The Ark Maxim, docked at the shores of Vermilion Island, suddenly lurched violently. The ship's hull groaned under the strain, nearly throwing those on deck off their feet.
Mr. 5 quickly grabbed the railing, clicking his tongue as he watched the massive plumes of dust rising from deep within the island. "The boss and Golden Lion have been fighting for three days and nights now. How can they still make this much of a commotion?"
Miss Valentine stepped forward under her parasol, peering anxiously at the distant flashes of swordplay on the island. "I wonder how the boss is holding up... That's Golden Lion we're talking about..."
When she turned, she saw Nico Robin sitting calmly on a deck chair, one hand holding an ancient text and the other a cup of coffee. Despite the violent rocking of the ship, she remained as steady as a mountain.
"Hey, the boss is risking his life out there, and here you are, completely at ease," Miss Valentine said, stomping her high heels as she approached Robin. The tip of her parasol nearly knocked against the rim of Robin's coffee cup.
Robin took a slow sip of her coffee, her eyes still fixed on the marked page of her book. "You know the boss's personality. If things were truly dire, he would have retreated by now. The fact that the fight continues means he still has the situation under control."
"You—" Miss Valentine's pink lips trembled with anger, but she couldn't find fault with Robin's logic. With the boss's spatial abilities, who could stop him if he really wanted to leave?
She stomped her foot hard, her lemon-shaped earrings jingling, then turned to glare at the sea, her skirt billowing in the wind.
On the other side of the deck, Porche handed Perona a strawberry pastry. The two newcomers exchanged glances in the shade of the mast.
Another deafening explosion echoed from the island. Perona nibbled on her pastry and mumbled, "The boss is so young, yet he can fight Golden Lion for this long? That's a legendary pirate we're talking about!"
Porche rolled her eyes. "Ugh, didn't you see it with your own eyes? The boss is stronger than you can imagine."
Though both knew Bahr was the infamous "Blasphemer" with a 1-billion-Berry bounty, witnessing him go toe-to-toe with a pirate of legend still left them stunned.
Having joined the crew midway, they had no idea Bahr had already clashed with a Navy Admiral.
Perona fell silent, sneaking a glance at the fuming Miss Valentine before whispering, "What's going on between those two? They don't seem to get along."
Porche followed her gaze and smirked. "What else? She's just jealous because the boss favors Nico Robin more. That lemon is drowning in vinegar."
"Hah? Getting worked up over something like that is just petty," Perona scoffed, wrinkling her nose.
She had only joined the crew out of necessity and had no interest in such trivial matters. But as her eyes traced the distant flashes of swordplay on the island, an odd feeling stirred in her chest.
That guy is ridiculously strong... Looks like I really can't go back to Moria-sama's side after all.
The thought made her unconsciously crush the strawberry pastry in her hand, crumbs scattering over her skirt. A pang of loss hit her, but she couldn't help calculating: "But following such a powerful boss... might not be so bad."
Amid the dust-choked battlefield, Golden Lion hovered in the air, panting heavily. Blood dripped from the wound on his shoulder, staining his golden mane and splattering onto the rocks below in dark crimson patches.
"Kid... you're something else," he grinned through bloodied teeth, each labored breath making the golden fur on his shoulders tremble.
Bahr gripped Autumn Water tightly, his waistband soaked with blood and his shoulder torn open, yet his eyes burned with fierce intensity.
He wiped the blood from his lips and tapped the blade against the ground, sending pebbles flying. "Old man, can't handle a few scratches? Getting too old for this?"
His voice was steady, without a trace of exhaustion.
Golden Lion's eye twitched. The words stung worse than any blade. These three days and nights of battle had been like a slow, grinding torture, wearing down both his stamina and patience.
On the first day, he could still offer pointers mid-fight, his moves laced with guidance. By the second, he had to focus entirely on defense, barely managing a few words through gritted teeth. Now, on the third day, he couldn't even spare the breath to speak.
What frustrated him most was how quickly the kid learned. A single hint was enough for him to grasp the essence, and his attacks grew fiercer by the hour—each strike more relentless than the last.
Bahr rested Autumn Water on his shoulder and studied the panting Golden Lion. "We've fought long enough. No need to keep this up."
"You brat, looking down on me?" Golden Lion's face darkened. "I'm Golden Lion! I don't need pity from my enemies!"
Bahr picked at his ear and scoffed. "Cut the crap. Age catches up to everyone. No shame in admitting it."
Golden Lion was tough, no doubt, but three days of nonstop battle had taken its toll. The old man's breath came in ragged gasps, his strength waning.
Meanwhile, despite his injuries, Bahr's energy remained steady. If they kept fighting, the outcome was obvious.
Youth always had the upper hand in endurance—that was an unshakable truth.
Had Golden Lion not been teaching him mid-fight, refining the flaws in his swordsmanship, Bahr wouldn't have bothered offering an out. But the old man was stubborn as a mule, refusing to take it.
"A real fight ends with a victor!" Golden Lion roared, his mane bristling. "I can't stand spineless brats like you!"
"Slashing Wave!"
His right leg twisted, sending a crescent of blue-white sword energy screaming toward Bahr's face.
Yet Bahr stood rooted, unmoving. Just as the slash was about to hit, the air rippled like disturbed water. The attack veered off course as if bent by an invisible hand, grazing past his shoulder and cleaving the mountain behind him in half with a thunderous crash.
Bahr slowly raised his eyes to Golden Lion, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Can't even aim straight anymore. Call it a day, old man."
This battle hadn't just honed his swordsmanship—his Space Fruit abilities had also evolved.
"Space Warp" could alter the structure of space in a localized area, bending the trajectory of objects. That slash had been diverted effortlessly.
Conversely, the ability could also pull distant objects closer. Unlike "teleportation," which moved the object itself, "Space Warp" manipulated space. Unless the attack was powerful enough to distort space itself, there was no resisting it.
"Lion's Severing Valley!"
Golden Lion's veins bulged in fury, his mane flaring wildly. His legs became a blur, unleashing a storm of razor-sharp kicks.
"Dimensional Slash!"
Bahr's wrist flicked sharply. Autumn Water tore through the air with a deep hum, releasing a crescent of black energy edged with distorted spatial ripples.
The countless slashes Golden Lion had launched disintegrated the moment they touched the black crescent, which continued unimpeded. Golden Lion's pupils shrank as he twisted aside—but not fast enough.
The edge of the slash grazed his ribs, slicing open a fresh wound.
Bahr's "Dimensional Slash" hadn't been this refined before. But after three days of battle, he'd absorbed the essence of Golden Lion's techniques.
No longer just brute force, his strikes now compressed energy like wringing a towel, concentrating it into the blade before release—making the slash sharp enough to shred the air itself.
Golden Lion narrowed his eyes, deep wrinkles forming at their corners. "Hmph. Finally starting to look the part. Again."
The kid's talent was the best he'd ever seen. A few pointers, and he'd grasped the core of the technique, even blending different styles seamlessly.
But that lackadaisical attitude was infuriating.
Bahr rolled his eyes and turned away. "Your era's over, old man. I'll let you off easy today, since you taught me a thing or two."
Look at Blackbeard—smart enough to back down when outmatched. But this geezer? Had to be stubborn to the end... The older they got, the more bullheaded they became!
Golden Lion watched Bahr's retreating back, his expression dark as storm clouds.
The kid's words were harsh, but not wrong. His foundation was already solid, and now that he'd mastered Golden Lion's techniques, he'd grown even stronger.
Meanwhile, three days of battle had drained Golden Lion dry. His temples throbbed, his head splitting with pain. He couldn't go on much longer.
Was it true? Had his era really passed?
"Brat, don't you dare look down on me! I'm Golden Lion!" The old lion suddenly roared, gripping the ship's wheel embedded in his skull. With a sickening crunch, he ripped it free, blood and bone splattering.
The moment it came loose, it was as if an invisible chain had snapped. His dull eyes blazed with renewed ferocity. A golden Haki explosion erupted around him, cracking the earth like a spiderweb and churning the clouds into a vortex.
The shockwave sent Bahr stumbling. He whirled around to see Golden Lion wreathed in tangible golden Haki, the very air distorting under its pressure.
The overwhelming aura made his hair stand on end. Only one thought filled his mind: "This old bastard... actually pulled out the wheel..."
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