Chapter 250: Collision
"Jihahahaha..."
"The strong who sail these seas, yearning for freedom and unrestraint, actually worship so-called gods."
"What a pathetic bunch of insects."
Hearing this blasphemy, Gan Fall and the temple guards all displayed visible anger, yet remained powerless to act.
The gap between them was simply astronomical—they weren't even in the same league, perhaps separated by three or four entire tiers of strength.
Golden Lion alone possessed sufficient power to annihilate the entire Sky Island. Even Enel, who'd recently departed, would be helpless against such overwhelming force.
"Hmph."
Golden Lion snorted dismissively, observing their expressions of impotent fury.
In truth, if he hadn't intended to recruit this supposedly powerful "god," he wouldn't have wasted time conversing with such weaklings at all.
Just then, a series of deliberate footsteps suddenly echoed from the clouds behind them.
Tap... tap... tap...
Everyone turned to look, witnessing two figures slowly emerging from the white mist.
The first figure wore pristine white clothing, with long, thick jet-black hair cascading over his shoulders. He possessed a cool, aloof demeanor and strikingly handsome, almost divine features. His mere presence was incredibly commanding, instantly drawing the attention of everyone present.
Golden Lion was no exception, though his eyes held a glint of recognition and surprise.
The person before him bore remarkable resemblance to the Thunder God Swordsman he'd previously seen in newspaper photographs.
Physical appearance alone made identification difficult.
Golden Lion's sharp gaze fell upon the two swords at Rhodes' waist. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully, and after a brief moment's consideration, he suddenly burst into booming laughter:
"So it's the Thunder God Swordsman himself! Jihahahaha..."
"I didn't expect the strongest rookie of this era to possess such... interesting hobbies."
As a world-renowned swordsman himself, he naturally recognized the two famous blades at Rhodes' waist.
Given Rhodes' considerable fame, he'd naturally already caught this legendary pirate's attention.
"Having hobbies is perfectly fine. Everyone possesses their own unique interests."
Golden Lion's expression shifted to one of calculating intensity.
"Dragon-Slaying Swordsman, how about joining the Flying Pirates?"
He stared intently at Rhodes, a domineering glint flashing in his eyes. Clenching his fist with supreme confidence, he declared:
"If you join forces with me, controlling these seas will only be a matter of time."
Since his imprisonment in Impel Down, most of his former subordinates had scattered to the winds. Now only a handful remained loyal, leaving him effectively isolated without a single truly capable lieutenant under his command.
The strongest rookie, the Thunder God Swordsman, possessed both the strength and fame to join his pirate crew and become the sharpest blade in his arsenal.
"Controlling the seas is indeed my ultimate objective..."
Facing this legendary pirate directly, Rhodes' expression remained utterly unchanged. He stated calmly:
"However, I can only be the king who rules over all—never someone's subordinate."
"Heh."
Hearing Rhodes' straightforward rejection, Golden Lion appeared completely unfazed. He hadn't expected to subjugate someone like Rhodes with mere words anyway. He simply smiled knowingly and continued:
"Although I haven't paid close attention to recent events on the seas, I still maintain some awareness. Do you genuinely believe you're capable of replacing Whitebeard and claiming a Yonko's throne?"
"Whether it's that upstart Blackbeard or the remnants of Whitebeard's crew, neither will prove easy to overcome."
Although Golden Lion described them as "difficult to deal with," his expression radiated pure arrogance, clearly dismissing these younger generation pirates as beneath his concern.
"How will anyone know unless they try?"
Rhodes' tone remained perfectly calm and measured.
Golden Lion stared at Rhodes intently for a long moment, then suddenly threw his head back with booming laughter that echoed across the sky. Simultaneously, a tremendously powerful aura rippled outward in all directions.
Haoshoku Haki—Conqueror's Haki!
Almost instantaneously, the clouds surrounding the Skypiea Temple were violently affected, swirling like a massive vortex, creating a scene where the very world seemed to lose its color.
This Conqueror's Haki was incredibly potent—far surpassing what Rhodes had experienced from Blackbeard or Doflamingo.
Ordinary temple guards collapsed unconscious almost immediately. Gan Fall barely managed to maintain consciousness, but his breathing became severely labored as he swayed dangerously, held upright only by his iron will.
Only Jinbe remained relatively composed, though profound seriousness shone in his eyes.
Is this the legendary pirate who once rivaled Oyaji? His Conqueror's Haki is truly monstrous, Jinbe thought gravely.
Although Lord Rhodes possesses remarkable strength, his Conqueror's Haki probably hasn't reached the same level as a veteran king like Shiki. I wonder how he'll handle this pressure...
He turned his gaze toward Rhodes, only to discover his captain simply standing there with perfect composure, allowing the overwhelming Conqueror's Haki to wash over him like a gentle breeze, his expression completely unmoved.
This observation made Jinbe breathe a slight sigh of relief. Judging from this reaction, even if Rhodes' Conqueror's Haki wasn't quite as developed as Shiki's, he clearly wouldn't be at a significant disadvantage.
However, in the very instant that thought crossed his mind—
A surge of Conqueror's Haki no less powerful than Shiki's suddenly erupted from Rhodes' deceptively lean frame, colliding ferociously with the legendary pirate's pressure.
BOOOOOM!
An invisible impact seemed to detonate in the very air itself.
Golden Lion Shiki was a legendary pirate who'd rivaled Roger and Whitebeard before the Great Pirate Era even began.
If not for the catastrophic storm during the Battle of Edd War, the title of Pirate King might never have belonged to Roger.
Shiki had reached the absolute pinnacle of both strength and influence during his prime.
Such a figure naturally possessed incredibly powerful Conqueror's Haki—certainly no weaker than Kaido or Big Mom's.
Yet under Jinbe's utterly astonished gaze, the clash of their Conqueror's Haki resulted in a complete stalemate!
When Whitebeard and Shanks had clashed during their famous meeting, even the dark clouds in the heavens had been split cleanly in two.
While Rhodes and Golden Lion were perhaps slightly inferior to those two absolute monsters, the power they generated was equally earth-shattering.
WHOOOOOOSH!
Two supreme-tier Conqueror's Haki of the era collided head-on.
The atmosphere suddenly froze, then violently rippled outward, sweeping in all directions like a catastrophic typhoon, stirring up vast clouds of debris and dust.
The surrounding mist was blown away entirely, clearing both sky and earth to perfect visibility.
In this ferocious spiritual conflict, both combatants' clothes whipped wildly in the pressure waves.
Their hair flew backward, dancing wildly under the influence of their colliding Conqueror's Haki, making them appear like warring gods and demons from ancient mythology.
Hovering in midair, Golden Lion maintained his outward composure, but his heart churned with profound shock and disbelief.
This brat's Conqueror's Haki is simply too powerful!
Golden Lion had once ruled vast territories across the seas, so he naturally possessed intimate familiarity with Conqueror's Haki and its nuances.
Conqueror's Haki represented an ability combining both status and personal strength in equal measure.
Overwhelming power and supreme status were both absolutely indispensable components.
Could this guy be like that brat Shanks—someone with truly exceptional natural talent for Conqueror's Haki?
But that doesn't make sense. Shanks only reached the peak of his Conqueror's Haki after officially becoming one of the Four Emperors and ruling his territories...
Golden Lion found himself completely baffled by this development.
Rhodes, however, spoke with perfect calm:
"Make your move, Golden Lion."
"Let me witness firsthand what kind of strength you legendary pirates actually possess."
His expression remained serene, his tone light—as if discussing something utterly mundane.
"Brat, I'm genuinely impressed by your Conqueror's Haki, but mere spiritual pressure isn't sufficient. Without concrete strength to back it up, it's all meaningless posturing."
Golden Lion floated leisurely several dozen meters above the ground, his gaze still radiating supreme arrogance as he looked down at Rhodes with disdain.
"Experience the difference, boy!"
With that declaration, he raised one leg and swept it sharply downward. His famous sword Oto—replacing his severed limb—cleaved through the air with devastating force. Simultaneously, a terrifying golden sword slash shot forth, hurtling toward Rhodes with murderous intent.
This sword technique far exceeded Vista's foil swordsmanship, which Rhodes had previously clashed with during the Paramount War. Among all the sword masters Rhodes had ever witnessed, only Dracule Mihawk—the world's greatest swordsman—could consistently surpass this level!
Without question, Golden Lion stood as a Great Swordsman at the absolute pinnacle of the swordsmanship world—and even among Great Swordsmen, he undoubtedly ranked among the strongest!
(End of Chapter)
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