"Yes, I underestimated the Flying Pirates."
"In my eyes, if it weren't for these floating islands posing a threat above, in battles at sea or on land, the Xuanwu Navy has the capability to utterly defeat you."
"An existence as powerful as Rocks is dead."
"Roger, who became the 'Pirate King,' also died a few months ago."
"Now, it's your turn."
Benedict's words gradually provoked Shiki the Golden Lion.
The fall of Rocks, to a large extent, was related to their departure at the time.
With the depth of the Rocks Pirates' roster and the combat power they possessed, was it something that Roger and Garp could simply stop?
Even if Sengoku and other experts from the World Government were tying them down, if they had truly fought with all their might, then Roger and Garp would have been the ones to fall.
However, there were things they knew clearly in their hearts.
And to have it brought up and used to humiliate them was like slapping their faces.
Who was Roger? He was an opponent, an enemy yet a friend, someone he acknowledged.
For such a person to willingly go to his death was something he could not accept.
An enemy like that, even if he had to die, should have died by his hand.
What was the point of dying at the hands of the Navy?
"You have successfully angered me."
"Benedict!"
The Golden Lion swung his swords, and two sword energies flew towards Benedict.
Zanpakuto!
At the same time, the Golden Lion floated before Benedict, swinging his dual swords again.
Benedict covered his arms with Armament Haki and then engaged in a fierce battle with the Golden Lion.
Concurrently, Benedict's shadow clones had already begun landing on the floating islands.
Facing the attacking pirates and rampaging giant beasts, Benedict's shadow clones showed no fear.
With their powerful taijutsu, they moved freely within the battlefield, seizing any opportunity to damage the floating islands.
"Eight Gates, Open!"
Since he was going to fight the Golden Lion, there was no point in holding back or probing.
He would fight with all his might. If he could kill him, good. If not, he would cripple him.
Rumbling sounds continued to echo, and Benedict's aura surged with each passing moment.
As Benedict's aura ascended, Shiki the Golden Lion grew increasingly serious.
Each of his swords contained immense destructive power. Every clash with Benedict's fists emitted a resounding boom.
"Gate of Delight, Open!"
"Asakujaku!"
Seizing the opportunity when the Golden Lion Shiki pulled back, Benedict unleashed a barrage of punches without hesitation.
The Golden Lion Shiki reacted a beat late, receiving countless blows that made him cry out in pain.
BOOM!
His body crashed heavily onto the floating island, creating a crater tens of meters deep. The entire island trembled, and it was clearly observed that the island had sunk by several meters.
"Gate of Fear, Open!"
A sharp glint flashed in Benedict's eyes, his powerful aura ascending once more.
"Fist Qi, The Profound Meaning of Strength."
Buzz!
Benedict's right hand instantly glowed with a purplish-red light. The Golden Lion Shiki, feeling the pain, had his hair stand on end, sensing extreme danger.
"Lion's Might, Earth Scroll!"
Without any hesitation, he utilized the power of the Flutter-Flutter Fruit. Instantly, the entire ground was lifted, forming three massive lion heads composed of earth and stone that crushed down towards Benedict.
Benedict, hovering in mid-air, did not hesitate and punched downwards.
The three giant lion heads, before even colliding with Benedict's fist, were crushed by the energy that enveloped his fist like a protective film, shattering them instantly.
CRACKLE, CRACKLE!
The lion heads disintegrated in an instant, and Benedict vanished into the dust.
BOOM!
A massive explosion echoed for tens of miles around.
At the Xuanwu Navy base, Wang Zhi, Silver Axe, Buggy, Yelü Siji, and other Xuanwu Navy warriors all turned their gazes to the sky.
Floating islands were being destroyed, and pirates or giant animals were continuously falling.
During this, while there were constant sounds of shattering, this particular explosion was significantly louder, originating from the largest island, the very one where Benedict and the Golden Lion were clashing.
The current strength of the Flying Pirates was all concentrated on the floating islands. Those stationed at the Xuanwu Navy base, however, had no opportunity to engage.
Unless the floating islands descended to the sea, instead of hovering above them.
CRACK!
The dust had not yet dispersed, but the entire floating island, subjected to immense force, was being crisscrossed by cracks spreading outwards.
"Lion's Might, Imperial Earth Scroll!"
The Golden Lion, who had somehow escaped to the sky, gazed intently at the swirling dust, grabbing with both hands.
Stone lions, each tens of meters high, erupted from the ground and surrounded Benedict within the dust cloud.
As the Golden Lion swiftly pressed his hands down, the stone lions that had just risen from the ground then acted like quicksand, surging inwards from all sides.
"Hirudora!"
Benedict's voice suddenly rang out. A giant white tiger erupted into the sky, shattering the stone lions instantly.
The soaring white tiger exuded an unparalleled power, causing the Golden Lion's eyes to widen.
The next moment, a figure appeared in mid-air, having emerged from the nearly buried Benedict.
The Golden Lion's pupils constricted as he looked at Benedict, but he quickly broke into a smile.
"Heh heh heh heh!"
"No wonder you could defeat Zephyr and even make Kaido retreat."
"Is this your trump card?"
"This move of yours is indeed very powerful, but you have to pay a great price to use it."
"That price will cost you your life."
Yes, in the Golden Lion's sight, and through his Kenbunshoku Haki, Benedict was indeed unleashing terrifying power and displaying unparalleled vitality at this moment.
However, behind this robust vitality, his life force was also being burned to exchange for such fearsome strength.
Especially now, visible cracks were appearing on Benedict's body.
Furthermore, the Golden Lion was certain that if enough time passed, Benedict would explode and die, or if not, he would bleed to death.
"Against you now, it's just a matter of delaying the inevitable."
"Heh heh heh heh, I am a user of the Flutter-Flutter Fruit. This sky is my territory."
Shiki the Golden Lion took to the air, creating distance between himself and Benedict. His excited laughter was filled with playfulness and mockery.
"Don't worry, I will play with you thoroughly."
"Heh heh heh heh!"
"Lion Strike Valley!"
One sword, two swords, three swords...
Each swing of the sword was an astonishingly destructive sword energy slash.
Dense sword energies rained down like meteors.
Wherever they passed, they inflicted damage upon Benedict and sealed his escape routes.