Golden Lion's arrogant laughter echoed across the skies above G-3 Base…
The overwhelming confidence of a peak-tier powerhouse, the pressure of absolute supremacy given form—all of it embodied the meaning of "invincible."
This was Golden Lion at his prime—arrogant, domineering, untamed.A true legend of the seas.
"Hmph."Sakazuki did not answer with words.He answered with action.
A torrent of magma erupted from his arm, roaring straight toward Golden Lion.
At the same moment, Gern moved as well—swinging Bahuang with explosive force. A shockwave tore through the ground, racing toward Golden Lion at terrifying speed.
"Oh?"Faced with the combined assault, Golden Lion merely scoffed.
"So… you've chosen death."
With a casual snap of his fingers, the ground tilted violently. Sakazuki's magma and Gern's shockwave were both thrown off course, skewed away as if gravity itself had betrayed them.
"Too slow," Golden Lion's voice suddenly whispered behind Gern."And… too weak."
"What—?!"
Before Gern could even turn, agony exploded across his back.
Golden Lion's wooden sandal smashed directly into his spine.
BOOM!
Gern was sent flying like a broken kite, crashing through three walls before finally skidding to a halt.
"Gern!"Sakazuki roared as he charged forward, his magma fist crashing down with cataclysmic force.
Golden Lion calmly raised Sakura Ten, the blade colliding with molten magma—CLANG!Metal rang against magma as if striking solid steel.
Astonishingly, the magma split apart, unable to touch him.
"Brat," Golden Lion sneered around his cigar,"you're nowhere near Sengoku's level."
Before Sakazuki could react, Withered Wood swept toward him in a deadly arc.
At that instant—
A shockwave tore through the air from the side, forcing Golden Lion to pull back.
"Tch. Whitebeard's tricks again?"Golden Lion raised an eyebrow as space twisted where he had just stood."You really can do it."
From the rubble, Gern pulled himself upright, blood streaking from the corner of his mouth.
"Looks like… you're not so comfortable with vibration either," he panted, his left arm now completely wrapped in trembling white particles.
Golden Lion narrowed his eyes, sneering.
"Afraid?"He raised his blade and pointed it straight at Gern."That power of yours is nothing more than a cheap imitation!"
Gern's gaze sharpened.The vibration particles in his palm surged violently, the surrounding air screaming under the pressure.
"Whether it's imitation or not…"His voice dropped into icy calm."You'll find out soon enough."
"Arrogant brat!"
Golden Lion vanished.
In the next instant, he reappeared before Gern—both swords crossing downward in a deadly X-shaped slash!
The air screamed before the blades even landed.
CLANG!
Black Sword Bahuang collided with the twin blades, vibration and Armament Haki exploding together in a blinding flash.
A violent shockwave erupted outward, shattering the ground beneath them into a spiderweb of cracks.
At the same time—
"Great Eruption!"
Sakazuki seized the opening, his arm transforming into a colossal magma fist that slammed toward Golden Lion's back.
"Heh."
Golden Lion didn't even look.
He stomped midair, space itself twisting under his power as massive stone walls surged upward, blocking the magma blast completely.
"Don't get in the way, magma brat!"
With a burst of force, he blasted Gern backward.
Gern skidded several meters before regaining balance, instantly charging again.
"Heavenquake — Shatter the Sky!"
Bahuang swept horizontally, coated in Armament Haki as pale vibration energy carved through the air, splitting space like glass.
Golden Lion's eyes flashed.
"Interesting!"
He crossed his blades, coating them in Haki, and blocked the strike head-on.
"But that won't be enough to beat me!"
"Is that so?"
Gern suddenly withdrew his blade.
Then—
His left fist clenched.
Dark red Ryuo surged like molten magma, vibration energy compressing to a pinpoint.
Golden Lion's pupils shrank.
"…That stance—"
"Black Quake: God-Piercing Nail!"
The punch landed.
The world went silent.
Then—
BOOOOM!!!
A devastating shockwave tore through Golden Lion's body and erupted from his back.Space fractured like a shattered mirror, blinding white energy bursting outward like a newborn star.
Clouds within a kilometer radius were ripped apart in straight lines.
Golden Lion remained standing—but a massive trench had been carved behind him.
"…You brat…"A thin trail of blood slid from the corner of his mouth.
He had been injured.
For the first time, his expression grew serious.
"Try to survive."
He leapt skyward, swords raised high.
"Lion's Roar — Thousand-Cut Valley!"
Blades of wind rained down like a storm of destruction, engulfing the entire G-3 Base.
Sakazuki snapped out of his shock, glancing at Gern before roaring:
"Meteor Volcano!"
Countless magma fists launched skyward, colliding violently with the golden slashes.
Explosions chained endlessly across the sky.
Gern dissolved into white particles, streaking upward like a comet. Black trails cut through the light as he reformed midair.
This time, he struck with an open palm.
"Is this Sengoku's move now?!" Golden Lion barked, blocking just in time—yet still being blasted backward.
Even he was stunned.
"How many techniques have you stolen, brat?!"
Gern didn't answer.
He surged forward again.
Against an opponent like this, hesitation meant death.
"Kuzan… Borsalino… and now me…"Sakazuki recognized the styles—but now wasn't the time to dwell.
He kicked off the air, joining Gern in a pincer attack.
Two warriors—different in nature, united in purpose.
Golden Lion roared with laughter, his blades whirling as Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki intertwined violently.
The sky warped.The clouds tore apart.The world trembled beneath their clash.
From the evacuation zone, the Marines stared in awe.
"So this is… a true battle between monsters…"
Then—
Golden Lion sneered.
"Enough games."
He leapt backward, slamming his swords into the air itself.
The sky warped violently. The shattered terrain rose into the air.
"Not good!"Gern's pupils shrank as his Observation Haki screamed warnings.
"Lion's Might — Earth-Rending Roar!"
The ground erupted.
Colossal stone lions surged upward, roaring as they charged toward Gern and Sakazuki—
A cataclysm unleashed.