Chapter 69: Luo Jie!!!

Shame burned his ear roots, unwillingness clenched his fists tight, anger nearly burst his chest, and several complex emotions intertwined on the Golden Lion's face.

All of this was entirely thanks to that white-haired brat.

"Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, you truly deserve to die!"

Before coming, the Golden Lion only wanted to weigh whether the white-haired brat inheriting Luo Jie's will, as Whitebeard described, was truly unworthy of his reputation.

If so, kill him directly.

If not, force him to submit.

Then gather the remnants of the Flying Pirate Crew to lie low for a time, before destroying the East Blue, avenging the World Government while proving Luo Jie's value.

The weakest sea, the East Blue, is unworthy of Luo Jie.

The Golden Lion never expected to end up in such a state: a legendary great pirate with his bare buttocks exposed.

A lifetime of glory, ruined in an instant.

If he can survive, he must kill everyone in this village to extinguish the hatred in his heart, along with Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen and the Morning Star Pirate Crew—

Everyone, they all must die!

The Golden Lion roared in fury, kicking his leg down with several slashes of sword intent that tore through space.

"Lion: Thousand Cuts Valley."

Saint Saint Saiwen held Mengxiang Yixin, and the blade wrapped in red-black Haki crashed down, forcibly splitting all the incoming sword intent.

"Your buttocks are quite white, Golden Lion."

Hearing this, crimson bloodshot veins crawled across the Golden Lion's eyes; he became like a madman, using both legs to unleash his signature techniques one after another.

Whether he could survive no longer mattered; the Golden Lion only wanted to kill Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen now.

"Die for me!!!"

Saint Saint Saiwen swung his blade back with all his might, determined to erase the fear the Golden Lion and his Flying Pirate Crew had brought him back then.

At that time, even knowing the Luo Jie Pirates would achieve ultimate victory, he could only hide behind his crewmates.

But now, the roles of attacker and defender have reversed.

The two fought fiercely from the port of Fushimi Village to the back mountain, plowing deep, horrifying trenches through the entire mountain and wild wherever they passed.

Two years ago, unable to accept Luo Jie's arrest by the Marines (the Marines publicly claimed it was an arrest).

The Golden Lion single-handedly slaughtered into the Marine Headquarters, fought fiercely with Koby and Sengoku, destroyed most of Marineford, and was captured only after exhausting himself amidst countless Marine casualties.

On this night two years later, the Golden Lion came again because of Luo Jie, to weigh the one inheriting Luo Jie's will.

The same reason, the outcome remains unknown.

At least, that is what the Golden Lion believes.

In reality, Saint Saint Saiwen was not eager to defeat the Golden Lion; he was using the Golden Lion to hone his swordsmanship and promote the fusion of cultivation experience for Mengxiang Yixin.

On this great sea, every great swordsman's swordsmanship is not entirely the same; encountering a worthy opponent is rare, so one must make full use of them.

As Saint Saint Saiwen's swordsmanship becomes increasingly exquisite, such opponents will only become fewer and fewer in the future, perhaps eventually leaving only Mihawk alone.

That guy Shanks still needs many years to catch up.

On this night, the land of Fushimi Village trembled.

On this night, the Golden Lion's manic laughter tore through the night, rolling over the continuous mountains and villages, seeming to mock fate, yet also seeming to feel unwillingness for Luo Jie and himself.

Why?

Why, he who shook the Grand Line with his name and was called one of the three legendary pirates alongside Whitebeard and Luo Jie, could not take down the white-haired brat.

The power system of the pirate world, aside from stamina limitations, relies heavily on spirit.

When the Golden Lion believed he could not defeat Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, defeat was merely a matter of time.

"I am the Golden Lion!"

The Golden Lion roared unwillingly.

Clearly, five years ago, the white-haired brat could only hide behind Luo Jie, protected by the other crewmates; back then, a casual strike from him could have slain the brat.

Why?

Why has only five years passed?

Five years, only five years!

Many five-year periods have passed in the Golden Lion's life; he never expected to end up in such a state.

First besieged by three great swordsmen, then beaten into serious injury by Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen and Mihawk with numbers on their side, and finally forced to face the strongest Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen.

If even just one person had been there, he would not have been in such a wretched state.

The Golden Lion does not understand.

Why does a pirate crew that has only set sail for a few months possess three great swordsmen, three Supreme Grade Great Swords, the Thunder-Thunder Fruit, the Heavy-Heavy Fruit...

Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen!

Does fate favor you so much?!

Two years ago, at Marine Headquarters in Marineford, he could still fight Sengoku and Koby to exhaustion before being captured.

Two years later, has he weakened to this extent?

Boom—!

Saint Saint Saiwen's full-power strike, wrapped in Lei Ting and Haki, crashed down, slamming the Golden Lion heavily to the ground and raising countless clouds of dust.

As the dust slowly cleared, the eastern sky had begun to show a faint fish-belly white.

The Golden Lion lay sprawled in the deep pit, a mouthful of fresh blood spilling from his lips, his gaze unfocused as he stared at the sky on the verge of dawn.

When he came, the sunset sky was like a burning fire.

Now, the morning dawn reveals faintly like frost.

"I have been defeated by a man from the East Blue again?"

"Luo Jie!!!"

Golden Lion's eyes rolled back, and he fainted completely.

Removing the two famous swords, Yuzuki and Kiboku, from Golden Lion's legs, Saint Saint Saiwen took clothes from the System Warehouse, wrapped Golden Lion up, and lifted him.

When they returned to the pier of Shimotsuki Village, Shimotsuki Kozaburo and his son Shimotsuki Kozaburo were chatting with Master Tenghu.

Seeing the two, Saint Saint Saiwen casually asked a question.

"Do you have Sea Prism Stone handcuffs?"

Shimotsuki Village was built by the Shimotsuki clan who left Wano Country thirty-three years ago; Zoro's grandmother, Shimotsuki Fushiko, was the elder sister of Ryuma, the Daimyo of Ringo.

They are also descendants of Shimotsuki Ryuma.

And the specialty of Wano Country is precisely Sea Prism Stone.

Seeing the blood-stained bundle in Saint Saint Saiwen's hand, the corner of Shimotsuki Kozaburo's eye twitched involuntarily; the legendary great pirate Golden Lion reduced to such a state was truly the new wave pushing the old, the old wave crashing on the beach.

"Yes."

"Shiro, hurry home and fetch a few pairs of Sea Prism Stone handcuffs to bring over."

If someone asks for one pair, you cannot give only one pair.

Never mind if the house has Sea Prism Stone handcuffs; even if it doesn't, one must find a way to get a few pairs, treating it all as forming a good connection.

The harmless-looking youth before them was a great pirate certified by the Navy's Buster Call, with a bounty of three billion, who had just defeated Golden Lion.

Shimotsuki Kozaburo nodded in agreement: "Captain Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, please wait a moment."

"Thank you."

Saint Saint Saiwen only spoke flowery words when facing enemies; to strangers and friends, he usually said "Mr." and "You" every time.

Focusing on being polite.

Not long after, Saint Saint Saiwen, facing the full surprise of the Shimotsuki father and son, accepted four pairs of Sea Prism Stone handcuffs and locked one pair around Golden Lion's wrists.

He then locked Golden Lion in the cabin.

Before finding a way to obtain the Float-Float Fruit one hundred percent, Golden Lion would find it hard even to die.

Returning to the port, Saint Saint Saiwen took out one hundred million Berries and handed them to Shimotsuki Kozaburo.

"Old sir, we are about to leave the East Blue; repairing the pier can only trouble the two of you."

The journey to the East Blue had mostly achieved its goals, additionally receiving a gift from Garp, and with Golden Lion voluntarily coming to deliver goods, it was time to head to the Grand Line.

Shimotsuki Kozaburo paused, bowed slightly, and accepted the Berries: "This is my honor."

Such a pirate is truly rare.

Powerful yet polite; four pairs of Sea Prism Stone handcuffs plus repairing the port wouldn't even cost one hundred million Berries.

Learning that Saint Saint Saiwen and his party were preparing to leave the East Blue, Shimotsuki Kozaburo hurriedly spoke again.

"Captain Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, this old man has an unreasonable request; may I observe... your sword?"

Regarding the sword in Barzab's hand, there are many rumors on the seas; some say it is one of the twelve Supreme Grade Blades, others say it is one of the twenty-one Great Grade Blades.

As a famous swordsmith who once forged "Wado Ichimonji" and "Enma" among the twenty-one Great Grade Blades, Shimotsuki Kozaburo did not want to miss this rare opportunity.

This might be the only chance in his life.

After all, the New World is the stage belonging solely to great pirates like Barzab.

"Oh? It is not impossible."

Zoro's childhood friend Kuina seems to be just one year old this year; rather than meeting her fate on the Supreme Grade Stairs in the future, she might as well come to the Morning Star Pirates as an intern.

Fate is set? I will change fate!

Raising Kuina as a disciple, she might not be able to defeat the protagonist group in the future, and later one could even shout—

"Heh heh heh heh~

Zoro, Kuina is in my hands."