"I don't believe we've met, sir?"
On a remote, deserted beach, Fujitora put down his soba noodles and slowly stood up. Facing the Golden Lion who had descended from the sky, the seemingly ordinary blind man simply gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.
"This is the first time I've heard your name as well." The Golden Lion sized up Fujitora, constantly assessing his opponent's strength. Upon their first meeting, both sides sensed that the other was no ordinary person.
"In that case, why have you sought me out?" Fujitora was very puzzled. He did not sense any killing intent from his opponent. The man had also said this was the first time he had heard his name. So, why? Why had this top-tier swordsman he had never met before come looking for him?
"Allow me to answer that question."
Bellamy's figure descended like a falling meteor. BOOM! He landed beside the Golden Lion, creating a large crater in the flat sandy beach.
"I'm the one who was looking for you."
"Fujitora Issho!"
"And you are?"
Fujitora carefully sensed Bellamy's aura, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recall who he was.
"A pleasure to meet you. I am Bellamy."
"And allow me to introduce my companion, the Flying Pirate, Golden Lion."
Regardless of the circumstances, Fujitora was the first Admiral-level powerhouse Bellamy had ever encountered. He would never be stingy with his courtesy toward the strong.
"The legendary Sir Golden Lion. It is an honor."
The moment he heard the Golden Lion's name, Fujitora's expression immediately turned serious. A man's reputation precedes him. No one would dare to underestimate a legendary powerhouse from the previous era.
"It seems my name has not yet been forgotten by the world."
Fujitora's reaction pleased the Golden Lion, but it wouldn't make him hold back in the slightest during the fight. All three were seasoned, top-tier masters. A mistake like underestimating an opponent was not one they would easily make.
"Sir Fujitora, would you be willing to bind your own hands, put on these Sea-Prism Stone cuffs, and come with me?"
Although he knew it was impossible, Bellamy still asked.
"Please do not joke, sir."
Fujitora's Observation Haki flowed out from his body like a tide, instantly enveloping the entire beach.
"In that case, I'll have to take you back myself."
Bellamy and the Golden Lion unleashed their own Observation Haki at almost the same time. The three waves of Haki clashed violently in the air above the desolate beach.
In terms of mastery of Observation Haki alone, Fujitora was undoubtedly one of the few at the absolute pinnacle of this world. In a one-on-one situation, both the Golden Lion and Bellamy would have their Haki suppressed by him. But now, they were not alone.
The moment their Haki clashed, the Golden Lion immediately knew something was wrong. Before he could be alarmed, Bellamy, who had anticipated this, had already intertwined his own Observation Haki with his, combining their power. The two waves of Haki merged into one, continuing to clash fiercely with Fujitora's in the air above the beach.
With the two of them working together, Fujitora's Observation Haki could not gain the upper hand. After this initial exchange, all three had some assessment of each other's strength.
"What a strong blind man!" The Golden Lion had long since cast aside his initial laziness. Just based on this level of Observation Haki, this blind man named Fujitora was definitely not a weakling to be taken lightly.
Just then, the Golden Lion suddenly remembered something Bellamy had once said to him.
If you're not serious, you'll die.
"I've only been gone for twenty years, and a master like you has appeared on the seas!"
Even in the Golden Lion's era, Fujitora's level of Observation Haki would have been among the best.
"Only twenty years?"
Hearing the Golden Lion's exclamation, Bellamy shook his head inwardly. This old ghost really had been left behind by the times. In these twenty years, countless masters had appeared on the seas, the most famous of which were, of course, the Four Emperors and the Three Admirals. Among them, apart from Whitebeard, all the others were of a younger generation than the Golden Lion. In addition, there was the world's greatest swordsman, Hawkeye Mihawk, the unknown Admiral-level powerhouse, Ryokugyu, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Dragon, and so on. All were top-tier masters not to be underestimated.
If the Golden Lion still held onto his old mindset, thinking he could conquer the seas by himself, then he was destined for a tragic end.
"Before we begin, would you be so kind as to answer a question for me?"
Fujitora gripped his sword hilt tightly and turned his head toward Bellamy. Although his eyes could not see, his mind's eye saw more clearly than anyone.
"I do not believe we have any grievances between us?"
Fujitora was certain that this was the first time he had met Bellamy. Moreover, Bellamy held no killing intent toward him. This was what puzzled him the most.
"Of course not." Bellamy shook his head. He was capturing Fujitora for a certain ulterior motive.
"Then why?"
If possible, Fujitora did not want to fight here. There were still many residents on this island. He had already tried his best to move to a less populated area, but unfortunately, the Golden Lion had arrived too quickly.
"As for the reason, I will tell you slowly after I've captured you."
Why did he have to capture him? Bellamy would naturally tell Fujitora the reason, but only after he had lost the ability to resist.
"So be it."
It seemed this battle was unavoidable.
Gravity Blade: Raging Tiger!
The power of the Gravity-Gravity Fruit was instantly activated. The gravity accumulated in his sword was unleashed with a ferocious gale. In the path of the slash, a massive horizontal gravitational force seemed as if it would crush the very void itself. A phantom image of a raging tiger roared and charged toward the Golden Lion and Bellamy.
"Hmph!"
Lion's Threat: Ground Scroll!
The Golden Lion snorted coldly. He raised his hands toward the sky, and the power of the Float-Float Fruit was instantly activated. The earth rumbled, and countless grains of sand formed several giant lion heads, which charged madly toward the phantom tiger.
Shave: Godspeed Kick!
The moment the two sides clashed, Bellamy unhesitatingly leaped from the ground, a godspeed flying kick aimed at Fujitora's back. This battle was to capture Fujitora alive. If Bellamy didn't contribute, the Golden Lion alone would definitely not be able to do it. For the sake of his ambitions, Bellamy not only had to contribute to this battle, but he had to contribute greatly.
The ferocious phantom tiger and the several lion heads became entangled in the air. Just then, Fujitora drew his sword again, pointing it behind him.
Hell's Journey!
The gravity in the vicinity was suddenly intensified to its limit. Bellamy's figure suddenly appeared behind Fujitora. Before he could make a move, a terrifying pressure forcibly pushed his body deep into the ground.
"Such strong gravity! It didn't give me any time to react!"
The moment the gravity acted on his body, Bellamy wanted to get up and dodge, but even with his speed, he couldn't react in time. The Gravity-Gravity Fruit was indeed an extreme counter to close-quarters combat.