"Golden Lion!"
Kalifa exclaimed, causing Esdeath to frown in confusion.
"Who's the Golden Lion?"
Kalifa's face turned serious. "He was one of the strongest pirates of the old era. At his peak, he dared to challenge Marineford alone. It took the two strongest marines back then to bring him down. He was imprisoned in Impel Down, but not long after, he broke out and vanished for the next twenty years."
Even among the old generation of pirates, their power was terrifying. Of today's Four Emperors, only Red-Haired Shanks is new blood — the other three, including Whitebeard, came from that same era. Whitebeard himself is a living legend.
"One of the strongest of his time, huh? Just how powerful was he?" Esdeath pressed, intrigued.
Kalifa pointed at the floating islands overhead. "See those? A man capable of levitating dozens of islands like it's nothing… That's the Golden Lion."
Esdeath said nothing, her gaze fixed on the sky. Dozens of islands suspended in the air — the sight alone was overwhelming.
"Why would the Golden Lion come for me?" Vane muttered, puzzled. After his escape from Impel Down, Golden Lion had sought out Whitebeard. Rumors said he spoke of living in seclusion. They were old comrades in arms. No one knew where he disappeared after that — but Vane remembered one thing: Golden Lion harbored a deep hatred for the East Blue. Ever since Roger was executed in Loguetown, the old pirate considered it the greatest insult to Roger's legacy. In retaliation, he bred ferocious beasts, intending to release them on East Blue and display his wrath to the world.
"So, instead of hiding in the East Blue, he came to the New World? Or did he track me down deliberately?"
The Float-Float Fruit gave him the ability to soar anywhere, lifting islands tens of thousands of meters into the air. The Marines had searched for him for years in vain. If the old man wanted to hide, no one could find him.
One of the floating islands hovered a mere hundred meters from where Vane and the others stood — dangerously low.
At its center, standing at the edge of an island, was the Golden Lion himself.
Dressed in a golden robe, with long flowing hair the color of molten gold, he looked down at them. Over seventy years old, yet still radiating fierce vitality.
He was one of the most feared pirates of the old generation. Even among the three legendary pirates of that era, his combat ability was considered top-tier. Hanging high above his enemies, he could strike at will, while few could even reach him.
Thanks to the Float-Float Fruit, he controlled land, sea, and sky. Beyond that, his swordsmanship was formidable. In the twenty years since his disappearance, it was likely he'd only grown stronger. Even if he hadn't been a master swordsman before, he had surely become one now.
Yet, for all his power, he was also the one who suffered the greatest defeat. Roger became the Pirate King. Whitebeard secured his place as a living legend. Meanwhile, the Golden Lion faded into obscurity. After twenty years, how many still remembered his name?
His pride as a warrior was long broken.
From high in the sky, the Golden Lion roared down, "Boy, become my right hand! Together, we'll rule this world!"
His voice rumbled like thunder across the air. Even after all these years, his presence was overwhelming, filled with raw Haki.
The floating island came to a halt.
The Golden Lion wasn't interested in becoming Pirate King. His ambition was far greater — to overthrow the World Government itself.
"What's this old man planning?" Esdeath asked warily.
"He's inviting your lord," Kalifa murmured, a hint of unease in her voice.
"Be his right hand? This old fool really knows how to dream," Esdeath scoffed.
At that moment, Vane's body began to lift into the air. Not by his own will, but by the Golden Lion's ability — the Float-Float Fruit allowed him to make anything float as if gravity itself had ceased.
On its own, the Float-Float Fruit wasn't an overwhelmingly powerful Devil Fruit. But in Golden Lion's hands, it became monstrous.
That was the nature of Devil Fruits — their true strength depended on the person wielding them. The Gura Gura no Mi, the Float-Float Fruit, the Soul-Soul Fruit… so many examples.
"Vane Sama… do you want us to come with you?" Kalifa asked.
"No," Vane said calmly. "It's his ability. You two stay here."
"What's he planning?" Esdeath frowned, still uneasy, though confident in Vane's strength.
"I don't know. I'll go see for myself."
Vane looked up at the Golden Lion. The old pirate grinned down at him. Despite the wrinkles marking his face, he still looked as spirited as ever.
Vane rose higher.
"To be honest," Vane thought, "this Float-Float Fruit… I wouldn't mind having it myself."
The dozens of floating islands were a stunning sight, a testament to the Golden Lion's power. Yet, this was just a simple demonstration of what he could do.
The Flying Pirates were the only crew capable of commanding the skies. And that was solely because of the Golden Lion. Without him, the rest were little more than cannon fodder. His entire pirate fleet existed because of his personal strength.
That arrogance would one day be his downfall.
Hovering before him now, Vane stared at the old man's legs — or rather, his prosthetic swords. Golden Lion had severed his own legs to escape from Impel Down, breaking free from seastone shackles. Only someone with his iron will could have pulled off such an escape. Most would have died or bled out trying.
It was a testament to his ruthlessness and resolve. No man who reached the summit of the world was a coward.
"You've got guts, old man," Vane said coldly. "Cutting off your own legs… no wonder you became a legend."
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