Rumble!
Golaru was sent flying dozens of meters, smashing hard into the metal wall of the forward gun platform. More than half his body was caved into the steel wall, and the powerful impact shook the entire bow of the ship, creating a dense network of fine cracks all over the metal.
If the ship's dual cannon turret hadn't been there to stop him, Golaru would have surely been sent flying into the sea.
"Damn it! To think... the difference is this vast!" Golaru's face was pale as he pulled himself away from the metal wall, a thin trail of blood still at the corner of his mouth.
He had worked for the Komodo Merchant Guild for fifteen years and had fought against great pirates with bounties of over 100 million berries before. He had even defeated and killed a handful of them, which gave him a great deal of pride.
But this was his first time clashing with a veteran pirate of Chinjao's caliber. He never expected to encounter such an overwhelming display of power, which completely shattered his pride.
What's more, Chinjao wasn't even in his prime. The title of Chinjao the Drill came from the cone-shaped head he once had, but now that's gone. This meant Chinjao had lost his greatest weapon. Otherwise, that last headbutt would have been enough to severely injure or even kill him.
"C-Captain Golaru... was he beaten?!"
"No way! Captain Golaru has killed bounties over 100 million!"
"Th-this is... is this the true power of a great pirate with a bounty over 500 million?"
Seeing Golaru defeated and spitting blood, the guards and crew members on the other ships were dumbfounded, their faces a mixture of disbelief and shock.
Thump, thump, thump, thump...
"I told you... you're still a long way off!"
Chinjao spoke with a devilish sneer, his footsteps echoing on the deck.
"Hey, Chinjao. When did you fall so low that you started bullying the weak?"
Suddenly, a lazy voice came from the sky.
"Hmm?!"
Chinjao was taken aback and looked up.
Everyone else on the battlefield also looked up, staring in a daze at the man floating in the sky.
"H-hey, am I seeing things?"
"How can someone fly in mid-air? Is he a Devil Fruit user?"
"N-no way... Gulp. How could such a big shot be here?"
"..."
"Oh, my God! Is he their reinforcement? No, that can't be right?"
"Hooo... They've finally arrived... Our reinforcements, the Warlord of the Sea: Golden Ring Aeridar!" Parodi wiped the sweat from his brow, breathing a sigh of relief.
Looking at Aeridar floating in the sky, Parodi exclaimed, "To think it would be one of the top three... How lucky!"
"What's a Warlord of the Sea doing here? Is he just passing by?" Boo asked on the Happo Navy's warship, his voice filled with surprise.
"The Komodo Merchant Guild is a special supplier to the World Government. We attacked them and even sank a Marine G-3 Branch battleship," Sai said with a grim expression. "This man was probably nearby, so the Marines called him in as reinforcement."
Sai was annoyed by the Seven Warlords who had sided with the World Government, but he could tell this man was a serious problem. His impressive list of accomplishments proved the terrifying strength he possessed.
This man had even defeated the legendary Golden Lion Shiki. Even in his grandfather Chinjao's prime, he might not have been a match.
"You brat... Do you want to fight me?" Chinjao turned around, his face a cold mask.
At this point, Chinjao had recognized Aeridar. The fall of Golden Lion Shiki had sent shockwaves across the entire world. Having lived through that era, Chinjao knew the power Golden Lion Shiki wielded. He didn't believe a mere twenty-year-old kid could single-handedly defeat and kill him.
But now, Chinjao felt that he had seriously underestimated the man. Even with his strength severely diminished and his combat intuition dulled by age, he could still feel the intense sense of danger coming from Aeridar, as if he were a cold, ferocious beast.
"I've had that thought..." Aeridar paused, then grinned. "Especially since that battle ended, I've become even more interested in you pirates of the old generation."
The strength of the old generation pirates was one thing, but even if their power had waned due to injury or old age, the rich combat experience they had accumulated from a lifetime of fighting on the high seas was something Aeridar lacked and desired. To make up for this, there was no better way than a life-or-death battle with these veterans.
"Kid, don't get too cocky." Chinjao's heart sank, and his rage surged.
Crack!
Chinjao put his hands together, and an astonishing Haki burst forth, shaking the air around him. His beard flew, and his face was that of a demon.
"Oh, Conqueror's Haki, is it?" Aeridar licked his lips with excitement.
Woooosh!
In the next moment, an even more terrifying Haki erupted from Aeridar, instantly sweeping across the warship and knocking out every surviving guard and crew member.
"Gulp... This... is this the power of a world-class fighter?"
Feeling the immense pressure, Golaru was horrified. He immediately returned to his human form, tore off a large wooden plank, and with a plop, jumped into the sea, holding the board, terrified of getting caught in the upcoming fight.
"Hasshoken: Head-Arms!"
Chinjao's flattened head became as black as metal. He then stomped his foot and launched himself into the air, flying toward Aeridar like a giant arrow.
"Come on! Impact Fist!"
Aeridar grinned savagely, diving down. His right hand was coated in Armament Haki as he threw a direct punch.
Boom!!!
A muffled thunderclap echoed. The surrounding environment seemed to darken for a moment. A visible ring of air waves exploded outward, shaking the air and forming a powerful hurricane that spread out. At the same time, a surge of black and red lightning burst forth and streaked wildly through the air.
"A clash of Conqueror's Haki!"
From a distance, Sai and Boo watched the astonishing scene in horror.
"Get lost!"
After a moment of struggle in mid-air, Aeridar suddenly withdrew his force and simultaneously swept out with a kick.
Thump!
His leg, as hard as a steel whip, tore through the air, leaving a blur as it smashed into Chinjao's head, instantly knocking it sideways and sending him flying downward.
Rumble!
With a whoosh, Chinjao landed hard on the deck. The warship shook violently as he tore through the upper deck, and a whirlwind of air kicked up a cloud of dust.