Chapter 398 - 237

Chapter 237: Besieging Golden Lion!!"Your timing is excellent!!"Golden Lion's sneer was piercingly harsh under the illumination of the lightning.He didn't even turn his head; at the very instant the kick, wreathed in crackling thunder, was about to touch the skin of his neck.With a head movement that seemed pre-calculated, he tilted slightly to the left.By a hair's breadth.Sanji's kick, capable of shattering steel and evaporating seawater, whistled past, wreathed in scorching blue-white electric arcs, grazing Golden Lion's flowing golden hair.The violent electrical energy instantly vaporized the few severed strands of hair, leaving behind a wisp of charred smoke."But... you're too slow!!"Golden Lion's voice carried naked mockery.He finally turned around completely, his gaze like a hawk that could see through everything, locking onto Sanji's slightly sluggish form caused by the missed attack."Speed cannot outpace Observation Haki."He laughed wildly as his famous swords, 'oto' and 'mugure', emitted a clear hum simultaneously. The blades' sharp edges suddenly shone beneath the dim thunderclouds."All struggle... is futile!!"Before his words had even faded, his arms were already crossed and swinging out!"Slash Wave: Twin Lions!"A slash of absolute purity erupted!Two golden, radiant sword beams, tens of meters long and condensed into substance, rose like two crescent moons appearing out of thin air. They instantly tore through the air and space, crisscrossing toward Sanji's location with a momentum that sealed off all angles of evasion!Wherever they passed, even the falling raindrops were neatly sliced in two, and the clouds below were plowed into two bottomless trenches!However, at the very moment the golden sword beams were about to swallow Sanji."Zzzzt—pop!"Sanji's figure suddenly dissipated, turning into blue-white electric arcs.The two terrifying slash waves passed through the scattered electric light, silently slicing a floating hill further in the distance into four pieces, the cross-sections smooth as mirrors.Hundreds of meters away, the free-floating ions in the air rapidly gathered and reorganized, and Sanji's figure clearly materialized once again.He slowly raised his head, looking at the golden figure standing in the distance, sword in hand, as if he had never moved. His brows knitted tightly, and his eyes became incredibly grave."Future sight... is it?"Sanji muttered to himself, his voice a mix of shock, realization, and deeper wariness.He believed that in the previous strike, he had seized the perfect opportunity when Golden Lionwas distracted scouting the sunny, and his speed and explosive power had reached his current limits.But the opponent's seemingly casual head tilt clearly indicated that he had long since "seen" the trajectory of the attack.Golden Lion did not pursue, merely hovering in place, watching with interest as Sanji resumed his fighting stance, as if enjoying the struggle of a trapped beast."It seems the brats of the new era aren't all just blockheads who only know how to charge blindly."He grinned, revealing his stark white teeth."Being able to recognize 'future sight'... you're a little bit stronger than the small fry down there."..."ROOM!"A voice, calm to the point of indifference, rang out at the edge of the battlefield.The moment the voice fell, a hemispherical, transparent force field rippling with eerie blue energy waves expanded without warning!Its range was immense, far exceeding the ordinary, and it actually enveloped Golden Lion, Sanji, and a large expanse of airspace above.Light distorted at the edge of the force field, as if space had been independently severed."Hm?!" The sneer on Golden Lion's lips froze instantly.He felt the spatial rules around him undergo a subtle change, as if stepping into another domain.Almost at the same millisecond "ROOM" expanded, at the top of the force field, directly above Golden Lion, the air rippled like the surface of water.Yamato's tall figure flashed into existence out of thin air, as if directly "swapped" out from the void!"Since when?! A space ability?!"A trace of genuine surprise finally flashed in Golden Lion's eyes.The opponent not only possessed the rare Ope-Ope no Mi, but its application range, precision, and this exquisite tactical coordination all exceeded his estimations.There was no time for him to ponder this bizarre combination of abilities!!"Zzzzt—!"Yamato was already gripping the Spiked Club with both hands, black and purple Haoshoku lightning coiling around the club like a violent thunder dragon."Thunder Bagua!!!"Golden Lion was both alarmed and furious. Driven to the limit by his combat instincts, he kicked upward with 'oto' at his foot, wreathed in two-colored Haki!"Lion: Thousand-Cut Valley!"BOOM—!!!The Haoshoku collided, and the barrier vibrated violently!The secondary collision of power and slash caused Golden Lion's blood to churn, and his form retreated violently."Kaido's move! What is your relationship with Kaido?!"He shouted, his gaze sharply sweeping over Law, who was in the distance maintaining his stance with a light sheen of sweat on his forehead.It was that kid with the spotted hat! The user of the Ope-Ope no Mi!"None of your business!!"Yamato gritted her teeth and responded defiantly, the webbing between her thumbs and forefingers splitting from gripping the club, blood staining her sleeves.And just in the instant Golden Lion was caught off guard by this spatial tactic, his form unstable, and his attention momentarily diverted by Yamato and Law!"Swish—!!"Zoro, transformed into a black sword demon, had already breached the edge of the ROOM's range!He, too, had his appearance position and timing precisely adjusted by Law's ability, targeting the opening Golden Lion revealed while blocking Yamato!"Three Sword Style: Purgatory Onigiri!!""Annoying insects! Lion Threat: Earth Roll!!"Golden Lion roared, his left hand manipulating the earth to transform into a giant lion that engulfed Zoro, while simultaneously using the force to retreat further.Just as he attempted to create distance to regroup, and turn some of his rage toward Law, who was casting from afar."Injection: Shot."Law's calm voice rang out again. He lifted a finger slightly.On Golden Lion's path of retreat, inside the ROOM force field, the air was suddenly highly compressed into a single point, then instantly sliced and launched as if by an invisible scalpel!A "shockwave," difficult for the naked eye to capture, shot toward the vital point on Golden Lion's back with a precisely predicted angle, silent yet incredibly swift!Golden Lion's Observation Haki warned him frantically; he had to divert his attention once more, twisting his body to dodge this insidious strike.And in that ten-thousandth of a second where his movements stalled due to Law's harassment."Diable Jambe: Painting the Dragon's Eyes!!"Sanji's figure appeared at his flank like a phantom!Golden Lion's pupils constricted rapidly, and he hastily blocked with 'mugure' at his foot!Bang!"Tact!" Law's fingers waved like a symphony conductor.Zoro had just sliced apart part of the earthen giant lion, his figure instantly disappearing within the ROOM.The next moment, he appeared in Golden Lion's other blind spot, his blade striking sharply once more!Yamato also forcibly suppressed her churning blood, her Spiked Club wreathed in thunder again, coordinating with Zoro's slash to strike from another direction!Law's ROOM was like a precise and cruel operating table, and Golden Lion was the "patient" upon it.Spatial displacement, barrier lockdowns, internal shocks, positional fine-tuning... the power of the Ope-Ope no Mi was pushed to the limit,linking, accelerating, and strengthening the attacks of the Straw Hat Pirates' three great combatants in ways that defied common sense, forming a ceaseless, lethal web of combined attacks coming from all directions!Golden Lion finally completely put away his contempt.He roared, his twin swords dancing wildly, dark red Haoshoku Haki bursting from his body like an explosion, forcibly impacting the ROOM's force field, his slashes responding to the attacks coming from all three sides simultaneously!BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM—!!!The interior of the ROOM was instantly filled with the light of countless clashes of slashes, kicks, and heavy strikes, along with shockwaves, the eerie blue barrier twisting violently as if it would shatter at any moment....When the aftermath of the explosion subsided slightly, Golden Lion could be seen still standing in place, but his golden cloak had several more tears, and his breathing was slightly ragged.The giant earthen lion beneath his feet had already been mostly destroyed in the chaos.Meanwhile, Zoro, Yamato, and Sanji had each retreated slightly, all bearing injuries, panting, but the fighting spirit in their eyes was even more intense.Law was in the distance maintaining the ROOM, his face slightly pale; clearly, maintaining such a large-scale and high-intensity manipulation was extremely draining.Golden Lion slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the three people suspended in mid-air one by one.Finally, it locked onto Law, his eyes filled with unprecedented gravity and... a hint of excitement at meeting a worthy opponent."Ope-Ope no Mi... 'Surgeon of Death' Trafalgar Law."He licked his somewhat dry lips."And Kaido's successor, the Three Sword Styleswordsman, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit user... Gyeh-hahaha!!"He suddenly laughed wildly, his laughter filled with violent fighting spirit."It seems the new era has truly grown a few decent thorns!""But you think you can stop me with just these tricks!!""You're a hundred years too early!!!"In the shattered main banquet hall below and the connected corridors, the battle unfolded with a different, efficient rhythm.Gunshots rang out, lead bullets tearing through the thick smoke and dust.Robin turned gracefully like a willow in the wind, bullets grazing past the collar of her suit.She didn't even glance at the shooters; her arms, crossed before her chest, had already bloomed with a dazzling trail of petals."Tres Fleur: Clutch."Her voice was soft, yet carried the undeniable weight of judgment.The next moment, the hundreds of pirates charging at the very front froze in unison.On each of their shoulders, three fair and powerful arms "bloomed" out of thin air, their joints locking onto their necks, shoulders, and wrists at angles that defied human anatomy."Snap!""Snap!""Snap!"A teeth-gritting, dense chorus of bone-breaking cracks erupted almost simultaneously, like a single note played by the Grim Reaper.Before the screams could even escape their throats, these hundreds of thugs collapsed in heaps, like skins instantly drained of their bones, leaving only painful, faint groans."D-Demon! That woman is a demon!"The following pirates paused in their tracks, startled by this eerie and efficient "reaping," but greed and ferocity soon overwhelmed their fear.Several exceptionally burly pirates, seemingly leaders, roared as they flanked her from different directions, their blades aimed straight at Robin's vitals.Robin remained as calm as still water; in those deep eyes capable of reading the poneglyph, not a ripple of emotion could be seen.She didn't even change her stance; she simply extended her left hand outward and slowly clenched her right hand into a fist at her waist.In the air, invisible ripples began to gather.When the nearest machete was less than a foot from her hair."Fish-Man Karate: 3000 Tile True Punch."Her right fist struck out silently."Boom—!!!"A massive, visible shockwave of air erupted in a fan shape!The several pirate leaders charging forward were hit as if by an invisible giant hammer; their breastplates caved in, and they were sent flying backward, spitting blood from their mouths.Along with dozens of underlings behind them, they were slammed hard against the distant wall, embedded into the shattered masonry.As the dust settled, Robin slowly withdrew her fist, brushed non-existent dust from her sleeve, and cast her gaze toward the next scene of chaos...."Yo-ho-ho-ho~"A cheerful humming and the crisp, distinct sound of skeletal footsteps echoed through another corridor piled with debris.Brook held his cane sword, walking with elegant and swift dance steps as if attending a dinner party, gracefully passing through the middle of a group of bewildered pirates."Hey! What's up with that skeleton?!""Playing tricks! Kill him!"The pirates were stunned at first, then enraged by this provocative stroll. They roared, turned around, brandished their blades and guns, and lunged at Brook's seemingly unguarded back.Brook did not stop his pace, nor did he even turn his head."Honestly, don't you even know the etiquette of letting a gentleman walk a path in peace?"Just as the first blade was about to touch his spine."Hanauta Sancho: Yahazu Giri."Maintaining his forward momentum, Brookcompleted the motion of sheathing his sword.The soft click of the cane sword returning to its sheath became a sort of switch.Behind him, all the pirates, still in their lunging or slashing poses, suddenly froze.Immediately after, a tiny, ice-blue line rapidly appeared and expanded across their necks, chests, abdomens, and other vital areas."Click... crack..."Frigid ice crystals spread wildly from the wounds, instantly consuming flesh, life, and even the ferocious expressions frozen on their faces.Ice sculptures in various poses stood silently in the dark corridor, sealing within them the momentary slaughter and eternal silence.Brook gently adjusted his tuxedo bowtie, humming the unfinished tune as he walked toward the next area that needed some "peace and quiet."...In the relatively open ruins of the front hall, Usoppoccupied half of a broken marble pillar as a vantage point.Below, dozens of pirates were attempting to climb or find cover, firing sporadic bullets at him."Whew… It's been a while since it's been this 'lively'."Usopp took a deep breath, his eyes flashing with focused intensity.He no longer possessed his early cowardice; in its place was the calmness of the Sniper King, distilled from countless fierce battles.He reached into his special ammunition pouch, grabbed a handful of seeds, and without even looking, relied on the muscle memory formed from countless practices to load them into his massive slingshot, "kuro kabuto.""Let you taste… the flavor of the new Special Fire Star!"He pulled back and aimed—not at any specific enemy, but at an area above them."Triple: gunpowder star!!!"The moment he released the string, the string of special seeds shot out! And along their flight path, the amplification rings were triggered one by one!Passing through the first ring, sparks burst forth, and the seeds transformed into burning chicks.Passing through the second ring, the flames surged, the chicks doubled in size, and their screeches became piercing.Passing through the third ring, the orange-red flames went completely berserk, condensing into giant flaming birds with wingspans exceeding three meters, lifelike and radiating destructive heat!What was originally a strike as swift as a bullet, under three precise power amplifications, transformed into a catastrophe comparable to a heavy artillery barrage!"Wh-what is that?!""Dodge—!!"The pirates below looked up, their eyes filled with blazing orange-red, terror twisting their faces.Dozens of giant flaming birds merged into a churning sea of fire, bringing deathly screeches as they plummeted toward the densest part of the crowd!"Rumble—!!!!"Consecutive explosions and flames swallowed everything.The high-temperature shockwave blew away nearby debris once again, and the solid stone floor was blasted into charred, deep craters.The screams sounded short and weak amidst the explosions.When the flames and thick smoke cleared slightly, that area was left with nothing but charred, unrecognizable traces, and a few survivors on the edges who were severely burned, rolling on the ground and wailing.Usopp stood on the high ground, lowered "kuro kabuto," wiped the soot from his face, and muttered to himself:"The power… seems a bit stronger than expected. I'll have to adjust the spacing of the amplification rings next time."...Compared to his companions' eerie, flashy, or destructive fighting styles.The battlefield in the side hall where Chopper was located seemed particularly "plain and simple.""Ah… everyone, please don't come any closer!"Chopper maintained his Kung Fu Point form, looking at the pirates still charging and howling before him, his deer eyes filled with reluctance and determination.He didn't like pure violence, but to protect his friends and stop these bad guys from interfering with the battle above, he had to stand his ground."Kung Fu Point!"He gave a low shout, and the muscle fibers of his already sturdy arms became even smoother, filled with pliable explosive power.He skillfully combined fighting techniques with arm strength enhancement.A pirate swung a giant axe down; Chopper dodged to the side, lightly placed his front hoof on the opponent's wrist, and with the momentum, pulled and twisted."Ah!"The pirate felt an irresistible, gentle force pulling him; the giant axe slipped from his hand, and he was flung away, knocking down two people behind him.On the other side, three pirates thrust their spears simultaneously.Chopper didn't retreat but advanced instead, lowering his body to dive into the shadow of the spears. His arms blocked and deflected rapidly like a butterfly flitting through flowers; his seemingly gentle touches completely disrupted the trajectories of the spears, causing them to collide with each other.Immediately after, he gently pressed his palms onto the chests of two pirates."Bang! Bang!"The two were pushed away as if by a giant, elastic wave, flying back several meters. Though not seriously injured, they were winded and unable to get up for a moment."Hah!"Facing a burly man lunging from behind to put him in a chokehold, Chopper didn't even turn his head. He kicked backward lightly yet precisely with his hind hoof, striking the side of the opponent's knee joint.The burly man immediately lost his balance and fell to the ground, screaming.Chopper's battle had no lethal finishing moves, yet he efficiently rendered one enemy after another unable to fight.He wove through the enemy crowd, using precise "soft power" to neutralize attacks and create chaos, like dancing a dance themed around subjugation in the midst of a storm."I'm sorry, but for Luffy and the others… please go to sleep for a while!"His eyes were firm as he continued to meet the next wave of enemies.