A single slash from Shiki was enough to cleave the ocean's surface for hundreds of kilometers.
And what was called "Lion's Thousand Ravines" was an upgraded version of that slash.
Using his swords Oto and Kogarashi, Shiki unleashed dozens of massive sword energies that could cover the entire sky.
Each individual strike far surpassed the power of his normal slashes.
The color too had changed from the original golden slash, now coated with a deep purple-black hue.
This power was even greater than when Michael had witnessed Shiki use "Lion's Thousand Ravines" during his battle against Garp and Sengoku before the Marine Headquarters.
After removing that ship's rudder from his head, every move Shiki made was equivalent to consuming and overdrawing his own life.
This Shiki, who cared nothing for death, had temporarily reached heights even his prime self couldn't achieve.
Even Michael sensed danger...
Danger sufficient to threaten Michael's life!
But... this only made the boiling blood in Michael's chest grow more excited.
Holy light erupted violently from his entire body, and in almost an instant, Michael once again entered the state of Ascending the Divine Stairway.
Liquid holy light mixed with three types of angelic flames formed a brand new set of angelic armor.
Then, brandishing Morning Star, he charged headlong into the raging "Lion's Thousand Ravines."
Each violent collision left deep trenches on the floating island.
Michael moved so fast only afterimages remained, like a leaping mass of pure white holy light.
But Shiki knew...
Every single one of his slashes had been perfectly intercepted by Michael.
With a flick of Morning Star, Michael sent the final slash energy flying into the sky before pointing his sword directly at Shiki.
"HAHAHA! Shiki, as you wished, you've truly returned to your peak... no, surpassed your peak! Though it will only last a short time, it's enough for you to be proud!" Michael reached up to sweep his hair back.
"But can those hands handle it? It's been a long time since you used your hands to fight strong enemies, hasn't it?"
"Brat!" Shiki's lips curled into a cruel smile, "Even if I were ten—no, twenty years older! I could never forget the feeling of holding a sword to kill! If that day ever came... I wouldn't deserve to be called Golden Lion anymore!"
Michael and Shiki locked eyes.
Then they revealed identical, madness-filled grins.
"Everyone's been fooled by you, brat! You're nothing but a battle maniac! And the kind that most craves blood on the blade!"
"What if I am? What if I'm not?" Michael shook his head, "For the cause I'm loyal to, I can even pretend to get along with anyone... except the Celestial Dragons, of course."
Hearing Michael's words, Shiki's face twisted into a terrifying lion-like snarl.
"Is that so? Then you really are... a strange one."
"I don't want to hear that from someone with a gaping hole in his head," Michael curled his lips, raising his eyes with a frown.
"You've already made your move... but I wonder if you can handle this one?"
Swinging Morning Star, Michael merged Holy Flame, Judgment Flame, and Wrath Flame with the liquid Holy light.
Guided by Morning Star, they transformed into a sky full of starlight around him.
In the next instant, these stars all turned into sharp blades, wrapped in various hues of angelic flames, surging toward Shiki.
"Starlight Blade Art: Constellation!"
Shiki's eyes narrowed.
His battle-honed instincts screamed that this attack... absolutely couldn't be blocked head-on.
Without hesitation, he released his grip, letting Oto and Kogarashi hover mid-air once more.
Then...
Float-Float Fruit, activate!
"Lion's Roar: Imperial Earth Roll!"
Using the power of his Float-Float Fruit, Shiki upheaved the entire ground.
Everything within sight was lifted along with it, ultimately forming a massive, tangible lion's head.
The lion's gaping maw was pitch black.
It swallowed every one of Michael's countless blades whole.
That darkness within the lion's mouth was none other than Shiki's incomparably dense Armament Haki.
But before Shiki could speak, the lion's head exploded completely.
Scattering across the floating island's every corner.
Michael looked up at Shiki.
"I'd wager that right now, you could go toe-to-toe with Whitebeard in his prime... no! You might even have the edge over him!"
"Is that so?" Shiki's lips twisted with unbridled arrogance.
"So only by abandoning life do I get a chance to surpass Whitebeard?"
"At least before you die, I'll personally bestow upon you that title of 'World's Strongest Man' that belonged to Whitebeard."
"Tsk tsk... how audacious! Then what about you? What does that make you? Someone who surpasses the world's strongest?"
"No, no... I'm just a revolutionary brick, placed wherever needed." Michael shook his head.
"What a pity, truly a pity. You've got less than twenty minutes left."
"Oh? Getting sentimental over an enemy already?"
"No, I'm just lamenting... how exhilarating it is to have an opponent like you."
"Is that so?" Shiki nodded. "Then let me excite you even more."
As Shiki's words fell.
Oto and Kogarashi—these two great-grade short broadswords—began weaving through the air around him like living creatures.
Except...
It wasn't just Oto and Kogarashi floating.
Everything in the surroundings had begun levitating under the Float-Float Fruit's power.
Even Michael, standing some distance away, felt the liquid Holy light covering him tremble momentarily.
It nearly slipped from his control due to the Float-Float Fruit's influence.
But Michael simply steadied his mind.
Armament Haki surged forth, forming violet-black patterns that etched themselves onto his angelic armor, reclaiming command.
This moment made Michael truly comprehend the terrifying nature of an awakened Devil Fruit's power.
Especially for Paramecia-type Devil Fruits like the Float-Float Fruit, which symbolize natural disasters.
Originally, objects could only be made to float by direct touch.
Now, anything swept by Shiki's Observation Haki would fall under the control of the Float-Float Fruit.
This included living beings as well.
Just moments ago, Michael's liquid Holy Light nearly spiraled out of control because of this.
Had it been anyone else, if they were even slightly late in using Haki, they would've instantly become lambs waiting for slaughter in his hands.