Chapter 24: The Roar of a New Era!
The sea air crackled with tension, not just from the impending clash of Haki, but from the sheer audacity of the words that had just been spoken. Suzaku's counter-offer hung heavy in the atmosphere, a challenge thrown directly into the face of a legend.
Hearing the Golden Lion's words, Suzaku reached out and gently stopped Albedo, who had suddenly flared with killing intent beside him. Her hand was already halfway to summoning her battle axe, her golden eyes narrowed into slits of pure fury.
Far from showing fear, Suzaku threw his head back and let out a burst of hearty laughter.
"Hahaha... Golden Lion Shiki, your name and stories are certainly known to me."
The laughter stopped abruptly, and Suzaku's gaze sharpened into a razor's edge. He looked directly at the legendary pirate floating in the sky, his voice clear, firm, and carrying the weight of unshakeable conviction.
"But I, Suzaku, am someone who intends to make the entire world remember the name 'Suzaku'. Serving under someone else? That is not part of my plan. My destiny isn't to follow footprints, but to forge a path."
A wild, arrogant curve appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he even turned the tables, pointing a finger at the floating admiral.
"How about it, Shiki? Why don't you consider becoming my subordinate? I could use an experienced hand to swab the decks."
Hearing this, Shiki laughed instead of getting angry. He threw his head back, his golden mane shaking, revealing his stark white teeth in a wide grin that stretched across his face.
A dangerous and excited glint flashed in his eye, the look of a predator who had found prey that could bite back.
"Jihahaha... Rejecting me? And daring to recruit me? Interesting... Very interesting! It's been decades since someone had the gall to speak to me like that!"
His tone suddenly turned cold, the temperature dropping as if the sun had been blotted out. An absolute sense of oppression crashed down on the Freedom.
"However, naive brat... do you think you have the qualifications to say 'no' to me on this sea? Words are wind. Only power speaks the truth here."
Before his voice faded, Shiki stopped talking nonsense. He casually swiped his right leg forward, the famous sword Oto slicing through the air.
"Rankyaku: Ran (Storm Leg: Chaos)!"
Whoosh—!
An enormous golden slash, condensed almost into a tangible entity of compressed air and Haki, instantly erupted from his leg and sped across the surface of the sea!
Wherever the slash passed, the ocean surface seemed to be split open by an invisible giant blade. The water was carved apart, dividing into two sides and raising monstrous waves that crashed outward. The attack carried an aura of destruction, a promise of death, heading straight for the Freedom!
Watching the gigantic slash that seemed capable of tearing apart anything approach, Nami's face turned pale with fright. She clutched the railing, her knuckles white.
"It's huge! We're going to be cut in half!" she screamed.
"All of you stay on the ship!" Suzaku's voice rang out, steady and powerful, carrying an unquestionable resolution that cut through Nami's panic.
His eyes burned with excitement. This wasn't just a fight; it was a benchmark.
"This time... this is a rare opponent. A legend of the old era. It's the perfect chance for me to test my skills! Don't interfere!"
The next moment, he crouched and suddenly leaped up from the bow of the ship!
Boom!
Blazing golden flames violently erupted from behind him. The Vermilion Bird bloodline roared to life. The fire instantly condensed into a pair of magnificent and enormous fiery wings, sending scorching heat waves sweeping out across the deck.
He did not dodge. He charged directly toward the terrifying slash that had cleaved the sea!
Pitch-black Armament Haki rapidly covered his arms like a living entity, hardening his skin into black steel, gleaming with a cold, metallic luster.
Facing the slash that was now right in front of him—a wave of energy larger than his ship—Suzaku clenched his right fist.
"Break for me!"
He unleashed a straightforward punch, driving his Haki-infused fist directly into the apex of the golden slash.
CRACK—!
The fist and the slash violently collided!
That massive slash, powerful enough to cleave a fleet of battleships, was actually held back mid-air by his Haki-covered punch. It shuddered against his fist, emitting a bone-jarring hum that resonated in the chests of everyone watching.
Dispersed sword energy splashed everywhere, cutting random gashes into the surrounding sea surface like invisible knives.
The stalemate lasted only for an instant!
A golden light flashed in Suzaku's eyes. The fiery wings on his back vibrated, pumping more kinetic energy into his strike.
Rumble!
"HAA!"
With a final roar of exertion, power erupted once more. The giant slash was crushed. It shattered like glass, breaking apart into countless specks of harmless light that dissipated into the air.
Suzaku didn't stop. His momentum remained completely unchecked. He transformed into a streak of golden flowing fire, tearing through the sky, rocketing toward Golden Lion Shiki who was suspended in the air!
Seeing that Suzaku not only utilized high-level Armament Haki but also defeated his slash using sheer physical strength, Shiki was not angered. Instead, the excitement on his face grew even more intense.
"He mastered Haki before even entering the Grand Line? Jihahaha... I increasingly want you to become my left and right hand! You are a treasure!"
Just as Suzaku used his extreme speed to rush in front of the Golden Lion, throwing a Haki-infused punch aimed at the pirate's face, Shiki reacted.
He raised his arm. His fist turned distinctively black—the sign of Hardening.
However, it was notable that only the fist part of Shiki's arm was covered in pitch-black Armament Haki. The hardening did not extend up his arm, a subtle sign of his diminished reserves.
"Bang—!"
The two fists collided violently in mid-air!
A deafening roar erupted, like a thunderclap directly overhead. A surging wave of air exploded, centered on the two men. The pressure wave pressed the sea surface beneath their feet downward, creating a massive bowl-shaped depression in the water.
"Not only a Devil Fruit ability that allows flight, but his physique is also honed to this degree..." Shiki grinned, his teeth bared in a savage smile as he held the deadlock. "Hey, brat, how old are you?!"
After the clash, both men were simultaneously shaken back by the recoil. They drifted apart, hovering in the air. The appreciation in Shiki's eye grew stronger, and he couldn't help but ask loudly.
"Ha! What's wrong, Golden Lion? Are you already starting to feel the unforgiving nature of time?" Suzaku shook his wrist, feeling the sting of the impact. He laughed proudly. "Then you must firmly remember this name: Suzaku Yareon, eighteen years old! The man destined to resound across this sea!"
"Eighteen?!" Shiki's eyes narrowed. "Piracy isn't a game for brats like you, damn it!"
He responded with maniacal laughter, his fighting spirit surging to cover his physical decline.
"Join me in ruling this world!"
"I refuse!"
Before he finished speaking, the two figures violently clashed in mid-air once more!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Every exchange triggered air explosions. Suzaku was a blur of golden fire, striking with kicks and punches. Shiki was a master of aerial combat, using his floatation ability to maneuver with impossible agility, countering with Haki-infused strikes and slashes from his legs.
It was a pure, fist-to-fist, intense brawl that made the blood boil.
High above, on the deck of the floating central island, Shiki's subordinates watched in disbelief.
"Are you kidding me... that newcomer can actually fight Boss Shiki to this extent?!"
"In a place like the East Blue... how could such a monster emerge?!"
Dr. Indigo, Shiki's clown-like scientist and second-in-command, frowned deeply as he watched the battle through binoculars. He mimed walking while floating with his squeaky shoes.
"This is bad," Indigo thought. "Shiki-sama has been out of active combat for years. He still has the steering wheel lodged in his brain. Since the opponent could contend head-on with Shiki without being disadvantaged, I have to worry about whether Shiki's body could withstand this high-intensity battle for a prolonged period."
Below, the battle raged. After a particularly fierce collision, Suzaku seized a fleeting gap in Shiki's defense. He spun, his leg wreathed in flames and Haki, and delivered a heavy kick to Shiki's ribs.
Thud!
Shiki was sent flying backward, tumbling through the air before correcting himself.
"Shiki!" Suzaku's voice pierced the sea wind, carrying a sharp edge.
"It seems you truly are old! Your Armament Haki has declined to this extent? You're relying too much on physical strength because your Haki reserves are unstable! forcing you to rely only on your physical strength to clash with me... How much longer can your current body hold up?"
"Brat... don't get ahead of yourself!" Shiki stabilized himself, floating upright. He wiped a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. The fierce light in his single eye remained undiminished, but a vein pulsed on his forehead near the steering wheel.
"Even if I am old, I am still Golden Lion Shiki! I am the man destined to rule this sea!"
He knew well that the opponent possessed the ability to fly, making him virtually invincible over the vast ocean. If he wanted to stop him, he had to use tactics.
He looked down at the Freedom, spotting the terrified navigator and the calm maid.
"If I can't break you, I'll break your spirit!"
He suddenly roared toward the sky: "Indigo! Release 'that thing'! Capture his companions on the ship! Let's see how he fights while worrying about his women!"
A smaller Sky Island responded, slowly moving from the cluster to hover directly above the Freedom.
ROAR!
Massive, genetically modified beasts emerged from the island's jungle. There were giant praying mantises, mutated tigers with scaly skin, and birds large enough to carry off a man. They leaped from the island, descending toward Rem and the two others on the deck with predatory intensity.
"Hey, Shiki," Suzaku sneered, floating in the air. He didn't move to intercept the beasts.
"Just now you said my actions were child's play? And now you're targeting my companions?"
"Pirates don't play fair!" Shiki laughed.
"It seems your breadth of mind and spirit, just like your declining strength, have almost run out," Suzaku said coldly. "You truly have become senile! Do you really think trash like that can touch my crew?"
"Hahaha! What's wrong, are you scared?" Shiki spread his arms and laughed wildly. "With me watching here, you won't get a chance to go back and save them! These rare beasts are secret weapons that I spent twenty years cultivating! They are the cornerstone of my grand ambition!"
"Shiki," Suzaku's voice suddenly turned cold, carrying a trace of pity. "This sea ultimately relies on absolute strength! That ship's wheel on your head seems to have not only damaged your Haki but also worn down your character! To start obsessing over external forces like mutated animals... has the decline of your own strength made you so desperate that you clutch onto any straw and refuse to let go?"
Having spoken, Suzaku's eyes flashed fiercely!
BOOM—!!!
Top-tier Conqueror's Haki erupted without reservation!
It wasn't just a wave of pressure; it was a physical manifestation of dominance. More than a dozen terrifying auras, pitch-black as ink and wrapped in dark red lightning, swept across the sky and sea like a tangible tsunami.
It instantly engulfed the descending beasts and the entire Sky Island cluster!
Thud, thud...
As if struck by an invisible heavy hammer, the crew members on the Sky Island foamed at the mouth and collapsed.
The ferocious, roaring rare beasts that had just leaped from the island froze in mid-air. Their eyes rolled back into their heads. Their massive bodies went limp. They fell from the sky like stones, crashing into the sea around the Freedom with massive splashes.
Not a single one remained conscious. They completely lost consciousness and collapsed onto the ground or into the sea.
"Although, given the strength of my companions, these so-called 'secret weapons' of yours are nothing more than a pile of pathetic toys," Suzaku floated in the air, black and red lightning from his Haki swirling around him like a descending god.
He looked down at the Golden Lion, whose face had drastically changed from arrogance to shock. His voice was calm yet contained undeniable power.
"But I still wanted you to see clearly, right before the ambitious plan you placed great hope in for many years... what a true powerhouse actually means."
Suzaku clenched his fist, the Haki lightning crackling violently.
"Your ambition, your reliance... they are laughably insignificant in the face of absolute strength!"