Whether it was strength, reputation, or achievements, the Golden Lion's name was destined to be etched into history forever…
Or perhaps, to be more accurate—
Infamously recorded, cursed for a thousand years.
It wasn't just because he had attacked Marine Headquarters and fought Sengoku and Garp, the two pillars of the Marines, in a battle that shook the heavens and the earth.
Now, even in the final twenty minutes of his life, he had briefly surpassed Whitebeard—the world's strongest man.
For someone like him, awakening a Devil Fruit… Wasn't strange at all.
To be precise…
If the Golden Lion hadn't awakened his Paramecia-type Float Float Fruit, that would've been the real surprise.
Never underestimate the Rocks Pirates!
That crew's sheer level of talent was no joke.
At this moment, Michael relied on his Observation Haki to clearly sense that even the seawater surrounding Egghead had fallen under the Golden Lion's control.
With his Float Float Fruit, he seemed like a god manipulating the climate itself, using his ability to forcibly create countless artificial upward sea currents.
Endless torrents of seawater surged into the sky, streaming toward the Golden Lion's floating islands.
The ocean currents raged wildly, untamed and furious.
As if reflecting the turmoil within the Golden Lion's own heart.
Exhilaration, ecstasy…
Joy.
"Oi! Michael!"
The Golden Lion wiped away the fresh blood pouring from his scalp, half-covering his face once again.
"I'm about to die… so from here on, I'll use the last of my life to give you the greatest crisis you've ever faced! If you're not careful… you might really die!"
"Yeah, yeah, enough nonsense already. You don't have long left anyway—stop wasting time running your mouth!"
Michael grinned, though it was unclear whether it was a smile or a snarl.
"You crazy old lion… don't worry! I won't dodge a single hit!"
"Ahahahahaha! Compared to that Marine version of you I once met, you've got one hell of a worse temper!"
"I've always had a bad temper."
"Likewise!"
With that last exchange, the Golden Lion poured all his focus into manipulating his Fruit ability.
The floating island beneath him trembled violently, then began to tear apart.
The stones and soil composing the island were ripped up, shattered, then fused together again…
In an instant, they converged into the shape of a lion's head.
A mountain-sized lion's head.
Even the clouds above and the winds sweeping across Egghead were pulled under his control,forming another massive lion's head of swirling wind and cloud, its flowing mane composed of sand and vapor.
Within it roiled a force powerful enough to shred anything to pieces—
The sharp, blade-like gales of sand and the crackling might of nature's thunderclouds.
And finally, the near-endless ocean water took shape as yet another lion's head under his command.
Michael looked up, scanning the monstrous scene around him.
He couldn't help but sigh in awe…
If the Golden Lion had attacked Marine Headquarters with this level of power back then—
The Marines might've had to relocate their entire base by now.
Michael could even feel the very air around him being drawn away by the Golden Lion's pull…
And yet, not a trace of panic crossed his face.
In his eyes…
There was only admiration and respect.
Whatever else one could say about the man, an awakened Float Float Fruit…
Truly lived up to the title of a "Natural Disaster."
Thinking of that, Michael couldn't help but mutter inwardly—
The Paramecia Fruits in the hands of these old monsters—each one was more absurd, more terrifying than the last.
Compared to the countless weaklings sailing the seas—those who could do nothing but eat without end…
The gap was immeasurable.
Only the few Paramecia users from the SWORD Secret Special Force and the Charlotte Family could even be considered decent…
But even if you locked all of them together, they still wouldn't be a match for the Golden Lion before him.
"Golden Lion… even while on the verge of death, you can still wield your Devil Fruit power to this extent. If only you weren't a pirate steeped in sin… wouldn't that have been something?"
"Spare me your moral crap… I was born a villain!"
The Golden Lion sneered.
"And you think that's all there is? No, Michael—there's more…"
He shook his head.
Blood poured endlessly down from his scalp—he couldn't even wipe it away anymore.
His entire face was dyed red, resembling a blood-drenched demon.
He lifted his hand for one last time.
Several warehouses in Egghead that stored metal materials were suddenly ripped into the air.
Then, they exploded apart.
The metals within groaned and shrieked under the Golden Lion's manipulation.
A massive, twisted greatsword—barely retaining the silhouette of his twin blades—took shape beside him.
Even after compressing all that metal from several giant warehouses, the sword still stretched dozens of meters long.
The Golden Lion frowned—perhaps displeased with its shape…
Or maybe his skull simply hurt too much to care.
He raised his hand and slammed it down hard.
From his body erupted an overwhelming surge of Conqueror's Haki, enough to shake the heavens themselves.
That torrent of will gathered into the massive blade.
Around it, black lightning slashed through the sky—
This was Conqueror's Haki Infusion.
And not just any infusion—this was one burning with the last embers of his life.
"Michael!"
"Take this!"
"This is everything I've got! My life!"
"Lion's Might – True Imperial Earth Scroll!"
That titanic, twisted metal sword, imbued with all of the Golden Lion's Conqueror's Haki and life force—
All of it came crashing toward Michael!
As if the heavens themselves were descending.
Michael's expression remained calm, but the Holy Light flowing over his liquid form at full power told another story—
He had never been more serious.
The Golden Lion, who should've had ten minutes of life remaining, had poured it all into fueling his power and Haki.
The fierce drain on his vitality meant the countdown to his death had truly begun.
Yet on his face…
There was no fear of death.
No regret for life.
Only the thrill of surpassing his limits—
And a hint of…
Regret.
Thus, Michael would go all out—to kill this old lion completely.
To let him die by the sword, not by the slow fade of life.
That old lion deserved to die without regret.
In an instant, the liquid Holy Light surged from Michael's body into Myōjō like rivers rushing to the sea.
At that moment, he seemed to return to his prime form.
And with it, his own Conqueror's Haki rose to match the Golden Lion's.
"This move… didn't even have a name before."
Michael grinned, staring at the Golden Lion charging toward him.
"But now—it does."
"Lost Paradise · Golden Lion!"
At those words, the Golden Lion first froze in surprise—
Then broke into a proud, radiant smile.
"That… truly is a fine name!"
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