High in the sky, the clash between Creed and Golden Lion Shiki grew fiercer by the moment. Within a hundred miles of open air, nothing remained but crisscrossing sword light.
These sword lights had sword intent as their very bones. They refused to dissipate, hanging in the heavens—white, yellow, gold, even threaded with lightning. For a time, the hundred-mile vault of the sky shone brilliantly, like stars blooming, a boundless starry firmament born in midair.
But Redfield and the others knew this gorgeous "starry sky" was a hell of death.
Every single ray of light up there was a strand of top-tier sword intent. Even an elite Marine vice admiral who barged into that region would die the moment he entered—one in, one dead.
Even a peerless swordsman like Redfield would find it hard to come and go unscathed if he tried to charge through.
"Boom!"
After a short while, the sword lights surged and then collapsed. The starry sky spanning a hundred miles shattered all at once, and two figures appeared in the very center, facing each other across the void.
Terrifying sword aura surged around both of them, distorting the air itself as it fought for territory.
Two sword domains were colliding.
Creed versus Golden Lion.
Yet Creed still looked calm and composed, while Shiki's hair was noticeably disheveled and his breathing uneven.
In sheer raw strength, Shiki was not inferior to Creed. But Creed had multiple sword intents at his command, and he also possessed an SSSS- grade ability—super regeneration—giving him a massive edge when it came to endurance.
"Youngsters really are something… endless vitality, endless stamina."
Shiki sighed, genuine admiration in his eyes.
Creed looked no older than twenty, yet already possessed the strength to defeat a Yonko. If he didn't die halfway, his future achievements would surely far surpass Roger's.
At that thought, a bolt of inspiration flashed through Shiki's mind, making his heart stir.
Perhaps… this Creed could actually reach the same level as Imu—the master of the Empty Throne. A godlike existence.
A new ruler of the Empty Throne, a god walking the earth?
"Creed, I'm truly glad I got to cross swords with you today!"
The notion filled him with soaring pride and boiling fighting spirit.
If he really ended up as a stepping stone beneath Creed's feet on the latter's path to the Empty Throne, then so be it. Every Lord of the Void was a peerless king who overshadowed an entire era—someone even the Pirate King Roger had to look up to.
Losing to such a man was nothing to be ashamed of.
And to be a witness to such a rise… perhaps his life would not be wasted after all.
Thinking of how Imu had ruled this world for so many years, while the Celestial Dragons floated above all, enslaving the masses, Shiki couldn't help feeling a smoldering resentment in his chest.
"Senior Shiki! Stop hiding your strength and fight me to your heart's content!"
Creed's dual blades trembled, and behind him a divine halo rose into the sky. Six-colored radiance turned like a great wheel, lighting up the heavens.
Under the godly ring, ice mountains towered.
Outside the godly ring, endless night surged.
Faced with this sword-intent miracle, even Shiki was dazzled for a moment, mind rocked.
"You actually possess three top-level sword intents… even Mihawk can't compare to you!"
"Ungh!"
At the same time, an overwhelming aura exploded from Shiki's body.
He finally cast aside all reservations.
Then, all four swords swung out at once.
"Shishi Zanshin Manrensan (Lion God-Slaying Ten-Thousand-Blade Mountain)!"
This was the strongest slash Shiki had created by fusing all he'd learned of Four-Sword Style. A supreme attack ten times stronger than Senchigiri (Thousand-Cut Valley).
Even for someone as strong as him, using this move consumed over half his stamina in an instant—and even damaged his very life force.
"Boom!"
In that instant, Shiki became as blinding as a miniature sun. Countless golden rays erupted from his body. To others it might have been a blur of light, but Redfield and Creed alone could see that Shiki had unleashed over a thousand slashes in that single heartbeat.
Each streaking golden ray was one of his sword strikes.
"Boom!"
In a flash, the thousand-mile sky was filled by a golden divine mountain. The mountain carried the weight of a billion-fold pressure as it surged upward, and the razor peak of that mountain locked squarely onto Creed.
"Crack!"
Creed's ice-mountain sword intent was shattered.
"Puchi!"
Creed's night sword intent was pierced through.
"Boom!"
The golden divine mountain crashed against the shining godly ring behind Creed, lighting up the sky for a thousand miles around. Even the sun overhead seemed to lose its own radiance for a long moment.
Countless strands of sword aura of every color fell like rain, dazzling yet carrying the breath of death. They punched into the sea below, slaughtering every living thing beneath the waves. Even the colossal beasts and Sea Kings lurking ten miles deep at the ocean floor were beheaded one after another by the rain of blades—none survived.
In the span of moments, more than a hundred miles of sea turned blood red. Corpses of sea beasts floated up everywhere—a scene as bloody as it was shocking.
"Clang, clang, clang, clang!"
Even though the Creed and the Polar Submarine had already pulled away at full speed, they were still within range of the trailing edges of that sword-rain.
Fortunately, Redfield pushed his power to the limit, raising up his Chi no Umi no Ken'i (Blood Sea Sword Intent) to scatter the stray sword aura as it descended.
Even so, he was shaken to the core.
Creed's and Shiki's sword intent mastery was simply terrifying.
…(Flowers, please)…
"If you lined up the world's top five swordmasters," Redfield thought to himself, "those two would definitely occupy two of those spots."
He stared up at the sky where the two figures appeared once more, and when he saw their condition clearly, he couldn't help the flash of joy in his eyes.
In the end, it was still his own captain who held the advantage.
"Brother Creed!"
Ain watched the sky nervously as well, but the tiny Falkor perched on her shoulder let out a soft "Ying~ ya~" as if telling her to relax, its silly, adorable gesture easing much of the tension aboard the ship.
Robin and Perona, on the other hand, already seemed accustomed to scenes like this. Far from panicking, they were almost blasé about it.
…
Up in the sky.
Shiki's clothes were torn to shreds. Sword wounds covered his body, and blood flowed from multiple gashes—his injuries were far from light.
Dozens of meters opposite him, Creed also bore two or three sword wounds, but compared to Shiki's condition, they were hardly worth mentioning.
In that peak clash just now, the winner was clearly Creed.
"Jiehahahaha! Creed, you win. But even so, I still hope you'll let Big Mom go. I have other arrangements with her—she can't become your subordinate and serve under you just yet."
Shiki laughed loudly as he conceded defeat, surprising Creed somewhat.
Just who was Golden Lion Shiki?
He was as arrogant and conceited as they came—the sort of man who'd not only dreamed of making Pirate King Roger his subordinate, but had actually stormed Marine Headquarters alone.
And now he was admitting defeat this neatly?
"Oh? And what do I get out of that?"
Creed asked with a blank expression.
He could spare Big Mom—but it couldn't possibly be for nothing.
"I've amassed at least two to three hundred billion belly in treasure over the years. I'll give it all to you."
Shiki answered in a ringing voice.
In his mind, using two to three hundred billion belly to "redeem" Big Mom was already giving Creed considerable face. It was a more than fair trade.
Surely, Creed wouldn't refuse… right?
"What if I say no?"
Creed turned him down on the spot. He had no shortage of money.
Shiki's face darkened.
"Heh… then don't blame me for being ruthless."
A cold smile tugged at his lips.
If it came to that, he'd have to use another trump card.
(End of Chapter)
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