Chapter 223: Clash of Kings beneath the Rising Sun

“Let’s see who we’ve got here.”

“Roger, join me. Let’s rule these seas together and become kings among pirates.”

Golden Lion was here for Roger. The moment he heard Garp had disappeared, he led his massive pirate fleet to hunt down Roger without delay.

He stood high in the air, clad in shimmering gold, golden hair draped over his shoulders, radiating an aura of command.

If the Roger Pirates joined him, Golden Lion’s strength would be second only to the Rox Pirates on these seas.

With that, he’d have even greater confidence in competing for the title of Pirate King.

Roger glanced at Rayleigh, Jabba and the others by his side. “Hahahaha!”

“Golden Lion, there’s no way I’d join you. Stop dreaming.”

Someone like Roger would never follow another man’s lead.

Besides, he would go on to become the Pirate King. His pride would never let him serve under anyone else.

“Roger, don’t be foolish.”

“I’ll give you one more chance. Join me.” Golden Lion said arrogantly. He was sure Roger would make the smart choice.

If Roger refused, the last thing Golden Lion wanted was for him to team up with Newgate or Karl. And if Roger wouldn’t join, then he’d just have to take him out.

Roger simply shook his head. “If you came all this way just to talk nonsense, then you shouldn’t have bothered.” He picked his ear with a look of impatience.

“Hmph, didn’t expect you to be so clueless, Roger. Then there’s nothing more to say.”

Golden Lion raised his hand and, with a wave, sent a battered pirate ship hurtling toward Roger and his crew.

The ship had belonged to a pirate crew Golden Lion defeated along the way. Smashing ships or islands as weapons was his signature move.

“Voom!”

Roger didn’t even need to use Divine Departure. With a light swing of his blade, he shattered the old ship to pieces. Splinters crashed down, echoing loudly in the quiet darkness.

“If that’s all you’ve got, you might as well head back where you came from.”

Golden Lion’s eyes flashed with anger at being underestimated.

He first waved his hand to set the ships behind him on the water, then flew at Roger and his crew.

“Lion’s Thousand Cut Bones!” Golden Lion charged, brandishing his two longswords with a sinister grin.

“Divine Departure!”

A crimson light flickered in Roger’s eyes as he swung Ace to meet him head-on.

Boom!

Before their blades could even touch, a red sphere pulsed between them. A shockwave burst out from the spot where they clashed, cracking the earth and toppling trees. Chaos erupted all around.

Rayleigh and the others could sense with their Observation Haki that the intense battle filled the air with sword aura everywhere.

For a split second the two separated, only to collide again with renewed ferocity.

“Kill!”

At that moment, Golden Lion’s men charged at Rayleigh and the others.

They instantly found opponents. A dozen crewmates rushed in swinging their weapons, making sure nothing disrupted Captain Roger or the woman Morala behind him.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

“Roger, are you sure you won’t reconsider joining me?”

Their fierce duel sent a constant ring of clashing blades through the night.

“Golden Lion, you don’t need to keep asking me to join you.”

“I don’t serve under anyone else.” Roger finished, then slashed at incredible speed, his sword crackling with Conqueror’s Haki.

“Wave Slash!”

Golden Lion brought his two famous swords together, crossing them overhead. Twin arcs of golden sword energy tore through the air, swinging at Roger.

As the sword beams closed in, Roger raised his blade and blocked.

He twisted aside to dodge.

Golden Lion wasn’t easy to fool. With Observation Haki he predicted Roger’s move immediately.

“Lion’s Might – Earth Scroll!” he bellowed, activating the power of the Float-Float Fruit.

At once, the ground shook as earth was sent skyward. Rocks and soil gathered, forming a massive lion’s head that blotted out the sky, stomping toward Roger.

“Divine Departure!”

Roger swung Ace again and again, smashing every charging stone lion to pieces.

Once all the stone lions were destroyed, Roger spotted a sword arc a hundred meters long laced with Armament Haki tearing through the air at him.

“Clang!” A metallic clash rang out.

Neither man gave an inch as they battled back and forth across the islet.

Golden Lion’s face darkened. He launched another attack right away—Roger’s overwhelming power had caught him off guard.

“Wave Slash!” Black energy crackled around the tip of his blade.

Golden Lion unleashed both a grandmaster’s sword aura and the full might of his Armament Haki.

The two powers combined, multiplying his attack.

“Divine Departure!”

Red Conqueror’s Haki flashed over Roger’s right hand, covering his sword in a surging aura. His strength radiated in waves.

Their Conqueror’s Haki collided in midair.

The shock instantly twisted the surrounding wind. In this one-on-one clash Roger’s strength clearly outmatched Golden Lion’s.

Golden Lion was pushed back after only a moment, and Roger vanished from his original spot, cutting the distance with a flurry of attacks.

With a resounding ring, Roger’s sword struck Golden Lion. Fortunately, Golden Lion had coated his whole body in Armament Haki, but the sheer force still sent him flying.

Roger pressed the attack, charging after him without hesitation.

Golden Lion hit the ground, slapped both hands to the earth and vaulted up, swinging his blade just in time to block Roger’s charge.

“Lion’s Thousand Cut Bones!”

The air whirled in Golden Lion’s hands as he unleashed sword energy from his blades, thick with Conqueror’s Haki.

Roger didn’t flinch. “Divine Departure!”

His own sword surged with Conqueror’s Haki as the two auras clashed.

Crimson lightning sizzled through the night, lighting up the blackness as their Conqueror’s Haki collided again and again.

Each thunderous clash sent shockwaves across the water. The once calm sea churned and bucked.

Even Rayleigh and the others fighting nearby were shaken by the bursts of power. The aftershocks of this battle were nightmarish, with waves smashing parts of Golden Lion’s fleet to bits.

And now and then, stray attacks would crash right toward them.

“Boss Golden Lion!”

“Roger really found himself a worthy opponent.” Rayleigh commented as he swept aside another wave of petty thugs with his saber.

The Golden Lion Pirates didn’t have many top fighters, but their numbers were staggering. Just on the islet alone, thousands had come ashore, with even more filling the sea behind them.

Seeing the endless flood of reinforcements, Rayleigh and the others were more stunned than anything else.

They never expected Golden Lion’s men to be so many. Even though most were weak, they could still take a hit or two. Enough ants can bite an elephant to death.

The battle raged on and before long, the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon.

Golden Lion sensed trouble. The battlefield had grown oddly quiet.

He turned, scanning his crew.

“Damn it!” The bodies of his fallen men stretched as far as he could see.

He didn’t care about their lives, but so many deaths would still hurt his crew’s strength.

“Roger, I’ll let you live—this time.” Despite his words, Golden Lion’s hands swung with all the force of a grandmaster. A towering sword beam slashed straight at Roger.

Roger didn’t hold back either, slashing twice to create matching sword waves. Their attacks collided in a final clash and faded into the sky.

When Roger looked up again, Golden Lion had already retreated, taking his remaining pirates and leaving the scene.