"Raleigh! Raleigh! Should we go after Golden Lion?!"
Inside the Den Den Mushi, Kuzan shouted excitedly.
No wonder he was excited.
Top-tier powerhouses like Golden Lion were typically only dealt with by full Admirals or the Fleet Admiral in the past.
Among Vice Admirals, only Garp dared face Golden Lion alone, while there wasn't even a single Rear Admiral who could do so.
Now that Raleigh and Kuzan were pursuing Golden Lion together, it undoubtedly created a major event that shocked the Marines.
Everyone in this world strongly acknowledged world-shaking events.
Regardless of your position in such events, merely participating would significantly boost your reputation.
Something like chasing Golden Lion all over the New World—just mentioning it would earn you everyone's respect.
"Yes, Kuzan. But listen, what we're doing isn't simply chasing Golden Lion."
Raleigh spoke calmly into the receiver.
"This guy poses too great a threat to the Navy and civilians. Now is his weakest moment—we should strike while he's vulnerable."
After hearing Raleigh's words, Kuzan appeared quite excited.
He was still in his youthful and vigorous phase, not yet reaching the point where his mindset would change into "Lazy Justice."
The current Kuzan believed in "Burning Justice."
In his view, capturing the Great Pirate Golden Lion who dominated the New World would be an extremely cool thing.
In fact, even Raleigh was very excited about potentially capturing Golden Lion.
"Maximum power to the warships! Maintain tight pursuit of Golden Lion's stern!"
Though Raleigh desperately wanted to capture Golden Lion, out of respect for Golden Lion's strength, he wanted to exhaust more of the pirate's stamina first.
Despite Kuzan currently holding only the rank of Rear Admiral, his strength wasn't merely that of an ordinary officer.
This future Admiral, possessing a top-tier Logia Devil Fruit, far surpassed his peers in both survival ability and combat power.
Facing the two warships stubbornly pursuing his ship's wake, Golden Lion showed expressions of anger and helplessness.
The current Golden Lion didn't want to engage the two pursuing warships because he had discovered Roger's ship had already escaped.
Furthermore, Garp's warship was approaching this location from the flank.
If he engaged the two pursuing warships and got stuck fighting them, then when Garp arrived, Golden Lion would have no chance of escape.
But not fighting back wasn't an option either, as they had been stubbornly pursuing for quite some time.
"Indigo, you take control of the ship first. I'll go test them."
Actually, Shiki hadn't wanted to engage the two pursuing warships initially.
He was truly forced into this situation.
However, from Golden Lion's observation, the officers on these two warships were quite young.
Judging from their epaulets, one was a Vice Admiral and the other a Rear Admiral.
"Although I've suffered serious injuries, sending only a Vice Admiral and Rear Admiral after me—isn't the Navy looking down on me too much?"
Golden Lion's eyes revealed a venomous glare.
Who was he? He was the famous Golden Lion Shiki of the New World!
If word spread that he was being chased around by just a Vice Admiral and a Rear Admiral, how many pirates in the New World would still maintain fear and respect for him?
If that happened, the Flying Pirates that Golden Lion had painstakingly assembled would disintegrate as they lost their awe of him.
Therefore, in Golden Lion's view, these two Navy officers pursuing him must die.
Using his Float-Float Fruit ability, Golden Lion swiftly moved across the sea surface.
While dodging the cannon fire from the warships, he prepared the same technique he used against Roger.
"Lion's Roar: Sea Scroll!"
The same technique was used once again by Golden Lion.
But unlike before, the lion head formed by the seawater Golden Lion manipulated was only half the size of the previous one due to his exhaustion.
As soon as the seawater-formed lion appeared, it roared towards the sky, then pounced fiercely towards the nearest warship—Kuzan's vessel.
"Arara, so you've chosen me as your opponent? I'm truly honored."
Kuzan, his eyes filled with fighting spirit, watched the lion charging at him.
"If I let you run wild, you'd cause a lot of destruction, wouldn't you?"
"Ice Time Capsule!"
While Golden Lion's construct was still a long distance from the warship, a capsule formed from concentrated cold air appeared in Kuzan's hand.
He hurled it forcefully toward the direction of the lion head.
The capsule emitted an unparalleled chill the moment it was thrown.
Along its path, the air crackled and all the seawater was frozen solid instantly.
Golden Lion, seeing the frozen sea, showed a flicker of surprise on his face.
He hadn't expected that a random Marine Rear Admiral he encountered would possess a Logia-type top-tier Devil Fruit—the Hie Hie no Mi (Ice-Ice Fruit).
Since it was a Marine with this fruit, the lion beneath his feet was destined to become nothing more than an ice sculpture.
So before the Ice Time Capsule could hit the lion, Golden Lion had already taken to the air.
Watching the lion instantly turn into a frozen statue, Golden Lion fell into rare silence before finally speaking.
"Marines... your strength is impressive, and your Devil Fruit is a top-tier one that's hard to come by."
"If you're willing to join the Flying Pirates, I can offer you the position of Vice Captain."
Golden Lion hovered in the air, looking down. "Think about it—in the Marines, you only get a fixed salary, working yourself to death every day capturing pirates. Join my Flying Pirates, and you won't have to do anything as Vice Captain."
"Any matters that arise will be handled by me and the pirates below. So? Consider it."
Golden Lion wasn't a pirate who valued others lightly. If he took notice of someone, it meant that person's potential was extraordinary.
"As long as they don't die young, they're certain to become world-class powerhouses," Shiki muttered to himself.
Kuzan curled his lips—he had no desire to become a pirate.
His idol was Garp, who had repeatedly refused promotion to Admiral. To Kuzan, the Marines represented Justice, while pirates represented evil.
"Shut up, Shiki! I would never join the pirates—not in this lifetime!"
Raleigh, who had just flown over using Moon Walk, heard this and looked speechlessly at the young Kuzan before him.
Some things are said with absolute certainty now, but years later, choices often change against one's will.
"Then let's have an exhilarating battle!"
After being rejected by Kuzan, Golden Lion didn't show disappointment, but his tone turned icy cold.
This was just the kind of person Golden Lion was—if he couldn't have something, he would definitely destroy it.
Just like the cause of this naval battle. Since Golden Lion couldn't have Roger as a companion, he decided to kill Roger here.
As for failing—that could only be blamed on bad luck.