For the Golden Lion, life has had many setbacks, and being called a loser means nothing to him, because he truly did lose. Even luck couldn't change the outcome of the Battle of Edvaul.
But for a former great pirate, the loss of strength is something he cannot accept.
External injuries combined with a plunge in his spirits caused his Haki to gradually disappear, leaving him in a state where he can only rely on his swordsmanship and Fruit Ability.
Those who consume a Devil Fruit represent a deep-seated desire of a past community, with various abilities clashing on the sea.
The extent to which a Fruit Ability can be used is closely related to the ability user, and in this aspect, the Golden Lion is also a person at the pinnacle.
With the ability of the fruit, he can unleash his own disasters, but this doesn't change the fact that he can no longer wield the same Haki as he did in the past.
"You brat, the way you talk... really pisses me off!"
Around him, large masses of water floated up from the streams, and the earth and rocks forming the island split and reassembled under the influence of the Float-Float Fruit, coalescing into a massive Lion Mountain, with a lion's head full of madness, baring its fangs at Yamato.
Even though he can no longer use Haki now, the Slash Waves he swings out are enough to split mountains and seas. With the aid of his ability, the entire island began to appear fragmented.
The Corviknights had already moved away from the battlefield, seeking refuge to avoid being swept up in this calamitous environment.
...
On the other side, with a loud crash, the buildings at the center of the island began to collapse. In his beast form, Jack rampaged through the structures like a monster.
If the Golden Lion saw this, he would surely intervene, but Yamato's taunts were too well-executed, drawing all his animosity towards Yamato.
A multitude of wild beasts were captured by Maria's electric net, and neither Scarlet nor Indigo could stop Jack, naturally leading to this outcome. While the Golden Lion and Yamato were still embroiled in battle, Jack and Maria had already completed their destructive objectives.
When they looked in Yamato's direction, they saw various forms of giant lions and Slash Waves soaring through the sky, occasionally exhaling freezing cold air, transforming the scenery into that of a Winter Island.
The splashing water froze and turned into drifting snow, falling again near the battlefield.
"Is Yamato injured?"
"Shallow injuries from the slashes. Ultimately, she's a great pirate. Other than Brother Kaidou, I haven't seen someone capable of injuring Yamato in a long time."
A scar of blood was visible on the white arm. Although far away, the mark was still prominent to Jack and Maria.
Yamato's physique had long reached a monstrous level; even without using skills, her skin alone could withstand many attacks. Let alone now, she was in full combat mode.
You might doubt her mental faculties sometimes, but you can't question her combat instincts. Fewer and fewer people could truly break her defense.
Within the Hundred Beasts, there were still quite a few who could manage this, but only Kaidou was ruthless enough to go through with it.
"Great Pirate?"
"Captain of the Flying Sky Pirates, Golden Lion. A monster from the same era as Brother Kaidou... no, as Whitebeard. I remember clearly."
Seeing Maria's slightly doubtful look, Jack offered his explanation, a stark contrast to how he responded when Yamato asked him.
Maria truly couldn't remember who the Golden Lion was, but Jack was trying to better respond to Yamato and simultaneously mock the Golden Lion.
"Is Yamato going to be alright?"
Maria had no intention of intervening, not because she didn't want to help, but because she knew for battles of this level, her involvement wouldn't make any difference.
Without it being explicitly a 1v1 showdown, they wouldn't mind ganging up, but even ganging up requires consideration of level; the dead camel is still bigger than a horse. A monster like the Golden Lion, even in decline, was not someone they could intervene with easily.
Recklessly interfering in the battle would only create chaos, causing trouble for Yamato; thus, waiting was the best course of action.
"Neither of us is good at agile aerial battles. Trust her. If she can't handle it, our only option would be to call for reinforcements."
To be exact, Yamato wasn't particularly good at air battles either, but she was certainly much better than the two of them.
"Wouldn't it be too late by then?"
"Strangely, when I sent out the call for reinforcements to Onigashima previously, there was no reply, probably delayed by something."
Sitting calmly on the ruins, the two observed the distant battle, oblivious to the fact that above them, Kaidou, in his dragonified form, had been lingering in the clouds for a long time.
With Kaidou nearby, Onigashima naturally wouldn't respond to the call for reinforcements. However, Kaidou wasn't particularly satisfied with the battle below, not with Yamato, but with the Golden Lion.
"Shiki, you old fool... you've aged too."
.....
The sun rose and set, passing by three cycles unconsciously, while the balance of battle constantly fluctuated.
On the first day, the Golden Lion was filled with rage, every action and gesture unleashed calamitous attacks, with powerful slashes leaving numerous unfathomably deep abysses on the island.
But Yamato, like an indestructible cockroach, always found a way to slip through his attacks.
On the second day, the Golden Lion's attacks became more refined and efficient because he realized that if they continued like this, he'd be the first to be exhausted. Though their overall stamina wasn't drastically different, the disparity in recovery ability was like a chasm.
Wounds that took normal people days to heal would take Yamato only minutes. The injuries left by Kogarashi and Oto were visibly healing.
On the third day, the Golden Lion began to feel fatigued, while the opposing side still seemed perfectly fine.
The last time something similar happened was when he fought both Garp and Sengoku at the same time. It wasn't that Yamato had reached that level of strength, but the Golden Lion was no longer the man he once was. As the battle progressed, a pain emerged from the spot where the helm connected to his head.
"Thundering Hakken!"
Yamato didn't understand why the Golden Lion suddenly hesitated, and she had no intention of respecting the old and caring for the young. Seizing the gap in his actions, she struck the side of the Golden Lion's head directly with Ken 7.0.
...
"Kid, are you doing all this just because of that bird? With such power, is it worth fighting for that crow?"
Amid the dust, the Golden Lion leaned on a pile of rubble. Taking that hit wasn't easy for him, but he couldn't comprehend why his opponent was fighting so desperately.
Over the past three days, Yamato wasn't unharmed; his dual swords had struck key points several times. If not for Yamato's monstrous physique, she would have been defeated by now.
"People like you would never understand. You, who disregard life, will always be a loser! Ice Slash!"
Yamato leapt high, Wolf Fang Club enveloped in Haki and freezing air, smashing down. But this time, the club didn't hit the Golden Lion.
Kogarashi and Oto floated in the air, blood dripping, their blades blackened with Haki, which appeared on the blades once more after over a decade, intercepting Yamato's attack mid-air.
This was an advanced use of Armament Haki, to intercept an opponent from a distance.
"Brat, the second round is just beginning!"
The Golden Lion's mane fluttered, more arrogant than before. In his eyes, there sparkled a long-lost aura, that blow seemed to have completely awakened him...