Upon hearing Vic's words, Garp on the warship below darkened his face. "He wants to be a Fist of Love? Hasn't he given me enough love? I'll have to be more protective of him in the future."
Although Garp knew that what Vic said was different from what actually happened, he wondered if Vic would still have insisted on joining the Navy if he hadn't taken Vic in back then.
Given Vic's strength at the time, was he really content to start as a regular marine? Maybe he really would have become a pirate? Sometimes, unintentional words truly reveal one's subconscious!
There were many factors that led Vic to want to join the Navy at the time. Rebecca's dream, the Six Powers, and his past obsession all contributed to his choice. However, after joining the Navy, he saw many truths he had never encountered before, which gradually changed some of Vic's ideas.
Before becoming a Marine, he had a sense of justice, conscience, and principles. However, after becoming a Marine, his sense of justice changed, and his values changed as well. I'm saying all this now just to tease Golden Lion and provoke him!
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! The East Blue is the weakest sea, how could a genius like you possibly appear there? I don't believe it! You must be lying to me, tell me you're lying! Waaah!"
Vic's words did indeed provoke Shiki. He had rushed to Marine Headquarters because of the news that Roger had been captured by the Navy and was to be executed in Loguetown in the East Blue. He didn't want his trusted right-hand man to end his brilliant life in the weakest ocean in the East Blue.
He felt that it was an insult to Roger. The Golden Lion was indeed tough, but in the end he paid a heavy price. Now that Vic had mentioned the East Blue again, and that it was someone he had taken a liking to, he naturally found it hard to believe. This clashed greatly with his ambition to destroy the East Blue, and his unbalanced state of mind naturally caused him to lose his composure.
"What's impossible about that? Roger and Garp both came from the East Blue. One became the king of pirates, conquering the Grand Line, and the other became Hero of the Marines, a legend in the Navy."
With the two of them here, the East China Sea cannot be the weakest ocean. There are many latecomers. Although they are not famous now, they are still growing and will be key figures affecting the structure of the world in the future. It is not the East China Sea that is weak, but the people's hearts!"
Vic only used Roger and Garp to refute this, saying that they weren't the only ones in the East Blue. Roger's first mate Dark King Rayleigh, was most likely from the East Blue as well, since he was Roger's first partner when Roger didn't even have a ship. However, Vic wasn't entirely sure and didn't say anything more.
Then there's Dragon, Garp's son, who's likely reached Admiral strength by now. He just rarely makes a move and isn't well-known. And then there are those kids in the next generation who are still playing in the mud. They'll all be figures who will influence the world in the future. The East Blue is truly not weak.
"Last time, Garp said that the East China Sea is the most peaceful sea area. Now you say that the East China Sea can affect the pattern of the world. If someone had said that before, I would have buried him. But now that I have seen you, I kind of believe it. Your domineering power is indeed very strong, but you are still too young. You don't know how terrifying the king of pirates is!"
Although the Golden Lion had recovered somewhat, his face was still twitching, revealing a mad look. Although Vic was young and strong, he was unwilling to follow him in destroying things, just like Roger had refused to become his right-hand man. He had also tried to kill Roger without hesitation, but failed due to the natural environment. He really wanted to kill Roger because Roger's existence would hinder the realization of his ambitions.
After saying that, the Golden Lion charged towards Vic, and while he was still in the middle of the charge, he began to release black and red Inazuma from his body.
Vic's eyes narrowed. This was Conqueror's Haki! So what he was using now was Conqueror's Coating. That old thief Golden Lion hadn't really regressed that much. He now had both Haki Ryuo and Conqueror's Coating!
Vic estimated that Golden Lion's Haki had only declined somewhat. It wasn't until more than ten years later, when the ship's rudder on his head was badly damaged, that his Haki completely faded away, leaving only his swordsmanship and Devil Fruit ability. This was the only reason why King Luffy could defeat him.
Golden Lion and Garp have a grudge, so Golden Lion won't go easy on Vic out of Garp's sake. Therefore, Vic is at a disadvantage against Golden Lion right now. It would be best to wait two years, and with the balance of power shifting, Vic can easily take him down.
However, it's clear that the Mystery Island has been discovered by Golden Lion, so fighting is not an option. Vic is very interested in the Mystery Fruit, and as for the Conqueror's Coating, Vic also wants to see it. Maybe it will awaken his Conqueror's Haki. Besides, top pirates all have Conqueror's Coating, so he'll have to encounter it sooner or later. Awakening this a preliminary encounter.
As the Golden Lion approached Vic, both of the Supreme Great Grade Sword on its legs were wrapped in black and red Inazuma. Vic reacted quickly, and the Great Grade Sword directly met the attack.
Before Vic's twin swords even touched Oto and Kogarashi, he felt dizzy and almost dropped his swords. Before the four swords could even make contact, they were sent flying by Golden Lion's twin swords, almost breaking through his defenses and injuring his body.
A force was trying to force its way into Vic's body, interfering with both his physical and mental state. If he weren't so strong, with his physical and mental reactions enhanced by the Speed-Speed Fruit, making him stronger than Golden Lion, and his willpower having been significantly improved, he might have fallen victim to this attack.
"Heh heh heh, what a surprise! I didn't expect you to be able to block even Conqueror's Haki Coating. That's a technique only top-tier experts can use. That was just a test. From now on, I won't hold back. Let's see how many moves you can withstand!"
Golden Lion was somewhat surprised, not expecting that Vic could block the Conqueror's Haki Coating and remain unharmed after taking the attack.
Meanwhile, Garp's expression turned serious on the sea below. Golden Lion had already used the Conqueror's Coating, a move he was extremely familiar with, and he was worried about whether Vic could block it.
He had held back from using his Conqueror's Coating love when he was with Vic before, fearing that Vic wouldn't be able to handle his overbearing affection. He was prepared to clean up Vic's mess; Vic was the future backbone of the Navy, and he couldn't let him fall here.
After speaking, the Golden Lion continued his fierce attack on Vic, this time with Conqueror's Coating. This time, the attack was no longer a probing strike like the first one; he was unleashing his full power to attack Vic.
Vic, who was barely able to hold on just now, was now struggling to cope. Vic could only use Armament Haki to cover his entire body to prevent himself from getting a large wound after being hit by the Supreme Great Grade Sword.
Although Armament Haki can withstand weapon attacks, the mysterious power of Conqueror's Coating directly penetrates Armament Haki and damages Vic's body and mind. The successive attacks caused Vic to lose his composure and almost lose control of the Haki that enveloped his entire body.
If the Haki had dissipated, Vic might have been missing a part or something. Although the Haki hadn't dissipated yet, the physical damage still caused Vic to cough up blood and suffer considerable internal injuries.
Moreover, the Golden Lion's attacks did not stop; he continued his fierce assault, wanting to finish off Vic in one fell swoop. He also knew that if Garp intervened, there would be no chance, or he was somewhat worried that if the time dragged on too long, something unexpected might happen.
Enduring the Conqueror's Coating, savage strikes from the Golden Lion, Vic's spirit grew increasingly weary, and he was on the verge of unconsciousness!