Up in the sky.
Shiki, the Golden Lion, realized his slashes couldn't suppress Kouta, so he brought his feet together and floated slightly upward. The renowned swords at his feet aligned at the tips and shot forward like twin spears aimed at Kouta.
A crimson gleam flashed in Kouta's eyes. He gripped his blade tightly with both hands and slashed down at the incoming sword tips.
Clang—!
A massive shockwave burst out from their clash, rippling in all directions.
"Not bad speed," Shiki sneered, his gaze locked on Kouta, "but your control over Haki is pathetic."
He laughed wildly. "Jihahahaha! Kid, is that all you've got?"
Kouta felt the clash drain his Haki. It was crumbling fast under Shiki's pressure. He had to push more Haki into his blade just to hold the defense together. Otherwise, Zankū would start taking damage.
"Old man, we've only just begun. Why are you in such a rush? You want to see how far I can go? I'm afraid you can't handle it."
There was a wild arrogance on his face. If anyone could be described as the embodiment of madness and pride, it was Kouta. He'd simply never encountered someone worthy enough to bring out that part of him—until now.
With a powerful shove, he forced Shiki's blade tips aside. Following the motion, Kouta aimed a lightning-quick slash at Shiki's chest.
The edge of Zankū scraped against Shiki's legendary blades, Oto and Kogarashi, throwing up a burst of sparks.
But Shiki's battle experience ran deep. He wasn't going to get hit that easily. After twenty years of fighting with his legs, his control with his feet was now as nimble as any swordmaster's hands.
With a swift kick, Shiki deflected Kouta's attack. His other blade didn't pause and drove straight for Kouta's head.
Kouta twisted his body, narrowly dodging it, and closed the gap again. He flipped his sword in a fluid arc and slashed at Shiki's damaged leg.
Shiki just laughed. "Trying to hit me? You've got a long way to go, brat!"
"Jihahahaha!"
He floated backward with ease, crossing his dual blades in front of him to block Kouta's strike.
Clang—!
Staring at the spot where their weapons met, Shiki laughed again. "Jihahahaha! With Haki that weak, how are you supposed to fight me?"
"If that's all you've got, I'm going to be disappointed."
He kicked forward.
Kouta spun around and blocked the incoming slash just in time.
Clang—!
Their blades clashed and parted, then immediately met again with even greater force.
Clang! Clang!!
Clang! Clang! Clang!!!
Sparks burst from each exchange. Shiki danced midair, his feet slashing with dazzling speed. Kouta's arms moved so quickly they blurred into invisibility.
Waves of shockwaves exploded from their clashes, battering the surrounding sky. A hurricane-force wind burst outward, dispersing the thick clouds above them, revealing over a dozen floating islands suspended in the air.
With each strike, Kouta felt his Haki becoming more solid, more refined. He wasn't in a rush. He was using this fight to temper it.
Eventually, Shiki sensed something was off.
"This silver-haired brat... he's using me to hone his Haki."
With a powerful kick, Shiki forced Kouta back, using the recoil to glide away.
"Kid, I'll admit, your potential is among the best I've ever seen."
He flicked his toe, launching a massive aerial slash at Kouta.
Kouta didn't flinch. Just before the slash reached him, he sidestepped calmly, avoiding it with ease.
Then he kicked the air beneath him and shot forward.
He had no interest in trading ranged blows. That was a waste of time.
Shiki grinned, baring his teeth. As Kouta closed in, he slashed wildly with his feet, sending out multiple golden crescent-shaped slashes.
"Lion: Thousand-Cut Valley!"
"Don't forget, brat, I'm a dual-blade swordsman too!"
These slashes were dozens of times stronger than a standard one.
In Kouta's eyes, starlight shimmered. He locked his gaze on the wall of golden slashes flying toward him.
He hovered in place, withdrew Zankū, and then an overwhelming pressure surged from him like a storm blanketing the sky.
"Conqueror's Haki?"
Shiki stared, wide-eyed. He recognized that aura too well. Before that helm was ever nailed into his skull, he used to radiate that same dominating energy every moment of every day.
But now he was old. The rudder embedded in his head had corroded his spirit. He couldn't unleash that power anymore.
Kouta gripped Zankū in his right hand, his body tilted forward, left leg bent.
A faint purple-black Haki wrapped around his arm and flowed into the blade.
It writhed like tendrils, trying to spread outward, but Kouta's sheer will forced it all to condense into the edge of Zankū.
He was going all out now. Purple lightning crackled in the air around him.
He locked his eyes on the golden crescent waves.
In the blink of an eye, he swung his sword.
"Divine Slash!"
A massive purple-black slash shot forth, tearing through the air toward the incoming golden waves.
Clang—!
The sound echoed through the heavens.
Then came a burst of blinding light that pierced the sky.
The Divine Slash tore through the golden waves, cleanly splitting them. Without losing momentum, it barreled toward Shiki.
Staring at the slash, Shiki couldn't help but think of his old rival—Gol D. Roger.
That same overwhelming slash... he'd once used it too.
This was Conqueror's Haki Infusion, a technique only achievable by those who had mastered that power to its absolute limit.
Shiki didn't know how this kid pulled it off, but there was no doubt anymore.
Kouta was already among the top-tier powerhouses of the sea.
As far as Shiki knew, only Roger, Whitebeard, and himself had once achieved it.
As for Charlotte Linlin and Kaido? Twenty years ago, they definitely hadn't reached this level.
Shiki shook his head and grinned arrogantly. "Kid, you're really something. That kind of slash, huh?"
"But you think that's enough to beat me?"
He burst out laughing. "Jihahahaha! You think I'm just anyone? I'm Shiki the Golden Lion!"
Retreat? Not a chance.
Facing the approaching slash, he ripped the swords off his feet and gripped them in his hands.
"Brat, let me show you what a real peak-world slash looks like!"
He swung both swords, sending out two enormous golden slashes toward the oncoming Divine Slash.
"Wave Sever!"
With the blades in hand, his strength soared even higher.
Clang—!
The slashes collided and held for a moment, then both streaked skyward.
Boom!
A massive floating island above was sliced clean in half, the shockwaves vanishing into the distance.
The severed island tilted apart, massive beasts tumbling from its crumbling edges.
Kouta ignored them. He launched himself straight at Shiki.
Clang—!
Shiki raised his sword slightly and blocked Kouta's ferocious strike.
Their eyes met. Shiki's face twisted with a savage grin, a feral gleam in his eyes.
"Brat, now you're going to feel the fear of knowing the gap between us."
Kouta curled his lips into a sneer. "Old man, I could keep fighting like this for days. But you? How long can you keep going?"
Shiki's forehead bulged with veins. "Don't get cocky, brat! You know who I am?!"
He shoved Kouta back with a powerful strike and floated toward the descending island behind him.
Controlling his blades, he reattached them to his legs, then looked down at Kouta.
Raising one hand behind him, he controlled the island and hurled it down toward Kouta.
"Let me show you the power that once made me ruler of the seas!"
"Lion Might: Earth Coil!"
The island he had split earlier suddenly reshaped into two enormous lion heads, which roared and charged straight at Kouta.
Kouta swung his blade twice, effortlessly slicing through them.
"Hm!"
He was about to press the attack when the lion heads instantly regenerated and came charging again, as if nothing had happened.
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