifying speed.
When Lin Yuan unleashed his Conqueror's Haki, even Golden Lion Shiki was shaken, and he even felt his body stiffen.
"Jihahaha, what terrifying Conqueror's Haki. There seems to be something else in it too, but..."
"I'm the Golden Lion!!!"
Seeing the black-and-red slash flying toward him, Golden Lion Shiki laughed and rose into the air without wind. He did not use his legs to slash.
Feeling the terrifying slash, a trace of madness appeared on his face. The Great Grade Swords Oto and Kogarashi flew straight off his legs, and he caught them in his hands.
Ignoring the blood spurting from his severed legs, Golden Lion Shiki raised Oto and Kogarashi in both hands and roared.
"Zanpa..."
An equally terrifying Flying Slash met Lin Yuan's black-and-red slash.
The two slashes, each over a hundred meters long, slammed into each other. Heaven and earth seemed to stand still for an instant before wave after wave of terrifying energy erupted.
The sound that echoed through heaven and earth seemed to carry a sharp edge. Amid the clouds that had been shredded, a vast gap a thousand meters wide stretched into the distance, its end nowhere in sight. It was as though the two men's slashes had given heaven and earth a center part.
Golden Lion Shiki was just about to laugh, but horror immediately filled his eyes. The black-and-red slash, which he had imagined would have been shattered, was still racing toward him.
"Lion: Thousand-Cut Valley..."
With no time to think, Golden Lion Shiki swung his swords again and again, sending countless slashes crashing into the black-and-red slash.
But in his haste, his attacks were much weaker. Although they wore down the black-and-red slash, they did not completely destroy it.
Left with no choice, Golden Lion Shiki shifted slightly aside, and the black-and-red slash struck the floating island behind him in an instant.
"Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom..."
Golden Lion Shiki paid no attention to the explosions behind him. Even though the slash had left the island in ruins, he did not look back.
His face was dark as he stared fixedly at Lin Yuan, his eyes full of killing intent and shock.
He had dodged in their clash of slashes, which also meant he had lost the exchange. How could he accept that?
Neither man spoke; they simply stared at each other. But while Golden Lion Shiki's face was dark, a faint smile appeared on Lin Yuan's lips.
Only after a long while, when the explosions on the floating island behind Golden Lion Shiki had died down, did Lin Yuan speak with a smile.
"Hehe, it looks like you've gotten quite a bit weaker, Senior Golden Lion Shiki! Can you move aside now?"
Lin Yuan had no desire to fight Golden Lion Shiki to the death now. Although he had won their exchange, he would be gravely mistaken to underestimate the Golden Lion because of it.
If he drove the Golden Lion into a frenzy and made him pull the ship's wheel from his head, it would be hard to say who would win or lose. After all, his opponent knew Conqueror's Haki coating.
Win or lose, the outcome would bring Lin Yuan nothing but harm. At the very least, he certainly would not be able to protect the gold worth ten billion Beli behind him.
If they fought with all their strength, everything around them would be wiped out, whether it was his Flame Clouds or the floating island behind the Golden Lion.
Lin Yuan would not abandon his vast fortune at a time like this to fight Golden Lion Shiki to the death.
As for using his opponent to learn Conqueror's Haki coating, he would not be so shortsighted. Given time, he was confident he could master it himself. If all else failed, he could seek out Rayleigh or Kaido.
"Jihahaha, I never expected another fellow like you to appear in this world. I've only ever seen one other person reach such strength at your age!"
"I acknowledge you. It's a pity you didn't join me, but I'll be watching to see what kind of storm you stir up from now on. Hahahahaha..."
"Hehe, I won't disappoint you! Then, until we meet again!"
With that, Lin Yuan controlled the Flame Clouds and flew away from the floating island where Golden Lion Shiki stood. He did not try to recruit Golden Lion Shiki, because he knew that even if he did, the man would not agree.
As a former overlord who had dared to attack Marine Headquarters alone and had destroyed more than half of it even while facing Sengoku and Garp together, he would not place himself beneath anyone.
Watching Lin Yuan depart, a trace of loneliness appeared on Golden Lion Shiki's face. He looked at his slightly trembling hands and his bleeding, severed legs, and only after a long while did it turn into a sigh.
"Have I really grown old?"
Only he could hear those words. Meanwhile, Lin Yuan sat lazily on the Flame Clouds, looking with amusement at the silent Enel.
"What, did that shake your confidence?!"