Kogarashi was reinforcing Shiki's power, and Rowen could feel it.
Golden Lion Shiki, ignoring his own injuries, aimed to cut Rowen in one clean strike. However, Rowen wouldn't give him that chance. In the moment of their deadlock, a bolt of lightning rushed towards them.
Overload · Lightning Kick!
A heavy kick struck Golden Lion Shiki's chin, causing a chain reaction of shockwaves in his brain. It wasn't just discomfort; it was an excruciating pain and an illusion created by the electrical currents invading his brain. In a way, it was similar to DP.
But regardless of how he felt, the damage from this kick was very real.
Kā Chā!!
Rowen's powerful kick shattered Golden Lion Shiki's chin and left half of his mouth hanging by a thread of flesh. Golden Lion Shiki, jolted by this unusual sensation, instantly regained his senses. He saw Rowen wasn't going easy on him and angrily kicked at Kogarashi and Oto.
Siii!!
A sharp blade sliced through Rowen's back, causing a gush of blood to rush out. However, Rowen didn't retreat; instead, he smiled maliciously and took a step forward, letting the blade continue to penetrate him.
He could dodge, but it wasn't necessary.
Taking someone's life was never a sacred or honorable act, as a certain red-haired swordsman who excelled in using reverse-blade swords had once said. No matter how beautifully adorned with words or how noble the intentions behind it, a murder was still murder.
Rowen shared the same belief; that's why he never considered himself a champion of justice.
He was simply following his instincts...
He is delivering a vicious blow to a fallen opponent!
Bam!
Overload · Thunderlight Fist!
A powerful punch landed on Golden Lion Shiki's soft ribs, shattering his ribcage and causing him to cough up blood.
Golden Lion Shiki's eyes gleamed with anger as he attempted to draw his sword, but Rowen took the initiative. He firmly grasped the blade with his large hand, ignoring the fact that his own hand had been cut open, making it impossible for Golden Lion Shiki to retrieve his weapon.
The disadvantage of using legs as weapons was evident here. Legs were not as dexterous as hands, and their length determined the minimum range of their attacks. Once an opponent closed the distance, the weapons attached to the legs became ineffective.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
A series of combinations left Golden Lion Shiki in agonizing pain, causing him nearly unable to breathe. Each punch from Rowen would have been lethal to an ordinary person, but a strong fighter like Golden Lion Shiki could endure them due to his tenacious vitality. However, the pain remained undiminished.
Hiss... Ahhh...!!
Golden Lion Shiki emitted incomprehensible screams as he was drenched in blood. He raised his other leg, attempting to break free from Rowen's relentless assault.
Smack!
Rowen raised his knee and pushed down. His Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki)-enhanced wooden prosthetic leg collided with Golden Lion Shiki's knee, sparking golden flames in the air. Rowen seized the opportunity and delivered another ruthless punch.
Thunderlight…
Penetration Cannon!
A point-blank Thunderlight cannon!
In an instant, an immense force surged through, causing Oto to sever Rowen's grip on the blade. Golden Lion Shiki widened his eyes, and along with Thunderlight, he was sent flying into the distance.
Recovering from an injury like severed limbs would take at least a minute. After delivering the punch, Rowen didn't waste any time. He raised his remaining right hand skyward.
Spear of Meteors- Gungnir!
Buzz! Buzz!
Countless pure white thunder spears with endless sharp edges appeared in the high sky behind him. Each thunder spear made the air
It wasn't true disappearance; it was simply too fast for the retina to capture.
Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!!
Boom! Rumble!
Thunderous lightning ravaged the sky, shrouding half of the Angel Island. Fortunately, most of the northern shore had been cleared, leaving only a few merchants who, even in the face of death, clung to their belongings.
After completing this, Rowen couldn't help but stagger. The Thunder God mark on his forehead flickered like an unstable lightbulb, then dispersed. His body plummeted straight downward.
As Rowen continued to develop his Goro Goro no Mi (Thunder Thunder Fruit), he realized it wasn't as perfect as he had imagined. The immense power came with a massive stamina cost.
It was no wonder that in the original story, Enel only resorted to "Thunder God" after being provoked by Luffy and the others. Even Skypieans, with their physiques stronger than those from the Blue Sea, couldn't sustain it.
Rowen hadn't encountered this issue before because as a child, he was in a period of rapid physical enhancement. The Goro Goro no Mi was like a toy car with a fixed power output, while his battery was upgraded daily, always producing more than it consumed.
Now, at this stage, both his physique and fruit development had entered a slow growth bottleneck. His physique could only improve through daily rigorous Sea Stone-based exercises, effectively narrowing the gap.
So, after unleashing a series of powerful moves, what followed was an exhausting pain. Even taking a breath felt like his lung alveoli were exploding.
During the descent, Rowen closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, cherishing this hard-earned moment of rest. Just a second before landing on Island Cloud, he agilely flipped in the air.
Thud!
His suit was once again in disarray, but luckily, his shoes only showed a few more signs of wear, leaving him not entirely barefoot. Rowen patted his chest and was surprised to find a cigar that was miraculously still intact. He joyfully brought it to his lips and ignited it with an electric spark.
Hoo…
He exhaled a long plume of white smoke, releasing his Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) to sense the vitality amidst the explosions.
"This time, you must be dead, right?"
If it weren't for the helm on the back of Golden Lion Shiki's head accidentally flying off, adding a new injury to his old ones, winning would have required even more effort.
This seemed to be Golden Lion Shiki's curse. Every defeat was accompanied by coincidences that elicited pity from admirers and secret laughter from beneficiaries.
"But the oath I made to Sensei was to bring back both of your heads. It seems I won't be able to..."
The area shrouded in lightning was cut off from any means of detection. Releasing Kenbunshoku Haki, all that could be heard was an endless barrage of explosions, with the air saturated with electrical currents causing a deafening chain reaction.
At some point, the battle between God's Officers and pirates abruptly came to a halt.
The pirates still remembered their mission, but no one had told them... that Golden Lion Shiki would be defeated! This was the legendary Sea Pirate, Golden Lion Shiki!!!
Their confidence stemmed from Golden Lion Shiki. If Golden Lion Shiki was defeated, could they, a group of ordinary pirates, escape alive?
"Captain, our ship..."
A trembling pirate approached Old Boss, pointing to the Pirate Ship that had crashed not far away, now reduced to only a third of its original hull.
Well, leaving now wasn't an option.
"Retreat!! Everyone, retreat!"
"Hurry, run! Golden Lion Shiki has lost!"
"Disperse and break through. Don't let them surround us!"
"We have no ships to steal from them! Charge towards the Sea Current, it's our only chance. Staying here means certain death!"
The pirates instantly descended into chaos. Some wanted to flee, while others wanted to fight. Their lack of discipline and organization made them see everyone as an enemy, and they raised their weapons at anyone who dared stand in their way.
On the other hand, the morale of God's Officers skyrocketed!
"Vice Admiral Soryu is victorious! Brothers, follow me and fight!"
"God's Officers, assemble! Block them at the harbor! Assign a few to evacuate the ships at the port. We can't let the pirates escape!"
"Attack!"
Much like the 300 Spartans at the hot spring in that movie, the God's Officers, though few in number, unleashed an unprecedented combat prowess, wielding various Sky Island Dials and driving the pirates, who outnumbered them threefold, into chaos.
One by one, pirates reached the harbor only to find that the ships notified to them were dozens of meters away. Besides Fishmen, who could catch up?
The pirates in front halted, while those behind continued to surge forward. As a critical point was reached, the first pirate fell into the water.
Then the second, the third... the tenth... the twentieth...
Fire spewed, and winds sliced, yet the God's Officers remained calm. They systematically drove the pirates into the White Sea, crushing their resistance.
The victory was within sight, but at this moment, a large chunk of earth suddenly rose from the distant horizon. Invisible forces took control of the floating islands that dotted the sky, along with the buildings atop them, molding them into a colossal Aerolite.
Just how massive was it?
About the size of driving for an hour on a highway.
"He's not dead?!"
Rowen's eyes widened abruptly. He watched as beneath the Aerolite, a figure covered in flowing blood, eyes radiating boundless menace, stood firm.
Lion Majesty · Cloud Lion King!!
Thud!
The colossal Aerolite transformed into a clear-maned lion, taking a fierce step forward in the air, letting out a sharp roar, and charging toward Rowen.
[Chapter Complete.]