"Arrogant?"
Xiano chuckled lightly, swirling his wine glass as he watched the liquid inside collide repeatedly.
"Hey now, just returning to my hometown and already getting this kind of gossip? What a headache. Ah well, say whatever you want... Got a problem with that?"
As he uttered those last few words,
he turned his head slightly, casting a sidelong glance at Aokiji.
Boom!
A terrifying wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted instantly, surging toward Aokiji like an overwhelming flood—without a single drop spilling elsewhere.
Crack!
The glass in Aokiji's hand shattered, along with his sunglasses.
"..."
Aokiji remained seated, motionless, still looking as lazy and indifferent as ever. But the chilling aura around him abruptly froze, and a bead of cold sweat slowly trickled down his temple.
"Yare yare, that's way too exaggerated,"
he muttered, scratching his messy curls in frustration.
"The sheer quality of your Conqueror's Haki... To think it could reach this level. Even if we called Old Man Garp here, he probably wouldn't hold a candle to you, kid."
"Don't compare that geezer to me. Who the hell do you think I am?"
Xiano bared his teeth in a grin, flashing a row of pearly whites.
"If you wanna fight, then just make a move. I slept for days on the plane ride here, so I could really use some exercise... My fists are itching for it."
Plane ride?
Aokiji blinked. How the hell did he get to the East Blue like that?
"Not happening."
He shook his head bluntly. "Honestly, I don't have much confidence taking you on alone. More importantly, the higher-ups aren't too keen on letting the Navy start a war with you just yet."
"Then why did you—"
"Just joking around, don't take it to heart."
Aokiji shrugged, refilling their glasses. "It's rare to run into you in the East Blue, after all. Gotta put on a bit of a show—otherwise, how embarrassing would it be if word got out?"
Seriously...
No one could've predicted it. This guy's growth rate was downright terrifying.
In just a year, he'd already reached a level where Aokiji couldn't even pretend to be superior in front of him.
Tch. If only he'd known...
Back when they first met in Gourmet City, he should've milked the act a little longer.
"Enough. Get to the point."
Xiano couldn't be bothered to entertain him further, downing his drink in one go. "What's a Navy Admiral doing on some backwater island like this?"
The East Blue—dubbed the "Weakest Sea"—hadn't seen a figure of Admiral-level status set foot here in years.
"Ah, shouldn't I be the one asking you that?"
Aokiji removed his broken sunglasses, giving them a pained glance before carefully tucking them away. "But I suppose there's no need. A Sea Emperor, traveling all the way back from the New World... Your target must be the same as mine."
"It's Golden Lion, isn't it?"
He looked at Xiano. "You're usually pretty even-tempered. I don't know exactly what went down at Whole Cake Island, but for you to chase him all the way to the East Blue... Tch. That old man really picked the wrong person to mess with this time."
Xiano neither confirmed nor denied it. "Since when did the Navy's intel network become so efficient?"
"Just a coincidence."
Aokiji shook his head. "Golden Lion's Flying Fleet was still in the Grand Line not long ago. Ten days ago, merchant ships near Reverse Mountain spotted them crossing the summit of the Red Line and entering the East Blue."
"Before that, thanks to you Sea Emperors, this old man who was nearly forgotten by the world suddenly became the center of attention again. The royal families of the East Blue's affiliated kingdoms panicked upon hearing the news and jointly petitioned the World Government. That's why I was specifically sent here to investigate."
"You're quite efficient," Xiano remarked, glancing at the night sky outside the window. "The East Blue is vast, yet you managed to find him."
"What do you mean by that?" Aokiji frowned, feeling puzzled. "Hey, hey, don't mess with me. I've been in the East Blue for a whole week and haven't found a single clue. Otherwise, why would I be here drinking alone... Huh?"
He suddenly realized something and pointed at the sky in shock. "You mean—?"
"Exactly. Golden Lion is right above this sea," Xiano said with a snap of his fingers, signaling the bartender to bring the bill. He laughed heartily. "Looks like you won't need to drown your sorrows anymore. Your luck isn't half bad—running into me. Otherwise, your trip to the East Blue would've been another waste of time."
He pulled out his wallet, paid the bill, and pushed open the saloon doors, striding out of the bar. Aokiji hurried after him.
"How about teaming up?" Aokiji carefully suggested. "That old man is a major threat, and his Devil Fruit powers are troublesome. I'm not worried you can't beat him—that's out of the question—but if he tries to escape..."
"Escape?" Xiano grinned. "That old man? Won't happen. Don't worry!"
Back at Whole Cake Island, Golden Lion had only wanted to use the opportunity to regain his fame and had no intention of sticking around for a fight. But now, things were different.
This was Golden Lion's stronghold!
Under his Flying Fleet, there were fifty Pirate Crews and tens of thousands of men. With so many followers watching, if Xiano came knocking and Golden Lion fled?
Then he might as well give up calling himself a legend of the old era, a peer of Roger and Whitebeard!
He could go sit at the same table as Moria and Buggy!
"This is between me and Golden Lion. Stay out of it, or I'll beat you up too," Xiano said, his aura sharp as he clenched his right fist. "Remember that, Kuzan! But you're not completely useless either!"
The world of the strong was a distant memory, and many details had blurred. Like the names of the minor officers under Golden Lion's command, or the trees used to ward off beasts—what were they called again? D-something...
He couldn't recall any of it.
But one thing was clear: in Golden Lion's stronghold, aside from pirates and beasts, there were also countless villagers living there!
They had been living peaceful lives in the Blue Sea until Golden Lion took a liking to their homeland, turning it into his base. Now, they were trapped in the sky, suffering under oppression.
So...
"Kuzan, your job is to take care of those civilians. Even if Golden Lion's underlings interfere, someone of your caliber should handle them easily, right?"
With those words, he left.
Xiano burst into laughter, stomped his right foot fiercely, and the ground beneath him instantly shattered. His figure shot out like a rocket, stepping on Moon Walk as he soared straight toward the zenith of the sky.
"..."
Aokiji looked up, watching the figure gradually vanish into the sky. After a moment of silence, he shrugged his shoulders.
Prioritizing the protection of civilians, huh?
This guy... really.
He's clearly a Pirate—at least in the eyes of the world—so why does he have to have such a sense of responsibility? It makes it hard for him, as a Marine, to refuse.
Well, whatever.
He was never the diligent type anyway. Since someone else was taking on the most laborious task, there was no need to compete.
This trip could just be treated as a pure vacation to relax...
...
Swish!
As the altitude increased, the surrounding temperature plummeted rapidly.
Xiano continuously pierced through thick layers of clouds along the way. Finally, after breaking through the last barrier of clouds, the scene before him suddenly opened up.
Moonlight cascaded like water, illuminating the massive floating island clusters suspended tens of thousands of meters in the air.
The central main island stood majestic and grand, surrounded by over a dozen smaller floating islands like stars encircling the moon. At the very center of the main island, a sprawling complex of brightly lit buildings could be seen.
Ancient and elegant, resembling a royal palace.
"Found it."
Xiano slightly expanded his Observation Haki and immediately sensed that unruly, unrestrained aura of immense power. He spread his arms and laughed wildly:
"Shiki, get your ass out here!"
His voice boomed like rolling thunder, resounding across the entire night sky.
In an instant, over a hundred cloaked figures surged from all directions. Judging by their attire, these were all members of the Golden Lion's Pirate Crew, each armed and looking vicious.
"Audacious! Who goes there?!"
"Daring to trespass on Shiki-sama's territory—have you prepared to pay with your life?!"
"I'm Captain Xi Ya Nong of the Iron Hook, with a bounty of 70 million Berries! State your name, intruder!"
The leader was a three-meter-tall burly man with a mohawk, wielding dual blades resting on his shoulders. He raised his head with a ferocious glare:
"Huh? Just some brat, huh? Did you come here specifically to—"
His voice abruptly cut off.
"Y-you...!"
The burly man's eyes widened in horror as he stared at the black-haired youth under the moonlight. His dual blades trembled uncontrollably, unable to even maintain their position on his shoulders.
"No mistake... You... You're that World's Greatest Swordsman, the Sea Emperor with a bounty exceeding 3.2 billion Berries—Xiano!!!"
Xiano?
Hearing that name and seeing that unmistakably familiar face, the other Pirates instantly paled, sucking in sharp breaths.
A person's reputation is like the shadow of a tree.
Among ordinary civilians, many might not pay attention to such matters. But as fellow seafarers, how could they not have heard of this name—the most dazzling and unrivaled in the past year?!
Clang!
Some dropped their weapons, some collapsed to their knees, and others turned to flee...
One thing was common.
No matter how much they revered the Golden Lion, facing a top-tier powerhouse standing at the pinnacle of the seas, not a single one of them could muster even a shred of resistance!
"Like hell this is a joke!"
The mohawked man was the only one still barely standing, his face red with rage as he roared. But the beads of sweat on his forehead and the tremor in his voice betrayed him:
"A big shot like you... someone of your stature! Shouldn't you be in the New World? What are you doing here?"
"You're too noisy."
Xiano slightly furrowed his brows and glanced at him. "I'm here for Golden Lion Shiki. I have no interest in wasting time with small fry like you."
Boom!
Without any visible movement, his Conqueror's Haki erupted abruptly, surging forth like a tidal wave.
In an instant, the hundreds of pirates collapsed in unison. The mohawked leader managed to hold on for a second or two before his eyes rolled back, and he fainted.
Xiano landed gracefully, stepping over the unconscious pirates as he strode toward the palace.
In the blink of an eye, the palace gates loomed before him, but Xiano suddenly halted. He raised his head, gazing at the highest balcony of the palace.
There, a towering figure with golden long hair looked down at him, the cigar in his mouth flickering in the night.
"Zehahaha... So you've come, Kaido!"
Golden Lion Shiki spread his arms wide, his arrogant laughter echoing through the night sky:
"I knew you wouldn't just let it go! After all, the grudges between us from back then still haven't been settled! But for you to chase me all the way from the New World alone—you really don't take me seriously, do you?"
"What Kaido?!"
His right-hand man and chief scientist, Indigo, bared his fangs and punched Shiki in the head. "Are you blind?! Look closely! It's Xiano—the World's Greatest Swordsman, Xiano!"
"Huh?"
Shiki scratched his head in confusion, leaning over the railing to get a better look.
"Oh, so it really is you, brat!"
He blew out a smoke ring, grinning viciously. "If it were Kaido or Linlin who came after me, I might've been a little wary. But you?"
"Don't let the world's flattery fool you into thinking you're on my level! A snot-nosed brat like you was still playing in the mud when I was ruling the seas! What, didn't get your turn to get beaten on Whole Cake Island, so you came all the way to the East Blue to die?"
"Can't be helped. The East Blue is my homeland. I can't just sit back and watch you destroy it."
Xiano shook his head leisurely. "A relic of the past like you really only knows how to spout senile nonsense. But you did say one thing right."
"Oh? What's that?" Shiki grinned to his fullest.
"That we... are indeed not on the same level."
Whoosh!
The moment the words left his mouth, Xiano vanished from sight, leaving only an afterimage in the air.
So fast!
A flash of crimson light flickered in Shiki's eyes, but before he could react, an overwhelming force slammed into him!
"Galaxy... Impact!"
Xiano's fist, wreathed in black-red lightning, struck forth!
A terrifying shockwave erupted, instantly uprooting the entire ground around the palace and tearing it into countless fragments!
What kind of move is this?!
Shiki's pupils shrank violently, his wrinkled face trembling uncontrollably. Even though he instinctively tried to block with his sword prosthetics, he was still a step too late.
BOOM!!!
The force of the punch slipped past his blades, piercing straight through Shiki's chest. The residual energy surged onward, obliterating the palace behind him!
Thud!
At that moment, the entire floating island trembled violently.
The palace complex, unable to withstand the violent impact, instantly collapsed. Bricks, stones, and debris scattered in all directions as a towering cloud of dust blotted out the sky!
"Cough!"
Golden Lion spat out a mouthful of blood, his body sent flying like a kite with its string cut. He crashed violently into the ruins, smashing through dozens of broken walls along the way before finally embedding himself into the ground, creating a bottomless crater!
"I thought this would be a tough fight."
Xiano slowly retracted his fist, hovering mid-air as he gazed down at the ruins below with disappointment in his voice:
"So you... really are this weak?"
--Support me in Patreon for more chapters 35+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LegendaryTL
Thanks!