Taunting

Facing Yamato's attack, the Golden Lion displayed an even quicker reaction. His body flashed in the sky, and Yamato's attack brushed past him. The gust of wind from her kanabo slightly rustled his sleeve, but it had no other effect.

"Haki...It's been a long time since I've encountered it..."

Since escaping from Impel Down, it had been many years since he met an opponent skilled in using Haki. Hidden in the sky, he rarely encountered enemies, mostly just capturing pirate crews or islands when he needed to replenish his manpower.

Those people were mostly ordinary individuals, the strongest being a gorilla found in East Blue. Moreover, he could feel a sense of familiarity from that technique.

"Thunder Bagua, what is your relationship with that brat Kaido?"

Hawk Eyes' techniques had no names, and his enemies didn't know if it was a normal attack or a signature technique.

Kaido was different. Although he had many techniques, all the kanabo-related attacks originated from the technique Thunder Bagua, and Yamato learned her techniques from Kaido, so it carries a strong sense of inheritance.

To Golden Lion, Kaido was still a brat, but one that he remembers vividly. Few could make Rocks invite them to his ship.

The horns on her head didn't mean much. Many individuals on the seas have horns, but combined with that iconic technique, it was different.

However, Yamato had no intention of answering him. After missing it, she swung her kanabo again. This had already become her battle instinct.

"Just as annoying as that brat back then. Let me show an ignorant little brat like you the terror of those days."

Yamato's attack missed again. Without Golden Lion being reckless, most people would find it hard to catch him. Flying abilities were always rare, and while using Geppo-like techniques with a strong physique allows quick movement in the sky, it was fundamentally different from actual flight.

Float-Float Fruit allowed Golden Lion to soar freely, which was his advantage.

Currently, Yamato couldn't fly, but she had external help. Corviknight's blade birds sliced through the air, emitting a piercing sound as they slashed towards Shiki.

"Lion: Scattering Valley!"

His legs sent out several golden slashes, forming a net-like defense. The incoming blade birds were all cut down and fell to the ground, and those that broke into two pieces lost their ability to continue fighting independently.

The remaining slashes flew towards Corviknight's main body, but before they could get hit, they reverted from Gigantamax to normal size.

Their initial flying mission was over. To carry only Yamato, their normal size was enough.

"These birds are quite interesting. It seems you've done more research in this area."

Corviknight's transformation intrigued the Golden Lion. He initially thought the captured Corviknight was a child, and the Gigantamax ones were adults.

But as they reverted, he realized it was not as simple as he thought.

Though the flying feathers were cut down by him, he is Shiki the Golden Lion, and even without his legs, he is still one of the greatest swordsmen in the world. The sword energy he swung from his legs may have lost some finesse, its power was even greater.

But under his slashes, they were merely cut in half. Those iron feathers would be even more deadly for others. A flock of such strange birds enhanced with IQ would be an invincible air force.

"Slicing Wave!"

Thinking this, the Golden Lion sent out another single slash. The huge golden sword energy flew straight towards the island. But Yamato didn't dodge, sensing it wouldn't hit her.

Indeed, it didn't. The island's ground was left with a deep ravine. Instead of attacking, Golden Lion seemed more like he was issuing a warning.

"Brat, you can control these strange birds, right? I'll give you a chance to join me. Bring these birds to join me, and I won't hold it against you for trespassing into my territory. When we rule the world, you'll be..."

"Not interested!"

"Huh?"

"I'm not interested in ruling the world. Corviknight isn't a tool for you to control. Right now, I just want to send you flying!"

"Your comrades have fled."

"They haven't. They just have other tasks."

Below the battlefield, Jack and Maria were headed in a different direction. Their mission was to destroy the facilities here, a tactic they had briefly discussed while in flight.

Golden Lion might be difficult to deal with, but their ultimate goal was "tower demolition."

Stopping them wouldn't be hard for the Golden Lion, but Yamato's next words made him abandon that idea.

"I remember who the Golden Lion is."

"Whew..."

Golden Lion exhaled and rubbed his head. He felt Yamato was testing his patience. If she still didn't recognize him after such a long self-introduction, he would really become furious.

"You're that unlucky loser who lost to Roger!"

If not for encountering a tsunami, the result of the Edd War battle would still be unknown. Calling him unlucky wasn't wrong, but it seemed to touch Golden Lion's nerves.

"Brat, it's better if you die here! Lion's Threat: Earth Bind!"

The ground turned over, again transforming into two giant lion heads that snapped towards Yamato.

As for Maria and Jack, he didn't care. He isn't alone on the Sky Island; he had his subordinates.

...

"Jack, can Yamato handle him?"

"If she can't, then we definitely can't do anything. This is an air battle, and we can't help much. Let's destroy that lab first."

This was the fragmented piece of information they obtained from the lost Corviknight, and their mission.

Behind them, the battlefield was chaotic, but it didn't concern them.

While running, Jack gradually transformed into Copperajah. Rescuing people wasn't his forte; destruction was his specialty.

"Chemical Juggling!"

Indigo's voice came from the side. As the Flying Pirates' scientist, he wasn't particularly skilled in combat, but he wasn't completely helpless either. Scientists these days always have some special combat means.

The better the scientist, the more combat means they have, like those monsters from MADS.

He clapped his hands, and inexplicably a green flame appeared, forming into a sphere. Like a magic trick, numerous spheres rotated above his head and landed in his other hand.

These were something he created using chemical agents, which also contained components of IQ.

"Go!"

Indigo pushed, and the chemical fireball flew towards Jack and Maria.

Hey guys, I'm back with extra chapters. 1 chapter for every 100 power stones. [5 extra chapters] [Only for this week]