"Ten thousand thunders, gather!"
Hikaru looked down at the Golden Lion with an indifferent expression. Raising his hand, he waved, and the thunderclouds above crackled violently, unleashing even more dazzling lightning.
Countless bolts of thunder merged, condensing into a massive, buzzing sphere of electricity.
Meanwhile, the giant island hurtled downward at increasing speed. The enormous thunderball shrieked as it absorbed the very storm that had birthed it, swelling to an even greater size.
In the next instant, the island and the thunderball collided. A blinding white light engulfed the world, followed by a deafening explosion that sent shockwaves rippling outward.
Hikaru's expression shifted. Without hesitation, he flashed skyward in an instant.
Golden Lion did the same, activating [Lion's Power: Earth Scroll] to bury himself beneath thick layers of rock.
The explosions were so intense that the only thing the surrounding pirates could hear was an overwhelming roar. Instinctively, they clutched their ears, but some reacted too late. Their eardrums ruptured from the sheer force, and they collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony.
After what felt like an eternity, the battle's aftermath began to settle.
The massive island had been reduced to dust, completely erased from existence. The pirates and creatures that had consumed the drug IQ perished on the spot. Even the nearby floating islands were battered by the aftershocks, left riddled with craters.
Boom!!
Golden Lion brushed aside the rubble covering him and soared back into the sky.
By now, the once-clouded heavens had cleared completely, revealing an endless horizon.
His gaze quickly locked onto Hikaru, still floating high above.
Golden Lion grinned, flicking his cigar as it reignited from the sheer speed of his movement. He took a deep puff, exhaling thick smoke before laughing heartily.
"Gahahahaha! Brat! Where do you think you can run now?"
A flash of lightning streaked through the sky, and Hikaru appeared a short distance above him. Smirking, he said:
"What luck. I never expected to run into you here, Flying Pirate, Golden Lion Shiki!"
Golden Lion raised an eyebrow before bursting into another laugh.
"Gahahaha! So, you're the wielder of the Thunder Fruit, huh? And yet, instead of fleeing at the sight of me, you walked straight into my path?"
Arrogance filled his expression. In his mind, only Gol D. Roger had ever been worthy of being called his rival.
"Tell you what, kid. If you become my subordinate, I'll overlook that little stunt you pulled just now."
But Hikaru's eyes weren't on him. He was staring at the floating fruits and treasures that Golden Lion had gathered over the years. There was no way he'd accept.
"Oh? Even now, you're still this naive, Golden Lion? No wonder Gol D. Roger never took you seriously or joined forces with you!"
The words struck a nerve. Golden Lion's face darkened.
At that moment, Hikaru raised his left hand, pulling slightly. His right arm, now crackling with electricity, surged forward. A faint magnetic hum filled the air.
[Thunder Turn: Magnetic Attraction!] + [God's Judgment!]
Golden Lion's scowl deepened. "You sharp-tongued brat! When I was ruling the seas, you were still in diapers!"
But before he could act, his sword-like legs were yanked forward by the sudden electromagnetic force, dragging him helplessly toward Hikaru.
His eyes widened as he saw the massive lightning column surging toward him. With a roar, he exerted all his strength, barely managing to break free at the last second. He evaded the brunt of the attack—but his cigar had been completely incinerated.
Golden Lion spat, glaring at Hikaru. "Damn brat! Since when could the Thunder Fruit create suction?!"
But Hikaru didn't respond. The only answer Golden Lion received was the crackling of relentless lightning as another attack loomed.
"Thunderbird!"
"Lion's Might – Yuemai Earth Scroll!"
Under Golden Lion's control, the numerous floating islands converged, shifting and reshaping at his command.
Countless chunks of rock and earth rose into the air, stacking together to form eight towering lion-headed mountains, each lunging toward Hikaru like a relentless beast.
At the same time, he manipulated another portion of the floating debris to construct a defensive barrier.
But in a flash of lightning, Hikaru teleported away with ease. He moved at lightning speed—no matter how vast the attack range, he was confident he could remain unscathed.
"Thunder Dragon!"
Golden Lion scowled. "What a cunning little devil."
For the first time in a long while, he was experiencing what his enemies must have felt when facing him. This one-sided battle—where he was the one being toyed with—was beyond frustrating.
As he watched his so-called "defensive wall" crumble under the relentless assault of the Thunderbird and Thunder Dragon, he realized he couldn't continue like this.
His opponent was as fast as lightning, and his attacks were devastating. Though Golden Lion's techniques covered a vast area and wielded immense power, none of it mattered if he couldn't land a hit.
Hikaru smirked. "Golden Lion, is this all you've got? You think you're worthy of being compared to the Pirate King, Roger? You don't have a rudder stuck in your head, but it seems like you don't know what Haki is either, huh?~"
Golden Lion's face darkened. There was no way he'd tolerate being ranked beneath Roger. His eyes flashed with fury as he lifted his leg and unleashed a massive slash.
"Chop!"
Hikaru's body flickered as his lightning dissipated, dodging effortlessly.
"It's useless. You're too slow."
Golden Lion's slash tore through the sea, splitting the waters for hundreds of kilometers, but his target remained untouched.
Hikaru clasped his hands together, forming a blade of condensed lightning. With a swift motion, he slashed toward Golden Lion, unleashing sharp sword waves. The energy collided with Golden Lion's attack multiple times, sending a numbing sensation through his leg.
Golden Lion's eyes widened. "You're skilled in swordsmanship too?!"
He steadied himself, then roared: "Brat! I recognize your strength. Tell me your name! My Golden Lion sword doesn't cut down nameless people!"
In truth, Hikaru wasn't a true swordsman—he only knew how to release sword energy. As long as his opponents didn't engage him in direct swordplay, they wouldn't notice.
"No need for names, Golden Lion. You're old. Let me, a stranger, play the song of the new era for you!"
Golden Lion burst into laughter. "Gahahahaha! You arrogant brat! Let me show you why the Navy fears me!"
With a furious roar, the surrounding earth and stone surged toward him. Even several distant floating islands hurtled forward, merging into a raging torrent of rock and soil that consumed his body.
The terrified screams of the pirates trapped on those islands echoed through the sky, but soon, their voices were drowned out as the Golden Lion's form vanished beneath the cascading rubble.
What emerged was a seventy-meter-tall rock colossus—a towering behemoth that made even the monstrous ancient giant Oars, who stood at 67 meters, seem small in comparison.
Golden Lion's voice thundered from within the giant's massive frame. "Brat! Do you still think you can keep me here?"
Though his voice had become heavier, his arrogance remained unchanged.
Hikaru scoffed. "As if size alone makes you stronger. All you've done is make yourself an easier target."
Golden Lion's eyes narrowed. "Hah?! You still dare to look down on me?!"
Hikaru smirked. "Why wouldn't I? Golden Lion, today is the day you die!"
"Dharma-like Heaven and Earth: Thunder God!"
A storm of thunder erupted from Hikaru's body, crackling wildly as the air around him distorted from the sheer heat.
Then, in an instant, the bright blue lightning darkened—its color shifting into a terrifying violent purple, as if it had been tainted by something even more fearsome.
Crackle!!
Boom!!
Electric arcs surged, and thunder roared through the heavens.
Golden Lion's face twisted in shock. He immediately commanded the rock giant to raise its colossal hand and slam it down on Hikaru.
Bang!!
But reality shattered his expectations. The moment the giant's arm made contact with the raging purple lightning, it exploded into dust—completely vaporized.
In the blink of an eye, even the dust itself was erased.
Golden Lion's eyes widened in horror. "What… the hell is this power?!"
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