Chapter 524: Golden Lion's Golden Swords
On the other side, a group of Marines gathered together, consisting almost entirely of senior officers. The dangers of the Competitive Canyon had prompted them to leave the lower-ranking Marines in a nearby forest, where the aftermath of battles was confined to specific areas, ensuring their safety.
At that moment, Borsalino, sporting new sunglasses, observed the members of the Yamata Sect retreating toward the safe zones. He curled his lips and said, "Tch, tch, tch! Those Yamata Sect folks are really shameless, using any excuse to hide and watch the show."
He added, "Let's leave too! My skinny arms and short legs aren't suited for fighting such terrifying beasts!"
Garp was the first to respond to Borsalino's complaints. Rolling up his sleeves, he grinned and said, "Hahaha, do whatever you want. You can discuss the rest with Tsuru! I'm in a bit of a hurry right now."
As soon as Garp finished speaking, he hurried toward a cliff at the canyon's edge. A strange steel monster, several meters tall, floated behind him, following his lead.
Tsuru watched Garp depart and turned her gaze in the direction he was heading. There, on a cliff where the canyon seemed to invert, she saw a massive centipede, hundreds of meters long, glowing with an eerie cold light. It hovered lazily on the rocky surface, with a figure cloaked entirely in dark green standing atop its head.
Tsuru made a guess about the figure's identity but grew concerned about Garp upon seeing the centipede. Even though Garp had successfully contracted a Mythical beast called the Steel Rock Monster, the centipede under the mysterious figure didn't look easy to handle. She noticed a strange green mist seeping from its mouth—a clear sign it was a poisonous Mythical beast, troublesome for someone as reckless as Garp. She could only hope the figure, possibly Dragon, remembered Garp was his father and held back.
"Borsalino, let's go! The target is the Sun Golden Crow," Akainu said, ignoring Garp's departure. He fixed his sights on the Sun Golden Crow and began walking toward it silently.
"Hey, hey! Sakazuki, don't just talk to yourself!" Borsalino called out, exasperated, as Akainu continued without responding. "Really, having a God Killer Equipment makes you think you're something special! It's so enviable!"
Borsalino's complaints drew envious glares from the other senior Officers. They had heard about his stroke of luck in obtaining the Phoenix Mythical Beast Fruit, confirmed by Morgans' broadcast. Their envy was palpable—they wished for such fortune themselves. To them, Borsalino was acting smug despite his good fortune, and they silently wished he'd trip and fall.
As the Marines made their arrangements, other forces followed suit.
Within the canyon, the Whitebeard Pirates had arrived, though most of their crew had been ordered to remain in the safe zone. Only Marco and Vista stayed by Whitebeard's side. They eyed a figure with long, golden hair standing before Whitebeard with wary expressions.
It was none other than the Golden Lion, a fellow Four Emperor. He was proudly showing off his new equipment to Whitebeard.
"Jiehahahaha! Whitebeard, look at the golden patterns on these swords. Feel their power." Golden Lion said, waving two sabers adorned with golden designs. "These are the God Killer Equipment, Golden Emperor's Twin Swords. I named them myself! Jiehahahaha!"
His laughter rang out as he continued to boast. Whitebeard tilted his chin slightly, his eyes filled with disdain.
"Golden Lion, if you're just here to show off, then get lost!" Whitebeard said sharply.
"Jiehahaha! Whitebeard, you're as prickly as ever!" Golden Lion replied, undeterred. "How about it? Join my pirate crew! Together, we can dominate the world!"
He had initially meant to say "rule them" but softened it to "run rampant," aware his bravado had limits. Whitebeard, hearing Golden Lion's brief pause and final pitch, simply rolled his eyes, his expression making his disbelief clear.
Da da da!
Ignoring Shiki the Golden Lion, Whitebeard turned toward the attic. He had no intention of joining the fight for the final treasure. Marco's acquisition of a Mythical Beast Fruit was enough for him. Truthfully, if not for his concern for Marco and the others surviving in this chaotic era, Whitebeard wouldn't have attended a conference hosted by others. He longed for a peaceful life at sea with his sons, but his waning strength forced him to pursue power for their sake.
"Jiehahaha! Whitebeard, you're still so stubborn," Golden Lion said, unfazed by Whitebeard's departure. His gaze shifted to Marco, and he called out, "Marco, you've felt the power of that Mythical Beast Fruit, haven't you? If you want to maximize its potential, join the Sky Pirates! Only with me, and only on this Mythical Beast Island, can you grow stronger."
Marco rejected the offer without hesitation. "Stop dreaming. I'm going to make my Pops the king."
His resolute tone startled Golden Lion, stirring old memories. King? Pirate King? That dream felt like a distant memory. In this era, pirates seemed less obsessed with becoming the Pirate King, chasing godlike power instead. The ultimate aspiration was to emulate Demon God Ryomen Sukuna, a figure all pirates dreamed of rivaling.
"Pirate King? How naive!" Golden Lion scoffed. "Even if Roger was resurrected, he couldn't claim that title with me around. If you want to be a king, aim for the King of the World! Jiehahahaha!"
His laughter drew exasperated looks from the top brass of the Sky Pirates behind him. King of the world? Their boss didn't even have a rudder on his head anymore! Was this some old delusion resurfacing?
(End of this chapter)