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Boom! Rumble!
Within a 100,000-meter radius, the sea range and the dome above were now completely engulfed in lightning. Under this tempestuous assault, the seawater remained eerily still, as if frozen in time.
The thousand-meter-tall Thunder God, a miracle manifested in the world, crackled with blue arcs of electricity. Tens of thousands of lightning bolts erupted from the five Thunder Drum symbols on its back like celestial fireworks.
Thick, cloud-patterned ribbons coiled around its massive arms, legs, and neck like living mist.
Its outstretched hands supported the sky as if holding up the heavens themselves.
The colossal island, once poised to descend, now hung motionless in midair, firmly supported by Kojin's power.
"Shiki!" The majestic, thunderous voice echoed through the heavens, and it seems to shake the very foundations of this world.
In that moment, Golden Lion Shiki felt an indescribable shock and horror.
Who would have thought that a Logia Fruit could be developed to such an extent? The thousand-meter-tall pure energy construct was akin to a god descending upon the world.
Within tens of thousands of meters of the opponent, dense white mist billowed; it was seawater vaporized by the intense heat of the lightning.
"Kojin!" Gritting his teeth, Shiki raised his hands once more.
Buzz!
The white mist in the void instantly surged and coalesced, forming vast swathes of seawater.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Even more violent tremors erupted in rapid succession, causing the tranquil sea surface to shudder and heave.
Suddenly...
Bang!
The seawater boiled and erupted into colossal waves that surged forward like a tsunami. At the crest of each wave were towering, majestic, ferocious lions over a thousand meters tall, roaring skyward with gaping crimson jaws.
"Lion Majesty: Imperial Land Scroll!"
Golden Lion Shiki roared, his face contorted with madness.
"How could I possibly lose to you?"
"I am the greatest Pirate of this era! I am the Golden Lion Shiki!!!"
Raging seawater engulfed everything in its path, sweeping up dozens of battleships and even the G-18 Fortress, which had already retreated far away. The violent torrent submerged them all.
Above, lightning flashed and thunder roared beneath dark, ominous clouds.
"Die... Die for me, all of you! This era has grown too soft! Today, I'll show you the true fury of a pirate... Jihahahaha!"
Shiki had completely lost his mind. His eyes were bloodshot, and his golden hair billowed wildly behind him.
Kojin, who was still holding the island aloft with both hands, slowly turned his massive head. The five thunder drum markings on his back vibrated and emitted deafening booms.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
A deep voice rumbled forth a moment later.
"Even with five islands on my back, I can still crush you!"
Kojin's body jerked slightly, and his eyes widened in fury.
"Billion Volt: Heavenly Punishment!"
In an instant, colossal pillars of lightning erupted from his eyes, soaring skyward and hurtling forward. The tsunami was pierced instantly, and the Thunder Pillars reached the Golden Lion. Red light flashed in the Golden Lion's eyes as he darted forward, narrowly evading the attack.
"Jihahahaha!"
The Golden Lion threw back his head and roared with laughter, his golden hair whipping wildly around him.
"Since Roger's death, I haven't felt my blood boil like this... Kojin, this will be a battle to the death between us!"
Kojin opened his mouth and spat out another massive Thunder Pillar, tearing gaping holes through the tsunami as it shot toward Shiki.
Shiki's figure flashed through a series of phantoms, evading the massive Thunder Pillar. But after only a few breaths, he was already gasping for air.
He pressed one hand against the charred hole in his abdomen while wiping blood from his lips with the other; his heart pounded violently.
"I just wanted to see which of us is truly the strongest… Kojin!"
With a thunderous roar, Golden Lion Shiki unleashed a double-legged strike.
"Lion · Thousand Slice Valley!"
The razor-sharp slashes howled forth, instantly reaching Kojin.
Kojin's right leg shot up, infused with black-red Conqueror's Haki lightning, and swung out.
"Thunder God · Tempest Kick!"
The colossal kick, spanning nearly ten thousand meters, instantly collided with the thousands of incoming slashes. Each one annihilated its counterpart in a blinding clash.
Immediately afterward, Kojin moved his hands violently and slowly bent at the waist.
The massive island and the surrounding medium and small islands were gently placed on the ocean surface, creating towering waves that surged tens of thousands of feet high.
He then clenched his right fist and unleashed a devastating punch forward.
"Fist Bone: Collapse!"
The oncoming tsunami was pulverized by the punch and exploded into a tempest that filled the sky.
"Jihahahaha!"
Shiki charged forward again, his legs slicing through the void in rapid succession, causing a massive slash that instantly severed Kojin's Thunder God arms, but they swiftly regenerated amidst crackling lightning.
"Tch! A body composed purely of energy?" Shiki's eyes narrowed slightly.
In the next instant, an electrical net, woven from tens of thousands of lightning bolts, hurtled toward him.
"Pī Li Pā Lā!"
Countless explosions echoed through the void, distorting the fabric of space itself. Shiki's brow was drenched in sweat as he darted through the electrical net, his red eyes flashing with fury.
"This kid has truly pushed the Goro Goro no Mi (Thunder Thunder Fruit) to its absolute limit! Such formidable combat power... it almost reminds me of Whitebeard, that infuriating bastard!"
Shiki's heart pounded.
Deep down, he knew that among the Three Great Legends, his own strength might be the weakest. Especially after losing his legs, his combat prowess had diminished further.
During his two years in Impel Down, he had meticulously analyzed his shortcomings and flaws from his battle with Kojin and had crafted a plan for his return.
But now, upon facing Kojin again, he had to scrap everything.
Because this brat had somehow grown even stronger!
The power of his lightning had surged to an unimaginable level.
"Thunder Giant!"
Kojin opened his mouth, and brilliant arcs of electricity erupted from his right hand. In an instant, three more Thunder Giants materialized above the sea, their entire bodies forged from crackling lightning.
Sizzle!
Dense arcs of electricity blanketed the sky and sea, converging on Shiki in a lethal barrage.
The skies blazed with blinding light, radiating endless brilliance.
Facing the greatest crisis of his life, Golden Lion Shiki dodged frantically. Every second teetered on the brink of life and death.
"Such terrifying lightning, with each bolt having power that could shatter a mountain! Can a Logia Fruit truly wield such power?"
Shiki's heart pounded violently; his worldview was shaken to its core.
After a dozen breaths, the relentless barrage of electric beams finally ceased.
Then, with a flash of light, the three Thunder Giants materialized before him, raising their mountain-sized fists and swinging them down with earth-shattering force.
Golden Lion Shiki raised his foot and unleashed a flurry of sword strikes.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
The incessant clanging of metal echoed as Golden Lion clashed with the Thunder Giants in rapid succession.
Kojin stood nearby as the radiant light around him gradually faded, reverting him to his original form. Purple, cloud-patterned ribbons infused with the Conqueror's Haki draped around his neck, arms, and back. The Thunder Drum marks on his body flickered and emitted a faint drumming sound.
Huff, huff, huff!
His breathing was slightly labored, but his spirit burned with exhilaration.
Even before reaching its full potential, the power of the Goro Goro no Mi (Thunder Thunder Fruit) was undeniably terrifying. Its attack range and intensity had reached unimaginable levels.
Furthermore, his new state had significantly enhanced his physical resilience, speed, reflexes, and regenerative abilities.
In these aspects, he couldn't compare himself to Zoan Awakening, leaving the question of superiority unanswered. There was no doubt that the Goro Goro no Mi (Thunder-Thunder Fruit), fully mastered, had reached an entirely new level of power.
Naturally, this state also drained stamina and energy at an unimaginable rate. By his estimation, he could only maintain it for about five minutes in his current condition.
Even when he lifted the island and attacked the Golden Lion earlier, his stamina depleted rapidly in those brief moments.
"Let's end this quickly! I was planning to hunt you down later anyway. But since you've come to me yourself..."
Thunderlight flashed around Kojin, and he appeared before Golden Lion Shiki in an instant.
"This time! I'll finish you off for good!"
Purple lightning erupted from his eyes as he swiftly drew the Longblade from his waist with his right hand.
"That's Roger's sword!" Golden Lion Shiki exclaimed, his eyes widening as he looked up.
"The world has entered a new era! Golden Lion Shiki, it's time for you to leave the stage!"
His right hand gripped the hilt of his Longblade, and black-red lightning crackled along the blade's edge. Behind Kojin, bolts of lightning crashed down from the heavens, creating a dramatic backdrop reminiscent of the sound of thunder.
"This era has no ship to carry you." A deep, resonant voice boomed across the sky.
"Who the hell do you think you're talking to?!" Golden Lion Shiki froze for a moment, then roared in fury.
Kogarashi, the sword on his right foot, swung with full force.
"I am the Golden Lion!"
In the next instant, amidst the torrential lightning, their long blades clashed.
Buzz!
A circular shock wave rippled outward, engulfing an area spanning 100,000 meters and instantly calming the turbulent sea.
"You dare say there's no ship to carry me?!"
"You dare speak of eras?"
"You dare tell me to step down?!"
Golden Lion Shiki's eyes burned with rage as he bellowed furiously. His legs lashed out relentlessly, unleashing a terrifying aura that seemed to shake the very foundations of the world.
In that moment, he revealed the full might of one of the Three Legendary Pirates, Fleet Captain Shiki of the Flying Pirate, a force so overwhelming that it silenced sky and earth.
"You greenhorn brat!" Shiki roared in fury. "Stop spouting nonsense here!"
Kojin, gripping his famed blade Ace and infused with Thunderlight Conqueror's Haki, met his gaze with equal ferocity. He swung his sword relentlessly.
"I'll send you off with this blade!" Kojin declared. "You'll die in this ultimate battle."
He paused, and black-red lightning crackled anew from his long blade.
"It's better for you to fall here than to be buried by a junior in the future, tarnishing your life's glory!"
Kojin could clearly see that the seemingly invincible Golden Lion was now spent, clinging to a fleeting resurgence of strength.
"Life's glory, you say?" Golden Lion Shiki's eyes widened, and he suddenly burst into wild laughter.
"Jihahahaha!"
He swung his twin swords relentlessly, his golden hair whipping through the air.
"This old man's entire life!"
Completely consumed by battle madness, he fought as if it were his last stand. He was clearly aware of his precarious state.
"Roger!"
"Whitebeard!"
"Rocks!"
He roared name after name as his twin swords repeatedly clashed against Kojin's blade. Blood gushed from his mouth with each strike.
"To die by this blade would be fitting!"
"Fitting indeed!"
Jihahahaha!"
At that moment, the sky seemed to bleed crimson.
A faint voice echoed through the air:
"Kamusari (Divine Departure)!"
A heaven-shattering light erupted into the heavens, and a colossal shockwave radiated outward in all directions.
Then, everything fell silent.
Kojin watched ahead, his eyes now completely white and pupil-less. The Golden Lion slowly sheathed the long blade in his right hand.
This battle...
The Golden Lion, Shiki, had been defeated once more!
(End Of This Chapter)