"Ha! The wine is good."
"And battles with the strong are even better!"
After decades of traveling in the pirate world, Naruto had unconsciously picked up the habits of those battle maniacs.
The strong in this world often fought without complex reasons.
Fighting for territory?
Fighting for treasure?
Even just looking at someone the wrong way could very likely lead to a bloody battle.
Pirates were free but also chaotic and disorderly.
Naruto always tried to draw a clear line between himself and such chaotic pirates, but the thrill of battle had already seeped into his bones.
This wasn't something that could be cultivated while bearing those heavy destinies in the ninja world.
To show respect for this "senior," Naruto actively drew the Musōkō from his waist.
It wasn't that he didn't want to use the Kusanagi Sword personally sponsored by Orochimaru.
It's just that such a weapon with sufficient sharpness but lacking strength would easily shatter when facing a great swordsman.
The nearly transparent blade pointed straight at Golden Lion, and Naruto's aura instantly climbed to its peak.
"I'll go first!"
Musōkō instantly became a streak of light. Before Dr. Indigo and Scarlett could react, it had already struck Golden Lion.
Clang!
"Oto" collided with Musōkō, sending sparks flying.
"Jihahahaha! Is this all you've got, brat!"
Lifting his leg upward, he deflected Musōkō upward.
Then Golden Lion's other leg, wielding the famous sword "Kogarashi," followed his spinning motion to slash out a golden strike.
"Slashing Wave!"
But Naruto suddenly restrained his smile and stood in place without dodging.
The slash hit Naruto without obstruction, but aside from cutting a corner of his clothes, it didn't even leave a blood mark.
Though clearly uninjured, Naruto frowned.
"With you like this, you could fight Captain Roger?"
His eyes held disappointment.
Not provocation, but genuine, unexpected disappointment.
"Brat..."
Seemingly able to sense Naruto's emotions, Golden Lion's face instantly filled with rage.
"Who do you think you're looking down on!"
He suddenly rose into the air.
"Lion Menace: Earth Coiling!"
Golden Lion clenched his hand, and floors, walls, even soil were instantly crushed together by tremendous force, forming several enormous lion heads.
He seemed completely unconcerned that his palace had been destroyed by himself in an instant.
What he cared about more was that this brat from Roger's ship dared to look at him with such eyes.
Those eyes that looked at him like... an aging old man.
Pitying eyes!
Seeing Golden Lion's expression, Dr. Indigo and Scarlett immediately began running toward the distance, thus avoiding being caught in the crossfire.
But those minions weren't so lucky.
Golden Lion didn't care about their lives, directly ignoring their screams and rolling them into the lion's body as well.
Then those giant lion heads all pounced toward Naruto simultaneously.
Earth and stone became a torrent that instantly enveloped Naruto, then completely formed a spiral stone pillar reaching toward the sky.
Golden Lion loved watching enemies slowly die trapped within stone pillars.
But before he could enjoy the show, the pillar instantly crumbled.
Naruto stood there completely unharmed.
"It seems you really have grown old."
"Golden Lion."
This time, Naruto directly sheathed Musōkō.
"That's right. If you were still that strong warrior of the seas, how could you think of conquering the world through such crude methods?"
Thinking of the plan the opponent had spent over twenty years cultivating various modified beasts, Naruto's face showed a complex expression mixing disdain and sorrow.
Originally, given Golden Lion's reputation and Captain Roger's repeated praise, Naruto had thought he could have a real battle with a true strongman.
"Don't get carried away, you brat!"
This attitude was far more infuriating to Golden Lion than direct mockery.
He roared loudly, kicking back and forth in midair, then countless slashes poured down like raindrops.
"Lion: Thousand Cut Gorge!"
Buzz!
Black lightning formed chains wrapping around his body. Naruto's figure instantly broke through the dense slashes and appeared before Golden Lion.
A fist wrapped in Conqueror's Haki didn't even touch Golden Lion's body but still sent him flying backward.
This was Conqueror's Haki coating attack.
On Golden Lion's body, Naruto didn't even see Armament Haki.
Golden Lion's body was directly blasted through the ground by this punch, flying downward, and soon disappeared from sight.
"A boring battle."
Slowly landing back on the ground, Naruto's face held none of the joy a victor should have.
What existed was only sorrow for yet another strong person's "fall."
Dr. Indigo and Scarlett were indeed Golden Lion's most loyal subordinates and companions. After personally witnessing Naruto's strength, they actually didn't choose to flee but instead charged toward him.
"Super-sized Juggling Ball!"
Purple-green chemical gas gathered and burned in mid-air into a huge fireball, then flew toward Naruto.
The great ape Scarlett also came at him with a "growling" leap.
Bang!
Perhaps because he was a researcher, Dr. Indigo's juggling ball couldn't even scratch Naruto. He directly ignored the attack.
After casually punching the great ape back where it came from, Naruto's face showed boredom.
"Your plan ends here."
"Someone of this level shouldn't think about conquering the seas."
With that, Naruto was about to leave directly.
But after taking just a few steps, Naruto looked at the island still floating steadily in mid-air beneath his feet, surprise appearing on his face.
"Brat!"
At this moment, Golden Lion's voice slowly drifted over.
The place where he'd been hit still bore a deep impression, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
But at this moment, Golden Lion Shiki's face showed an expression of strength that Naruto knew all too well.
Extending his hand, he grasped the ship's wheel that had been lodged in his head during the "Battle of Edd War" over twenty years ago.
"Admiral! What do you want to do?!"
Dr. Indigo immediately sensed Golden Lion's intention, his face showing urgency.
As Golden Lion's right-hand man, no one knew Golden Lion's current physical condition better than him.
The position where this wheel was lodged was too dangerous. Removing it without risk was simply impossible.
Since it only affected Golden Lion's ability to use Haki at full power without affecting his fruit abilities, they had never removed it.
Golden Lion himself viewed this wheel as the shame of defeat. Whenever he saw it, he would recall Roger's victorious expression.
Golden Lion Shiki didn't answer Dr. Indigo's words, only staring intently at Naruto with his gaze.
"I am the Golden Lion!"
After this roar, accompanied by splattering blood and the sound of wood hitting the ground.
An incredibly intense Conqueror's Haki, like wine aged for years, rapidly shot out from Golden Lion Shiki's body.