And, looking at the current scene, his strength, during the thirty-eight years since his 'death', has not weakened in the slightest, perhaps even several times stronger than what he remembered?!!
"Gained 10000 negative points!"
"Gained 10000 negative points!"
"Gained 10000 negative points!"
"..."
Looking at the system prompts constantly scrolling on the attribute panel in front of him; then looking at Shiki, whose eyes were wide and filled with disbelief in mid-air, Rocks D. Xebec grinned, made an inviting gesture, and extended his palm towards him,
"Shiki, it seems you've confirmed my identity!"
"So, have you decided to fight me; or will you, as in the past, return to my command and submit to me!"
Looking at Shiki in mid-air, whose face showed a seriousness he had never displayed before, Indigo was filled with dread.
The moment Rocks' words fell, Indigo, who had once been part of the Rocks Pirates, completely believed that the man opposite him was Rocks D. Xebec, the Overlord of the Seas who had 'died' in God Valley!
A hint of panic flashed in Indigo's eyes!
Captain Shiki at this moment was not a cadre of the Rocks Pirates from decades ago.
As a loyal subordinate who had followed this lion-demon with a fearsome reputation for decades, no one understood Captain Shiki's ambition better than Indigo.
This was a Lion King who, even in old age, still possessed the ambition to roar across the four seas and devour the world!
Shiki, with such ambition,
Even facing Rocks D. Xebec, to whom he had once submitted, would never surrender without a fight!
So he knew that this battle between his Captain Shiki and the old Captain Rocks was unavoidable!
"Buzz!!"
As expected,
The moment Rocks' words fell, Golden Lion Shiki in mid-air was covered from head to toe in a layer of pitch-black Armament Haki!
Suddenly,
Shiki, who had become aware of Rocks' identity and was one of the Three Legendary Pirates, renowned alongside Whitebeard and Roger for his illustrious achievements, chose to fight!
Shiki was indeed a legendary pirate.
Even though he was old,
Even with a potentially fatal ship's rudder embedded in his head at this moment,
The Armament Haki he unleashed was still considered the pinnacle of this world!
Looking at Golden Lion Shiki in mid-air, who was clashing with Rocks on the ground, both erupting with overwhelming Haoshoku.
Indigo knew,
As a subordinate, he could only wait at this moment.
Because a battle of this level, even surpassing the Admiral level, was not something he could interfere with!
"Buzz!"
Just as the terrified Indigo was about to shout for retreat, the Golden Lion in mid-air, completely enveloped in powerful Armament Haki.
The already sharp aura around him, comparable to a Great Swordsman, suddenly erupted!
Rising,
The Golden Lion's aura was rising!
As his aura rose, the emotional colors in the Golden Lion's eyes faded, becoming incredibly calm.
When all fluctuations in his eyes completely dissipated, turning as still as an ancient well, the Golden Lion's legs, replaced by Oto and Kogarashi below his knees, suddenly trembled!
In an instant!
Crystalline light blossomed from Oto and Kogarashi's blades!
Power!
The violent, surging, immense power, capable of changing the weather, confined within the blades, surged forth like a bursting dam, wild and unrestrained!
Then,
The top-tier Armament Haki covering the Golden Lion's body slowly receded. As the Armament Haki on his body faded,
The Oto and Kogarashi replacing his legs, however, were covered in an increasingly intense Armament Haki, so thick that it instantly dyed the already black blades even darker!
As Armament Haki continued to be infused, the power contained within Oto and Kogarashi's blades became even more terrifying and violent.
"Swish!"
He moved,
The moment the power accumulated on the blades reached its peak, the Golden Lion, floating in mid-air, plummeted like a falling meteor!
As his body rapidly descended, the infinitely violent and surging power from the peerless black blades replacing his legs extended from the sharp edges beneath the Golden Lion's legs, all the way to the tips!
Then,
As the Golden Lion plummeted, brilliant Slash Waves were unleashed towards Rocks!
"Fight!!!"
Only at this moment did the roaring sound, which had been churning in the Golden Lion's throat before his movement, finally explode and echo.
Suddenly,
The Golden Lion's series of movements had already surpassed the speed of sound!
"Screech, screech, screech!!!"
As the roar exploded, piercing sonic booms resonated!
Slash Wave!
Terrifying and sharp black streaks of energy were instantly forced out from the blades' edges, transforming into clusters of dark, terrifying Slash Waves.
They rapidly shot towards Rocks in front.
Dazzling!
Sharp!
Vast!
At this moment, even words could not describe the terror of these brilliant Slash Waves!
The moment the Slash Waves fully shot out!
Even space itself seemed to be torn open by this attack.
Endless ripples surged and wriggled around the Slash Waves.
It seemed as if space was forcibly twisted, and terrifying slashes, entangled with infinitely violent tearing force, surged forth.
Instantly!
Even in the very next moment,
The Slash Waves crossed space, directly plunging into the earth!
"Rumble, rumble, rumble!"
Amidst a series of dull, thunderous explosions.
Vast power, like tearing a curtain.
The seemingly tough island ground, the moment it endured this terrifying cut, was directly split apart!
Yes!
The island was torn apart!
The tough ground on the island's surface was forcibly cut open, creating deep, bottomless gaps.
Dark and profound, like the abyss of purgatory...
But,
These terrifying slashes, which erupted and violently tore apart the island, rapidly spreading towards Rocks, were not Shiki's ultimate move!
Shiki, who deeply understood Rocks' formidable combat power, knew clearly.
Even though he had lost both of his legs and, over two decades, had developed swordsmanship techniques capable of unleashing Great Swordsman-level Slash Waves with his feet.
But,
How could such power possibly harm his former Captain, the Overlord of the Seas, Rocks?!
Therefore,
These overwhelming, earth-rending Slash Waves were merely a prelude to disrupt Rocks' vision.
The true killing blow was hidden behind the sky-filled Slash Waves: the Golden Lion's peerless black blades that replaced his legs!
Activating his Observation Haki, Rocks clearly 'saw' the Golden Lion Shiki's extremely sharp blades behind the overwhelming Slash Waves that blocked all his escape routes. With an overbearing roar, he spoke,
"Excellent!"
As his roar fell, Rocks, having assumed a stance, suddenly reached out and grasped the Haki Blade Heavy Country, whose wooden hilt had decayed over thirty-eight years, leaving only the blade, in his palm!
He swung his blade to meet the attack!
Even though he was facing a legendary pirate, and even though Rocks' Observation Haki had shown him no less than ten ways to avoid Golden Lion Shiki's attack.
Rocks still did not retreat in the slightest!
The moment Rocks gripped his blade, the Golden Lion, plummeting from high in the sky, clearly sensed an extreme sharpness!
Aura!
An aura even sharper and more domineering than the Golden Lion's,
Suddenly erupted from Rocks' body, with the long blade in his hand!
Yes,
Even though Haki Blade Heavy Country's wooden hilt had decayed, the moment it landed in Rocks' palm,
Rocks still felt an exquisitely subtle sensation, as if this long blade had become an extension of his own limb.
Even more,
The moment he gripped the long blade, a feeling arose within Rocks that with this long blade in hand, nothing could remain unbroken!
"Swish!"
The moment this feeling arose,
Rocks, following his inner sensation, infused his abundant Armament Haki into it. Immediately after, he swung his arm fiercely, slashing towards the Golden Lion plummeting from high in the sky!
"Crack, crack, crack!!!"
The moment the Haki-filled Haki Blade Heavy Country's blade cut through the air.
It clashed with the sword energy unleashed by the Golden Lion.
Upon contact, the Slash Wave, unleashed by the Golden Lion with Oto and Kogarashi, which even a Marine Admiral would not dare to directly block without preparation, shattered with a crash, like glass struck by a heavy hammer!
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The plans are now available.
1st Plan: Read 20 chapters in advance + free waifu.
2nd Plan: Read 30 chapters in advance + 10 waifu.