Chapter 237: "Golden Lion" Shiki (II)
"Huh?" Shiki scoffed. "The new 'Sea Emperor,' Darren Eric ?"
"You know me?" Eric was taken aback, then smiled. "I didn't expect that even the legendary, reclusive pirates have heard of my name. Looks like I've become somewhat of a world-renowned figure."
Tap tap Shiki took the cigar out of his mouth with his right hand and tapped it lightly. "So, you couldn't make it in the New World and had to come back here in such a sorry state?"
"..." That old man, he sure knew how to rile people up.
After clearing the nearby vicious animals, Esdeath adjusted her hat and looked up at Shiki. "This is the result of your ten years of planning? These animals and insects, aside from their massive size, are useless."
"..." Hearing Esdeath's retort, Shiki twitched his eye. "So, you came to my territory just for this?"
"You ask what we're here for?" Esdeath, holding her sword, and Scáthach with her spear, both pointed at Golden Lion. "To take your head!"
"...!" Hearing this, the muscles on Shiki's face twitched, and he bared his white teeth before bursting into loud laughter. "Hahaha… You little brats think you can take me down?"
Shiki spread his arms wide, his whole body adopting a bold stance, exuding arrogance. "I'm the man who rules this ocean from the sky!"
A violent storm erupted from Shiki's body, and a fierce wind blew, causing everyone's hair to sway backwards.
"Heh, now this is getting interesting!" A terrifying gleam appeared in Esdeath's eyes, and even the powerful winds couldn't erase her bloodthirsty smile.
Despite the aging Golden Lion, who often acted erratic because of the rudder in his head, he finally became serious. An overwhelming aura exploded from him, and his eyes were filled with murderous intent.
"You bunch of kids, who just started sailing and are looking for treasure, let me show you the true terror of a great pirate!"
"Wave Cutting!"
Shiki suddenly kicked the giant dragon in the sky. The sharp tip of his sword slashed through the air, and a massive sword energy flew toward Eric and the others.
"It's too fast, we can't dodge...!" Deidara tried to control the Explosive Clay Dragon, but due to its massive size, it couldn't turn quickly, and the sword energy was already above their heads.
"Heh!" A purple figure stepped forward. Two crimson long spears intersected, shattering the sword energy.
"You're pretty capable. Now, let's see..."
"You go down first!" Appearing behind Shiki, Eric kicked him to the ground.
"...!" Shiki, still in control, avoided direct contact with the earth. His eyes widened like brass bells, glaring angrily at Eric who had kicked him down.
"Everyone, follow the plan and rescue the civilians in Shiki's palace."
"I understand." Deidara flew off reluctantly. He preferred fighting over rescuing people.
"Now, it's just the four of us," Eric landed behind Shiki, and along with Esdeath and Scáthach , surrounded him. "Who goes first, or shall we go together?"
"Let's do rock-paper-scissors!" The two women said simultaneously, starting to play rock-paper-scissors. Esdeath kept a close eye on Scáthach 's eyes to prevent her from cheating with her prophetic powers.
"Rock!"
"Scissors!"
Their indifferent attitude infuriated the already irate Golden Lion. His thick hair on his back kept shaking in anger.
"You two little girls dare to mock me like this...!"
"You think I'm getting old?!"
"Golden Lion Thousand Cut Valley!"
In his fury, Shiki swung his legs violently. His movements were surprisingly smooth, and dozens of golden sword energies surrounded the two women who were playing rock-paper-scissors.
The bright golden sword energies were crescent-shaped, light as willow leaves, with erratic flight paths. The dozens of sword lights formed a wave of sword attacks, rushing toward Esdeath and Scáthach .
"Ice Shield!" A series of ice walls quickly stacked up to block the sword energy tsunami.
All of the sword energies from Shiki's Thousand Cut Valley struck the thick ice walls.
Boom boom boom!
The incredibly hard ice walls were quickly sliced into countless fragments by the sword energies. The sparkling ice crystals, reflecting the sunlight, erupted into a mist of ice.
Cling cling cling!
The red spear shadows appeared faintly in the ice mist, knocking away the golden sword energies that would have hit the two women.
The ground was swept by the fierce attacks, creating circles of brown smoke.
"Heh, not bad. No wonder you dared to say you'd take my head," Shiki turned his gaze to Eric . "What about you? Aren't you going to take this opportunity?"
"I'd get beaten by them," Eric shrugged. "To me, you're just a wooden stake in the beginner village, a tool for them to vent their battle desires."
"What did you say?!" Shiki turned around, about to angrily scold the clueless little brat.
Whoosh!
Esdeath's snow-white figure emerged from the ice mist, and each step she took created sonic booms as white gusts of wind appeared on either side of her.
"Your opponent is me!" She swung her rapier in the air, slashing toward Shiki.
"!"
Shiki raised his right leg to block the incoming slash.
Clang!
The white frost spread from the point of contact of the blade, climbing up the "Sakura Ten" swords on Shiki's legs, and white frost began to form.
"!"
Shiki raised his left leg, and the "Dead Wood" on his left leg swung toward Esdeath.
Reluctantly, Esdeath had to retract her sword to block.
Clang!
"You think... only you can attack with your legs?!" Esdeath, competing in strength, stomped her right foot hard, and an ice pillar shot up from the ground, sending Shiki flying into the air.
"You little brat!" Feeling the weightlessness from being sent flying, Shiki adjusted his posture, like golden lightning, he twisted through the air, his kimono fluttering as he howled, and attacked Esdeath again.
Using his advantage in the air, Shiki continually performed flying slashes toward Esdeath below.
Esdeath wasn't about to back down, using the freezing cold frost combined with her sword energy, she quickly slashed out dozens of sword beams.
"This is...!"
Wherever the cold sword energy passed, icy paths began to form in the air.
Esdeath jumped onto the ice paths and rushed toward Shiki.
"I told you, this is my home court!" Shiki raised his hands, "Lion Might—Royal Land Roll!"
The air formed several white lion heads.
"Roar!"
Although they weren't real animals, they roared with real sound—what a strange sight.
"This is just an empty trick... Stop embarrassing yourself, Golden Lion!" Esdeath twirled her sword in the air, and the cold frost froze the white lion heads.
"!" Shiki clenched his teeth.
A faint blue glow appeared, and Esdeath slowed the time around her.
In Shiki's eyes, all the surroundings began to slow down, even his neural reflexes began to lag. The only thing that moved at normal speed was a blue-tinged white figure, leaping toward him without slowing down.
Their bodies brushed past each other, and the white sword light flashed.
A bloodline shot out from Shiki's front, then froze into a block of blood-colored ice due to the extreme cold.
Thud
Shiki's massive figure fell to the ground.
Eric muttered, "'Golden Lion' Shiki, is that all you're capable of?"
Hahaha... Shiki pushed himself up on his knees. "Not bad, no wonder you're called one of the 'Four Emperors.'"
"You... don't underestimate a real great pirate...!" Shiki's right hand reached toward the rudder on his head...
(END CHAPTER)
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