Chapter 111: High-Level Pirate Golden Lion

"Senior Shi Ji, are you sure?"

If the Golden Lion had returned to his peak before obtaining Conqueror's Haki defense, Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen might have needed considerable time to defeat him.

But times have changed.

Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen not only gained Conqueror's Haki defense, but under the urging of the combined technique of the giants Dorry and Brogy, he mastered the instant release of the No-Thought One-Sword Slash.

Both offense and defense have long since surpassed the past.

"Jehahaha!" the Golden Lion laughed wickedly.

"If you fear failure, replace me as captain right away. Of course, the promise to share the world equally remains unchanged."

The Golden Lion made no secret of his desire to backstab at any moment; he even longed for Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen to expel him.

"Hurry and call all the brats."

This time, the Golden Lion was determined to personally defeat Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen in front of all the crew of the Morning Star Pirates, and then recruit him.

Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen wants him; Mihawk, Master Tenghu, Big Bear, Jin Ni, and even the Impel Down brat Yuzhi Xiliu—the Golden Lion wants them all.

Compared to the old members of the Flying Pirates, the Morning Star Pirates' lineup truly deserves the title of Emperor-level Pirate Crew.

"How about this?" Saint Saint Saiwen proposed.

"Senior Shi Ji, at our level, it is difficult to determine a winner in a short time. Instead, let each of us unleash one move."

"If I cannot block it, I lose."

"If you can block it, I lose."

Saint Saint Saiwen's current focus is to quickly finish transforming Honeycomb Island into the pirate crew's headquarters, and then continue to set sail, exploring other seas.

We cannot stop our steps of riding the wind and waves to explore freedom just because of one base.

The helmsman Blue Fatty, whom he had been longing for... because someone tampered with the coating, had to leap over the Red Line, and didn't even make it to Fish-Man Island.

And the giant squirrel Iron Thunder from the Giant Kingdom.

Moreover, rather than defeating the Golden Lion in a direct confrontation again, it is better to save face for this old pirate veteran.

Hearing this, the Golden Lion laughed again.

"Jehahahaha!"

"Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, you are indeed very arrogant."

Just like Rocks back then, he was extremely confident in himself; the Golden Lion did not understand what had happened during the time he was away.

What could make Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen so confident?

"These are your words."

Why not take advantage of a free opportunity?

The Golden Lion believed his strongest attack would mostly be blocked by Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, but he could equally block Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen's strongest attack.

In that case, he would win!

Simple and trouble-free, very satisfying.

Moments later, above the sea near Honeycomb Island, Saint Saint Saiwen and the Golden Lion stood suspended in mid-air.

"You are the senior; please go first."

Under normal circumstances, Saint Saint Saiwen was very polite.

Only when facing enemies would he activate the exclusive skill of the Zaunite: the Art of Spewing Profanities.

The Golden Lion grinned with a cigar in his mouth, gripping the famous swords Sakuya and Kibuki; red-black Haki and Armament Haki Flowing Cherry instantly covered both blades.

After unleashing a fierce strike that exhausted the peak of Haki and swordsmanship, the Golden Lion frowned, for Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen neither moved to block nor dodged aside.

If he were preparing to tank it head-on, why had the signature flames of the Lunarian race not appeared? Could it be—

In an instant, the Golden Lion's pupils constricted, recalling the captain from many years ago... Rocks.

Immediately, a familiar scene entered the Golden Lion's vision: layers of invisible barriers seemed to float around Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, completely blocking his most peak strike.

"Conqueror's Haki... defense?"

No wonder this kid was so unafraid; he had actually mastered the advanced application of Conqueror's Haki.

In such a situation, unless the Golden Lion's Conqueror's Haki was stronger than Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen's, it would be impossible to break through the opponent's defense.

Truly, as always, no respect for martial ethics.

"Hmph, your turn to strike."

The Golden Lion bit his cigar, driving his Armament Haki and his own vital energy and spirit to the extreme, secretly resolving in his heart: even if he suffered heavy injuries next, he must block Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen's strongest strike.

If he blocks it, he can recruit the Morning Star Pirates.

If he cannot block it? How is that possible?

The Golden Lion had never thought he would fail to block it; a few months ago in the East Blue, he had tanked countless Flying Slash attacks from Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, suffering nothing more than injuries.

It has only been a few months; Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen's attack power could not have risen to another level.

Compared to suffering heavy injuries and the huge gain about to be obtained, one word: worth it! Very worth it!

"Senior Shi Ji, please receive my technique."

As Saint Saint Saiwen's words fell, countless purple lightning bolts swirled around him, red-black Haki like lightning, and crimson flames burned unceasingly.

And from his heart, he slowly drew Mengxiang Yixin.

Seeing this, the Golden Lion's eye twitched wildly; the cigar in his mouth, due to extreme shock, fell toward the sea surface.

Drawing a sword from the heart? Doesn't it hurt?

This was even more terrifying than when he initially severed both his legs in the infinite hell of Impel Down.

That is the heart!!!

The most important organ of the human body!

Truly worthy of the Godly Race, the Lunarians; even such a terrifying technique of integrating the Supreme Grade Great Blade into the body can be mastered.

As Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen swung his blade down, the Golden Lion was instantly locked in a terror of life and death; only now did the Golden Lion finally understand—

why Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen had acted with such boldness.

Such radiance is unstoppable.

Yet, in one ten-millionth of a second, the Golden Lion recalled Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen's words about—low-tier pirates and high-tier pirates.

Those who dodge will become low-tier pirates!

The Golden Lion crossed Sakura-ten and Koba, both wreathed in Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki, before him; having roamed the seas for half a lifetime, the Golden Lion had never burned as fiercely as in this very moment.

"I am the Golden Lion!!"

Why dodge? I won't dodge!

Boom~

Blood sprayed like flower petals in the wind; the Golden Lion plummeted straight toward the sea, but just before plunging into the seawater, he was grabbed by the neck by Saint Saint Saiwen, who had flashed there in an instant.

"Heh, another high-tier pirate on the ship."

Blood stained his teeth red; the moment the Golden Lion heard his status as a high-tier pirate acknowledged, he laughed proudly.

"Heh~ wa..."

The Golden Lion, who kept vomiting blood, once again refreshed Saint Saint Saiwen's understanding of the iron-clad fools of the pirate world, and he couldn't help but feel anticipation in his heart: he hoped all opponents would be like this.

If so, there would be no need to worry about Wu Xiang Yi Dao being dodged.

Returning to Honeycomb Island, he summoned Big Bear, filmed the injuries and pain the Golden Lion had endured, and then Saint Saint Saiwen absorbed the damage he had filmed.

From the feedback of bodily pain, Saint Saint Saiwen concluded: the Golden Lion, who had just pulled the ship's wheel from his head and regrown his legs, was now stronger than both Mihawk and Master Tenghu.

Truly worthy of being one of the three legendary pirates alongside Captain Roger and Whitebeard.

If the Golden Lion were to encounter Gear Third Luffy in the future, he would likely force Luffy straight into his sit-ups—Nika Nika form.

The Golden Lion, half-reclining on the sofa, suddenly spoke: "What was that move called just now?"

The Golden Lion knew that Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen and Mihawk only had ordinary attacks, with almost no named techniques, but that move just now—must have a name.

"Wu Xiang Yi Dao."

At that moment, Yuzhi Xiliu knocked on the door and entered only after receiving a reply.

"Captain, these are the lists of those who arrived on the Sea King transport ship to Honeycomb Island to apply to board; I have marked a few promising prospects."

"They are the Quiet Fruit user Corazon, the Ancient Species Saber-toothed Tiger user Foxy..."

Noticing the captain's expression was extremely off, Xiliu's voice grew quieter and quieter.

"And there's Vergo... his martial arts are quite good."