If not for the fact that Yahn had already mastered Shunpo: Utsusemi(Cicada Shell)—a high-level technique derived from Shunpo, one of the fundamental skills of a Shinigami—he would have died on the spot. By sacrificing a physical ornament, the technique allowed him to instantly shift position at high speed to evade a deadly blow.
'That was too close...'
'Even though I was already giving it my all, I nearly got killed in a single slash by that "Golden Lion" Shiki.'
Yahn took a deep breath to steady himself. Then, with a single motion, his open palm closed into a fist. In that instant, the sea of cherry blossoms that had been surging toward Golden Lion Shiki suddenly erupted, as if ignited by an unseen fury.
In the next breath, that sea of blossoms split into dozens of streams, scattering in all directions, filling the sky with falling petals.
"You think scattering pretty petals like this is going to stop me from getting closer?"
Shiki wiped the blood that drenched half his face, grinning with a twisted smile.
"While lions charge forward, flower petals only serve as decoration, brat."
"No," Yahn answered calmly. "These petals are not for decoration. They're for your funeral."
"Hmph, still mouthing off, eh? Brat, I've already figured you out. Some kind of strange Devil Fruit power... I'll admit you've developed it well. But it's clear—your close combat ability is garbage."
Before he finished speaking, Shiki's figure blurred into a golden streak, closing the distance toward Yahn in an instant.
"Let me teach you something, brat. Out here, in this vast ocean, landlubbers who rely only on their Devil Fruit powers have no place!"
"Slash Wave!"
A golden slash of energy roared through the sky, tearing apart the cherry blossoms in its path, opening a clear path toward Yahn through the raining petals.
Facing Shiki's overwhelming presence and his bloodthirsty rush for close-quarters combat, Yahn exhaled a long breath and said quietly,
"Actually, I do know a thing or two about swordsmanship. It's just that my blade…"
A chant, calm and chilling, rang out from his lips.
"Todoroke/Roar, Tenken!"
(Roar, Heavenly/Divine Punishment!)
As Yahn spoke, a towering, armor-clad giant arm manifested behind him—massive and ethereal. In its grasp was a blade dozens of meters long, a titanic sword forged of spiritual might.
In the next heartbeat, Yahn took a swordsman's stance, and with a swift motion, swung his hand toward the air before him.
The giant arm mirrored his movement, slashing down with the colossal blade, sending a devastating shockwave hurtling toward Golden Lion Shiki like a cleaving force of heaven and earth.
"What the hell is that?!"
Shiki's eyes widened as he stared at the enormous spiritual blade—dozens of meters long—bearing down on him.
Wasn't this brat just some "Cherry Blossoms Fruit" user? Where the hell did this giant sword come from?
Even before the blade landed, the mere air pressure it generated surged toward Shiki like a category-ten storm, blasting his golden mane wildly in all directions.
The intensity of the wind and the power behind the strike reminded Shiki of the strongest warriors from Elbaph, the land of giants.
Even a pirate of his legendary caliber couldn't match a giant in sheer brute strength.
Relying on his seasoned battle instincts, Shiki instinctively moved to evade the strike.
But he quickly realized—he couldn't.
Unnoticed, the cherry blossoms had already spread across the sky like a net. As Shiki shifted, his cheek barely grazed a petal—and immediately, a new gash tore open on his body, blood seeping out once again.
"Damn brat... Those cherry blossoms weren't meant to block me… they were laid out to restrict my movement. To keep me from closing in like before…"
In that instant, Shiki understood. These harmless-looking petals weren't there for show—they were a trap.
Individually, the blossoms didn't have much destructive power. But as a net to hinder his mobility, they were far more effective.
It was like a lion stepping into a forest thick with thorns, while the hunter approaches from the front with a butcher's knife.
Try to dodge, and you'd be shredded by the brambles—bleeding with every move, eventually collapsing from accumulated wounds.
"You cunning little brat…"
Rather than retreat, Shiki roared as he charged straight at the descending divine blade.
"But against absolute power, your tricks are worthless!"
The next moment, Shiki crossed his twin swords—Oto and Kogarashi—and swung upward to clash with the incoming giant blade of Todoroke, Tenken.
BOOM!!!
The collision of Yahn's Todoroke, Tenken and Shiki's twin famed swords created a massive shockwave that exploded across the sky.
"How foolish… to directly clash with the Zanpakutō: Tenken…"
Yahn murmured under his breath in disbelief.
The Zanpakutō: Tenken(Shikai: Tenken) and Zanpakutō: Senbonzakura were forged on opposite extremes.
Senbonzakura transformed the sword into millions of razor-sharp petals, overwhelming foes through sheer volume and omnidirectional slashes—an elegant hell of falling blades.
Tenken, on the other hand, abandoned speed and finesse. It summoned a massive spiritual body and sword, focusing all power into size and force. Every swing was a world-splitting strike.
Even though Yahn could only use Tenken in its Shikai form while maintaining Bankai: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, its raw power remained colossal.
The next moment, overwhelmed by Heavenly/Divine Retribution's power, Shiki—now dwarfed like an ant beneath the giant sword—was violently thrown back by the impact.
Yet as he tumbled through the air, Shiki raised a bloodstained hand and made a swift pulling motion.
Suddenly, several massive golden lions made of compressed air materialized around the Tenken blade. They opened their maws and bit down savagely on the giant sword, anchoring it midair.
Then, using that force as leverage, Shiki twisted his bleeding body and launched himself straight along the blade—charging toward Yahn once again.
Blood gushed from the gaping wound on his head, where his helm's rudder had been torn out. After the clash with Tenken, the intense shockwaves had torn the wound wider.
Now, blood poured like a river down his body—turning the legendary pirate into a beast clad in crimson.
A blood-drenched lion.
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Currently at chapter 330 for advance chapters
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